also it snowed like, 8 times...

i’m soooo very behind.  but so much has happened.  i left off with Christmas, and shortly after that i was planning on posting these crosses for baby Ryder’s baptism, and some snowmen that are still on my phone's memory card, that were for the snowy end of December, i'll post them eventually... and then I had some super-M's to make for Mary Jo’s grandson Maddox’s super-hero-themed birthday, before heading to visit my dad for the last time.

i spent the whole project reflecting on my comic book loving father (who likely wouldn’t [and ultimately didn’t] see these M’s), and how i’ve been committed to this cookie life, and how my dad would kinda give me an elbow nudge after each well-made art project and tell me i could make money doing that.  nothing would have made Dad happier than to see me get rich, especially for cookies—anyone who knew our family knew that there was a mother-daughter team that made pretty awesome Christmas cookies, and we’d roll our eyes when he’d talk about how we should open a bakery and rake in cash.  so after i got these cookies in a bag, we had a real swell a banking oops, and Mary Jo’s payment was my only cash to go downtown.  (so much for riches.  yet.  thanks MJ)   Dad passed away January 10.  he was 66.  he is very missed.  then after the service, i took a deep breath and got back to the grind.  (building my cookie empire, and all that.)  

and then two St. Augustine grads were in love and in town, and the young lady’s mom, a drawing winner from November, requested some luv-bugs.  and then something extraordinary happened.  

backstory: last summer i discovered a little café in the library, and thought of how charming it would be to illustrate cookies for a building full of stories, or even just crank out buckets of chocolate chip cookies.  c’mon, books and cookies—it’s perfect.  i was hired, but worked at the East Dundee location, usually making sandwiches, and baking when i could.

then the extraordinary part.  at the beginning of February, the library location had a bit of a staff renovation.  they asked me to come in and i was told that A: in the scramble to get treats on the counter in time for a Black History Month event that weekend, anything i baked in East Dundee was brought to the library, and quickly sold out, so good job Katie; and B: i would be working from the library starting that Sunday, and would be the sole baker for all 3 locations.  and that i could bake whatever i want, and do my cookies, and that i should make a shopping list of everything i need to hit the ground running.  i swooned.  

my first project, strangely enough, was for a bring-your-own-hair-dryer themed event we catered at a salon.  i was told with very little time to complete it, so i did mini hearts on the side, because they dry faster, and when it came time to go, only the hearts were ready.  i renamed the glamour-girls “Rapunzel” and library patrons and staff found them adorable.  they were actually from a Pocahontas cookie cutter set--John Smith’s pioneer-mullet had a nice right angle to it, and made the perfect hair dryer.  they were quickly joined by froggy princes and heart balloons for Valentine’s Day.  those are also on my phone, sorry. they didn’t last long either.  [in fact nothing does.  brownies, cookies, Grandma’s Hello Dolly bars, banana bread, cupcakes, i’ve been crazy baking.  and I make “truffles.”  balls of different things dipped in chocolate.  the most popular is the super-simple s’mores version: a big marshmallow dipped in chocolate and rolled in crushed graham crackers.  the men i work with say i cook with crack, and often use lewd vocabulary when expressing their enjoyment of my desserts.  so i’m doing something right.]
on Valentine’s Day itself i had aqua hearts with pink roses.  i didn’t get a picture, but they were inspired by the color scheme on my sister-in-law’s dress, and the roses were a simple 2 tone swirl like this [an upcoming post]. 
my next cookie goal is to get good at different rose techniques.  my goal after that is making In The Neighborhood Fresh the best darn cookie and coffee stop in Elgin.  and since i know that no goals are reached overnight, i’ll go get a good night’s sleep because i work tomorrow.  empire building and all that.  

 so i’ll close with another icon of an awkward fit waiting patiently to reach a potential, my most recent library project, lil’ mr. ugly duckling.  next, dresses and ballerinas…

praying and playing--a busy weekend!

Vicar Fred Gaede has been ordained as a new pastor at Trinity Lutheran, and though he's to be installed this coming Sunday, my M-I-L Bobbi requested early celebratory cookies to share with her Bible study class.

specific requests included "Pastor Gaede" in gold, and a red cross, but off-center with flowers was my idea.
being a cookie illustrator with a 4 year old sometimes means you do your decorating overnight (like this project), which is no biggie for me, it's like writing a term paper, but those without the cookie-touch are wowed by my devotion; i think in this case, if one is devoting himself to a life of spiritual leadership, i can buckle down and make some lovely cookies.  right?  but don't worry, you don't have to be ordained to get me to take a cookie order seriously.

that same night i also made a pile of Es for Evan's Sesame Street themed first birthday. i have so many cookie cutters, i was able to do 3 different fonts.  so yeah, his party was brought to you by the number 1 and the letter E.  get it?  :)
Welcome Pastor Gaede to your new post, and Happy Birthday little Evan!  coming soon, i just found out i have a Valentine's day order.  oh, what to make... (pondering)

A is for Ava

so i'm trying out my new computer.  we'll see if i blow it up when i try to upload something.  so far facebook doesn't like uploading my pictures.  if you see a pretty white cross with little pink flowers in this post, then we're back in business.  these were for the baptism party for Ava, daughter of hubby's friend Gabi.  mini fondant cutters made the flowers and leaves around the base, and like Evan's baptism cookies, the A was stenciled. some pearl dust finished it nicely, and each were bagged in favor bags.  welcome little Ava! 

a baby blue baptism

hubby's mom's cousin's daughter Michelle had a little sweety boy named Evan.  cute as a button and so little compared to my now-horse-sized 4 year old; they had an adorable round of making 'aaahhhh' faces at each other.  Michelle asked if i could do baptism cookies, any style.  the cousin in that opening sentence is a retired pastor, so i did my homework and consulted a Gospel or two and liked the image when, after Jesus is baptized, the clouds part, which i painted with 2 shades of blue icing and white food coloring, with the "spirit descending like a dove" in edible marker.
the E on the crosses is my new favorite trick. usually one uses a stiffer stencil for cookies or cakes, but i used a floppy wall-painting stencil.  turns out if you nudge a dab of icing over it with a modeling tool and lift, you get a spiffy monogram.  nice for light-on-dark letters, which isn't really doable with the airbrush.  still need more experimenting with the white food coloring, but check back in winter, i have some snowy ideas.
welcome little Evan, and congrats to your family!  stay tuned all, more is on the way.  had them all listed, but this laptop ate my original blog entry draft. boo.  well, now we'll both be surprised. :)

better than jelly beans

Eldra's April installment of her year of cookies was delivered Easter Sunday. i'm super pleased with the fluffy sheep and colorful egg, but the camera just couldn't capture the shimmery ivory color of the cross. trust me, it was lovely. back to the sheep, it's the same technique i use for clouds. time consuming, but worth it--dontcha just want to pet them? stay tuned, her final installment was for May and just might be my favorite.

little puzzles

here's what i love doing lately: using one cutter to remove a section from another cookie, fitting in a whole shape in the missing space, and baking them together. they stick, but their border remains distinct so you can pipe the shapes without guessing. above, you get "a is for apple." below i used a spider and gingerbread man to make an alien, a palm tree and squished metal christmas tree cutter to make a carrot, a short cross and a crown for a big "king of kings" cookie (the removed cross bottom was reattached under the crown for a longer effect) and my last name in multi colors.







also have another look at the slideshow--the rose and heart combo, the plate of fruit, the trick or treaters, cinderella's shoe with a clock, the pink "10s", the st patty pots of gold and shamrocks and the tractors were all made with more than one cookie cutter. someday i'll do a huge mural... :)