Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead November 1 and 2.  It is a joyous celebration to honor deceased loved ones. Many people create altars that include marigold-like flowers, photos, candles, food and drinks.  Often families will stay up all night at the gravesite, telling funny stories about their ancestors, socializing, listening to songs from strolling musicians. My favorite celebratory ritual of this Mexican holiday is the exchange of the sugar skull.  Which brings me to my next set of cookies… Here are my designs to honor that occasion. Special thanks to IG fellow cookier Kelly, Minisugarrush, for the “bat inspiration”.

I sketched out my ideas for the skull designs to begin the process.  To create the depth for the eyes in some of the designs, I painted a thin layer of the royal icing on the cookie base.  For the red bat skull, I blended red and white.

A little bit closer for the details…

The sugar skulls plated.  Isn’t this spider base for the pumpkin the coolest? My niece’s husband created several for me a few years back.  Cool to have a blacksmith in the family.  Lost art.