Challenge Yourself- Sketch it!

The amazing Georganne at LilaLoa posted her new Challenge to her fans, Sketch it! Post your sketches along side of the finished cookie product. So I did. Maybe I can win some cool drawing stuff!

As far as my designing goes, I usually sketch out an idea. Depending on both time and how comfortable I am with an idea in my head, I may take a design to color or just idea of colors, and final sketch or not.

For instance, I felt pretty comfortable with the ballet cookies I had done a little while back so rough sketches were all I did. Just an idea of what I was going to do and most of the actual design work came literally as the icing came out of the tip!

 

But for a "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" inspired set, a little more design planning was involved. 

 These were all first drawn out very loosely, but maybe I spent too much of my past career in Clean-up but I just had to tie them down some more. It really isn't time lost since I then cut out the sketches, taped them to index cards and popped them in my KopyKake. 

 

The treasure chest had a little sketch with a rough idea but I had to draw up a larger one since I hand cut the dough. I just then "improvised" as I decorated. :)

Again, since I still and probably will always feel most comfortable with a pencil, I like taking most of my drawings as far as I can. Much easier to erase a drawing than to scrap off icing and start again. Having said this, sometimes it's impractical to draw everything out before decorating a cookie- but then again, some really cool things happen when you just go with the "icing" flow!

Happy decorating y'all!



~Krista

Grandma's Ballet Birthday

I really want to be able to be totally witty and fun during this post. (Not that I normally am...but a change from boring- here are some pics- take a look- would be nice.)

Sorry, no go.

I really just wanted to get some pictures up so my Mom can see what I have been doing. I may be *cough 40 cough* but I want to show my Mom my craft from school. And since she is one of the few not on Facebook and the few who actually read my blog...

Here we go. These were made for Lauren to give her Grandmother. Grandma Pat was a professional dancer for years. I hope she has a great birthday and enjoys her treats! I really am truly happy with how they turned out. I hope she is too. :)

A New Year, A New Quest- for icing happiness, that is!

Ok, where did the time go? It is nearly February and yet again, I have neglected this poor little 'ol blog. So trying to get caught up here. There is a little revamp of my header and some posts to catchup on. Here we go.

Lately, I have been having a little bit of icing regret. When I first started out a little over a year ago.... (wow, I guess it is almost 2 years this year. Ok, yes life does get away from me.)
Anyway, I started out using an easy glaze from I Am Baker. It is a yummy recipe, but I just wanted something with a little more control when using. So off to google I went.


First attempt at decorating with glaze icing.....

Then I stumbled upon, The Decorated Cookie. I just love her!! Her creations are so fun, they make me wish she lived next door, so I could drop by and "accidentally" join the party that I image she has going on everyday! Anywho..... her recipe, Royal Icing (sort of),  is what I have tweaked over these last few years.  I have gotten many, many compliments on it and I do enjoy using it. Though, the one thing I do miss is being able to do fancy textures and borders. I can do something similar with this icing but it has to be sooooo thick, it really hurts my hand.

These Mickey's were made for my son's Birthday using the Royal Icing (sort of)- Yummy!

This Christmas, I decided to bite the bullet and try one more time- true Royal Icing. I tried Allison's recipe (with Glycerine added) over at Ali Bee's Bake Shop. I loved using it! The one big difference I noticed, between the true RI and the RI Sort of, was that the RI seemed to take alot more color than I am used to. Maybe it was just me. Like I said, I am not a baker and am not a master at any icing!!
BUT I did LOVE how quickly I can work. I waited hardly an hour between the light colors and dark. With no bleeding!!!! So it does lead me to believe that it is the oil in the RI Sort of, that may be causing me lack of sleep.

Family Vote: Well... after my husband had a bite of both, he looked at me with those, "I love you BUT" eyes.... Hubs and the kids like the softer icing. Give both a try and tell me what you think.

Here are my results. I am still on the fence if I will continue with all RI or continue with half and half. I am on a quest to discover what caused me bleeding issues. On the books to try is Glaze icing again and adding glycerine to both RI's. For now, I "stick with the proven" as my Dad says! :)

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

This weekend I had the pleasure of donating a platter of cookies to a very worthy fundraiser. It was for a dedicated preschool teacher in our area who is fighting cancer. I hear the little girl who won these was pretty happy!! ;)
A big thank you Pam, for the big smiles you put on our kids faces everyday!!



All packed up and ready to go!

My kids of course hate when cookies leave the house, so I made these little guys for them!

Paper Dolls

Once again, it was my great pleasure to work with Gretchen over at Three Little Monkey's Studio on her Vintage Paper Dolls Birthday Party.

I wanted to create something that would both be cool to look at but that her daughters would have fun playing with!

Busy Week over Here!

Its been a full week of mason Jars, flowers, more mason jars and 90th Birthday celebrations! Looking forward to my time off in October.


First up was a 50th Anniversary,

 

 

 Next was a Bridal Shower entitled "Belle of the Ball,"

Then a 90th Birthday celebration,

And lastly another 90th Birthday for Ms. Shirley! Here sister used to call her "Eeeeee,"

 Had the nickname "Little Buttons."

Loved scrabble, dancing, singing, gardening, canning and trained pilots in the Navy division of the W.A.V.E.S! What a gal!! Happy Birthday Shirley!!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream...

 ... for ice cream.... oh and cupcakes. And when they have cute little faces looking back at you, could you eat it?? Ummmmm.......

These little cuties were made to match the adorable Dec-Ons from Country Kitchen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYN!!!