Making My Own Spring

My creation, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

The current temperature– 14º F, with a windchill of 0º F. I'm thinking of moving south! I'm so sick of winter! But, since moving isn't very practical and whining does no good, I'll just have to make my own spring!
Over the weekend I went to my favorite junk store and found a few fun "springy" things, then I decided to try my hand at making some gumpaste flowers. It was a fun project and something I will definitely try again.

Valentines Day Cookies

valentines day cookies, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

Chocolate Cut-Out Cookies

1/4 C. Butter
1/4 C. Margarine
3/4 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill until firm. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Bake at 325º for 5-7 minutes.

Royal Icing (for pink dots)

6 C. powdered sugar
2/3 C. water
4 1/2 T. meringue powder

Mix powdered sugar and meringue. Add water slowly until the icing is the consistency of thick frosting for outlining and thin with more water for flooding.

Chocolate Royal Icing

1 lb. powdered sugar
1/3 C.cocoa
7 T. water
3 T. meringue powder

Mix powdered sugar, cocoa and meringue. Add water slowly until the icing is the consistency of thick frosting for outlining and thin with more water for flooding.

Note: Thinned icing should be the consistency of a thick batter. Thin enough so that it will smooth itself out, but not too watery.

How to Decorate:

Using a pastry bag outfitted with a #3 or 4 tip, outline cookies with the thick chocolate icing. Fill another pastry bag outfitted with a # 4 or 5 tip with thinned chocolate icing and flood the inside of the cookie. (I use a glass to hold the bag while I'm filling it with thinned icing)

Add pink paste coloring to the plain royal icing and thin with water. Put thinned icing in a pastry bag with a #3 or 4 tip. While the chocolate icing is still wet, make dots with the thinned pink icing.

See more photos here.

Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

Busy Weekend

It was another busy but nice weekend. Tried to work on some paper mache stuff, but kept getting side tracked.

Went to my favorite "junk/thrift/antique" store with my dad and got a bunch of cool vintage fabric, a cute red corner shelf, a patchwork quilt, and a red wooden divided tray thing. Then dad and I ate lunch at a small town cafe. I had a delicious hot beef sandwich.

Mom & I decorated cookies for my cousin's bridal shower.