Cloches, Cookies, Carols and a Code

     It is that time again...Marty is having a cloche party! Each time she has one, I seem to have added a cloche or two to my collection. I have been blogging 16 months and I didn't have any before I started blogging! The chippy one above has some "snow" and two tiny mercury glass trees along with a vintage ornament.

I love this tiny new one with its brush tree and church.

I haven't shown you my new favorite brush tree!

     I can finally show you the entire table. Don't look too closely or you will see I have a table runner thrown over the banister waiting to do a tablescape.

This isn't exactly a cloche...but it is glass and it holds things!

You saw my created cloches using my mom's silver on an earlier post.

The Santa ornament is very old and so fragile.

A jar full of ornaments sits on the table near the tree.

Finally, on my bedroom dresser...

a jar filled with some of my vintage ornaments.

You can see my son's picture in the mirror...

not sure he'd be thrilled about that!

     Now, for the cookie part of this post! I went to a cookie exchange this week and I knew that everyone else was bringing something made with chocolate, so I decided to do something simple and festive. This is a sugar cookie recipe that I've had for many years. It is different than most, it produces a slightly crisp cookie. What I love is that a batch makes 5 dozen cookies that look pretty without requiring rolling, cutting and frosting!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.

Cream together butter, oil, sugar and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and 2 eggs and mix well. Blend in flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and salt until well mixed dough is formed. Using a small ice cream type scoop (or a teaspoon) dip out dough and roll into balls. Roll into colored sugar (sanding sugar works best) place on greased cookie sheet and lightly press to slightly flatten. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be lightly brown on the bottom but still light colored on the top. Cool on racks. Makes 5 dozen.

I selected my sugar colors to match the cello bags I found at WalMart.

I also did a few in my favorite sugar blend.

     Now, for the carols! Every year I make a CD with my favorite songs of the season. I tend to like the ones that aren't traditional favorites. I couldn't find links to everything on my CD, but I thought I'd share the ones that I could find.

1. The Christmas Hope

2. Christmas Is

3. The Greatest Gift of All (Your Love)
4. It's Not Christmas Without You
5. The Christmas Blessing
6. Where Are You Christmas
7. Reason For The Season
8. The Gift
9. I Believe In Christmas
10. My Christmas Prayer
11. Christmas Offering
12. Ordinary Days
13. The Perfect Gift
14. Peace (Where the Heart Is)
15. Finally Christmas
16. Sometimes Christmas Makes Me Cry
17. Coming Home For Christmas
18. Instrument of Peace

Now the Code! April Cornell (aprilcornell.com) is offering my readers a discount code to use on their site. It is an Exclusive Tablescaper promotional code to use online. Please enter LINEN10OFF  at Checkout. They are currently offering a limited time promotion of 25% off current season product to which you can add your code for 10%. I didn't receive anything for sharing this information, but it is a good deal to pass along to all of you.

I am linking to the following parties in Blogland...please visit our hostesses!

Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for the Cloche Party

Michael @ Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday