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Uncle Sam Cookies

I made it pretty clear a while back that I am no longer in my twenties. You might have missed that...but now you know. And since that is the case, you can be sure that I've been through A LOT of Independence Days in my life. When I was a child, they were filled with pancake breakfasts and probably candy. And then I got older and things got more exciting when people started setting themselves on fire. I even got to see what happens when you light fireworks and throw them under water. (Which is probably a really bad idea because I'm sure it killed fish. And I had guilt for kind of a while after that.) Ooh, and one year they cancelled the fireworks show literally 20 minutes before the start time and told everyone to RUN to their cars. (It was a small town so there was absolutely NO NEED to worry about stampede dangers.) But I didn't make it and I got pelted with golf ball size hail. Didn't expect that one. And that was the summer that the movie " The Day After Tom

Patriotic Cookies

I am officially proclaiming this the year of the unconventional cookie. Go ahead and do what you want. Especially with patriotic cookies.  In case you don't know...I am American and our flag has 13 stripes and 50 stars. Try making THAT on a cookie. Or...you know...not. That's  what I did. (The "not" option.) Because I can't make 13 straight lines. And believe me....someone ALWAYS counts. I had this great idea to make red, white, and blue beach themed cookies. I had the most darling sunglasses all pictured up in my head. And then...I saw that someone else had made them, right down to the beach towel and sunglasses. And they were gorgeous. And I was so jealous that I forgot who made them. But if any of YOU see them...tell me and we'll share them with the world. In the meantime...check out THESE by Pam at Cookie Crazie . I just want to snatch that shaved ice cookie right off my screen! Seriously, I think that a holiday celebrated with barbecues and

Birthday...party of one...

This may come as a big shock to all of you, but apparently, I know myself better than anyone else on the planet. My daughter turned ONE last week. I knew it was coming for quite a while. I started planning months out. I got really into the color theme of navy, white, and yellow. And then.... ( just as I KNEW I would, I might add ) I got tired of it. And switched to red and white days before the party. And by "party" I mean, regular old evening spent with her parents and big brother except this time she got to eat all the cake she wanted and got actual presents that were for HER and not hand-me-downs from her brother. So, if you remember...I had originally planned something like THIS.  And she ended up with THIS. I tell myself that it's okay because she's only one and she doesn't care what her cake looks like as long as it tastes good and she gets to eat as much as she likes. And I tell myself that I still love her just as much as I would if I had made her a gia

Graduation Cake

So... I've never made a graduation cake before. I wasn't sure which approach I should take. I had a few viable options-- Option 1:   "Good luck on making it in that big scary world that is waiting to eat you up and foreclose on your future house." Option 2: "Thank goodness you don't have to go THERE everyday anymore, huh?" Option 3 : "Congratulations Graduates!" The second option is what I would have gone with if it were my own graduation. The third one seems the most celebratory, but it made me quite nervous. I mean...now that Cakewrecks is around, the standard for graduation cakes is set pretty high. I was pretty sure it would end up something like this -- "Gongradulates Cradations!" And in case you are wondering...that wouldn't be ideal. So I chose an alternate route with absolutely no emotion or advise or really much of anything except stars and swirly metal things and sugar. Lots of sugar. But then I started ge

More on the Seashells

After I posted my seashell cookies yesterday, I took a quick trip around the internet and saw that about a gajillion other people are making seashell cookies this week. Isn't that great?!  I'm totally part of a "fad!" (Or is it a "trend?" Is there a difference?) Anyway...as promised...here is a bit more about how I made them.  The starfish cookies were probably the easiest. I took a 5 petal flower cutter and pulled the petals out a bit and pinched the ends so they curved sideways. And then after I had baked them all...I realized a star cutter would have been much simpler. I iced the background and let them dry for a couple of hours. Then I used some thicker icing and piped big dots in the middle and slightly smaller dots radiating outwards. Done. I actually made the cutter for these cookies. I know they sell a clamshell cutter, but I don't like the bottom part of it. Although, I'm fairly sure you could just cut that part off. But, I

White Seashells

You all know how much I love colors. WHAT?! You didn't know that? That's okay. I'll tell you now. I LOVE COLORS. I love deep, dark, saturated colors. Love them. As in, I would marry them if they were a person and I hadn't already met and fallen in love with my most handsome husband. That being said, I also really, really like these cookies. And they have absolutely no color added. I have to admit, the lack of color was part of the charm. I mean....I made the icing and put it straight into a bag. ONE bag. One tip. I might never use my icing colors again. (Ha ha ha ha. I'm totally kidding. You couldn't pry those things out of my hands.Not that I walk around town with them or anything. I keep them safe in safe spot where they will be...you know....safe. I'm not taking any chances with those things.) Anyway...white cookies. Love them. Love the beach. I wish I had a house on the beach like someone else I know. But then, I would probably never make cooki