Birthday Cookies for Lola

A 6 1/2 inch by 6 1/2 inch plaque cookie using:

*a cutter from Etsy seller Plastics in Print.

*Stencil from Michael's on the base royal icing flood

*sprayed with Wilton pearl sheen edible spray,

*royal icing transfer roses I made

after watching a SweetAmbs tutorial (sample of tutorial here). 

I'm still working on that skill but each attempt is slightly better,

*bead work and shell borders, and

*another stencil on  top of the base stencil...lots of work! 

My oldest granddaughter turns ten years old today (do I feel old???).  Her mom and my son are not together but they do a great job of co-parenting, taking turns with parties, and helping each other whenever needed.  Together, they have been rearing a bright, polite, and amazing young girl.

Mr. Flip Flop and I enjoyed visiting the old neighborhood for a fun at-home birthday party.  Last year's fun was at a Lazer Tag and gaming facility, which the younglings adored.  However, I really enjoyed seeing some more old-fashioned fun going on via games on the patio, a piñata, cake and cookies and ice-cream, and presents opened and appreciated in a more quiet environment.

Perhaps I sound old school, but the kids had fun and conversation was actually possible.  Turn-taking, courtesy, and enjoyment was evident.  Can't imagine a better memory to carry forward.

Crowns for Princess Lola
These royal icing roses were
accented with pink lustre dust.

As usual...I made cookies.  I made a special set for Lola and we shared a cookie with each child from the Halloween batch.  The birthday cookies were Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies with the addition of 1/2 teaspoon of LorAnn's Princess Cake and Cookie Bakery Emulsion.  I love this new form of extract!  It is suspended in water instead of alcohol.  Don't know how they do that, but it sure makes for a nummy cookie!  The Halloween cookies were without that new addition.  I could taste the difference...not much, but the emulsion gave it a depth of sugary goodness that makes me think I will be adding it to many of my cookie batches!

My son deciding which cookies to hold back for his girls!

I think they were enjoyed, lots of questions about the cookies, and one comment from a young man "did you make this icing?" to which I replied "yes".  He said "you should make it softer - it's too hard", to which I tried to reply convincingly "it has to be hard to hold the shapes".  His dubious response?  "well, it would taste better if it was softer".  I laughed and have to admit he is right.  Softer is tastier to the tongue...but royal icing décor has to be quite firm.  Maybe he'll appreciate that aspect as he gets older...or maybe not!  It did make me laugh though.

This "cake cookie" was also stenciled with Wilton
spray - a silver spray this time. The stencil was a
quatrefoil stencil from SalsaStencils.
Unfortunately, I managed to move the stencil when spraying...
not my best work.  I didn't have a back-up cookie either.  Yikes! 
Thankfully, Lola didn't seem to notice!

So, Happy Birthday my sweet girl.  You seemed to have a great time, and after ditching you pretty fairy wings, you were fully into sweating off your fairy make-up.  Hope the rest of your day was just as awesome.  You are very loved!!!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!