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!

Happy Birthday Cookies!

Happy 16th Birthday!

 So my friend asked me a couple of weeks ago if I would make her non-cake eating son, cookies for his birthday.  I said of course (he is a fan, and we need to keep them well fed), but I asked her to wait until after Spring Fling for Cookiers in case I learned something really cool.  A few days before I left, I spotted a birthday bag leaving Stienmart and told my sister I liked those pennants on that bag.

I spotted this bag a few weeks back and knew pennants would make a cute tray of cookies.

Spring Fling was great fun, and I learned how to do brush embroidery, really the only new technique, but it energized me to adapt better.  So based on the talk by Callye I learned to think outside the box, and I went back and bought that bag and used it as inspiration for these cookies.  I have always used Karen's method of the bullets inside the disposable decorating bags.  I was pretty surprised how many women weren't doing this.  Clean up is a cinch, and all my bags hang with my aprons.

I dry my bags here since I use the magic bullets in them!

I thought about what Mary Ann said about varying sizes and colors to make a platter.  Now mine are not overflowing like hers do, I only had 2 dozen, but I needed those pennants to lay out for the message.  I think it worked out fine.  Then, I took some photos for my blog and thought about Glory and her wise words of open shade.  And they aren't too awful either.  I have a lot to learn with my camera for sure!

So I must say it was fun to get back into decorating mode after Louisville.  I also took a few photos of my work space.  There has been a little discussion about clean vs. neat.  I am pretty neat.

I sketched and planned a little more than usual.

Tips, couplers and color...

That W means it is watered down.

I also shot my box of Americolor gels, and you can see a few have a W written on the color dot on the lid.  This lets me know I couldn't squeeze out another drop, so I added water to use up all that liquid gold.  Another blogger had this on her site this week, and I sort of kicked myself, as I have been doing this for years! The first time I rinsed out one of those bottle to toss in recycling I watched all that color go down the drain and thought, "Hey, wait a sec here!"

So Happy 16th Mckenzie...and here's to the non-cake eaters out there!  Sugar cookiers rejoice!  So, what are you waiting for?  Get in there and bake!