BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS

Our sweet twins are turning 7! We have only lived near any of our grandchildren since moving here a year ago last July.  We love being near them and it affords us a chance to do some special things that faraway grandparents cannot do.  We decided last year that it might be fun for their birthdays to spend the better part of the day just us and them.  This let's me utilize my creative side and make them special invitations.  Our other grandchildren live in the Midwest and I have a fond memory of the first birthday of my only grandchild born in my century, of getting on an airplane in Fresno, CA hand carrying a "Winnie the Pooh" birthday cake for his 1st birthday in 2000 - held it on my lap all the way to Kansas City! I guess post 9/11 this would no longer be possible.

These little invitations are so easy and with the exception of the ribbon and the cookie everything you need is made of paper.  I keep these little 4x4 gift boxes in my craft room because they are not only good for gifts but just the right size for other things like these invitations.  I printed out all the graphics onto a full sheet label and cut them out and just peel off the back and stick to the box - could not be easier, really, this is so easy. I cropped down some photos of the twins and then cut them out for the "ticket" and to embellish the little box invitation.  As long as you don't have to mail the invitations - like if you were having a shower or a bday party that included co-workers, hand them out at work, deliver them to neighbors, etc. I have done these for bdays, showers, tea parties, etc.

 Inside the kiddos will find a heart shaped sugar cookie with their initial and the "ticket" for the day of fun with Grammie & Poppa (that would be us).

  Ribbon the top makes a more festive look.

 To attach the ribbon simply punch a couple of holes, thread about a 6" length of ribbon through and then use that ribbon to tie on the bow.  I made sure that I printed out and extra 4x4 sheet of the checkerboard label and put that over the ribbon to finish off the look. Put a hand full of sizzle inside to nestle the cookie and the invite inside.

 Ready for delivery.

 Sugar Cookies - This is a favorite recipe from David at http://www.goodthingsbydavid.com/http://www.goodthingsbydavid.com/ His blog is wonderful and I am sure you will want to follow so sign up!

The Ingredients

• 4 3/4 cups {675 g} all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon {2.5 ml} fine sea salt
• 3 sticks or 24 tablespoons {339 g.} unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups {310 g.} granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons {10 ml} pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon {2.5 ml} pure almond extract

Yield: approximately sixteen 5-6" cookies or approximately forty-five 3" cookies.

Equipment: parchment-lined or silpat-lined baking sheets.

1. In a bowl, whisk to combine the flour and fine sea salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed for 1 minute, just until malleable.  Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until lightened & creamy.  Stop & scrape the bowl and paddle.
3. Add the egg on medium speed and beat until combined.  Beat in the extracts.  Stop and scrape down the bowl & paddle.
4. On low speed add the dry ingredients and beat until a mass of dough forms.  You don’t want a crumbly mass.  It should begin to pull away from the sides.
5. Divide the dough in half between overlapping pieces of plastic wrap and shape into flat disks.  Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.  The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or it can be frozen for up to 1 month (if freezing, place the wrapped dough in a zip-top freezer bag).
6. Working with one disk of at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8" in thickness.  If you roll a thicker cookie, the yield will be smaller.  I find using the same piece of plastic wrap to roll out this type of dough very helpful.  
   Cut out your shapes as close as possible so that you maximize your dough and minimize having to roll out scraps.  Having said that, scraps of dough can be rolled out twice (chill the scraps to make it easy to roll out).

   
   

   Place the cut outs on your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2" in between each shape.  Chill the cutouts for 30 minutes.

   
   

   Note: you will be able to fit eight 3" cookies per half sheet.  For larger cookies, you may be able to fit only 3 cookies.  

   
   

   Preheat the oven to 350° F (177°C)

   
   

   • Bake each sheet of 3" cookies for approximately 12-14 minutes.
   • Bake 5-6" cookies for approximately 13-16 minutes.

Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

Melt chocolate chips with butter in top of double boiler over hot water. Remove from hot water; stir in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Slowly beat in confectioners' sugar until desired spreading consistency is reached. Makes enough chocolate sour cream frosting for a tube or bundt cake or 2-layer cake, or lots of cookies.

Resource

4x4 Cardboard box, hobby & specialty stores & online
Ribbon, Bazzill Basic, black & white checked, 3/8"
Full sheet label, Avery, online, hobby and business supply stores
Graphics, On line, Graphic's Fairy has both a ticket & a clock graphic, always free and always legal to use
Sizzle, Hobby and gift stores
Cellophane bag for cookies, Walmart and specialty stores 

Thank you for stopping by.