DecoCookie

Asian Inspired Fan Cookies

2011-03-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

I'm on a new kick with decorating cookies in fondant. Many people think that fondant is "icky", but that's not always the case. My favorite fondant to use is Massa Grischuna. It tastes really delicious and it is great to work with. Massa also sells white and dark chocolate fondant. You know it's good when you can eat it by the handful. Yum!

Bride and Groom Cookies

2011-03-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

For a little something different, these cookies were decorated using fondant instead of the usual royal icing.

Cranberry Nut Bread

2010-12-11T12:28:00.000-08:00

For an extra special gift this holiday season, why not try making it yourself? Bake your favorite quick bread recipe in mini loaf pans for the perfect sized gift. Tie a ribbon or a bow and your done! (No mall entering required).

Glam Up Your Pie Crust This Holiday Season

2010-11-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

By using mini cookie cutters, you can easily glam up your pie crust for the holiday season or any time of year. To get this look, just use one of your favorite mini cookie cutters to cut the left over pie dough. Brush the edges with an egg wash and attach, slightly overlapping each other. Egg wash again, bake as usual and your done!

Fall Has Arrived!

2010-09-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend has made me finally accept that summer is over and fall has begun. It is always hard for me to say goodbye to the current season and welcome in a new one- but welcoming fall is always a joy! The crisp, fresh air, the wind rustling through corn stalks and the crunching of fallen leaves on the ground stirs the senses and refreshes the mind. It seemed like fall arrived overnight and suddenly it was time to retire the tank tops and shorts and zip up the sweatshirts and jackets.

There was no better way to embrace the season's changing than with a weekend getaway to a friend's family farm in Wisconsin. The apples in the orchard were ready for picking and the pumpkins and gourds were full grown in the garden. I can't wait to experiment with some new fall recipes and ideas!

Custom Cookies

2010-03-08T16:35:00.000-08:00

I was asked to make custom cookies for two amazing photographers based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Schultzes are a husband and wife team who specialize in wedding photography. Check out there amazing work!

Love These Girls!

2010-03-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

I recently started following this great blog called, BonBon Rose Girls. It's perfect for those who cherish the sweet things in life.... that's me! They cover everything from fashion, travel, decorating, and everything in between. You've got to check them out. Nice work girls!!

The Art of Cake

2010-02-24T14:33:00.000-08:00

I was recently updating my portfolio and came across some projects of mine that I haven't yet shared on my blog. Out of these randomly selected cakes, the pink leopard print was the most time consuming one. I used a piece of printed fabric as a guide for me to constantly refer too. The cake was much bigger than it appears in this picture, so hand painting the print took me well over two hours- way longer than I had estimated!

Difficulty wise, the baby block was probably the biggest challenge. I made the fondant bear days in advance, so it had plenty of time to dry. The bear is wearing a track suit because the cake was for a baby shower and the husband of the mommy had just ran in the Chicago marathon. The proud wife and mom-to-be wanted to incorporate that into the cake, and so I suggested dressing the bear as the runner! The hardest part about this cake was getting the seams exact and flawless- again, a task that took more time and patience than I had planned.

Hello Kitty was a fun one, but I realized while making this cake, that sometimes the most simplistic designs can end up being a bit of a challenge. If not perfected, every flaw is visible. Simple designs allow not much fluff to cover up your errors! The same was true for the bear and blanket cake. Being that the cake was so simple, the client wanted the blanket to have some dainty-ness to it. To give the blanket its "draping" effect, just cushion some tissue paper or plastic wrap in between the waves and remove them once its dry. Enjoy!!

India

2010-01-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

My parents recently returned from a trip to India and I just had to share some of the pictures they took on my blog. Aside from the chaos and crowds, India is an amazing country full of bright colors, culture and beauty. I made a pact with myself that I will make it there by the time I turn 30!

Vintage Gucci

2009-12-30T08:00:00.001-08:00

This was my very first purse cake and I was pretty happy with the way it turned out. All I had was a small picture to go by- so I had to guess with a lot of the little details. It was very satisfying to admire the final product!

Penguin Party Cake

2009-12-22T07:25:00.001-08:00

I had so much fun making this cake. I made so many penguins that I couldn't fit them all. I had a hard time picking which one's were going to be left out- but those extra guys are now sitting on my coffee table!

Jungle Fever

2009-12-04T06:11:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of my jungle themed fondant figures I recently made.

"Eat, Drink and Be Scary"

2009-10-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

Halloween doesn't always have to be freaky, scary and ghoulish. It can also be cute, fun and clever. Check out this charming cake I made for a little girl who's birthday falls on this "frightening" day.

Corn Fields and Scarecrows

2009-10-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Photo of me in the cornfields taken by- Marc Edwards

I spent my Sunday outside in the cornfields, and it inspired me to bring back my scarecrow cookies to my Etsy store for the fall season.

The Process

2009-10-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

I recently had to make an army of identical fondant figures for a client who was using them as favors for her son's birthday party. I took several pictures throughout the process to show the step by step's of creating these guys. As you can see in the pics, each part starts off as a ball which is then shaped into an arm, leg, ear, etc.. I found this to be the best way for me to make sure that each one looks just like the next.

I'm Back!!

2009-09-29T16:56:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how long I have neglected you, dear Blogspot! The change of season's has inspired me to return to you once again. Here are some pics of my most recent cake...

baby booties

2009-07-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

These fondant baby booties were made to top a cake for a baby shower that I did this past weekend. Aren't they precious??

Mini Seascapes

2009-07-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

These fondant figures are itty-bitty--no more tham 1" in size. Their perfect for cookie or cupcake toppers. Once dried, I hand-painted them using petal dust. Happy summer!!!

"Sexy Time" Cookies

2009-07-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Ty Baby Growler Blue- Fondant Figure

2009-07-06T09:35:00.001-07:00

Here is a sample of the Ty Baby Growler fondant figure I made for an order requested for later this year. I wanted to practice making him now, since I will need to make 20 more just like him for a baby party. Isn't he cute?? I colored the fondant a very light baby blue and then painted on his stripes.

Ride 'Em Cowboy Cookies

2009-07-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

These country western inspired cookies were made to be auctioned off at a benefit to help raise money for Zachery Nemeth, a two year old little boy struggling with many health issues in New Jersey.

2300 Jackson Street

2009-07-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

I spent part of my afternoon visiting Michael Jackson's childhood home. It was filled with hundreds of fans, his music blaring and all sorts of gifts for the late King of Pop. It was great to be a part of it!

Best Friends- The Dog Collection

2009-06-27T13:42:00.001-07:00

A tribute to all the dog lovers out there!

Best Friends- The Cat Collection

2009-06-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to dedicate cookies to all the four-legged friends that bring such joy into our lives! These purrrfect for-humans-only cookies were decorated using royal icing. My kitty cat nephews were so proud of their Auntie Val's cookies that they tried to snag one when our heads were turned! The beautiful plate that I displayed these cookies on is from J.Steinberg's Etsy store, SweetHorizons.

Purple Stars

2009-06-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

These cookies were made for a cheerleading squad. They requested their high school colors of purple, white and black- very fun colors!

Mehndi Inspired Cookies

2009-06-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

Indian Mehndi artwork was my inspiration for these cookies. I used royal icing and a steady hand!

The Whimsical Bakehouse Post

2009-06-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

A great big THANK YOU to the Whimsical Bakehouse Blog for posting pics of my fondant farm animals!

The Backyardigans

2009-06-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend working on these fondant Backyardigan cake toppers for an order I recieved. Meet Uniqua, Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha and Austin! I never heard of the show before getting this order, but I think Im going to start watching- their soo cute!

Traveling Baby

2009-06-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

I got a request to make cookies for a baby shower with the theme of "travel". I piped the boats and planes on the belly with royal icing and then painted them with petal dust.

Celebration Cookies

2009-06-11T17:06:00.001-07:00

These cookies were for a party in celebration of a recent graduate from Northwestern Medical School (hence the purple and white) and a soon to be mom of a baby girl.

Homemade Gnocchi

2009-06-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

I got a lesson from my Zia Maria on how to make her amazing homemade gnocchi.

A Tribute To The Hershey Kiss

2009-06-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

My love for all things Hershey inspired me to make a cookie in its honor. The first picture was taken with the cookies on a beautiful black & white damask dessert pedestal I purchased from J.Steinberg's Etsy store, SweetHorizons.

Cool Pic From Anthropolgie's June Issue

2009-06-03T09:17:00.001-07:00

I loved this pic from Anthropologie's June issue.

Along with their timeless items, they always have

such unique and beautiful photos. I saw "Baker" and

just had to post it!

Italiano Dog Biscuits

2009-06-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is my second recipe of dog treats that have been sent

to all of my four-legged "taste testers". I used oat bran,

brown rice flour, parmesan cheese and several

Italian spices to make these biscuits simply irresistible for K9's.

Once I get the stamp of approval from the judges,

I will add them to my store!

Girl Scouts of America

2009-05-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

These cookies were for a custom order I recieved for Girl Scout themed cookies. I had a lot of fun making them- I used a photograph of their vests for inspiration.

I Heart Audrey Hepburn

2009-05-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

I love all things Audrey Hepburn, especially this great wall art decal from the Etsy store rEVOLV3rApparel. Check out this and all the other cool items at this shop.

"In the Kitchen" Cookies

2009-05-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.decocookie.etsy.com

"MoNkEy BuSiNeSs" Cookies + "Scarecrow" Cookies

2009-05-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with different decorating techniques

and I thought these cookies came out pretty well. I hand-

painted them using petal dust, lemon extract and royal

icing. What do you think? I added them to my store

http://www.decocookie.etsy.com/

Family Day Trip

2009-05-26T10:04:00.001-07:00

Day at the botanical gardens with the fam.

Some Like It Hot Cookies

2009-05-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

I wanted to try a new cookie flavor with a kick, and these cookies certainly do! I added a dash of cayenne pepper which really give this sweet cookie an unexpected twist! http://www.decocookie.etsy.com

Family Portrait

2009-05-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is my farm family- all made of fondant! They all agreed it was time for a family photo. Check out all of my other items for sale at my store http://decocookie.etsy.com/

A First For Everything!

2009-05-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

This is my first post on my blog. I am pretty new at all of this "blogging" so we'll see how it goes!

Today I mailed out my first big order- 8 fondant figures. Im worried about those poor little guys- out of my hands and being tossed around all the way to West Virginia!