Point Isabel ISD 2014 Autism Awareness Walk

Not a great photo - pearlized color was doing odd things
for the camera!  The ribbon stencil was purchased
from SalsaSweets and the cute puzzle cookie
cutter was scored during my visit to Orson Gygi
in Salt Lake City!

It was lovely to see so many old friends and meet some new friends this morning after the 2014 Autism Awareness Walk in Port Isabel.  I have to admit, I slept through the walk, but I scrambled into clothes and flew out the door to be at the finish line to visit with folks, eat a hot dog, and listen to the prize drawings being called out.

For a cloudy, bordering on drizzly, day...it was a really great turn-out!  My offerings this year were puzzle-shaped Marshmallow Krispie Treats - 2 dozen were boxed up for prizes...and some cookies of course!


I scored several fabulous boxes from BRP Box Shop
in my CookieCon swag bag - used them to package
up the door prize drawing I was contributing.
I have collected puzzle ribbon wherever I could
find it for the past two years (because it is quite
scarce during April each year).  The coastal cookies
were wrapped in some beautiful ribbon from
Ribbon by Design - a vendor and sponsor at CookieCon!
Both BRP and RBD are awesome to work with.

I made a box of coastal cookies, some "Light it Up Blue" ribbon cookies, and a couple of boxes of puzzle cookies, stenciled with a puzzle stencil.  It was a lot of fun playing with my airbrush!

I got a new palm tree cutter that is much larger than the
two I already had - they made some pretty palm trees I think!
I'm fairly certain I got those at Gygi as well!



I loved my puzzle cookies - puzzles on puzzles!
Stencil from the great selection at the Etsy shop
Artfully Designed Creations.
One of my suitcases coming back from CookieCon held all
of my cookie goodies and CC swag...
which included (but was certainly not limited to)
five bags of sanding sugar which I knew I would need
for these cookies I was planning to bake.

My hair is frizzy from the humidity but my heart is joyful from seeing so many people out on a sort-of-dreary day to support the hope that our autistic family members become integrated and accepted into local activities, daily life, and are treated just like everyone else.  That's really all we want - for them to be accepted just the way they are.  They are unique and special people with a LOT to offer our community (and communities everywhere).  You can help make it happen.  Just accept them!

 

(an iron-on decal I got from e-bay...it describes my son perfectly!)

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!



 

 









The Luck of the Irish!

I must have Irish in me somewhere - my father always said so...quite a melting pot in my blood stream!  I do have freckles and always have a reddish tint to my hair when I'm in the sun for long...and very pale skin.  I always hoped my freckles would tan together when I was a teen ...now, I slather with sunscreen so they won't!

Despite the supposed bit of Irish blood, I realized I've never done cookies for Saint Patrick's Day.  Who knows why not?  Certainly not me.  My son saw a shamrock cutter I had sitting out and wondered if I would be making cookies that he might could eat.  I assured him I would, if he would just let me get some photos before devouring them.  He's moving off to live in a dorm in another city and I know he is going to miss my cookies (and hopefully me a little bit).  I see care packages in his future.

I didn't get very many photos - I only made a dozen cookies for St. Paddy's Day - but I had leftover icing and a big cookie so I played around with an green and orange theme with the extra.  The family ate four cookies before I could get them photographed.  They were darn tasty.  I haven't eaten one of my cookies in over a month - and it's always good to check on the quality!

I think I'll pack up the last few cookies for my boy to take with him...oh wait, I see there are only four left now!  Heck, there will be none left come Monday morning!!!

I used my Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie recipe and decorated with royal icing as usual.  I tried to stencil a little butterfly on one of the shamrocks and it ended up looking a bit "camo". LOL! 

I really loved the Celtic Knot stencils I purchased from Designer Stencils last year (and never used).  They make such wonderful culinary stencils.  I enjoy stencils a lot in my decorating.  I'm going to try to work on my airbrush skills - so you may see some of those in upcoming posts.  I usually manage to ruin a few cookies in the process.  I suspect I should practice on paper first!  For today, however, the thicker royal icing was carefully smeared over the Celtic Knot stencils, the butterfly stencil, and a concentric circles stencil I got from SalsaSweets.  Fun with icing!

Here's my favorite Irish blessing...

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

You guys have a great St. Patrick's Day!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!

Decorated Christmas Cookies 2013

Based on tutorial from Sweet Ambs

I can't believe how behind I am this year.  I finished decorating 4 dozen sugar cookies yesterday afternoon and they are all finally dried.  That may not sound like a lot to those cookiers who do this for a living...but I gotta say, I am plum wore out!  My shoulders and back ache and I've never been so happy to be finished with a task.  That's not to say I won't do it again in a few short weeks, but with everything else that goes on at Christmas...I must say I bow before the cookie artists who take orders during the holidays, do all of their own family stuff, shop, and wrap and....just everything!  Kudos to those bakers of Christmas art!!!

I used both Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie dough as well as Acorn Squash Sugar Cookie dough - they are my two favorites.  Printable recipes are linked.  Ian has tested one and gives them the thumbs up.  Now, before I can sit down to rest, I'm off to the kitchen to bake off the dough I froze earlier for Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookies and Mint Chocolate Delights.  I can't believe the holidays are upon me!  Yikes...so much still to do!!!

I'm so very tired that I don't think I can be much more coherent - so I'm just going to post pictures...'kay?  Just consider it show and tell of the cookie variety.

YouTube tutorial from Sweet Ambs gave
me excellent instructions for this type of cookie!  Cookie
Cutter from Etsy seller, PlasticsInPrint.

My first attempt at using a culinary silk screen print...kinda cool!
These were from Gateaux.

Stencil from Designer Stencils

A re-do of the set I did earlier this month.
Based on YouTube tutorial from
Montreal Confections.  Cookie Cutter
from Truly Mad Plastics.

Designer Stencils - unless otherwise designated,
all stencils are from DesignerStencils.com

Tree stencil in background from Salsa Sweets, sleigh over-stencil
from Designer Stencils

Royal Icing Transfers are great to make ahead.  The last
a long time if carefully stored in airtight containers.
Think "hard sugar candy"...I love to keep them on hand.

Another of my favorites this year.
This cookie just looks "peaceful".

One of my favorites - the scene of carolers in the snow
is so sweet.  I made a couple of cookies using this
stencil.

I was planning to build gingerbread houses this year.
Time got away from me - so I did a cookie house
instead.

Used snowflake stencil from Etsy seller, Artfully Designed.
 

Stencil from Salsa Stencils

My attempt at a cardinal because
Mr. Flip Flop is from Indiana.

I really love this stencil!  It works on round or square
cookies.

My silly snowmen and ladies...I just realized
I forgot to pipe their twig arms.  Oh well,
we will just assume I meant them to
look exactly as they look!

Thanks for checking out my Christmas cookies.  I hope you and your families have a warm, cozy, and relaxing holiday...eat some cookies and milk before Santa gets them all!

Bon Appetit, Y'all!!!