Merry and Jolly Snowman Table

Welcome to my Merry and Jolly Snowman Table.

After the hustle and the bustle of the holidays, thank goodness for Merry and Jolly Snowman to help brighten our January days.  I am a huge fan of snowmen!  They just are so happy and fun.  Did you ever wonder who started making snowmen?  I guess it's a case of when you are served lemons, make lemonade!  We have a ton of snow that is not going away anywhere soon.  How about you?  We were out of town when the storm hit, and I was so sad to not be able to watch the flakes come down.  I love a good snow storm, especially if there are huge flakes.

I am posting this to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday, where the letter of the week is "M" for Merry and Jolly Snowman and to Susan's Tablescape Thursday.

I want to thank Linda at More Fun Less Laundry for the fun Snowman Star Ornament giveaway that I received right before Christmas.  This little guy is even cuter in person -- he will look so perfect on my "traditional tree." 



I also want to thank my sister, Purple Chocolat Home for this festive apron "giveaway" she made for me -- that's what she called it!   Don't you just want to step into the apron fabric?  The candy cane fabric is just so shimmery and beautiful; my picture doesn't do it justice.  I needed her daughter Jessica to model it for me.



What fun things to receive right before Christmas.

This is the individual placesetting.  I found the salad/dessert plates at Wal-Mart after Christmas.

I just love these HUGE napkins that I found at Target at this year's  after Christmas sale. 

 The cookie jar is labled "Jolly Ol' Snowy" by Tracy Porter.  It was a find years ago at Target.

I love the squirrel on a backside.

Inspired by Sherry's lanterns at The Charm of Home, I am showcasing my snowman bell in my red landern.

I have enjoyed making snowman donuts.  So fun and easy!  I am doing another post on them tomorrow.  Look's like this little fellow got his buttons messed up a bit.

Thanks for dropping by my Red Couch!

Table Information

Brown Placemats:  Wal-Mart

Red Chargers:  Wal-Mart

Red Plates:  Wal-Mart

Snowflake Plates:  Wal-Mart

Napkins:  Target Christmas 2010 sale

Napkin Rings:  Style Sisters 

Red Goblets:  Costco

Lantern:  Pier 1

Snowman Bell:  Roberts Arts and Crafts years ago

Snowman Cookie Jar:  Target years ago

Donut Snowmen

A fond and snowy welcome to my Red Couch.  Come in from the cold where it is nice and toasty on my Red Couch.

I have seen these cute little donut snowmen around and thought I would try my hand at them.  I think the original inspiration came from Matthew Meade.  They are so cute and fun to make.  I am making these and some other donut snowmen with my Activity Day girls (church) tomorrow. 

Ingredients:

Miniature Powdered Sugar Donuts

Brown Jimmies

Orange Slices

Black Confetti Sprinkles  -- mine are from a Halloween Mix

Light Corn Syrup

Break off a small piece of an orange slice and form into nose.  Dab nose with a bit of corn syrup and insert in donut hole.  Insert brown jimmies in donut for mouth.  Attach black confetti sprinkles by dabbing the back of confetti with a bit of corn syrup.  If you don't have confetti, you could use miniature chocolate chips, food clay, fondant or icing or jel.

I think my girls will love making and eating these snowmen. 

Thanks for dropping by me Red Couch where you are always welcome!

Posted with the following:
Show and Tell, Crafty Soiree, Strut Yourself Thursday, Thrilling Thursdays, Weekend Wrapup, Made By You Monday, CraftOManiac Monday

Pink Pretzel Cookies

Welcome to my Red Couch and take a seat.

It's back to school for my children and back to packing lunches.  Pretzel cookies are  great for packed lunches.  I like to eat them on the second day, they mature and taste even better.  The recipe is from a Pillsbury cookbook that my brother Tim gifted to me when I was in college.  Being the THIRD sister, he thought I needed a little assistance in the domestic department. My children once "suprised" me when they were quite a bit younger by making these cookies.  Ever since that surprise, we have made them.

I wanted to thank Jenny who hosts the blog Jenny Matlock...Off My Tangent, for sending me this great cookbook that arrived just in time for Christmas.  Jenny and the other Chickberries have provided their best recipes.  All of Jenny's recipes look delectible!  Jenny is one of the nicest hostesses in blogland.  Drop by and say hi! 

 I sprinkled these cookies with "pink sugar so that I could join up with my blogging sisters on Pink Saturday.  We have made them in all colors of the rainbow -- even with black sugar.

Recipe and Instructions:

1 cup sugar

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and almond extract, and egg. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. You don't want to refrigerate it too long because the dough might crack when forming into pretzels.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough, with your fingers, into strips that are 8 inches long and about 1/2-inch wide.

Then take the left side of the roll and place it on the bottom right of the cookie.

The formed pretzel cookie.

Then take the right side of the roll and place it on the bottom left of the cookie.

Here is a picture with the pink sugar sprinkled on them before baking.  I put the smallest amount of water on my fingers and then sprinkled the sugar on the cookies.  Alternatively, you can roll the cookies in sugar before you form them into pretzel shapes.  To help avoid spreading, put the cookie pan in the freezer before baking for about 10 minutes.   Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from baking pan and cool on rack.  Makes about 24 pretzels.

Posted with the following:

Pink Saturday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Show and Tell, Pink Saturday