On the Eleventh Day of Cookie Christmas...

Sweet Sarah gave to me, Eleven Cheerful Cardinals...

These were for the annual William Jewell ~ Alpha Gamma Delta ornament exchange.  I thought they we appropriate because the Jewell mascot is a cardinal, and I couldn't muster up the squirrel with a wreath that I really wanted to do.  I LOVE red and white together... so I included some snowflakes too.

This fun cookie was the hostess gift for my dear friend, Mary Catherine.  She sent me a postcard like this from the U.K. with a container of my favorite British "Biscuits" after I found out I was pregnant with my third child... What a blessing that I will never forget.  I still have the postcard, and used it to create yummy "Thank you!"

I also was really happy with these red and white ornaments, too.  They were also inspired by my Isaiah Bible Study, and were a gift to the leaders of that study.



“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
Isaiah 1:18

Merry Cookie Christmas!
Sarah

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving! 

(Really, I am in favor of any National Eating Holiday...)

No, seriously, it is just a good solid holiday filled with quality things: gratitude, family, history, patriotism, parades, food..., err uhm, I mean a bountiful harvest and so much more.

We have so many blessings for which to be thankful. 

Among many other things, this year, I am thankful for the Sweet Shoppe and the opportunities that it is providing for me and my girls to grow, to learn, to have fun together in the kitchen, and for the relationships that I am building with you, my friends and customers, and with other small business owners and cookie bakers. 

So, this Thanksgiving I am wishing you blessings too many to count!

Have a

Happy Thanksgiving...

And Gobble 'til you Wobble!

Pumpkin Pie Sugar Cookie

A special "Thank You" to Ali Bee's Bake Shop
for the tutorial on pie cookies on Sweet Sugarbelle's Blog.  Curious K. could not even wait for this Pumpkin Pie cookie to dry before she gobbled it down!  (I had to crop her hand reaching for the fork out of the photo!)

Sarah's Sweet Shoppe is now closed for Thanksgiving and will reopen on Monday, November 28, ready with my first batch of Christmas cookies and some pinkalious birthday cookies for a sweet 5 year old!

Nuts! Nuts! Nuts!

I love how busy little squirrels run around and prepare for winter.  I feel their excitement as I prepare for the holiday baking season.  I am stocking up on all my basic supplies (flour, sugar, powdered sugar, parchment), and searching for all those fun special touches too... SPRINKLES, luster dust, fancy candies, and of course, all of the best holiday cookie cutters!  Scurry, scurry, scurry. 

I have also been busy confirming my December cookie orders.  Last year, I baked 21 dozen cookies between Thanksgiving and Christmas for friends, family, class parties, etc.  Right now, I have a feeling I will make at least that many this year... I do only have room for a couple more orders though, so if you were thinking of ordering cookies for something special next month, now (well, actually, Monday morning) is the time to get that booked. ;^)

"Who Cooks for You?" 
Sarah would be happy to!

(Note: This was last week's post, but I was too sick to bake. Not tragically sick, just uncomfortable and  inconvenient sick. It made me kinda silly for complaining, since I know two families that have been battling REAL sickness, tragic sickness, for several YEARS, and made me really grateful for the overall good health of my family.  So, now that I have stopped coughing and sneezing, I am happy to say that I am back in the kitchen again... less grouchy and more grateful.)

Scurry, scurry, scurry.