Trees from books

  I found this top image on Facebook Christmas Book Trees. 

Found on tumblr

You can learn how to make this one on Instructables.

Found at MediaTinker

Found at JCULibraryNews

Found at BoingBoing

Found at Unconsumption

Found at  Eyenstyn

Found Shawn Calhoun

Found via Black Gate

 found it via Wil Wheaton’s tumblr  So Cute! 

Wall Tree

Live in a small apartment and don’t have room for a real Christmas tree? 

 Create your own modern style tree using lights and decorations tacked to any wall space.

 (Photo Credit: Martha Stewart)

So Cute Christmas cookies

Cute Snoopy Cookies and other great ideas
Cookie Cutter

Sugar Cookies 

6 cups all-purpose flour 

3 teaspoons baking powder  

1 teaspoon salt  

2 cups unsalted butter  

2 cups granulated sugar  

2 large eggs  

2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

Cream sugar and butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and add to butter mixture. Mix well. Put a handful of the freshly made dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll to desired thickness. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Put the rolled dough, including the parchment paper, on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes or longer. Your dough will be chilled and ready to cut and bake with now wait and no added flour! Repeat with scraps after cutting cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 -10 minutes. Let cool.

Source: Fancys Flours

Royal Icing

3 tablespoons Meringue Powder

4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted 

6 tablespoons warm water

Beat all ingredients until icing forms a peak (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer). 

. 

Wall of cookies

At my house we have a tradition of decorating the tree with edibles

Now these are some of the most wonderful gingerbread cookies I have seen in a long time. 

Instructions found here 

Also would make part of a great cookie wall Christmas tree

You frame strings and ribbons along a wall in shape of a Christmas Tree .

Then tie cris cross strings and ribbons back and forth through frame.

Then hang your cookies and watch the fun.

Grandmama used to wrap each cookie in a colored cellophane  bag.

Merry Christmas

More cookies

Gingerbread Recipe:

1 1/2 Cup Shortening

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

1 1/2 Cup Dark Molasses

(cream together)

12 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

4 Teaspoons Ground Ginger

4 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

(sift and combine)

Chill dough one hour.

Prepare Royal  Icing Recipe (below)

Royal Icing Recipe:

6 Egg Whites - Room Temperature

1 1/2 Cream of Tartar

2 Lb Confectioners Sugar, Sifted

(combine in mixing bowl and mix on high 7-10min)

Store icing at room temperature in covered container.

As you pipe your lines, sprinkle sanding sugar over the wet icing.  I use a different paper plate under the cookie for each sprinkle color so I can funnel the excess sugar back into the container.

Have fun with the designs and try something new with each cookie.  Most of the cookies shown are outlined, but try filling in an entire cookie.  It will absolutely sparkle!  Store icing at room temperature in covered container.   

Let the cookies set overnight.  While still fragile, the icing will be hard and the sugar and candy pearls will be firmly set to the cookie.

If you are unsure about piping Royal Icing, these cookies are a great starting point.  The sanding sugar is very forgiving over unsteady lines.