Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

 

My daughter's class is having a Saint Patrick's Day party so I made some treats.  I  have been wanting to try lollipop flowers from AllisonF's Goody Bag Diva blog  since the time she posted her daughter's party favors during Princess Week.  You just have to see 'em!  Allison's flowers are gorgeous with lots of layers, but I thought a little shamrock instead of the flower layers would be fun for this project.  I bought a couple of bags of Charms Blow Pops (mostly for the word 'charms').  I used the shamrock on Designer's Calendar (at 3" autofill will cut twelve on 12x12 paper or six on 8-1/2x11 paper).  The small hole punch on the CropADile Big Bite was the perfect size to allow the sticks to be pulled through the shamrock.

I wanted a cute way for Piper to take them to school for the party.  I created a little grassy box using my new, fabulous Martha Stewart Fringe Scissors (how does that woman know what I want when I don't even know?), a  3"x12" styrofoam block, and the Paper Doll Dress Up Cricut cartridge.

For the grass, I cut three 4"x12" strips and fringed on one side.  The picket fence was cut at 3".  I used sewing pins to hold everything on the block temporarily.  Mini metal brads and glue became the permanent solution!

The shamrock pops where crowded in together.

I also was given sugar cookie duty for the party.  I have a favorite recipe that I use for all kid holidays.  This is a basic iced sugar cookie that is pressed into colored sugars that have been placed in a pattern.

SUGAR COOKIES for ST. PATRICK'S DAY (click here for printable version)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 stick Butter Flavor Crisco

2 tablespoons water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cans Whipped Butter Cream icing (yes, this is cheating but just be sure to get one that is both whipped and buttercream for best flavor!)

Wilton leaf green gel food coloring (in little pots)

assorted sprinkles and colored sugars

Combine flour, soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, Crisco, and water until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs.  Add vanilla.  Gradually add flour mixture, forming a soft dough.  Add about 1/2 teaspoon food coloring, adjusting to get the green you desire.  Mix until the coloring is evenly distributed throughout.

Shape dough, wrap with plastic, and chill for two hours.

Preheat oven to 375°.  Spray baking sheets with Pam for Baking.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8"  (I like mine more like 1/4" but the cookies will spread and their form may distort which will only matter for cookies other than circles, but they will be softer).  Cut out shapes (I used my grandma's 2-1/2" biscuit cutter for a round cookie) and place on baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Let stand a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Cool completely.

Mix about 1/4 teaspoon of food coloring into each can of icing.  Adjust to get the color you like.  Mix completely!  Ice cooled cookies.  Sprinkle colored sugars and sprinkles onto a plate.  I like to make a striped pattern. 

Press iced side of cookie into sugars.  Repeat with all cookies.  My daughter loves these!  This recipe (minus the food coloring) works great at Easter too, using an oval cookie cutter and pastel sugars.

One last thing:  I wanted to share this sweet little cartoon about Saint Patrick that my husband found.  It is an Oscar-nominated short and it is adorable!  Click here to go watch it!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!