i can has purrty cookie?

in honor of Valentine’s day, i offered my friends-&-family rate to all “to spread the love.”  cousin-in-law Kati, who ordered owls for baby JJ, shared the link on her hubby Tony’s wall, and he had the great idea to order 2 dozen for the missus.  he said “some hearts” and whatever i think up.

so i consulted my bags of shapes and picked a still-unused Valentine cat from the 80s, courtesy of Aunt Dahlas passing down surplus school supplies.  i mixed the icing a little early so it was deflating a little bit and behaving little more “flowy” than usual, but casual lines worked—instead of fretting if the toes should be more pronounced, or the whiskers longer, it looks a little floppy and kind of like a long-haired cat, right?  [i considered making a few to look like LOL cat sensation “grumpy cat.”  maybe tearing the heart in 2?  another day.]  my twitchy penmanship was just the right font for cute little-kid messages, like “luv u,” “xxoo,” “be mine,” and “T+K.” the flowered hearts were iced white and airbrushed rose pink through a flower paint stencil.  i enjoy thinking of different color combinations for this pattern. a lot.

then, continuing the pink flowers theme, i made cookies for the kiddo and his cousins; mini blossoms in Valentine colors.  i wasn’t attempting any precision with these either—i wanted them to look casual/biomorphic/breezy, rather than symmetrical.  

i bagged ‘em.  they looked pretty.  and i make my tags from old greeting cards.  shazam.

thanks again cousin Tony, and happy Valentine’s Day to all!  coming soon… well, i have an order, but i’m still working on what it will be.  so it’ll have to be a surprise…  and then i have some Indy cars.  stay tuned!

some unrelated quickies...

often when i do a project i have some leftover dough, so i roll out a few, try a technique, and pass them along to a worthy someone.  recently, when it was snowing like crazy, hubby Jeff got a ride home from a coworker with an appreciation for pot-related humor.  so i made some pot-leaf cookies (got the cutter at Spencer's, btw) and some pot plants, made from Wilton's ice cream cone.  the first question with this  is always "are these special cookies?"  no.  just plain ol' cookies, i'm a good girl. but i got some green-marker practice in, and he got a nifty treat for being helpful. but i'm also thinking of making a Christmas ornament shape into a hooka...

then i tried a little plaid with the markers and airbrush.  i cut strips out of a big yogurt lid and sprayed once, then again after a 90 degree turn, then drew in some skinny lines.  these were just a test cookie; Jeff also brought these to work.  circles with patterns are nice filler cookies, like when you only need a few that are meticulously decorated, and a few dozen of something easy to make and share.  like pink on pink plaid would go so sweetly with a picture shape for a baby shower. or as you'll see coming up, cows and cow print circles.

and i did a Valentine's Day project for the niece and nephew, but we didn't head in that direction till the following Sunday when the cookies had gotten dry, so i sent them to work with Jeff.  they liked them anyway.  flood dots were outlined with edible marker on tiny hearts, with a few forget-me-nots.  maybe i'll do a Valentine's Day part 2, St Patrick edition, and make green hearts. :) green plaid hearts? 
and i'm still pondering a shape for an April Fool's Day birthday party...
and some lizards will be crawling this way...
and i know i'll make something for the office this month...  busy busy...

hearts and more hearts

ever notice that our calendar plops Valentine's Day right between the meanest-cold and ickiest-slush weather; between the holidays and tax day; right after January's depressing ankle measurements and resolutions, and right before the spring sales? it sounds like some sick-minded planning, right? or maybe it's a perfect time to send some hugs'n'kisses?

my other biggest fan, Mom, ordered 3 dozen hearts for her and Dad's siblings and their Valentines--some to say hi there, some to say get well soon, but all of them up-to-me and love-themed.

my airbrush is still new and mysterious so i had to use it again. but i couldn't find my good heart stencil. note, if you want excellent hearts, don't try cutting heart-shaped holes out of paper, it will frustrate you. (grin) but they turned out ok. the spotty look is from thinning the food coloring with water to spray it. water mixes with the sugar on the surface of the icing and makes a hand-dyed look. (i hear vodka won't alter the surface, just evaporate, which i'll try soon.) then i outlined the painted hearts in black food coloring, and the edge of the cookie in pink sugar and thought "doesn't that look just like those little t-shirts from the '90s?" you know, the ringer tees, with the little baby-onesie graphic on the chest? don't they?

and these were pink on pink, then brushed with white pearl dust, the same way the lemons in January were gold on yellow. Mom agreed, even in person, up close, they look like fabric. (don't they?) now i should go rummage through my sewing supplies for color and texture ideas, huh? ok, i'm on it.

coming soon, girlie tractors, maybe another order, and my other sister-in-law turns 29 again.


happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Let's Ogle at Valentine Edibles

this year's Valentine's Day post will feature 2 kinds of hearts i made for my mom. one reminds me of a little girl's t-shirt, the other looks like an old-fashioned pillow. both rock. you'll see next week.

right now i wanted to take a tour back through my 'portfolio' and reminisce on all the cookies i made to celebrate love and romance. (cue the piano nocturne.)

Judy's parents' 50th anniversary

Melisa and Corby...
...Mr. and Mrs. West

February (2010) installment of a "year of cookies" for auction winner Eldra

Steve and Bailey's engagement party

and my favorites...

my wedding, Katie + Jeff :)

now i'm off to make some tractors. this will be the 4th time i've made tractors! :)

Voulez vous cookie avec moi?

conversation hearts, hot pink and "beads," and sexy animal prints. meow! these were for eldra's february installment of her year of cookies. fun new technique of the month is painting with food coloring. sexy! happy valentine's day!