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!!

Chevron Cookie Heart Tutorial!

You want to freak me out?
As in 'kick-a-chair-and-mutter-bad-words-under-my-breath' freak me out?
Ask me to make chevron cookies.

Ugh.
Nothing against chevron.
Love it on a pillow for my sofa, a nice apple green would be great. A scarf would be fabulous, adds a splash of fun to any outfit.

But on a cookie...it's all my perfectionist nightmares rolled into one.
The spacing of the points. The width between the rows.
Ugh.
(but I found a little trick, and I think it worked...wanna see?)

I found a little tool from one of my favorite Etsy stores, Plastics in Print.

Although it's technically a cutter, I used it as a stamp.
Plastics in Print makes it in a few different widths/thicknesses, I chose the original.



(All these steps were done BEFORE the cookie was baked)

I drew a line down the middle of the heart as a guide for keeping my points centered.

Started at the bottom, pushing just enough to make an impression...

...and just eased it on up.

All ready for baking!

Look!
Chevron!!!

Then it was just a matter of outlining...
I put a little dab of red in some rows to remind myself that I wanted to start and finish with red.

Everything looks more glamorous with some sparkles, don't you think?!

I am happy to report that no chairs were abused in the making of these cookies.

Happy Chevroning!!!

Jack's 'I Love You' Cookies

"Jack!  I made something just for you!  Come look"
"Mom, I thought you were doing cookies?   I don't like icing, remember?"
"Of course I remember....I'm your mom."

"...you put the pink in the cookie...not in the icing?!"
"I did, just for you, so that you could still have a fancy cookie, but without the icky icing. They even have words,  can you read them to me?"
"I....Love...You. They say I love you!!!! How did you do that?"

"I used this little stampy thingy I had. Do you like them?"

"That's the bestest thing you could have ever given me."

"They even taste like love!"
"I'm so glad you like them little man.  I love you lots."


"Mom.....can I have another one?"
(and that's all the thank you a mom ever really needs.)

Giveaway still going on! Be to sure to enter to win Valentine's cookies for you and your sweetheart!
click HERE

Simple Valentine's Day Cookies!

Valentine's Day is coming!
It sneaks up on me every year. Why is that?

 I made these little lovebirds last year...at the last minute.

So they've stayed in the photo file 'til now..

These couldn't be simpler to make.
Only one color of flood icing!

A little pink, a little orange instead of red.

Oh Sugar Events! made GORGEOUS lacy, ruffly hearts last year for Valentine's Day.
Go look...they are to die for!
I was obsessed by those and had to give them a try for myself. (I think I need a little more practice...I'll try them again this year)

I'll be getting on the love train now...more love cookies to come!

Hugs to you all!

Valentines for my Rock Star

My older munchkin, Ethan, has had a crummy week or two at school.  

Remember fifth grade?

Math is starting to get hard with fractions and decimals at the same time...

Grammar and punctuation aren't just adjectives and commas...

Science tests don't go so well when you skip a section and don't notice until 

you're grading your classmate's test.

(and, don't tell anyone, but I think there might be girls in his class)

So my normally happy-go-lucky child has been in the downy-dumps..

He forgot that he was a rock star.

So I made him a little treat to remind him.

"Ethan...."

"Ethan....are you listening?"

"Love you bud."

(I was going to write a whole bunch of mushy mommy stuff here,

but then I thought that might embarrass the heck out of him,

and that would be counter-productive)

I left them on his 'homework spot' so he'd see them after school.

I think he liked them...

Then, to prove he's the rock star that I know he is, he said,  

"Thanks for making cookies just for me Mom.  

I know you had a lot of other cookies you could have made.  

It means a lot that you took the time to do that just for me...."

...and my heart skipped a beat.

Thanks for stopping by,

Lizy B