#EFFit

And the other pile of pictures I’m sitting on was from Elgin’s first annual Fringe Fest.  I took part because if I look at everything as a no, I won’t do anything, right?  So here was a never before art show for artist who were not quite mainstream and I thought, yes, let’s see what can happen here.  I inquired, was (enthusiastically, I might add) encouraged to join in the fun, and after much daydreaming, I narrowed it down to my five favorite (that week) shapes.

I participated on a Saturday, first at the Family Fringe Fest, in a wee park in the middle of town.  Here’s my table…

I chose shapes and techniques based on what I thought would demonstrate my skills as an artist.  I don’t usually use that word self-reflectively, as art is usually in the eye of the beholder, but if I were to attempt to convince you that lovely things can happen on a cookie, as well as a on canvas or stage, I’d have to bring the good stuff.  So I brought:

Rockets—a composite shape, and the airbrushed water-color spots make the moons look nice and cratered.

Asters--A mini fondant cutter added extra petals to a sun shape, with multiple shades of yellow to accentuate the wavy contours of the petals.

Grapes—each grape was a piped dot, sugared in 2 shades of purple, or brushed with purple pearl dust.  They were gorgeous up close.  It’s also a composite shape that I made with a mini maple leaf and an upside-down Christmas tree.

Geckos—aqua blue, like a gecko isn’t, with little arabesque gold dots.  Scales are so unevolved, right?  These were the hot seller—they might be my favorite too.

And the fest was selling stenciled t-shirts with the twitter hashtag #EFFit.  So I made a few myself with a homemade stencil and some “paint splatters” with my airbrush.

When the Family portion ended, I packed up and finished up the afternoon and evening outside the Side Street Studio Arts, so incoming ticket buyers would see my wares.  I did well, but probably could have gotten away with simpler designs for less.  The kids wanted cookies no matter what they looked like.  But I wasn’t there to “sell” my baking skills, though I always bring them of course, I really did want to make this hard on myself as an illustrator—making them in volume, and making them awesome.  And I did it.  And if I have the space and time this summer, I expect I’ll be signing up again.  So see you on the fringe ;)

little ones

Michael’s baby boy, their first, is on the way, and the huge family baby shower needed 12 dozen cookies.  i said no problem [my record is 220] and was ready to delve into baby design when he provided me with a picture of just what he wanted, gray and baby-blue onsies with ties.  he was also in favor of their last name somewhere on the cookie, and i offered, and he accepted, the alternative of a little pocket with a monogram.  sweet. 
Chicagoland weather these last few days has been absolutely soaked, and my old house is pretty bad at being resistant to humidity.  i run the AC till i’m feeling freeze-dried, and it still takes my cookies a day and a half too long to dry.  but if i boost the powdered sugar for dryer icing, it’s not flat and smooth.  so i fretted a bit finally getting them to their destination, but they got there.  [apologies to Michael’s mom, i delivered the cookies with a smudge on my face, no doubt gotten from trying to fish out the cord for the Garmin from under the car seat.] 
Michael also insisted that i provide something with my website, but i still haven’t resolved my new laptop/old printer/no disc/no internet impasse to printing labels and such, so a big thanks to Jason at OfficeMax for helping me make simple little labels.  [i might have been showing my age when i asked him to just add a little flourish character from Wingdings, and i had to tell him it’s a font—i didn’t add that it’s one of the only-12 fonts i first had back in like, 1993.  ya know, right after the internet was invented...  am i that old? 
i finished off the cookie with a light dusting of pearl dust.  not a lot, just enough to soften the matte finish of the icing, give ‘em a little “glow.”  i hope all party-goers found them sweet and cute, a preview for when little-man Mr. S. arrives.  Congrats to Michael’s family! 
and stay tuned everyone, i got a new stencil...