I first tasted these bite-sized treats when teaching in Alaska. This popular recipe appears multiple times on the internet, so I can’t credit the source! A few simple ingredients and about an hour’s time provides tasty bite-sized treats to serve, or inexpensive stocking stuffer gifts!

Our dogs are loveable and rambunctious pests at the same time! The two larger dogs, Whiskey and Horatio came with Dan when he moved back from Reno. Duncan, the blonde cocker spaniel has been with us for 10 years. They love the activity of holidays – food, presents, great smells, people coming and going.

Quilt Studio Sewing Christmas tree

Ok, this tree can’t actually sew!   The ornaments are sewing related.

• Collect several small spools of brightly colored thread.
• Make a loop from colored cord, adding a knot to tie the ends together.
• Slip the loop through the spool, and hang them from the branches!
• Purchase several mini sewing kits with the tiny spools of thread, tiny travel scissors and mini pin cushion.
• Use hot glue to join the sewing components together. Add a colorful cord or ribbon loop hanger.
• Tie a ribbon through tiny embroidery scissors, small rotary cutters, various sewing tools.
• Create a spool of thread ornament, topped with a gathered lace circlet and an inexpensive thimble. Hot glue the components together, and hang with a ribbon loop.
• Keep your eye open for cute sewing ornaments – tiny sewing machines, little mice with thimbles, needlework ornaments.
• Create your own stitched Temari Ball ornaments. I made these in the late 1970’s while living in Japan.
• Save or create your own fabric postcards to celebrate the season!

[message sent by e-mail on Tuesday, Dec. 2]

I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season! The Krentz family was home for Thanksgiving, and we all spent time in the kitchen throughout the day. Our son Ryan prepared a brined turkey, and placed fresh herbs under the skin – it was absolutely delicious!

It has been a wonderful whirl-wind quilting year – meeting new friends and catching up with dear friends from past workshops and events.

Lone Star DVD

“Jan Krentz Teaches You to Make Lone Star Quilts” DVD. If you haven’t seen it yet, I hope you’ll get the opportunity! The DVD is just like taking a private workshop with me on the Lone Star Basics – right in your own home! Treat yourself, or ask your loved ones to order a copy for your Christmas stocking!

Have you read any good BLOGS lately? (You are reading one now!)

BLOG – Short for “web log”, a Blog is an online journal, updated regularly. Beginning this summer I have written entries on my blog from a family cruise, teaching trips to interesting places, quilt shops, and photos from various parts of the world. Please check in with me from time to time on my blog!

In the coming year I hope you will join me for a CRUISE!  The cruise directors are waiting to take your reservation for these wonderful workshop cruises. I am teaching 2 brand new workshops from my next book, Quick Star Quilts (due out in February ’09):

Fondly, Jan