It's Good To Be Back

I am so excited to relax a little this week.

After 20+ years, my parents have moved from the blue Victorian house I grew up in. This last week was busy packing and unpacking and saying goodbye to the old house.

What really killed me this week were the 37 gingerbread houses I made for our ward party Saturday night. Yes, I volunteered for it, but it took me a lot longer than I had calculated. It was a success and I had so much fun watching each table decorate their house.

This morning, Jeff leaves town for the week, and I think I might kick back and watch some Pride and Prejudice - who knows!

Here's my gingerbread house completed.

I used Golden Grahams for the shingles.

I made the cat out of gum paste and painted him with food coloring.


The shovels are made out of pretzels and licorice. The cobblestone is Necco wafers. The grass is coconut with green food coloring.
The storekeeper is outlined in chocolate and I used the flood technique to color him in. The bean and egg sign on the windows I made out of royal icing and let it dry, then stuck them up. The veggies were the most fun. I used colored fondant and for the stems, I used cilantro from my garden. The potatoes are gum paste rolled in cocoa powder.

The billboard on the side I used the flood technique again and piped the Lee sign in chocolate. I had a really hard time trying to pipe the rest of the words so I gave up and wrote it with an edible marker.

Now you all know, I have a problem.

What did I get myself into?

I will let you see the finished product tomorrow. I actually stayed up late and finished it, except I need some red hots to finish it off. I went to every store in town trying to find some. Then Jeff comes home and says he has a whole bunch at his office. AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!

Tis The Season

Can you guess what kind of gingerbread house I am making this year?

I will keep you posted on my progress!

Sweet

I was organizing my pictures on the computer yesterday, and realized that I didn't have a picture of my first try at a really cool gingerbread house.

I was so bummed because I want to try and make one each year (and hopefully get better every time) and see how I have come along.

Then my sister-in-law, April, saves the day and emailed me this picture she took last Christmas! Yeah for April!!!!!

Wallah! My first attempt!