Graduation Cap Cookies - tassel tutorial

Here is a different way to do the tassels on grad cap cookies.  The part that attaches the tassel to the cap is usually a twisted cord like this.

I used a Wilton number 1 tip - one that was made in China which seems to be a bit bigger than the same number tip made in Korea.  Am I the only one that notices this??  One day I will buy enough PME tips!

First I pipe a straight line and start the tassel part.

After that dries for a few minutes, I pipe little curved lines over the straight line, leaving space to do other lines in between.  I also add some more lines to the tassel. 

Next I add another set of curved lines to fill the spaces, and the final tassel strings.

The last step is to add the part that goes around the tassel to keep it together, and a circle to look like the button where the tassel cord attaches to the cap.

Let me know if you try this!  Congrats to Megan and all the new grads out there!!

Thanks so much to BZ Bees Sweet Treats for the inspiration for this graduation set!  Check out their amazing cookies!!  https://m.facebook.com/BZBeesSweetTreats

Cookie Cutter Easter Wreath

This is such a fun project for anyone that loves baking cookies!!!!  This is my new wreath on my bakery door!  I hope to share some bakery pictures in the next week or so!

I used an extra set of plastic cutters that I found at Walmart for $1.47 for 6.  The pink and green cutters are all from this set, though this little green chick below didn't make the cut!  The yellow cutters are duplicates that I had from Wilton sets.  I believe they come in the large 101 set.  I wanted to use plastic cutters so that rust wasn't an issue.  I would guess you could use metal if you coated them in paint that would protect them.

Supplies for this project are:

-Grapevine wreath

-Green floral wire

-Wired ribbon - I used 2 rolls that were 3 yards each and had just a little leftover

-cookie cutters

- scissor (if you don't want to cut the wire with the scissors you will also need something to cut the wire!)

- silk flowers (optional)

I had my glue gun all heated up but didn't end up using it!!

I started by arranging the cookie cutters.

At first I thought I would wrap the wreath with the ribbon.  3 yards was enough for that if you prefer to do that - instead of tying a knot on each cutter.

Since I was loving the wrapped ribbon, I came up with the idea to tie a knot on each cookie cutter.  The ribbon also hid the wire I used to secure the cutter to the wreath.  Tie a knot around each cutter - try to plan where the knots should go based on where the cutter will be on the wreath.  I didn't want all of the knots facing in or in the same spots - I tried to vary that.  Then cut a piece of wire long enough to wrap around the wreath - and attach the cutter to the wreath, hiding the wire with the ribbon.  I put the wire through the ribbon knot to help hide it - but make sure it is going over the cutter too - not just through the ribbon.  Trim the ribbon ends and arrange.

I tucked some white silk flowers into the wreath as well but I don't think they are very noticeable.

Let me know if you try this!!  I would love to see pictures!!

Some recent cookies!!

Here an Enderman and a pig join Steve!  I did a Creeper and Steve when I did Minecraft cookies before!  Happy Birthday to Greyson!!

Here are some St. Patrick's Day cookies including some running cookies for the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach this past weekend!!  Congrats to Dave and Alma!!!

Crazy Quilt Hearts

If you are visiting the site after seeing my work at the Quilters' Extravaganza, I hope you enjoyed your cookie!  I would love to hear how you liked it!  You can comment here or post to the Facebook page!  Please visit and like our Facebook page to see many more cookies!  I loved making these heart cookies with lots of variety in colors and designs!

Candy hearts? Better. Cookies!

2 dozen candy heart sugar cookies in a pint mason jar!  Each delicious heart is bite sized and sure to delight your special Valentine!  Please visit and like our Facebook page for many more cookie pictures!

Thanks so much to The Cookie Countess for her amazing stencils!!

Minecraft cookies!

Do you recognize these two?  The little people in my house certainly do :-)

Here is Steve . . . 

And a friendly, or not so friendly, but certainly YUMMY creeper!

Happy Birthday to Noah!  I loved making these!!

Some recent work

Hello!  I haven't been able to blog as much as I would like, but the Facebook page is much more up to date!!  Please visit the Facebook page and "like" it to stay up to date with my work.

Here are just some of the cookies that I have done in the past few months . . . see, I have been busy :-)

Mouse Ear cookies!

These are some cookies that I made for my daughter, Katie's third birthday.  I had a large Mickey Mouse cookie cutter but I decided that I didn't want such large cookies for the kids.  I used another circular cookie cutter to cut the bottom of the mickey cookie off, so that I ended up with a mouse ear hat shape.  Super easy!!  It is also very easy to decorate!  I had fun with the pink, black and white.  You can do so much variety with 3 colors!

Happy Wednesday Cake

 

Earlier this week I was looking at some blogs and came across cookie dough buttercream.  Cookie dough = wonderful.  Buttercream = wonderful.  Cookie Dough Buttercream = completely amazing and even more wonderful.  This just sounded like a great idea.  I had to make it.  Soon.  Even though I had lots of other "more important" things to do (you know, as if something could be more important than making cookie dough buttercream).

I was walking my 6 year old son home from the bus stop and told him I was going to make some cake and he asked why.  I told him it would be a "Happy Wednesday" cake.  Just because.  My 4 year old daughter had asked similar questions and was overjoyed to hear that the cake would be for us, for Wednesday :-)

I was thinking about how this would work for Thursday or Monday or any day, and proceeded to write "Thursday" on the cake instead of "Wednesday" (today).  LOL!  The really fun part was teasing the kids that we had to wait until tomorrow to eat it.  That was entertaining as they laughed and explained that they were still very happy to eat it today.  With this icing, you wouldn't care what it said either.  The hearts were by Katie's request.  She was closely supervising and helping and asked "are we ready to add the chocolate chips yet?" 20+ times.  I took some icing out before adding the chips to use for piping (with a #3 tip).  I added a bit of brown food coloring, in keeping with the brown sugar and chocolate chip color palette :-)


my helper!

Here is a link to the recipe.  I didn't make the cake or brownies to go with it.  I used a box mix cake (Duncan Hines French Vanilla).  Scratch cakes can be amazing, but I just didn't want to take the time today.  I LOVED the icing.  It includes brown sugar and flour to give it a texture similar to cookie dough.  YUM.  I would choose a different cake next time, maybe a dark chocolate.  I was thinking of brownies but that might be too sweet.  The vanilla was OK but didn't add anything to the icing.  My son told me that he loved the icing and loved the cake, but not together :-)  I ended up making an extra half recipe.  I had let 3 sticks of butter soften, so I had 6 tablespoons left over.  I really needed more icing to cover the cake, so I added 3 cold tablespoons of butter and made a little more.  I would have needed more if I had split the two layers as the recipe suggested.  I love that the weights are provided!  I always weigh my ingredients when I make my cookies and icing.

If you like cookie dough, try this icing.  Cake optional.  For Wednesday, Thursday, or any day you need buttercream and/or cookie dough.  If you write the wrong day, it is proof that you really needed it.