what you've been missing

There is so much I've done, and so little I've posted for you.  Here's a speed round, and a heap of apologies for keeping you waiting:

Prettiest first, these were from a bridal show last summer.  

 

Also from last summer, ice cream...

...and patriotic pinwheel stars.

 

a Minion birthday...

 

...and a Scooby-Doo birthday (H is for Hannah).

 

my sister-in-law, Kristi's birthday

 

this poor little guy I found on my phone from late 2013!

 

 

Battle of the Books at the library.  (b.o.b for apples, eh?)

 

for the kiddo's Halloween fun fair at school

 

more Halloween fun, with airbrushing and plastic bugs

 

and a Clifford the Big Red Dog themed "Paws to Read" event at the library.  Those bone sprinkles did double duty in graveyard pudding dirt cups for Halloween.

Not far behind, I've got last summer's Fringe Fest where yours truly was the only food artist.  And coming up, a Midsummer Nights Dream, a vintage clothing show, barista aprons, and everything I've been taking pictures of at work with the work phone--just gotta email the darn pics to my computer and I'll be good to go!  I hope you all have a splendid week, and may stay warm!  Now I gotta run to OfficeMax...

 

 

and on to the new year...

these snowmen, snowballs, snowflakes, and snowy trees were part of the Christmas package sent to my brother's family.  like i said, if they were to arrive late for Christmas, they're still winter cookies, if not Christmas cookies.  i made a bunch and gave a bag to Vanessa for that help she gave Jeff with his online work/stock thing.  all extras were promptly eaten.  sorry Santa.  the resemblance to the snowman in "The Snowman" was a coincidence--and he had a (tangerine?) for a nose, not a carrot.  and around my cookies, you'll probably hear Perry Como playing...
and that brings me to the end of the year, and the pictures taken thus far.  i'll have another 90th birthday assignment in January, and a kid's birthday after that.  and some owls for a baby shower... and then Valentine's day? (nudge) see ya on the flip side! Merry Everything! Happy New Year! and drive careful out there...

the Christmas rush, part 2

i felt pretty-much-done with Christmas by cyber-Monday. my job involves an early commute, my son is still kind of oblivious to holidays, schedules and finances kept us from going anywhere... it was like a long loud November. but was i grinchy? nay. for i madeth cookies, and they were pretty... but i want to get to March by March, so this is a speed round post. ready?


this was a pile of funky snowflakes i made for Andrea and her family, for watching the kiddo until we got the ball rolling on day care.

these were the yearly Christmas choir cookies. those lines should have been thinner. but the sparkle cooperated.

long story, these new years stars almost had a destination, but i never got them out the door. Jeff took them to work instead. but i was attempting silver on white effects.
and Lois asked me if i could do something Christmasy with frogs as a get well gift. like my froggy princes, these were a composite of a frog and mini hat. i think this spring he'll need some Easter hats with flowers.
coming up, that class i taught. plus new years clocks, girly purses, COWmodities, a plaid experiment, some illicit botanicals, and ...explosions! and then, at last, Valentine's day. (whew!)

the one-elf kitchen

holy mistletoe did December kick my hiney. i still owe Vanessa and Theresa a dozen each for covering hubby's Christmas weekend, and Aunt Donna and family can expect a thank you package--had we drawn one of their names for the secret Santa game, a treat package would have accompanied the gift; alas, orders came in, snow fell, one car was shared, one toddler discovered "no" and now it's already 2 weeks after Christmas and i still twitch a little. i didn't bring any cookies to Christmas at my brother's, didn't do a plate for Jeff's family, and i didn't even bother sending cards this year. seriously, some years i'm Martha Stewart, this year i was Charlie Brown. but i do have pictures to prove i was busy, and i will take care of my back-logged cookie agenda.

onward.

Jeff's sister Heather and Aunt Dahlas lead the choir and bestow thank-you treats to singers, readers, and musicians who make the yearly musical service and pot luck dinner a success. once more, i was asked for a cookie creation based on this year's theme, "Emmanuel, God with us." at first, a nativity scene was suggested, but i pointed out that one would then have to bite and eat baby Jesus. the "Emmanuel" part comes from the angel informing Mary about Jesus, 9 months before Christmas, but if you say "angel" and "Christmas" one first thinks of the angel directing shepherds and kings. so i drew a sketch for a composite cookie of an angel gesturing to the star and got a thumbs up. the trickiest part was piping in the blue sky as negative space before filling in the angel, lest i cover detailed edges, like the face and hand, by trying to do the angel first. i heard one choir member thought the cookies came from a bakery; it's always nice to be mistaken for a professional. :)

next came Jeff's godmother Dorothy, who wanted 2 dozen. i included a slender white tree with dragees and something new i tried: there's a variety of cookie sprinkle that comes in different shapes--tiny hearts, tiny circles, etc.--and they're made with vegetable oil, i presume so they wont stick to each other. if you were to take a spoonful, and a little bit of pearl dust, and shake them in a tiny container, the dust sticks to the sprinkles. i can now make shiny blue ornaments.


then i did some red and green pinwheel stars, and by then the order was done, but i had just reorganized my sprinkles so i had to try my meta-cookie idea, little cookies on a cookie sheet. i sent these along too.


then i had just enough time to fill one more order--Jamie who ordered the bridesmaid dresses wanted to give a dozen to her godmother, so i did a dozen snowflakes with simple mint-green lines.
and by then i had enough time to tidy the house and pack for Indiana. much thanks for your orders, ladies, and many apologies to anyone who thought i might be slacking. fear not, i'm still baking.
coming soon, my other December order for a girl's night out, those cookies i owe people, and probably some birthdays... happy new year everyone!