good night and thank you!

nyc this weekend was a blast.
ron -- good times at coco as always.
dana and greg -- great party.
divine studios sale -- wonderful experience.
but now i'm tired -- i havent had much sleep in the past week -- i need to get some zzzzzz's; christmas-cookie-baking-day is tomorrow!
so now i'm all finished with this year's holiday craft fairs -- and i've just kicked off a last-minute procratinators' special sale in my etsy shop -- i'm ready to clear out my remaining inventory! get it -- here.
x's and o's to all of you, friends.
just so i have an image for this post:


aunt mary's cracked black pepper cookies! i made these for this weekend's holiday party. mmmmm, sweet and spicy.

by request -- here's the recipe, which i am thrilled to share, as long as when you make them and serve them, you call them Aunt Mary's Black Pepper Cookies, in honor of my late great aunt mary. my great aunt mary was one of my very very very favourite people. she was quirky as heck, and handy, too. she lived in a huge old farmhouse (which i STILL regret to this day that i did not somehow buy.. it was built in 1777 and it was torn down after her death and a stupid housing development was built on the property.... GRRRRRRRR!) where she housed her collection of gnomes, stored her completed jigsaw puzzles under the rugs, and made me rings of firefly glowers.
wear a witch hat when you bake these:

Aunt Mary's Black Pepper Cookies:
1 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 c. sugar (3/4 for dough, 1/4 for tops of cookies)
1/2 t ground pepercorns
1/2 c. butter

blend the flour, baking powder, 3/4 c. of sugar, and crushed pepper in food processor. stir butter over medium heat until it browns. add to flour and process until dough forms compact ball. roll into small balls. dip bottom of glass in sugar and press each ball gently to 1/2" thick. bake at 300 degrees on lowest rack for 20 - 25 minutes.