Love and Pink Ribbon Cookies

Summer is finally over for us.
The boys have returned to school and the weather (as usual in SoCal for early September)  has turned to something between sizzling and scorching.
I baked lots and lots over the summer while it was still cool enough to turn on the oven. But these were my favorites, so I wanted to share them with you  on my first day back from summer vacation.

My good friend's sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She wanted to bring her something sweet, but couldn't really decide what.

She said..."just make anything that would show her we love her, 

and will support her in anyway we can..."

Three little words, but so very important.

It's all anyone truly wants to hear when they are going through something difficult and scary.

I added some sparkly hearts and ribbons.

Simple and sweet.

I'm happy to say she's doing great...
and her sister-in-law was with her every step of the way!
So happy to be back, can't wait to share lots and lots of pictures with you!

I'm Baaaaa-aaaaack!

HI!!!!
I'm all better! Yay!
YAY!!!! (doing a little clappy-happy dance)
I still have a little way to go. Lots more cardio-rehab. The ginormous bowl of medicines on my night table isn't going anywhere.
But more or less...I'm doing GREAT!!!!
No more leaky heart!

Before I show you more cookies, I'd like to be a little bit serious for just a minute if you don't mind....


When you hear something serious from a doctor, something that you know is going to affect you and your family, it's scary.
It's really, really scary. And that's okay.
I had to learn that. (it's one of the many things I've learned) I had to tell myself over and over again. It's okay to be scared.
Because....when you're scared, and you let yourself say it out loud....
"I'm Scared" and  "I Need Help"
.....something happens.
The people around you, the ones that love you, hold you up.
They hold your hand, give you a hug, make you laugh when you want to cry.
And the scared bit....starts to get a little smaller everyday.
Pretty soon....I wasn't crying with fear, or pain. Almost everyday there were tears of gratitude.
There will never be enough words to thank the friends and family who have taken care  of me and my boys over the past few months.
I have so many stories to tell you about them all,  and I can't wait to celebrate them and their generosity.

Thank you to all of you too.
For sticking around and waiting for me to return. For the overwhelming amount of emails expressing your concern. For the countless prayers and well-wishes.
I'm a very lucky girl.

All these cookies were baked the day before my surgery. I packaged them up in three big batches  and my husband brought them in for the nurses every other day.
Nothing like bribing the lovely ladies in charge of the pain meds.

Which reminds me...

Time to find that big red bowl.
Hugs and kisses to everyone!!!

Hearts!

Love day is coming and so are the hearts!!!
Heart cookies are beautiful and don't need a lot of decoration to get their point across.


Sometimes they're a bit bossy....

'Be Mine Valentine Cookies'

....some are very chatty and talk all night...

'Conversation Hearts'

...while others are quietly cute.

'The Heart of the Matter'

These like to go 'au natural'...

'Jack's I Love You Cookies'

Some hearts belong to someone right from the start.

'Valentines for My Rock Star'

Unfortunately....some have a hole where they're not supposed to 

and are leaking all over the place.

...and that would be mine.

Yup, I have a leaky heart.

I didn't always have one 

(or if I did, it was so tiny that my doctors couldn't quite hear it)

but I do now, and boy....is it ever a doozy.

So that's where I've been for the past month or so.

I've had lots and lots of pictures taken of my insides.

Tests and measurements galore!

But these doctors aren't quite done yet.

My little leaky heart needs a fix 

(technically a mitral valve repair)

that is going to move me out of the kitchen for awhile.

I've got a couple weeks until it gets fixed.

But before and after, I'll be at home with my feet up,

 watching every single show Bravo has to offer 

and getting all caught up on my reading and photo editing!

Hopefully, I'll be spending some time here sharing lots of pictures with you all.

But, since I've never been through this before, I'm not sure how I'll be feeling.

So if I go missing for a bit again, now you'll know where I'll be!

Good thoughts, prayers and well wishes are always welcome!!!

Much love to you all!

Bridal Shower Monogram Cookies!

A few weeks ago my husband and I went to our cousin's fabulous wedding.
A few weeks before that....
I made cookies for her bridal shower!
(with special thanks to Arty McGoo for her lavender flower tutorial!)

Sweet and simple for our beautiful Kristina!
(love that lady!)



There she is with all her bridesmaids!

We don't mess around when it comes to bridal showers.
There were close to 80 ladies there that day.

That's 80 cookie favors, each with two sprigs of lavender.

Each sprig had an average of 30 little buds on it...
Wanna do the math?



That would be 4,800 little lavender buds....give or take.
Oh my.

No wonder my hand was tired!


Congratulations Kristina and Owen!!!

Puzzle Heart Cookies!

Did you know that April is Autism Awareness Month?
I didn't either until Kim from the Cookie Puzzle  asked me to participate in this month of awareness on her blog!
I also got the extra-special honor guest-posting on her son's actual birthday!
Happy Birthday Collin!

Hooray!!!
I made Puzzle Hearts....'cause we want to surround these extra-special people with love!!!
Every family I've met that has a munchkin with autism,  holds these kiddos close to their heart every single minute of every single day.
Head over to the Cookie Puzzle today to read my guest post!
It has lots of links to learn about Autism, and even more links to blogs written by these parents.
I'm so amazed at how they deal with the challenges they're faced with and manage to find the bright-side to every situation with a dose of humor!

Take A Peek Tuesday! Which Came First....?

A reader posted a question on those Chevron Heart Cookies from a few days ago.

K asked "Do you sugar first and then go back for the second color, or the other way around?

When she posted, she chose Anonymous and was a 'no-reply' commenter,

so I couldn't answer!!!

But I can answer her here!

Whew...

I always, always, always decorate the section to be sugared, last.



Here's why:

See that baseball diamond cookie on the left? Notice where the brown 'dirt' meets the sugared 'grass'?
That's what happens (at least to me) when I sugar first, then flood the area next to it. The wet flood icing sort of grabs onto the little sugar crystals and the edge isn't quite straight.

The sparkly centers on these cookies were done after the outer section had dried, much cleaner edge.

Hope that answered your question K! Thanks for asking!

Be Mine Valentine Cookies

"be mine"

Oh, really? Be yours?
Somebody seems to be wearing their bossypants today!

"be mine, be mine, be mine, be mine, be mine."

Well now, telling me what to do 5 times,  isn't going to work any better than telling me once!
Sheesh!


"be mine"

Hey now...unless we're talking carats,  bigger isn't getting you anywhere!

You've got one more shot...I suggest making it a good one.

"be mine....

...please?"
Absolutely.
Never could resist a Valentine with manners.

Just say no to bossy Valentines. Manners matter. ;)

Silvery Pink Valentine Cookie Tutorial...In Print!

Sometimes, there are things you wish for without even realizing it.

Sometimes, there are little dreams you have for yourself, that hang out in the corners, just waiting to come out and play.


And sometimes,  every now and then, they come true.

Oh my word, I have a 'by-line'...that's my name up there!

Last July I was asked by the editor of Stitch, Craft, Create Magazine  to create a cookie tutorial for their January/February issue.

Until now, they've been primarily a sewing and fabric arts publication,  but are branching out into sugar arts as well.

They asked for lots and lots of pictures and requested the  cookies be decorated in pale pink and silvery grey.   Other than that, I could create whatever I liked!

I'm still pinching myself.

Just in case someone wants to pick up a copy...
You can order it from the SCC website HERE,
you can find it at Michael's,  JoAnn's and Barnes & Noble,
Or you can order it from Amazon...there's even a kindle edition!

By the way...big big thanks to Shannon Miller for the opportunity!!