Virtual Cookie Exchange 2018

Carol from Just Let Me Quilt has done it again — created a delicious and beautiful blog hop to celebrate the season. And today is our day to shine!

In case you are just meeting us for the first time, Gray Barn Designs is owned by sisters Cindy and Sandy. Cindy lives in Ohio and I live in western NY. You can read more about us here. We’d love to have you follow us!

We’ve already had more than one heavy snowfall here in New York, so I decided it was time to jump right in to Christmas decorating. My almost 18-year-old son and I drove to  Kent Farms in nearby Andover, NY on Sunday to pick out our tree. OMG — I love the smell of pine trees! And I love the story of how this entrepreneurial family reinvented their family farm into both a retail and entertainment destination.

First we perused the trees on the lot and then we  walked into the barn/store/cafe to look at their displays — a barn full of free-standing antique doors covered in sparkly real pine wreaths (full disclosure, one of their designers is a dear friend of our family and she’s in this video!). I haven’t been to the farm in a long time — I had forgotten that it is so charming!

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As we weaved in and out of the lovely doors, I spotted him… the man of my dreams…

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I couldn’t resist him. He smelled like cookies and star dust.  I swear that I don’t know anything about those 3-year-olds who claimed I elbowed them out of the way to get this picture,….._MG_0059

Meanwhile, my son wasn’t having any of this (he wouldn’t even take on those little elfs who tried to stop me, just left his poor momma to fight her own battles<sigh>)…while I was having my picture taken, he hightailed it back outside to finish picking up our tree.

It was a great adventure, to be sure. Now the tree is up in the living room, the smell of pine has permeated the house. Real decorating begins tomorrow when mom comes over to help.

Meanwhile, I’ve got a bit of dusting to do so I can set the table with our new favorite pattern, Christmas in Ohio Table Runner, and a plate of Mom’s Molasses cookies. You can read more about this pattern here.

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Christmas in Ohio Nov 2018 free pattern

These molasses cookies are delicious all the time, not just at Christmas. Cindy and I hope you enjoy them!

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This is the first day of the virtual cookie exchange, so be sure to visit all of these wonderful blogs today:

Kwilty Pleasures

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats

Songbird Designs

Creative Latitude

Ms P Designs USA

Alycia Quilts

Happy Cottage Quilter

Sew Many Yarns

For The Love of Geese

 

 

November 28

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Vroomans Quilts

It’s A T-Sweet Day!

Domestic Felicity

That Fabric Feeling

Home Sewn By Us

Karrin’s Crazy World

Adventurous Applique and Quilting

Bumbleberry Stitches

Melva Loves Scraps

Beaquilter

November 29

MooseStashQuilting

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Kathleen McMusing

DesertSky Quilting

Life in the Scrapatch

Ridge Top Quilt

Cynthia’s Creating Ark

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Pumpkin Patch Patterns & Quilting

Operation Domestic Goddess

Just Let Me Quilt

51 thoughts on “Virtual Cookie Exchange 2018

  1. JEAN says:

    Sandy,

    Beautiful pictures! Can you please explain a little bit about your technique for the gorgeous swirly feathers quilting on Ohio Star!? I would love to try it on mine too!

    Thank you.
    -Jean💟

    • sandradny says:

      Jean — we have to confess — Cindy’s favorite Ohio-based long arm expert put those beautiful swirly feathers in the quilt.

      • JEAN says:

        Thank you Sandy! They are beautiful as well as the quilt! Being originally from Ohio, I’ve got to try Ohio Star too!
        -Jean

  2. Carol S. says:

    When I first looked at the photo of “the man of your dreams” I thought it was the guy on the right. LOL Blame it on morning eyes! The guy on the left is definitely a keeper! I love a good molasses cookie, so thanks for the recipe. Your Christmas in Ohio table runner is gorgeous! Thanks for hopping with us today! xo

  3. Carol Kussart says:

    Loved learning about your trip to Kent Farms and Santa. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe and the Ohio Star runner pattern!

  4. Chela's Colchas y Mas says:

    I have been watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since I was a kid. A few years ago, my sister arranged for me to stay in her friend’s apartment, which is on the street where the parade starts. On the day of the parade, I was right up front with the kids. When Santa’s float arrived, I went bonkers. The float stopped in front of us and Santa stood up and danced along with me…I mean, the children… It is a moment I will always cherish.

  5. Brenda @ Songbird Designs says:

    Thanks for the quilt pattern and for sharing your molasses cookie recipe. My hubby loves molasses. I will have to make him some of these!

  6. piecefulwendy says:

    Well, I hope you did something to appease the 3-year-olds after elbowing your way through! I had to chuckle at Carol’s comment, after I had gone back to look at the picture. Hahahaha. You are right, molasses cookies are always good, any time of the year! We haven’t gotten our tree yet, but soon!

  7. Joan says:

    Well, I hate to say it, but my son would have done the exact same thing to his mama. Those boys! LOL!!! I do love molasses and those cookies sound delicious. Have a very Merry Christmas. You know those boys could get coal in their stockings…. LOL!!`

  8. rl2b2017 says:

    Hi Sandy! I hope you got final say over the tree. I mean if he’s going to desert you in your time of need, then he doesn’t get to just pick out the tree willy nilly. Molasses cookies!!!!! The bestest of the best. Oh the smell . . . mingled with pine tree smell . . . ~ ~ ~ wafting throughout the house. Is there anything better?!! I think not and I LOVE your Ohio Star runner. Perfect colors for the holiday or any time because who doesn’t LOVE red and white together?!! Thanks for sharing. ~smile~ Roseanne

  9. Carla says:

    I’m thinking I need to make these right now. Thank you for the fun post. Good reading and that farm looks like my kind of place. Love that man in red too. *wink

  10. davemelvanolan says:

    Molasses cookies were my Grandpa’s favorite. I love the simplicity of your Christmas in Ohio runner. Nice job! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Blessings.

  11. Lj Meyers says:

    I do miss that pine smell of the real Christmas tree but at least those molasses cookies will make the house smell like Christmas time. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

  12. Sharon Vrooman says:

    I think everyone needs to sit on Santa’s lap and enjoy a bit of ‘child’. Oh, the smell of a fresh tree and molassas cookies – yum. I’m in NY (near Albany) as well and the early snow storms have been pleasant, but boy that cabin fever!

    • sandradny says:

      Sharon — I tried to tell my son the same thing, but, well, boys…..In Albany you get more snow than we do, for sure. I’m listening to the wind howl right now. More snow on the way to you!

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