.... Who's Been Nibbling at my House?

A mini-sized one

For as long as I can remember, we have had gingerbread houses (Lebkuchenhaus) at Christmas time. Mom made them every year, only at Christmas, and they were a beautiful sight to behold. I know how Hansel and Gretel must have felt finding the Gingerbread House in the woods! Oh, how the aroma must have beckoned to them.


Each year just after Thanksgiving, Mom would begin her holiday baking. That always comprised of dozens of beautiful cookies that she would wrap to have on hand whenever guests would drop by during the Christmas season. But the one thing that I always looked forward to was the Gingerbread House. The smell of it baking and then the delicious aroma the decorated gingerbread house itself continued to generate for the next several weeks was intoxicating. The candies and handmade small cookies that decorated the house were so beautiful and delicate.


In those early years, we didn't help her decorate. She did it by herself, usually while we were at school, and then it was a gift to the family.  We would come home and ohhh and ahhh as we checked out all the little details that she'd incorporated.

A larger sized house not done being decorated

When I was a young adult, but before I had children, I continued the Gingerbread House making activity for my home.  Each year I would make them and have one for my home and then give others away to friends for Christmas gifts.

I still enjoyed everything about it, the baking, the decorating, the smell, and the nibbling at it several weeks later. I usually would just set it outside after Epiphany (January 6th) and let the birds, squirrels, bunnies, etc come and nibble away. I would pull the chocolates off it first and then place it where my golden retriever wouldn't find it.  (smiles)




Years later when I had children, the Gingerbread House tradition continued. We decorated them as a family. I also baked and assembled them for each of their classmates and they would decorate them during school and then take home to their families.  Each year I made at least 60 little houses--my home smelled glorious with all those baking!

Houses of all sizes beginning to be assembled.

Some years I even had Gingerbread House decorating parties with friends and extended family.  I'd bake and assembly one for everyone, but the decorating would be done by them.  Then I'd give out prizes of hand made ornaments to the winners.  Categories would be silly and usually invented so that everyone would leave with a prize ornament to hang on the tree as a memento of the celebration.

"This is the house that Jack   Mom Built"
She modeled it after Time Life's.

This year is no different from all the rest.  The gingerbread (Lebkuchen) baking has begun and the tradition is continuing!







I encourage you to give it a try.  You may even start a new tradition in your home.






** Please don't confuse the real thing to the prepackaged stuff they sell in the stores.  There is NO comparison.

Yup!  Gingerbread marks the season in my house.

As this season of Advent begins and you rush to the hustle and bustle of all that is demanded of you, I hope you can find a quiet moment or two to remember the true meaning of Christmas.


Love was born at Christmas.  Peace and Blessings to you so that you may have love and understanding of others.

HeartFelt Beginning

Purple Felted Heart

Long before I was ever officially “HeartFelt”, I was giving felted hearts (that I made from sheep’s wool, which I purchased!) attached to the gifts I made to give at holidays and other special times for friends and family. I loved working with the wool and could definitely tell the difference between certain fleeces.

When I finally “adopted” my own flock of sheep and herd of llamas, I continued the tradition, but happily, the wool I used was from my own farm.

The inside of the HeartFelt tags.

Several years ago when I was trying to come up with a name for my small sideline business, my youngest daughter suggested HeartFelt because of the felted hearts that I made.  And it has remained a tradition that I include one of my felted hearts with every order that I fill.

Farm fresh strawberry jam
is absolutely wonderful!

When I first began, my focus had been on food gift baskets because of the jams and jellies that we made on the farm each spring through fall. Consequently, I set my website up using that jam/jelly color palette. Ahhh, there is nothing quite like homemade jams/jellies.  I have some family members who ask for a “case” of my assorted jams each year for Christmas!

Tray of "brown and white" assorted cookies.
Yes, that's what they ordered.

Recently, my focus has turned away from the gift basket idea of food, which was always a bit more difficult to have everything “fresh at the same time” for shipping.

We have baked so many pies, both large and mini!
Our farm's apples are usually wonderful for this!

 And now, I focus primarily on wool and woolen products. And by wool, I mean llama fiber, too.

Felted llama fiber pair of pillows

My website is www.heartfeltbasketsandgifts.com    click here for website       It is already under "reconstruction", so don't judge too harshly while I am working on it.....thanks!

They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. So, it’s pretty important to make those 1,000 words be the right ones. It’s like choosing the right outfit---ha!---haven’t thought of that for a long time. But, it’s true…you want to send the right message; convey the right mood. How do you decide what your website is supposed to look like, knowing that a complete stranger may look at it for a fleeting moment and will decide if your product is “good enough”---STRESS!!

Scottish Thistle Shortbread

I’ll be leaving the colors of the current website behind and will be choosing colors similar to the blog; at least, that’s my plan!

Celtic Knot Shortbread

In the meantime, I am continuing to receive food orders.  I don’t know who is happier with that: me; the customer; or, the recipient!?  I love knowing that my customer chose my creation to give as a gift. But, I also know that they are giving a quality product that they should feel pleased and confident to give. And, of course, the recipient is receiving something that is both delicious and beautiful at the same time.

Twice dipped Strawberries

                                          And, that my friend, is what HeartFelt is all about! 

HeartFelt