Alaska

She wanted birthday cookies that were centered around the things he likes.  They have great taste (…as do these cookies).  I must admit that I rarely make the same cookies again and find customer’s diverse requests so interesting.  The hand knucks are new to me; learn something every day.  So happy to make Alaska cookies; we had the most fabulous time taking our kids to Denali NP and beyond a few summers ago.  Stunning.  Jaw-dropping gorgeous.  All that in more, Alaska!

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Jellyvision

Our youngest interned at Jellyvision this summer and had a stinkin’ blast! Learned a ton and so, so enjoyed the folks there.  I think I want to work there when I grow up.  Jellyvision has these adorable characters, blobbies, they use as part of their communication tools.  Yeah, I didn’t know what a blobby was either but, one look,  and I knew they were meant to grace the cover of a cookie.  Here’s part of the last.week.sweet.treats she took in…

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One Smart Cookie

I have had the pleasure of meeting a LOT of bright and clever people over the years.  This young graduate is no exception.  Lauren has interned in a hospital already…and that’s before she heads off to a pre-med program at university!  Although her biology and chemistry acumen takes a major role of her life,  I threw in a few other interests that keep her busy (swimming, being from Buffalo, and graduating) as well.  Luckily, Lauren has a kind disposition and is forgiving of my love for word play….

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Mother Lode

So Denver had 70 degree sunny days in January and, here it is, Mother’s day in mid-May, and we are expecting thunder snow.  That Mother Nature has a few tricks up her sleeve.  Moving on to other tricks, I included some word play and pictograms in this first playful Mother’s day set. See if you can figure them out (answers at the end of the blog. wink. wink.).

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In the second set, I overloaded in the gushy and the sentimental.  The aim was to make a story board in cookie form…along with writing a poem to my children. (It is our second-born that is the wordsmith so take my musings with a grain of salt).  My kids are anything and everything for which a mom could ever hope. Thanks to them, we’re celebrating me on Mother’s day.  Oh, and, thank you Hallmark.

Then I thought of my mother. My mom was a quiet role model of strength and perseverance. I never heard her complain, even though life threw a full arsenal of difficulties her way.  My dad died suddenly and unexpectedly when I was 3. In a time that it was uncommon, she went to university (graduated top of her class), converted the second floor of the house into an apartment as well as sold my dad’s cameras (he was a professional photographer)/anything else of value to help pay bills, took in my grandmother (after my grandfather died), sewed/made the clothes on our backs, took us on every.other.year camping vacations (the only way she could afford) to show us the wonders of the USA, and robbed.Peter.to.pay.Paul to put me through an expensive engineering school.  Such incredible people in my life.  Sometimes, you just get lucky as all get-out.

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(one in a million, the whole nine yards, fantastic)

The Whole Enchilada

This past weekend, we were visiting Hilton Head Island, SC – riding our bikes near Coligny Circle.  Low and behold, the Aunt Chiladas Tex Mex cafe appears before us like a cookie inspiration from the Cinco de Mayo gods! (Apparently there is a same name/totally different restaurant in AZ and CT too). Meanwhile, I was cookie-fying some book designs for a wedding in August and thought I’d raise the bar to include a literary reference (hmmm. more like belly up to…).  And so, I present my take on Cinco de Mayo 2015.  May your day be “the whole enchilada!”

Enchilada

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To Kill A Mockingbird

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Party Animal

I have a confession. Our eldest turned 25 this week.  Holy time passage!  Look away for a moment and our babies are adults!  Tori has found that lovely balance between working hard and keeping things playful and in perspective.  But, um, the girl does know how to rock a celebration.  With that in mind, I give you her ‘party animal’ birthday set. Hope all your birthday wishes come true, Tori!

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The Best Day for Pi

Happy Pi day my fellow geeks!  Twice today, the calendar/time will read 3.14.15 9:26 (am or pm)! A perfect Pi day!! As always, my take on this “epic” Pi day is from a slightly different angle; hope these goes down as easy as pi(e).  Oh, and have a relatively happy birthday Albert Einstein.

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Leprechauns 2015

I sat staring at the shamrock cookie cutter in my hand, hoping for a different IRSIHistible design to magically pop into my head. Gratefully, I flashed back to Patti Paige’s/Baked Ideas‘ many clever and sensational out.of.the.box cookies (MUST buy her book “Can’t Judge a Cookie by its Cutter!”).  Okay, look, some flashbacks are a positive thing. At least I hope YOU think so….  Here is my simple and funky wee leprechaun (and a little ‘how to’):

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TEArrific

I was invited to go over to a friend’s house for tea, which made me think of a tea party (all proper with pinkies extended), and then Boston, and then the yellow flag with a snake that says “don’t tread on me”, and then all of the possible mutations of “T”, tee, tea, bag, etc?  My mind works in mysterious ways. And “works” is a questionable categorization.  These are but a few of the possibilities:

(PS: Thanks to the magnificent Arty McGoo for allowing me to personify her on a tea bag cookie.  With utter jaw-dropping talent and a playful nature, Liz has the whole package; I am ever grateful for her inspiration and hysterical sense of humor.)

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