Hello and welcome to Inflorescence! The Challenge: (recipes are optional) You can share a recipe or not. Share Christmas quilts or projects. Tell us about your Christmas traditions. Show off your Christmas decorations/tree. Spill your funny Christmas stories. If it’s about Christmas, we want to hear about it!
This is my second time participating in the Cookie Exchange Blog hop. Last year I shared about my family’s cookie baking traditions and listed all the cookies we make as well as shared 2 fun recipes. You can find those HERE. We will be baking again but not till December 9-10. But to prepare for the fun, I made aprons for my girls as well as my niece and nephew who will come up from Lexington to join in on the fun.
But since we are not baking cookies till after this hop, I had my girls help make our traditional Pumpkin Gems on Thanksgiving and wear their Christmas Cookie Baking Aprons while doing so to model them. I made my 6-year-old niece an apron similar to my younger daughter’s and my 4-year-old nephew gets a more “manly” apron (haha). My older daughter’s took a bit more time. I did patchwork for hers but since the apron skirt is not lined, I made each seam a French seam, so all raw edges are enclosed.
I love baking and I cannot, not include a recipe. I am sharing with you the Pumpkin Gems recipe that the girls are making in the photos above. This recipe has been used for probably 20 years or more. It is an old Pampered Chef recipe that my mother and I got to try when we went to a party many many years ago. We have tweaked it over the years, but this recipe is always a favorite on Thanksgiving and would also be perfect for any other occasion.
Pumpkin Gems
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2+ tsp cinnamon (add as much as you like!)
- 1 -20oz can of purred pumpkin
Mix all ingredients together. Spray a mini muffin pan and fill 2/3 with batter. Bake for 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven or till tops spring back when pressed. Try not to eat them all before the party!
Confession: My photos of the girls baking look so nice and tidy! HA that is not my real kitchen. I try to keep up, but with 2 kids the kitchen is a well lived in place. Check out my real kitchen below. Can anyone else relate?
Do you know a young child who loves to be creative and maybe wants to learn to sew? We are all fantastic creators, but time or distance can be an issue when it comes to wanting to teach the next generation. In January I’m starting a new video/blog series that will teach very simple handicrafts that only include hand sewing. It’s called Little Blossoms and will post the first week of each month. My older daughter will be helping along the way as well! You all get a first look at the first project! I am even working on putting kits together that will be for sale, so parents don’t have to invest in a craft closet……………yet.
Thanks for joining me. Check out the other bloggers who are sharing today, or check out the whole list HERE!
Wednesday December 7, 2022
Pinker n’ Punkin Quilting & Stitching
Happy Sewing and Happy Holidays
Continue to blook by choosing JOY ~ Julia
Your daughters are adorable Julia! Their aprons are so cute! I am going to try your muffins~ they sound really food. Thanks!
Aaah your little helpers look so darling in their aprons. Thank you so much for the recipe and the tic tac board is precious
Yummmmm, those Pumpkin Gems look so good. Your girls are so adorable and the aprons are so fun. Loved reading your post and good luck with your new adventure. I think you will be very successful teaching beginning hand sewing and the kits are such a great idea.
Your daughters are so cute in their new Christmas aprons. Love your pretty fabric choices. I like the color of your Kitchen Aid mixer too! I would love all my kitchen to be in that color! I had a boring white KA mixer before they made colors.
Your girls are so darn cute! What fun helpers in the kitchen! And yes, my kitchen looks just like that sometimes. LOL!! What a great new adventure you are about to embark on. Teaching kids to sew is not only fantastic, but including your daughter will be an incredible life lesson for her as well. Merry Christmas!
Julia your daughters are adorable, those faces! The aprons are perfect, and lol on making your nephew a more “manly’ one. Your “Gem” recipe is now on my printer – those muffins look delicious, I can almost taste them. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Cute aprons on your adorable daughters! Good luck with your new adventure!
The aprons are adorable and your daughters are too! I still enjoy baking with my daughter, when we have the time. I hope your basic sewing class goes well!
Your daughters…and their aprons are just adorable, Julia!! I’m not a pumpkin fan, but my grands are and this would be a great recipe for them to make! It sounds like you have a fun adventure planned! Thanks for sharing!
Your young bakers are so cute, as are their aprons. The pumpkin gems sound and look delicious. The craft sewing sounds like fun. It’s a great way to start them on their sewing journey.
Adorable aprons and daughters! Thanks so much for sharing the Pumpkin gems recipe!
I think the girls are having fun already. You did a super job with the aprons; they will be well used. Pumpkin Gems look yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Love the aprins.
Those are such cute models wearing adorable aprons! The pumpkin gems look so yummy…I love everything pumpkin. Your kitchen looks a lot like mine, and I don’t have little kids here. Thanks for sharing!
The recipe looks delicious and one I would like to try. Am I reading the amount of pumpkin right, is it 120 oz.? Thanks so much for sharing!
It is 1 can that is 20oz not 120 😳
You have the best helpers! They are truly adorable. I’m sure they love coming over to help you bake and sew. I hope to be that lucky a grandma one day.
Those aprons are really cute! And the muffins look wonderful! I’ll have to make them. 😊 Thanks for sharing, Julia!
What great fun! Your girls are adorable, and their aprons are darling. I hope you’ll share the full crew when they bake Christmas cookies.
Adorable daughters wearing such cute aprons. It is always fun to bake with the children isn’t it?
The aprons are cute! Perfect for little helpers! The pumpkin gems look delicious. I’ll have to try them!
I can totally relate to your kitchen, even though we are just 3 adults in the house. Your goodies look delicious, and the little bakers (and their aprons) are really cute too. Merry Christmas!
What fun and joy in this post Julia. Your girls modelling their new aprons are so sweet! Your plan for kids sewing project are perfect. The Pumpkin Gems sound yummy! Thanks for sharing.