Sugar-Cubes and 2020 Virtual Cookie Exchange

Sugar-Cubes and -Cookies plus some blonde fudge – sound enticing?! We are playing along with Carol at Just Let Me Quilt and her yearly blog hop and Virtual Cookie Exchange. This is one of my personal favorites as far as blog hops go. Loads of our friends are playing along, and they always share fun and inspiring projects and stories to go with them, PLUS a new recipe or ten to try. Friends, fun, and food – it’s a fabulous combination don’t you think?! The 2020 Virtual Cookie Exchange and Blog Hop run from December 1 through 4. A full list of all the participants is at the end of this post.

Looking for To-Do Tuesday linky party – I shared it yesterday.

Wanna see our previous posts along with the recipes we’ve shared and some free tutorials?

• 2019 Virtual Cookie Exchange
• 2018 Virtual Cookie Exchange
• 2017 Virtual Cookie Exchange

Sugar-Cubes and -Cookies

We always host a large gathering on Christmas Eve. It is rather informal with sub sandwiches, baked beans, appetizers, cookies, and desserts. Most notably, the mocha chocolate chip cheesecake recipe I shared in the 2018 exchange link above. Since our littles are growing older each and every day, we thought we needed to make a special table topper just to spark their imagination. Sticking with the hexagon shape that we’ve been playing with this year, here we go.

Sugar-Cubes Shortcut

Sue pulled some fabrics as possible choices for the various pieces. Similar to the last topper we made (Easter Bunny Table Topper), I cut the center in one piece rather than using six separate wedges. Since I had already made the pattern earlier, why not just use it and avoid the seams?! We chose this pretty, dark green fabric that hints at a forest of pine trees. After the center size was determined, it was time to find some reindeer and Santa images to inspire our appliqué pieces.

We knew that one of the reindeer was going to represent Rudolph with his bright red nose. Sue embroidered some expressive eyes and eyebrows plus some ear details and then the appliqué began in earnest.

Time for More Sugar-Cubes

The appliquéing didn’t take too long so before you knew it, the center of the topper was complete.

We decided to add a pretty red thinner snowflake border before the wider final green one.

After the final border, it was time to find a backing and get it layered up for quilting. A simple stipple stitch was used for the quilting pattern. Nothing too complicated as we wanted the appliquéd pieces to be the stars.

I did outline each character and added a simple ribbon wave in the skinny border using green thread. Let me present our Sugar-Cubes and -Cookies table topper all finished with a peek at the backing fabric! It will make our holiday table a bit more festive.

More Sugar-Cubes Please!

Have you worked up an appetite with all the talk about sugar-cubes and -cookies? I have! This recipe is almost sugar upon sugar . . . but it is OH SO GOOD. Even better than the fudge recipe that I shared previously . . . and that’s saying something. So, let me confess this right upfront. This recipe was tried and tested in January 2020. Pre-COVID. It was part of the fudge-recipe-extravaganza that I held for myself, on a mission to find another good fudge recipe.

My taste-tester, who dislikes nuts as much as I do (although I’m allergic) voted this as the #1 winner. It’s called Butter Pecan Fudge and it’s from the book by Nancy Coco called “Oh, Fudge!“. As you can see, I didn’t add pecans in this version but I did for the second batch that I delivered to my sister.

To Pecan or Not

First, I gathered all of my utensils and ingredients. Next, I carefully measured all of the yummy necessary sugars and greased the pan (although for the second batch I used parchment paper with great success). Once you light the flame, it’s GO time. I watched this boiling mixture like a hawk, just waiting for the correct temperature. Allowing enough cooling time is essential, no matter how much you’d like to cut into it. Oh yes, it’s worth the wait . . . even the littlest bits are delicious.

Here it is plated on a special holly-decorated plate that once belonged to my Mom.

All the Virtual Cookie Exchange Participants:

I hope you can check out all of the inspiration these blogger friends are sharing just for you! Happy Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.

♥ ♥ ♥

Consider joining us each Tuesday for our hosted linky party called To-Do Tuesday.  Check our sidebar or our Linky Parties page on our website for more quilting fun.  Like/follow us on our Facebook page to share the photos of what you’re working on.  We would love to see them!