Happy Anniversary!

Congratulations to my nephew and his wife as they celebrate their 25th anniversary! 
 

Since my family is big on "traditions"--Lamb Cakes at Easter, Cheesy Potatoes (with onions and without),  Grandma O's Cheesecake. . . the vintage car cookie has become my anniversary cookie tradition.

The couple surprised their wedding guests when they arrived at the reception in an unusual way.  .  .

.  .  . so their cookie collection had golf carts, too.

                 Love, hugs and cookies to a special couple!

 

References:

Tutorial for the vintage car cookie can be found at https://www.lilaloa.com/2013/06/just-married-wedding-cookies.html

 

Baby It's Covid Outside

 

 Our holiday will be a party of two this year due to the ongoing pandemic, but we are grateful that friends and family who have suffered from the virus are on the road to recovery and we look forward to a vaccine in the future.

Although I have hundreds of cookies cutters, I can never resist adding new designs to the collection.  Cookie deliveries to family and friends will include a gnome for the first time as well as a new Santa, Ms., and a cute little elf.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas . . .

 

 

and a New Year filled with real hugs, fewer masks and less social distancing.

 

 

 

 

It's Been a Turkey of a Year!

 

The Covid pandemic has forced us to cancel another holiday celebration, but my tradition of sharing cookies with my family will continue.  I will wear my mask and deliver them to individual homes, rather than sharing them at our large, family gathering.

In addition to traditional fall designs. . .

.  .  .humor was definitely needed this year!

Since 2020 has been such a crazy year, I decided to take inspiration from a popular emoji and create "pooturkey"!  

Love, NO hugs and social distancing are the reality this year, but we look forward to gathering with our extended family as soon as it is safe.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Quarantine Graduations

In addition to great niece, Kendall, and her cousin, Kyle, celebrating their graduations this year, we also had two friends who experienced virtual college commencements.  Although we couldn't attend parties as planned, I still baked cookies to let them know I was thinking about them.

Congratulations to University of Iowa graduate, Jack .  . .

. . . and to University of Illinois graduate,  Andrea.

Cheers to the resilient class of 2020!

Kyle's Day To Shine

It's great-nephew,  Kyle's day to be in the spotlight as he celebrates his high school graduation.

Due to the Corona virus, his second semester will be remembered for cancellations and social distancing, rather than a prom or a traditional graduation ceremony.  Hopefully, as time passes the pain of the loss of traditional senior activities will be replaced by understanding that the world shut down to keep him safe.  

What stories he will have to tell the next generation! No doubt, no other graduates in our family will have cookies that included masks, a virus and toilet paper.

 Congratulations, to Kyle and the resilient class of 2020.

       

Easter During Social Distancing

We continue to be in the grips of the world wide corona virus pandemic, so "social distancing" forced us to cancel our usual large family Easter gathering. 

Although we could not all be together, I decided to play "Easter Bunny." No contact,  I rang doorbells and left a package on the porches of family members.

My sister, Rita has been working non-stop to create masks for health care workers, first responders, friends and family members.  Given a crisis, she is always there to help out, so I chose to include masked bunnies in her honor.

Great nieces Leann and Mary Grace said Easter just wouldn't be the same without an egg hunt and lamb cake, so, when I dropped off cookies for them, I left Great-Grandma O's vintage 1950s cake pan for them to use.  I love their cake!  Perhaps, it's time for the next generation to take on this annual family tradition.

Happy, healthy Easter to all.

Santa's Back

Santa's back this year sporting a stylish buffalo plaid hat!

I opted for cookie platters for the family this year, but I wasn't very happy with the outcome.  No matter how many times I arranged the tree, it just didn't look very appealing to me.  In addition, the holly berries look like Mickey Mouse. 

Although I made truck cookies in 2016 and 2015, red trucks seem to be everywhere this year, so here is my updated version.

A few snowman and snowflakes will guarantee a white Christmas!

Our Christmas celebration included a new addition to the family, great-niece, Avery.  Her "First Christmas" cookie was designed to mirror her signature style, a headband with a bow.

In past years, this cookie would have ended up in the reject pile once I smashed the bottom of the cookie.  However, I am now trying to remind myself that "it's just a cookie" and make the best of it.

The smashed foot gave me an opportunity to create a tag to add to her bagged cookie that included Lincoln, the family dog.

As Avery joined us this year, we lost her Great Grandpa just a few days earlier.  Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa S.  .  .  forever in our hearts and in the stars. 

Merry Christmas one and all.

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is here and we are blessed to be celebrating with a large gathering of family and special friends.

Colorful pumpkins.  .  .

and lots of bright minis will be on the platter this year.

Last year, Clough'd 9 Cookies published a tutorial for a Pilgrim Turkey using an ice cream cone cutter, that I knew I wanted to recreate in the future.  I thought the male turkey needed a female counterpart because we all know who did all the cooking and cleaning at that first Thanksgiving dinner!  I cut off the top of another ice cream cone cutter, to complete the set.

Since I am grateful for the new addition to our family, I made a special cookie for great-niece, Avery.  At 7 months, she's a little young to eat the cookie, but a picture will be a fun reminder of her first Thanksgiving.

Cornucopias were another new design this year.  I wouldn't want to eat them, but they were easy to make and will please the kids who ask for cookies "with sprinkles."  This was another creative use of cookie cutters because it is actually a Santa cutter.

Happy Thanksgiving!