Cookie Journey Thursday ~A Tropical Palm Tree

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It has been really hot here in Las Vegas. Well ok, it is always hot here! But I am talking record breaking HOT! HOT! HOT! And I am beginning to daydream of cool ocean breezes, sipping a smooth, fruity concoction and relaxing under a swaying palm tree. Oh, my! How nice would that be! But instead, I am here making cookies, (which I love) and trying to stay cool in the air conditioning (which I love, but am sick of)! So I did the next best thing~I made palm tree cookies!

I used a #2 tip for the trunk and the top.

I used Americolor Chocolate Brown and a mix of 

Americolor Forest Green and Leaf Green.

Outline the trunk. Make an indentation at the top for

a palm frond that is in front of the tree trunk.

Fill in the tree trunk and let dry before moving forward.

Outline the palm fronds.

Fill in the top and let it dry completely.

If possible, let it dry overnight. 

While you are waiting for the top to dry,

put a few upside down v's on the trunk 

to give it some dimension.

Once the top is completely dry, outline the top again

in the same color and in the way as you did the first time.

Immediately sprinkle green sanding sugar along the outline.

Completely cover the outline.

Let dry.

When it is totally dry, turn the cookie over and let the excess sugar fall.

 Don't shake it.You don't want to risk breaking it after all your work.

Just gently brush the excess sugar off of the cookie with a thin paint brush.

Now you have your own beautiful palm tree.

I can feel those ocean breezes already!

Thanks for joining me for 

Cookie Journey Thursday

as I attempt to improve my meager cookie decorating

skills. I hope you are baking along with me!

A Red, White, and Blue Cookie Journey

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This weeks Cookie Journey is part of The Freshman Cooks 15 Days of Red, White and Blue!

  The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays and we always celebrate with cookies!

Lets start with a cutout #4. 

Outline and fill in a space at the top of the 4.

I used Americolor Royal Blue.

Then make a stripe, wider than a #2 piping, across the 4.

Let dry.

Make a thin line with Americolor Holiday Red.

I used a #2 tip.

Continue down the number until you reach the 

bottom of the triangle cutout in the middle of the 4.

Outline and fill in the blue across the widest part of the 4.

Go back to striping on the section below the field of blue.

Go to the top section of blue and make small white dots.

Allow the bottom blue section to dry, and then make the same 

small white dots there.

On another cookie, outline the cookie in the blue,

and fill in with the red.

When totally dry, outline again over the previous outline.

Add what is supposed to be fireworks.

I definitely need to work on these!! 

For this cookie, I outlined and filled in the entire cookie with

the royal blue, and then placed dots all over the cookie in 

holiday red and white!

I made this cookie just like the second one. Kind of.

I outlined the cookie in the holiday red. I filled it in 

with royal blue. I waited for everything to totally dry.

Then I outlined over the original

 outline with more red. I sprinkled the nonpareils

on the outline while it was wet.

I think most of it looks alright, but the right side of 

the bottom is lacking in sprinkles.

I need to be a little quicker!!

So, there are the 4th of July cookies for this week.

As I proceed through the 15 Days of 4th of July, we will be making lots of fun

holiday treats, and I hope you stop by!

Thanks for stopping by!

We are partying here this week:
Patriotic Project Parade Party Linky 

Cookie Journey Thursday!~Graduation Time!

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A few of my sons friends are graduating from college this year, and he asked me to make them some cookies to let them know he was happy for them. I made them each a dozen cookies, 6 different designs, 2 each.

Each set of cookies went to a different friend. 

I wrapped each cookie in cello and tied it with a ribbon

that matched the school colors. 

Then I shipped the cookies in this cute box.

Isn't that too adorable?!

The lid comes off like this, and the cookies

are inside!

I started the cookies off my making this one from 

some small number cookie cutters that I have.

I cut them out and them I placed them on the cookie

sheet next to one another. When they baked they 

formed together to look pretty good.

For the bottom two sets of cookies, I outlined the 

numbers in black with a #2 tip, which is what
I used for all these cookies, and then...

I went around the inside of the black with white. 

I got a few marks in the cookies that look like

they may have been air bubbles, but I didn't catch them in time.

Then I filled in the numbers with red.

These were for the top set of cookies.

I made 2 of these rolled diplomas for each set.

I have made these several times, but I have never been real happy

with how they turn out.

I should not have had the ribbon go over the black outline.

It just doesn't look good. I also think the ribbon

is too wide going around the diploma.

I need to work on that.

 Each package had a star cookie with the graduates name on it.

Tilli's cookie turned out the best.

Again, I had problems with filling in after outlining in a different color.

Each of the packages had a mortarboard with a tassel.

I like the way these turned out.

I included 2 cookies like these. 

My handwriting needs some work.

I should have printed it, so it looked like the name cookies.

The recipients of the 2nd and 3rd package are 

married and moving to Texas soon to start law school.

So I included 2 Texas cookies in each of their packages.

I thought they turned out pretty well.

I included a school logo, of some sort, in each package.

For the SUU logo, I tried to pipe the initials 

both thin and wide. I think I like the thin ones best. I used

a Wilton tip #1 for those initials.

The FAU logo has a wave going through the A. I love the clever

logo, but it was harder to copy than I thought. I think they came out ok.

Ok. That's all my cookies for this week. 

I plan to keep practicing this week, and maybe my cookies will look

a little cleaner next week. They need that sharper edge.

I am thinking that I know how to fix the problem

with an outline in one color, and the fill color being a different color.

See you next week, and we can see if I was right.

I hope you are decorating with me!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cookie Journey Thursday

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This week I have been working on some cookies for my son who is going through finals in college. I send him a lot of cookies throughout the year, especially for finals,  and I have even sent him these before. But, because I am trying to improve my cookie decorating skills. I thought I would make these again.

This cookie really gave me some problems.

I don't have a cookie cutter for the S. I wish I

did. I have looked all over, and I keep looking,

but I can't find a cookie cutter in this font.

I used this stencil and I cut out the cookie dough

with a paring knife,

and it actually worked pretty good.

The stencil was originally part of a word quote that I 

got at Michael's from the clearance bin. I bought it because

it is plastic coated, so I thought it would hold up.

It did, and it was easy to clean, so I can

use it again.

I started by outlining the S in black. I used a #2 tip here.

This was the best of the 4 cookies I did.

(Not saying a lot)!

I thought that the #2 tip was too thin, so I outlined the rest of

the cookies in #3. My outlining is terrible in some spots, and

good in others, but my overall consistency stinks!

The one on the right is way too shaky and I don't know why.

I think I need to pay more attention.

I then made a white outline to go around the black.

Then I filled the S in with the red. 

I made an N and a C for the tops of the cookies

to copy the schools logo. I originally tried to outline and then 

fill in the small cookies, but they were just too small.

I made the entire cookie white, and then piped the red on top.

I applied them to the S with frosting on the back.

They turned out good, and I was happy with them.

I plan to continue working on perfecting my outlining.

My son graduates next May, and I want to serve these cookies

at his graduation party, so I have a year to get it together!!

I hope you are decorating and practicing with me.

If you are, let me know. I would love the company!! :)

Until next week, Happy Decorating! 

Cookie Journey Thursday~St. Pat's Day!!

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Here I am late again for Cookie Journey Thursday. Believe it or not, I am not the person that always "is running behind"! I am usually the person that is on time or early, but too much on my plate right now is making me crazy and late! So let's talk cookies!!

St. Patrick's Day Cookies

I love these cookies I made! The shamrocks turned out great,

the pots of gold turned out pretty good, and the rainbows, well,

not so good. Let's start with the shamrock!  :)

This was the easiest cookie to decorate. I used the 

cookie and frosting recipe we used in previous posts.

I outlined the cookie in leaf green,using a Wilton #2 tip,

and then filled it in, using the Wilton #2 tip.

Super Easy!

Now lets make the pot of gold!

I outlined the pot in black,using Wilton #2 tip,

and then filled it in with the black, using the same tip.

I let it dry completely, then, using leaf green and
a Wilton tip #5, I piped a green rim onto the top
of the pot.

Using a Wilton tip #2, I piped small circles on the top of the pot
to look as if coins were falling from the pot. I had to pipe the
circles, and then wait for some to dry, and then stack more on top.

I poured a little gold pearl dust onto some wax paper,
dabbed a tiny bit of water onto a brush,
and then dabbed the brush into the gold dust.

Lightly brush the gold dust onto the circles.

I think the gold added a needed shimmer to the look,
but the coins were not what I was looking for.
I think they should have been flatter and a bit bigger.
Let's make the rainbows!

I outlined the clouds on the rainbows with white
frosting and a Wilton #2 tip.

I filled in both clouds with the same color and tip.

As soon as I filled in each cloud, I sprinkled
white sparkly glitter on each one.

There are six different colors on this rainbow, so I
marked a line with edible marker,
where to start and finish the arch of color.
I started with the purple, using Wilton Violet and a Wilton #5 tip.
This is the second set of rainbow cookies I attempted.
When I made the first set, I used the Wilton tip #2, but they
looked worse than these!! The #5 tip covers much better,
and presents a cleaner look,
except for a few problems which, we will get to soon.

Next, I added the light blue color, Americolor, Electric Blue.

then the green, Americolor Leaf Green,

then the yellow, Wilton Lemon Yellow, orange, Wilton Orange
and the red, Americolor Super Red.

Here is what I need to work on. I am upset at the way I
did not follow the design of the rainbow.
 There should not have been cookie showing. I should have
figured out how to do that. I need to work on this.

Like in this picture. The top of the rainbow was ignored.
Also the start and finish of the arch. It just looks
amateurish. Of course, I am an amateur, but that is
beside the point, don't you think?

 My final problem with the rainbow is the frosting.
The consistency is not correct for all the colors,
and it looks like my hand was shaking when I
applied the frosting. I will be working on all this!


Well, I think things may be getting a little better with
my decorating, but I really need to practice.
 I am making some "new baby" cookies
for a family friend, so you can let me know
 what you think on Thursday!

Meanwhile check out this wonderful blog!
I am a subscriber to Lila Loa, and this is one of her
blog posts from last week. It's all
about icing consistency, and I think you will find it
interesting and full of valuable information!!
I did!!

Thanks for joining me!!

PS~I wrapped all the cookies up and sent them to my
son and his roommates!!I love the taste of these cookies,
so I have to give them away immediately,
or we all know what happens!!

This post is linked to the following fun parties!:
Works for Me Wednesday
These Chicks Cooked
Cast Party Wednesday
What's Cooking Wednesday
Made by Me
What's on the Menu Wednesday