Lots of pieces flying

Beyond the normal craziness around here throw in a mystery quilt with thousands of little pieces and a Scottie dog who thinks all Christmas decorations are out to get him.

I am working on Bonnie's Christmas mystery. I love the fabrics I am using. I even used the scrappy strips to make the above Wreath for the hallway! This quilt however is not for the faint of heart...cutting one to two-hundred little pieces in each step! I have pieces, patches, subunits and strips all over the kitchen table! If it wasn't for little baskets and sandwich bags it would be totally out of control! I am almost keeping up with this one which surprises me more than anyone!

This week I had to take some time out to go shopping for a 12 foot inflatable snowman...don't worry I have not succumbed to the Disney meets Dr. Seuss decorating craze in my neighborhood. No, last week Macbeth, my Scottish Terrier, he decided enough was enough. He did a quick-stop to slip his collar and went gang busters on my neighbors snowman. Amazing how quickly those things deflate when their leg is chomped on by a terrier. I had a brief vision of the whole thing - dog and all - zipping around the neighborhood like a popped balloon but fortunately it didn't happen like that. I was however very concerned that Mac would be smothered by the mass of plastic coming down on his little head...because you know a terrier will not let go until he is sure he has won...which usually means the other "dog" runs away. Not happening with the snowman....

Anyway, it took about 3 visits to stores and a half-a-dozen calls but I managed to find what maybe the last snowman within 100 miles of Augusta....Just my luck I had helped my neighbor put it up in her front yard when her husband pulled in the driveway with the "dead" snowman in the back of his truck. A friend at his workplace was able to patch ole-Frosty up so now "joy" they have a pair of snowmen waving to me as we walk by every night......

A couple of folks asked about the Buttery Toffee Cookies I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago...the recipe is from the Land O'Lakes web site (I've had a lot of luck with the cookies on this site!)...the only thing I changed was to use the Baker's Chocolate dipping chocolate (the kind that goes right in the microwave...lazy I know...) and dip half the cookie into the chocolate for just an added boost...because it is hard to have too much chocolate!

Buttery Toffee Cookies

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 ounce) package milk chocolate toffee bits

Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in a large bow. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed. Stir in toffee bits.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets.

Optional chocolate dipping: wait until all cookies are cool before dipping in the chocolate. These cookies are best the day after baking.