Tropical Shower...cookies

A Tropical Shower...

 Doesn't a tropical shower sound wonderful?  I'm talking about the kind where you are in a fantastic suite looking out over ocean and mountains and the rain is coming down...no TV, no phones, no kids.  Ok, so a girl can dream right?  

This tropical shower is a wedding shower for a friends niece.  They are honeymooning in Jamaica and they wanted tropical cookies.

Well, Tiki Man has been on my mind, and although he may be more Polynesian than Jamaican, he is front and center!  And pineapples and palms...

And flowers and fish.  A note on the flowers.  I learned this flower layering thing at Sugarbelle, she made marigolds.  I really like the layering of icing, totally a new thing for me, and although I hope no one thinks of them as marigolds, I like the dimension on the platter.

And a few disco dust hearts because I know there are young girls invited, and what teenage girl doesn't love a sparkly anything.  I mean Edward Cullen sparkles!  So sparkle I did!

Such fun colors, it was a pleasure to make these cookies.   And who doesn't love the anticipation of a wedding!?

Way more fun than Star Wars.

Just sayin'.  I was a part of the "May the 4th be with you" at work.  I made lots of Star Wars Cookies to give away, but Tiki Man was more fun!  So, what are ya waiting for?  Get in there!

Tiki Man Cookies!

Before I start in about the Tiki Man, I have to let you know I have been featured on Pocket Change in their Best of the Web features.  Pretty cool.  Check it out along with some other nifty bloggers!  

I have always wanted a tropical party.  Burning torches, leis, candles floating in the pool. maybe a grass skirt, cocktails out of a coconut...sounds kind of tacky and fun!  I guess that has to do with my complete infatuation with Gilligan's Island.  I loved that show and have seen every episode numerous times.  I even own a couple autographed copies of the Gilligan's Island Cookbook.  And I was a Mary Ann, in case there was any doubt.  Well, while running around the other day I found a ton of party stuff all around that tropical theme, and I bought these paper tiki heads.  I suppose that's what you might call them.  I knew I was going to make them into cookies.

I had to do a little cookie cutting to make the right shape, but since I was only planning on making 3, it was no big deal to do some of it by hand.  So after I baked them, I put them in the freezer and decided after the nephew's graduations in Iowa, I would tackle the Tikis.

Then I ran into a friend who was throwing a tropical themed bridal shower and would I make her cookies?  Yep, happy to, I have the centerpiece of the platter all figured out!  I think they turned out kind of cute.  My mouth is all wrong, but it was fun decorating the little guys with all the leftover icing from the platter which will appear here soon.  So, what are ya waiting for?  Get in there and bake!

Cookie Carrier

Call it what you like, but call it cute!

So I had my sister here for a week, and we did all sorts of fun projects.  Of course, since she is the brain child of Hipline Media, we had to sew.  She brought an idea she made with her ASG (American Sewing Guild) group and everyone loved it.  It is a tutorial video,  from a really talented sewer, The Crafty Gemini.    It is officially called a Casserole Carrier, but I don't make casseroles, just not a fan.  But you could carry anything in this.

The first carrier I made was with this great flatware fabric with a bright orange interior.

I lined this one with the heat resistant Insul Bright.  This stuff is a little stiff, but is designed to absorb heat, and easily found at the fabric store. It would be ideal for taking a dish to a potluck.  We thought they could be really fun in school colors to take to a tail gate.  

This carrier will definitely be used for the hot things. The Insul Bright makes this one a little thicker, and I am anxious to make a few pot holders with the Insul Bright too, I'l let you know how that goes. I am always on the look out for a good potholder!

The second carrier I made I used 100% cotton batting inside, like you would use for quilting.  This is thinner, and it won't really protect from or insulate heat, but I thought this would be a great cookie or dessert carrier. My covered pie dish fits perfectly (but who has time to make a pie when there's cookies to frost!)   I love the fabric, it reminds me of the discs we put inside a 45 record to play it on the stereo spindle.

If you are interested in making these, it will take you less than an hour, uses less than a yard of each fabric, and requires no special sewing skill, honest.  If you're looking for more challenging sewing, or instruction, check out our Etsy store of the Hipline Media products.  So, what are you waiting for?  Get in there and sew!