Snowflake Card

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Here's a card I made in 2005. I made some pins with this design too. I thought maybe the pins were too big but I sold a couple this year I think. The snowflake is made with 1 die, punched 6 times. It was pretty tedious to punch with the squeeze tool but I bet it will be a whole lot easier and fun to make with my new Revolution, so I may make this one again. Those are clear crystals embellishing the ends.

I think last year was the first year I didn't even attempt to make and send holiday cards in December. In previous years I did try, with varying degrees of success. This year I've been planning to send cards in January from the gitgo. I haven't designed it yet, don't even really have any ideas. I have to think about this carefully because I send them to my entire mailing list too, not just friends and family. And with the bigger shows I did this year, my mailing list has grown by leaps and bounds. I want to make something representative of my work but not crazy labor intensive.

Today is Christmas Eve and our office is open but only a handful of people will be working and definitely not the full day. Just two others in my department besides me will be working so I wanted to do something special. I finally decided on taking in a breakfast pizza. So I text messaged both of them on their cell phones yesterday afternoon that I'm bringing breakfast pizza this morning and that they can leave at 2:00.

Usually we play the leaving early thing by ear but I figured how nice to be able to plan one's afternoon. I picked 2:00 because that's the time Steve said he's telling his people to go home. Works for me! Steve's extended family is coming over for dinner, 18 people are invited but it's unlikely all of them will show up, but close. I'm making Sweet & Sour Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Other people are bringing stuff. I made a dessert too, even though one other person is bringing one, I wanted to be sure we had enough. Steve and I tested it last night, pretty good. Here's the recipe. (Note that it says it makes 60 bars. Out of a 9" x 13" pan. I'm no mathematician but those are some tiny bite-size pieces!)

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Estimated Times: Preparation - 15 min | Cooling Time - 1 hrs refrigerating | Yields - 60 bars (5 dozen)

Ingredients

* 2 cups peanut butter, divided
* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels, divided

Directions
GREASE 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

BEAT 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup morsels. Press evenly into prepared baking pan. Smooth top with spatula.

MELT remaining peanut butter and remaining morsels in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Spread over graham cracker crust in pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chocolate is firm; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

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