Thank You Cameras!

These are a couple of cookies I made for our photographer, who just took our family pictures! Cute! And easy!

Winter Candy Land Cookies

I am starting to get ready for Mitchell's birthday party. I decided to get the cookies finished and in the freezer. One less thing to worry about next week! I had a black icing issue around 1 a.m. I had to re-ice the penguins. Argh! But I got it fixed and am happy with the final result. And talk about fine details on the snowflakes. Hand cramps! I think his party is going to be so cute! Looking forward to getting everything together and decorated.

Gordon Biersch Cookies

On the First Day of Christmas Cookies...

I have been baking Christmas cookies since early October. They are for my mom's Christmas piano recitals. I did this last year as well. They will just have to be shipped this year. But seriously, it feels like it should be in song how many darn cookies I have decorated. Have you ever heard the math behind the 12 days of Christmas. It is pretty funny and this is exactly what it feels like. Like it just kept going on and on and on and... And they kept expanding and expanding.
I like all of them. I added a few new ones this year. I learned some lessons about trying to double my dough recipes. Don't! My fingers have been in various shades of red and green more often than they have been their natural color. And my hand somewhat resembles a claw from piping. Remember that episode of Friends where Chandler continuously plays Ms. Pac Man? It is like that. I love Friends.
I also, because I actually used my brain, made sure there were extras of each to give away when it came time and some for us to set out or leave for Santa. I just freeze those and pull out when needed. That way I do not have to bake more cookies in December. I am planning other holiday baking and gingerbread boys and snowflakes with my munchkin, but think the decorated Christmas cookies are done for the year.

However, there is another equally large project going on. On top of the close to 200 for my mom, I am making 200 for Matt's store opening! yes, I am insane. And if I wasn't before, I am now : ). This is definitely good for me if I want to get my name out there and sell more. They will be for the VIP party with all the Gordon Beirsch execs and the mall execs, the Chamber of Commerce, etc, etc. No pressure right?! I am doing beer mugs and the Gordon Biersch logo. Hopefully they are a hit. Or do i really want them to be a hit? Just kidding. Maybe. It might be one of those things where I ask myself what were you thinking? Or one of those, be careful what you wish for, instances. Well, time will tell. In the meantime, enjoy some virtual cookies!

Thanksgiving Cookies

Halloween and Fall Cookies

I did a batch of cookies that I could deliberately split between Halloween and fall. I am much happier with my Halloween cookies this year. More practice, I guess. And I always like my fall cookies, but like my deep red leaves this year. And I got my orange very close to actual pumpkin color, which made me happy! In a perfect world, I would have tinted my candy corn orange differently, but couldn't see spending more time on that. If it was an order, that would have been different story. These were just to give away, but I have a few orders I am working on now and will be posting soon. Lots of cookies in my future! Good thing I love doing it : ).

Back to School Cookies

 Our new friend Tracy and her husband, are both in education. They liked the cookies I made for Kindermusik, but I told them that although I made these with lemon due to fear of allergies, which by the way were delicious with lemon zest and juice, I usually do an almond sugar cookie. They wanted to try those and offered to buy them, but I decided to make a back to school gift of them. So, of course, I made red apples and no. 2 pencils. My pencils got all their appropriate embellishments this time. Last time I got overwhelmed and lazy. The apples are great and I like my pencils but they need a little more practice. Hope everyone has a great back to school and those going to school for the first time ( good luck Ellis!)