Gracie's Gifts

This year we gave a few Gracie-inspired gifts to family members.

My dad is enjoying his Grampa status. He's been getting many compliments on his new t-shirt!

Visit my Zazzle Store for a growing selection of Family Alphabet t-shirts.

Gracie created this artwork (with a little encouragement and the absence of the black and brown crayons)...

Which I cropped... 

And used to create mugs for the Auntie and Uncles...

And had printed on this 5x7 canvas.

The custom gifts were well-received and are being enjoyed!

Gingerbread Play Dough

Gingerbread Play Dough, all wrapped up with a bow and a cookie cutter attached and ready for gift-giving.

The recipe and presentation idea were inspired by Sweet Sugar Belle.

It smells good but supposedly doesn't taste good. I didn't try it, but Gracie did and kept wanting to nibble at it. She's watched me make so many cookies that she thinks that something yummy always comes from dough!

Christmas Cookies!

It wouldn't be Christmas without home-baked cookies!

This bear was part of a birthday present for our friend Jack who turned 5 just before Christmas.

These initialed bears were for the kids on our list.

This one was for my Sweetie.

And this guy has presents!

Chocolate Trees (recipe from LilaLoa) decorated with royal icing and white sprinkles.

I was inspired by these cookies I saw at Starbucks. Thanks to Mom for discovering them!

Glazed Peppermint Stars (recipe from Sweet Sugar Belle) sprinkled with crushed candy.

Shortbread and Chocolate Shortbread Cookies. The basic recipe is from Got Milk? The Cookie Book which I adapted for the chocolate shortbread. I've had success with every recipe I've tried in this book.

There was more baking on the agenda when we visited my parents.

Mom made the Glazed Lebkuchen Stars from a recipe my brother got in his high school German class. Danke schön, Herr Reuss!  It's a family favorite and we look forward to it all year. She also made Pecan Balls, Orange Sugar Cookie Trees, and Gingerbread Snowflakes. My sister Jill brought red sugar sprinkled Sugar Stars. Gracie and I baked Gingerbread Boys.

This is how I decorate Gingerbread Boys.

This is how Gracie decorates Gingerbread Boys.

Our cookie assortment usually includes Spritz, Jam Buttons and sometimes Pfeffernusse, but time and energy were in short supply this year. We had plenty to enjoy, though!