“Simple Striped” Holiday cards from Shutterfly
I’m a bit late this year in getting our cards in the mail, but I cannot put any of the blame on Shutterfly! Once again we ordered our cards from Shutterfly and they could not make it any easier. I ordered them and selected expedited shipping and they were at my door in no time. Shutterfly always has a beautiful selection with options to make it even more custom. We chose Simple Striped this year. Some of the ways you can customize your card include: a Christmas or holiday greeting, five options for corner trim, three options for paper, and three format/size options. I also like the option to add a photo (or several) on the back of the card. Order your cards right now and get 50% off! No code needed!
Shutterfly will even address your cards
Shutterfly can even address your cards for you! This was our first year using this feature and I have two say it made it so easy that I’ll never go back to hand addressing. I can still write a note inside to make it more personal to recipients, but in the last few years I’ve had several cards returned in February. I think maybe it’s my unreliable handwriting. I’ve checked the address and it seems like it would be delivered, but each year this has happened. Shutterfly makes the task of addressing so easy. You can keep all your addresses in your account under “address book.” You can customize it just the way you like to address your cards. It’s easy to make updates to your contacts throughout the year and then simply choose “envelopes” then “addressing” under “personalization” when you are ready to order your cards. Choose to add your printed return address or add a fun return address sticker.
Shortbread cookies with lime zest
Shortbread with Lime Icing
Shortbread cookies melt in your mouth and with just a few tweaks to the recipe you can make them sweet or savory.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound salted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup corn starch
For the Icing:
- 3/4 – 1 cup confectioners suger
- juice from a lime, lemon or orange or a few drops of vitality essential oil.
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.
- Beat in the egg yolk and then gradually add in the flour and corn starch.
- Mix only until dough combines.
- shape dough into a ball and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Divide dough into 3 or 4 parts and roll out into a log. Square the corner if you wish or leave round.
- Refrigerate again for at least 30 minutes and then slice and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Refrigerate again if you want clean edges!
- Then bake for 25 minutes in a 275º oven.
- Remove from oven and leave on pan for a couple of minutes before moving to a Collings rack.
- Place paper under the cooling rack and drizzle a little of the icing onto each cookie and add a little zest for color!
Notes
I used lime vitality essential oil with the confectioners sugar mixed with a little water until the right consistency. Just a few drops of essential oil adds so much flavor it seems as though the cookie is also flavored.
Everyone needs a simple cookie recipe and if you don’t have one, now you do! Shortbread cookies are made of simple ingredients that you probably have on hand and can be made savory or sweet with a few little tweaks. My friend Stefanie sent me a Christmas box that includes her delicious caramel popcorn and a few limes plucked right off her tree in her yard in LA. (You can read more about Stefanie’s home in this post). She has sent me limes a few times and still each time I am so touched by her thoughtfulness. It’s really is the little things, isn’t it?
Merry Christmas from our home to yours!
xo
annie
The Masterpiece lettered art is from Kate Lewis Ink on Etsy.
you had me at shortbread and lime!! Yum!! Merry Christmas!!