Christmas 2015

The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.

I've been feeling like the Grinch this season, so I made him into a cookie just for me.

This year the shopping, planning, decorating, and chasing, just seemed to take away from the true meaning of Christmas rather than helping me celebrate the season.  Fortunately, taking the time to decorate cookies for family and friends allowed me to think about the special people who I have in my life, they are the true gifts of this magical season.

The 2015 holiday collection included:

Pink for Payton's first Christmas, with Angel Grandma Kathy, peeking in.

More pastels for various friends .  .  .  I like the new Snowman family and deer ornaments that joined my ever growing cutter collection this year!

Same designs, different colors for the family.

Peace Doves for the Women's Club party.  I always love the elegance of white cookies.

The truck with trees was inspired by my brother-in law, Bill, who has always chopped down the tree for his family and is now growing his own trees in Wisconsin. 

Tree designs dominated the cookie platter for Christmas Day.

With a few snow people and some minis to complete the collection.

Personalized letters to Santa for the younger generation (ages 5-20). . .

 

 

.  .  . and a grown up Christmas wish inspired by the song.

Finally, in memory of my Dad, dear friend Kathy, sweet, young Grace and Jim D.  .  .  forever in our hearts and in the stars.

Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,
Cheer to all Whos, far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to grasp.

Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we. 

                                                          Dr. Seuss

 

Santa Man

Let's talk about the man. . . Santa Man.

Christmas would not be Christmas 
without a new Santa cookie design.

  

Over the years, I have made traditional designs, whimsical designs, Santa faces, standing Santas, heart shaped Santas, pastel Santas, faceless Santas .  .  .

  .  .  . , upside down Santa, triangle Santas, Santa trees, Santa bellies, vintage Santas, and even a vacationing Santa.    

The 2015 version of Santa was made by re-purposing a penguin cookie cutter,  thanks to Flour Box Bakery's tutorial.

Same design different look.

For a cookie decorator, one of the greatest gifts of the season are all the talented bloggers who are willing to share their creativity. 

A Turkey Free Thanksgiving--NOT!

Last year, my Thanksgiving cookies were all about the turkey, thanks to all the creative bloggers who posted various designs and tutorial. This year, I decided that the Thanksgiving cookie collection would not have ANY turkeys, not one!  After all, how many different ways can you design a turkey?

Since I have never made Scarecrow cookies, I decided a fall theme would replace the traditional bird.  My husband is usually enthusiastic about my designs, but not this time.  He said, "Thanksgiving without a turkey?  I don't get it."  I was not deterred, I just kept telling myself, "no turkeys."

So the fall theme took shape, and a Scarecrow was born using Sugarbelle's instruction's to re-purpose a Snowman cutter.

Of course, a Scarecrow needs crows, so I re-purposed a carrot cutter and took design inspiration from a childhood cartoon.

I added another crow design when I found this cute creation by Nanny.

At this point, I started second guessing myself . . .Thanksgiving + bird = turkey, NOT crows! Turkeys needed to be added to the collection.

My second scarecrow design was made with a re-purposed hamburger cutter, thanks to the creativity of Jill FCS.  I thought his hat would be a good place to include a turkey in the collection.

When a surprise package arrived in the mail, I knew that I couldn't wait until Christmas to use these cutters! Thanks, Donna.

Since the little ones in our family love puzzle cookies, I decided that the Bearfootbaker's  turkey design created with a re-purposed acorn cutter would be the perfect bird to disguise.  I bagged these cookies and added a little tag that said, "I am not a turkey."

What happens to design themes when an unseasonably warm fall is interrupted by snow? It wasn't a few flakes or a light dusting . . .the headline in the paper read, "Season's first snow is Chicago's largest November snowfall in 120 years."  The cookie collection now needed Snowmen!

Finally, when I saw this adorable football turkey designed by Jill FCS,  I knew I had to add them to the collection.  They reminded me of the fun I had a few years ago collaborating on a football design with my Sugar Sister .

Scarecrows, crows, turkeys, football and, snowmen. . .so much for themes.  I guess my design style is eclectic.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kendall is a Star

My great-niece, Kendall, recently concluded her four years as a starter for her high school Volleyball team.  She was named the team's MVP and recognized as a member of the all conference and all area teams.  The Daily Herald newspaper said:

The Knights' top player is leaving the building. The University of Missouri-St. Louis has already signed Buchman for next season. The four-year starter led her team in virtually every category. "It's hard to just use her numbers for her value to the team," coach Jim Sarver said. Buchman was called on to do just about everything for the Knights. The starting setter hit outside, as well. She helped out on offense with 104 kills and 190 assists, while also collecting 316 digs. She is a two-time Fox Valley all-conference player.

 

Whenever possible, I like to send cookies to family members to help celebrate the special moments in their lives.

Several years ago I had fun making a stick figure cheerleader, so I decided to repeat stick figures for this collection.  Unfortunately, they look more like something from a Tim Burton movie than the cute designs I had envisioned.  Since my 2015 cookie resolution was to remember that it is "just a cookie,"  I included them in the collection rather than considering them rejects.  Mixed in with the rest of the cookies, they don't look too bad.

 

Kendall's 16th birthday cookies were based on the theme, "the places you'll go," so I decided to include a t-shirt with the verse.  One t-shirt eventually became a wardrobe!

Since I have nicknamed Kendall, the "glamathlete," I had to add a little bling to the collection.  .   . and she does love her shoes!

The next stop on "the places you will go," will be St. Louis to play Division II volleyball.  Congratulations, on signing your National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Missouri.

So proud of you!!!!

References:

The volleyball net was inspired by a photo I found in a Google search and also on Pinterest. The design was created by Becca-Bakes.

Veterans Day

Cookies for  

Elk Grove High School's 

Second Annual Salute to Veterans.

 Thank you to all who have served.

References:

LilaLoa's Military Jeep Tutorial 

For a Special Friend

Today is Kathy's birthday, however, it is another milestone birthday that I will celebrate without a loved one.  2015 has been filled with illness, injury and loss. . . and in my cookie world that means I turn to stars.  Simple stars, combined with the following verse,  help me to find a bit of comfort:

Perhaps they are not
stars in the sky
but rather openings
where our loved ones
shine down 

to let us know
they are happy.
                                 -an Eskimo proverb

Kathy LOVED my cookies.  She asked me to make them for her daughter's wedding shower, her son's 30th birthday, gifts for friends .  .  . but sometimes I liked to surprise her with cookies "just because" it was fun to celebrate our friendship.

I made Halloween cookies for her when she introduced me to the online game, Words with Friends .  .  .

 

.  .  .  and this collection was for her birthday when we decided to conquer our fears and sign up for a swim class for adults.  It is still one of my favorite collections.

Kathy's children recently invited a few of Kathy's close friends to a dinner to celebrate her life, so once again I bagged and tagged star cookies in her honor.  Hopefully, this special tribute provided a bit of comfort to her loved ones.

Happy Birthday to my dear friend, 

you will always be in my heart and in the stars. 

Celebrating a Life Well Lived

Dad would have been 88 today, but we had to say good-bye to him a few weeks ago.   I was lucky to have this gentle, caring, hard working man as my Dad.  His was a life well-lived.

From pro baseball to family man . . .  smiling at his surprise 80th birthday party . . .  wearing his Cub hat in the hospital . . .  Dad was surrounded by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends until the very end.

Since Mom has vision loss, Dad always wore a Cub hat with a white front, so she could see him when they were out shopping.

Over the past several years, star cookies have become a special bond between my "Sugar Sister," Donna, and me.  This time I was on the receiving end of the stars, with a special Cub hat included in the collection.

Diane,
Both of us would like to go back to baby shower onesies

 and cute little animal cookies. 

 Instead, we are gazing at stars . . .

Perhaps they are not stars in the sky,
but rather openings where our loved ones
shine down to let us know they are happy.

May you find peace as you look upward,
 knowing that your father is waiting at the gate wearing his white Cubs hat, 
so all of you can find him!
My prayers embrace you and all your family.
--Donna

 

Thanks, Dad, for teaching me the meaning of unconditional love.

You will always be in my heart, and in the stars shining down on me.