I have had a Cookie Swivel in my possession for a RIDICULOUSLY long time without trying it out with actual cookies. Sometimes I just put it on the counter and spin it while I'm thinking. It's nice that way. It' has such a smooth, soothing spin. And I like smooth things. And spinny things. As it turns out, I like the whole Cookie Swivel. I finally put it to use with cookies this week and I very nearly sent myself a scolding letter for not having used it sooner. But then I started spinning it and calmed myself down. If you haven't heard of the Cookie Swivel - it's basically a cookie sized turn table made out of clear acrylic. The swivel itself is square, but I love that because it's clear you can see the circular metal frame underneath. I find it very helpful when trying to center the cookie on the Swivel. I was worried that the acrylic frame would get dirty and stay dirty, but so far it's actually been really easy to clean. To be fair... I did

There are two kinds of people in this world. The kind that love leftovers and the kind that don't make their own meals. Because I'm pretty sure that if you had to make dinner every night for 3 children, 1 baby and a husband that all have very different nutritional...ummm inclinations ...leftovers would be your new best friend. You know the kind that you can call at 3 in the morning because you heard a sound in your basement and either your neighbor left their sprinklers on all night and it's your sump pump turning on or someone has infiltrated your house and you are about to become a ninja whether you want to or not? Leftovers are that kind of friend. It's like a free meal. Sometimes I pretend that someone else made it for me. Like the me that made it was actually a me from another timeline, so really it wasn't me who made it. And I'm just sitting there enjoying all the work that some other more fantastically talented culinary version of myself has put

Use this royal icing cookie decorating tutorial to learn how to make adorable little leprechaun cookies!! Living inside all winter kind of stresses me out. So much noise and clutter and laundry. I basically can't handle even the simplest of tasks like "breathing" and "sitting" without freaking out about every visible ounce of clutter. And do not even get me started on the sounds that send me into a full-on anxiety attack by the end of winter. (Can you say SIMULTANEOUS WHISTLING??!!!) (Don't even try it.) (Please. I'm begging you.) So I started this new thing last week. You may have heard of it. It's called "cleaning." It's where you pick things up and put them away. And wash stuff. Like every load of laundry that ever existed. As it turns out... I *DO* have a floor in my laundry room. And my children actually own socks. And my favorite jeans? They totally exist. Who knew? But the very best part of this whole "cleaning&quo

 I like shiny things. But I'm actually kind of picky about my attraction to most things gleaming. I don't like glitter and I don't like jewels. Which kind of leaves out any hope of ever owning a Bedazzler, but I have to say... given the chance.... I would totally buy one. But not for the reasons you think. Mostly I like metallic shiny things. So I figured that trying out these metallic food paints from Rainbow Dust were a pretty logical step. I found these metallic food paints at How Sweet Is That ? and promptly convinced myself that I simply couldn't live without them. They were everything I love -- BRIGHT colors with a shiny metallic sheen designed for FOOD. It's like they were made for me. They got here within days and then I spent weeks just looking at them. I mean... what if they DIDN'T live up to my every wish and desire? I couldn't live with the heartbreak. So I waited until right after my chocolate told me to exercise and just decided it cou

I've really been trying hard to eat healthy for the last few weeks. I've had cauliflower... on purpose...more than once this week. (Which...actually is not much of an accomplishment because I actually like it. But if you hated cauliflower, then that would have sounds super impressive, right?) I've reduced my sugar intake by brushing my teeth before making cookie dough. I estimate that this act alone has reduced my sugar calories by half. I'd love to lie to you and tell you that I've changed my sugar-dependent ways and that this was all in search of a healthier me and a better future and all those fantastic things that people say (and I would never mean), but the truth is -- Spring is coming. And with it... CADBURY EGG SEASON!!! I've got to make room now because this year --  I am accepting the challenge . I'm not exactly sure what this "challenge" is necessarily... but if it has to do with Cadbury mini eggs then I AM IN. I am in sideways and d

I've been in quite a few piping bag relationships. I started with the Wilton featherweight piping bags . It was love at first pipe. We were together for basically forever. I had a blind date with the vinyl piping bags once, but it never really went anywhere. I may have given them a fake number. And when I was in Korea...I made new friends with simple canvas piping bags ...but eventually came back to the featherweights.  A year ago, I took another break and went on a journey of tipless bag discovery...but still my featherweights called me. I've pretty much decided to settle down and only branch out in friendship these days. So when I was introduced to silicone piping bags, I was able to test them out with reckless abandon. Silicone piping bags are kind of awesome. I mean... first of all... they are blue. And that's fun. You know what else is fun? They are kind of transparent so you can tell what color is inside without squeezing icing out all over your counter. Hypo

I'm not very patient. There's just always so much to be doing, it's hard to wait for anything. Like...my children choosing their breakfast cereal. They have to touch every single box, twist it from front to back, maybe open it up to see exactly how much is left inside, rub their faces against it, smell it...and then 10 years later, they will finally settle on the exact same cereal they eat every. single. morning. Every day I'm determined to wait them out. To just stand there watching them with love and peace in my heart and just enjoy observing their little minds work. And every day I make it exactly 7 seconds before my heart starts twitching and I'm staring at the ceiling trying to will a decision out of them. I feel that way about the seasons too. I wish they could cycle through at twice the speed. Because I *LOVE* change. And I actually love every season...just not the entire time they are here. Like... winter... I LOVE when it comes around!! The soft, gor

I'm kind of loving this whole "woodland" thing going on right now. I mean... I get to use colors with great contrast, and do no end of internet research on " the cutest little animals that ever existed. " Seriously...I lost hours of my life with that one google search. (Don't say I didn't warn you!) I mean... who KNITS a sweater for a tiny mouse... and how in the world did you get that on him?! And some people may argue WHY in the world... but I'm not a judger. And the little tiny monkey sucking his thumb? Stop me now - I'm getting sucked back in. The point is - I love a good internet research project. And I was ready for this one. I pre-heated my electric blanket and spent 20 minutes squeezing real, actual lemons for the best lemonade that ever existed. (I do NOT take internet researching lightly. Artificial lemonade would have been an offense to its very soul.) I got my kids in bed and stacked up extra pillows on the couch that faces aw

 I basically live in fear of faces. Not like real faces with mouths that move and eyes that... actually, you know what? I'm creeping myself out just talking about this. My whole point here is that I hate making cookie faces. Eyeballs I'm okay with. I mean... you guys were with me during my whole " Eyeball All The Things " phase, right? But noses and mouths and all that...it terrifies me. Cookie faces just have so much potential to be both unbelievably adorable...or a complete and total train wreck. And really, I have no idea which way it will go. What we need is some kind of Encyclopedia of Cookie Faces. Or maybe we can convince all those adorable cookie face making people to join forces and get to work on www.1001cookiefaces.com. I mean...seriously, help us all out, will you? I'll contribute these raccoon faces. Because against all odds... I'm kind of in love with them! They are SO adorable!! I just want to squish them! Want to make some? 1. G