Rustic Rabbits

I really liked the shape of these cookies.  A cross between folk art and primitive design, I wanted their shape and texture to stand out.  I drew the bunny outlines on card stock and then hand cut them out of dough by tracing the shape with a sharp knife. The color was a mix of Americolor warm brown and black. I flooded the whole cookie with 15-20 second royal icing, waited a minute, and then stippled the whole surface with scrunched saran wrap to achieve the texture look.  While the base icing was still wet, I stuck in the whiskers (shredded wafer paper). Once that had dried completely, a black dot for the eyes was added and I shaded with watered down dark brown and a paint brush. The last addition was the painted pink blush for the ears and “cheeks.”

DSC_0028 DSC_0032

I had a few spare blank cookies left from another order so I added a different perspective rabbit and a carrot for this last pic.

rabbit

Take a PEEP at this EGGStravaganza!

Who said you can’t play with your food?  Apparently, even religious holidays are not “sacred”???  And so it goes for Easter 2015.  First an EGGStreme play on that Easter staple: the simple egg.  Next I am YOLK-ing around with those wondrous little marshmallow fluffs they call Peeps.  Sometimes our ‘peeps just steal the show!?

DSC_0019 DSC_0026

Peep Show (a 5×5″ double layer cookie!):

DSC_0017

50 Shades of Hay

I confess, I have not read the books nor seen the movie.  But the word play from just the TRAILERS alone was enough to CORRAL me into this cookie set.  Just HORSIN’ around.  Hope I haven’t offended anyone who loves the topic- Shades of Grey or equine…

DSC_0015 DSC_0018 DSC_0017

Walking Dead part 2

Funny.  All of my Walking Dead cookie orders have been for KIDs birthdays.  Like under 14.  I am always SUPER appreciative of anyone who likes my cookie designs enough to request some but I figured The Walking Dead fans would be older???!  The reason I mention this particular sidebar is the dilemma of coming up with ideas that are appropriate.  That was particularly important for this order-  the favors were being given out in school.  Luckily, challenges that stretch the imagination are never a bad thing.  Here are the resulting Carl-, Daryl-, prison-, zombie-fied cookies, “splattered” with a touch of humor, “not dripping” with gore. DSC_0018 DSC_0020 DSC_0023 DSC_0013

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’):

DSC_0030 DSC_0025 DSC_0018

Happy Valentine’s Day 2015

Hope this day is all that you would hope it to be- whether you are in it for love, hate, or simply the massive quantities of candy.  Sorry for the late posting.  I realize that it is almost

ValenTIME…  This is FOURm me TWO you.

DSC_0026

Our daughters are amazing young ladies; they are the BALM diggity! Here’s how I let them know.

ur the balm DSC_0020

Okay, I am not KITTEN around anymore. These were for my cat loving friend.  My take on the retro ‘smitten kitten.’

DSC_0015 DSC_0019

Bye Bye Buffalo

If you haven’t ever visited Buffalo New York, you really should.  Not this week as it is bitter cold but go most any other (Chicago is colder and you’d go there…). No really, I mean it! The park system was designed by Olmstead (same guy that sculpted and landscaped Central Park, NYC).  He also designed the grounds around the old mental asylum made from Medina red sandstone built by architect HH Richardson; it will knock your socks off.  Explore the Albright Knox/Burchfield Penney ART Museum area or try ice bicycling on the Erie Canal in downtown (or kayak in the summer). Study Tiffany stain glass windows in our churches, learn the history of making Carrousel horses at the Herschell Museum, or tour one of several Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes in the area.  Niagara Falls is a quick 30 minutes north; try the jet boat ride up the lower rapids in the summer.  Feast at any of the many places Diners, Drive Ins and Dives has visited, eat Lake Effect ice cream, or go to the home of the original chicken wing, the Anchor Bar (some natives like Duff’s better– let me know which you think is best).  Come celebrate Dyngus Day, tour Millionaire Mansion row decked out for the holidays, or sip your way through one of the many pub crawls.

To all of this, our family says a fond farewell.  Our friends here are exceptional.  We will miss you so very much.  The moving van is loading, blowing snow and frigid cold and all.

DSC_0014

Our next adventure begins in the new state of …. well, that’s a post yet to come.

But first, COFFEE!

Um.  Essential to life.  Right?  What’s not to love about coffee?  As I paid homage to tea, I felt it necessary to compliment my other hot beverage of choice.  The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch koffie, borrowed from the Turkish kahve, in turn borrowed from the Arabic qahwa, a truncation of qahhwat al-bun ‘wine of the bean’.

Here’s how the cookies for my caffeine-addicted friend turned out.

DSC_0014 DSC_0021

Not all cookies make the grade. To prove the point, here are some ideas that I played around with that did not turn out as I had hoped.  Whomp whomp.  Please try to remember only the ones that made the grade. 🙂

DSC_0027

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.)

DSC_0048 DSC_0046

Have a Holly Jolly

Hope your Christmas is splendid.  This platter of trees was made to serve many people little bites (because there were lots and lots of different cookies on that dessert table!).  Inspiration was from the 2013 post by Melissa Joy’s Cookies.  Melissa’s creative juices flow in abundance; she is a playful and brilliant cookier!

DSC_0001