Czech Republic - Sweet Circles - by tessaduck - Sat, Dec. 12 - 4 pm EST - DEC15VSNJ

[tessaduck]

Challenge Title: Sweet Circles
Hostess: tessaduck (Brenda)
Keyword: DEC15VSNJ
Date: Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015

My father's family is Bohemian. He grew up in Nebraska, in a rather insular Czech farming community, and for some very unfortunate reasons left that world as a young man to a more mainstream culture. As a result, I didn't know or much understand that part of my heritage until relationships were healed, and I traveled to Nebraska with my folks to a cousin's wedding. I was 11 years old. Culture shock! The wedding ceremony was traditional Catholic, solemn and classic. But the reception? Huge! Loud, with hundreds of friends and relatives speaking with a brogue. Dancing. Music. Curious customs, like passing the bride's shoe for cash money.

Oh! and the FOOD! The bride's family would butcher and prepare a pig AND a beef, just for the reception. With my sweet tooth, I was drawn to the pastries. Especially the kolaches. Imagine a thumbprint cookie on steroids. A doughnut with a floor. The filling's sweet and gooey. My favorite is a poppyseed filling, but the prune and apricot come close.

My aunt Lucy tried to teach me how to make kolaches the traditional way. Fail! I told her it wasn't to be, because I was only half Bohemian.

Attachment 315611

Anyway, for this Around the World in 80 Days vsn challenge, I'm asking you to mimic the shape of a kolache: a circle in a circle.

View the gallery for this challenge: HERE
View the Around The World In 80 Days gallery:HERE
View the Around the World in 80 Days Master Challenge Thread: HERE


1. ALL VSN CREATIONS MUST BE UPLOADED BY 10 P. M. EST ON Saturday, Dec. 19.
2. You have 1 hour to complete the challenge, unless otherwise noted.....you do not have to count prep time!
3. We have a special gallery for the 80 Days VSN.
a) From the "Main Gallery" dropdown list on the first page of the uploader, choose Events and Special Collections.
b) From the Sub-gallery dropdown list, choose Virtual Stamping and Scrapbooking Nights ~ it's the last in the list.
c) From the new sub-gallery dropdown list choose Around The World In 80 Days - it's the very top of the list.
4. Please remember to put in the correct keyword when uploading your image. Copying and pasting the challenge keyword is recommended to avoid typos.
5. Please do not combine VSN challenges...but you may combine any other challenges with a VSN challenge!

It is also highly recommended that you post a link to your creation in this chat thread to be sure your layout is seen. THANKS SO MUCH FOR PLAYING ALONG!!!

[annsforte3]

Oh this is soooo cool, Brenda!

[cnsteele]

Those look yummy! Especially since my stomach has been growling for over an hour. I don't want to stop stamping to eat, though!

The sample cards are gorgeous!

[tessaduck]

You can google the recipe for kolaches, and here's my cheater: Take the bread machine's recipe for sweet dough up to rising, make the balls and do the thumbprint behavior, fill with store-bought pie filling, let it rise around the filling, then bake.

Tolja. I'm only half Bohemian.

[Cook22]

I really enjoyed your write-up, Brenda. I'm always fascinated by different food culture around the world. Some things just don't taste the same made out of their native environment, though. Even something as basic as flour varies so widely. This was a fun challenge.

[tessaduck]

Drizzle icing on them, if you like.

Or, go buy them from an ethnic bakery. Chaos Kolaches, Springfield, Oregon

[tessaduck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cook22

I really enjoyed your write-up, Brenda. I'm always fascinated by different food culture around the world. Some things just don't taste the same made out of their native environment, though. Even something as basic as flour varies so widely. This was a fun challenge.

Thanks!

ikwym, about food culture. Spanikopita in Athens. Israeli wines... Memories. Of course, my kolaches were from my father's Nebraska sisters, not Bohemia! Yet another filter.

[cnsteele]

Shaker Card Gone Wrong

[Shoe Girl]

Wonderful challenge, I needed more Christmas cards and this gave me an opportunity to do another.

DEC15VSNJ Circle Babble Christmas by Shoe Girl - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[LuvLee]

[annsforte3]

Brenda, thank you for being a hostess, loved your witty description of the challenge!

Here is my card, Nature Circles!

[peeps321]

Here's mine Brenda! Thanks for the challenge.

Listen Carefully

[Covington Crafter]

Had lots of fun with this bg. Thanks for the challenge Brenda. Here's mine Speedy Get Well by Covington Crafter - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[Jo Ann F.]

Here is my card for the circle challenge.

[ohmypaper!]

Brenda, loved reading your history. For a very brief time, we had a restaurant in town that made kolaches. They were wonderful and everything else she made! Sadly I guess it was location she wasn't in business long.

My circle in a circle in a circle is around the flame: Light of the World

[smadson]

Here is Czech Snow Globe! Thank you Brenda for hostessing this wonderful challenge.

[AnniePanda]

Oh yea! Love circles, had fun making this card.
DEC15VSNj Celebrate Circles jai by AnniePanda - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[hotwheels]

Here's my card Thanks hotwheels
Czech Republic - Sweet Circles by hotwheels - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[Covington Crafter]

Here's a second card for this challenge. Sweet Birthday Wishes by Covington Crafter - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers Could have called it Bubbly Wishes! Love that cute little bunny.

[Scraperwannabe]

Great challenge, Brenda! Here's my card finally: DEC15VSNJ Let's Chill by Scraperwannabe - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[tessaduck]

worth waiting for... Yea, Misti!

[Nynaeve252]

Circle of Friends

Thanks for the challenge! Love VSN