Simple Tablecloth

I attended a workshop, Finding Your Piece of the Puzzle, by my friend, Tanya Magnus, which led to the creation this blog. To thank her, I baked some sugar cookies and made a simple tablecloth to incorporate the theme. 

Not knowing what kind of table I would be working with, I bought two yards of material.  If it hadn't covered the table, I would have called it a runner.

First, I pressed under 1/4" on all four sides.

Next, I pressed another 1/4" on all four sides and finished with a decorative top-stitch.

Done! If you want beautiful corners. This lady has an easy tutorial. She does it on a treadle sewing machine.  No fancy top-stitching for her!  I'm impressed. YouTube Video for Mitered Edged Tablecloth



Sugar Cookies

I have been making this simple cookie for 30+ years. I couldn't find the puzzle piece cutter locally, so I ordered it from Amazon. 

Lace's Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

Cream sugar and butter. Mix in egg and flavorings.  Measure flour by sifting.  Blend dry ingredients; stir in.  Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Divide dough in half. Keep half chilled. Roll out the other half on waxed or parchment paper slightly sprinkled with powered sugar.  I use powdered sugar instead flour to keep the cookies from getting tough if you have to re-roll them several times. 

I place 1/4" dowel rods on either side of the dough to ensure uniform thickness of my cookies.  Dip your cookie cutter in powdered sugar and cut away.  Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

 

Sprinkle with sugar. I place the cookie cutter over the cookie to keep the sugar from flying everywhere.  Yes, that's my thumb over the lense.  What can I tell you?   I'm a rookie!

Bake 7 to 8 minutes, or until delicately golden.  Makes 5 dozen 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookies. 
Let them cool just a minute or two before moving to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

My Piece of the Puzzle

As a PK (preacher's kid) and MK (missionary kid), I grew up feeling the need to impact the world for Christ in an extraordinary way. Two weeks after my eighteenth birthday, I married our youth/music director.  We were going to serve the Lord together. What a great plan!
Nine years later I found myself the divorced mother of an 18-month-old baby girl.
I have not made an impact on the world for Christ as I envisioned. I'm not in full-time ministry. I don't sing on the praise team. I don't teach a Sunday School class.
The poor choices I've made could have cost my life, but nothing has been wasted. I won't bore you with my whole story. I do hope to share bits and pieces as they reflect God's grace and mercy. I have been cut and shaped into a puzzle piece which when placed next to others forms the face of Christ. My piece of the puzzle is to be: a wife; a mother; a stepmother; a mother-in-law; and now blissfully, a grandmother in a way that is uniquely me. What's your piece?