I'd like to introduce you to a special friend and fellow blogger, Haniela. 

Hani decorates cookies......but does so much more. She bakes all kinds of yummy desserts.....and cooks incredible dishes too. And her photography is out of this world! I love to look at her blog. She always brings a smile to my face.

Here's the answers that Hani gave for the ten questions I asked her.  

One of my favorite parts of our relationship, Hani, is that you are from Eastern Europe and I have a deep love for Ukraine and it's people which are very close to your homeland. Please tell us about where you are from and how you ended up in the USA. 

I grew and was raised in Czechoslovakia, which later in 1993 split into Slovakia and Czech Republic, I'm from Slovakia. I always loved to travel and one day I just decided to explore more; a decade later here I am. I have never flown before, never been to a large airport and still I planned my first flight to be on Friday 13th. Makes me smile now .

How long have you been blogging and what got you started? 

I started blogging regularly in March 2010, I was playing with the idea for a while and I finally decided to go ahead and try it. It is an addictive hobby, but I really like the idea of having my own place to share.  

Have you always loved to bake and create things? Where do you think your love for it started? 

This question takes me back in time when I was maybe 4-5 years or older, into my grandmother's kitchen, and her beautiful garden - we used to make flower cakes, using thick soap foam and flower petals from her garden, we hand picked flower petals and created these soapy cakes. My cousins and I, we spent summers together at my grandmother's; my grandmother would let us "help" her when she was baking, or making home made noodles. She taught me how to knit, crochet, I did cross-stitch a lot. When I was a teenager I got into wood carving, something that I got from my father and I also accessorized my clothes in different ways, I made fabric "jewelry", played with plaster, modeling clay, I absolutely loved to work with paper. As a High School senior I had my own exhibit of artsy things I made.

I always loved to bake, I learned a lot from my mom too, we used to bake Christmas cookies together, but strangely, now that I think of it I'd never really decorated cookies before I came to US, I think it was an issue of Martha Stewart magazine that had some pretty decorated cookies on the cover and I wanted to make something like that.

Later when I gave some cookies to my friend, she told they didn't eat them because they were too pretty to eat so she preserved them by using lacquer finish.

One day I’d love to try my hand in making pottery.

Of all the things you bake, cook, create.....what is your favorite medium? 

Taking pictures of sweets and working with royal icing, but generally I like anything creative,

Hani, you take some of the most beautiful photographs that I have ever seen! Please give us amateur photographers a few basic pointers to help us take better pictures. 

Thank you for your compliment, it is very kind of you to say so.I still have lots to learn. I'd say really important is to understand your camera's features, what it is capable of, general rules of photography apply to food photography as well. If using point and shoot, use macro setting, that is usually a flower symbol.

Food looks best under daylight, usually mid day, around noon time, find a spot in your home that receives adequate amount of diffused light. Position your table by that window ,use bouncers and fillers, like simple white foam board and silver board, both can significantly improve your pictures. Practice and take a lot of pictures, try different angles, play with aperture, study photos in the magazines and online.

I, find myself looking at magazine shots all the time, it is a great inspiration.

Most of all have fun when taking pictures.

If you have to use artificial light, try to use bulbs that are 5500K, those will most likely produce light that is similar to daylight. I'd recommend finding what works best for you, some use light tents some don't.

For more on the subject you can also visit my blog for more detailed tutorial

I've noticed that you are a giver......you are always making and giving things to others. What has been a highlight in 2010 of the giving of your talents?

Thank you Pam, you are right, I do very much enjoy giving things, gifts to others.

This year I really enjoyed my sweet donation to a local Charity, I donated decorated cookies and cupcakes(about 300 all together) to their evening charity event – WINE IN WINTER 2010, which I also attended, Charity supports families with sick children and it was a great satisfaction to learn that I helped raised $40,000.

Is it true that you use sandwich baggies with a hole cut off the corner to do your piping work? How often do you use this technique....and how in the world do get such control and beautiful results with it?!

Yes it is true, I use a sandwich bag with a tiny hole, I started using this technique in December 2009, actually my mom got me started, as she met few Honey Cookie Artists there,in Slovakia and they all told her that they use plastic/sandwich bags to pipe their delicate designs on cookies, so I thought, okay I'll give it a try, I haven't used anything else since. I'm considering going back part-time to a piping bag with regular tip, especially when doing outlining and flooding.

With sandwich bag I'm able to get really close to the cookie and I feel I have a better control compare to regular piping bag with a tip.I really like fine lines and I find it hard to created those with piping tips, I tried 00 PME, but it just didn't work for me as well as I thought it would.

Decorating with Sandwich Bag in action

What is your favorite way to relax? 

Hiking, being outdoors taking photos and reading a good book

A questions you asked me.....I want to ask you. What three utensils can you not live without in your kitchen?  

Potato peeler – I peel things a lot, try 40 pounds of butternut squash last fall, good peeler is hard to find and I love mine

My Skinny Tongs from Ikea 

Kitchen Aid mixer

What is one major thing you'd like to accomplish with your hobby in 2011?

I'd like to improve in my photography, would love to try new things in this field and as for decorated cookies I would like to try more complex designs in 3D.

Thanks Hani for sharing about you, your treats, and your photography. I it is a joy to call you a friend and learn so much from you.



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Lots more coming this week. I've still got lots of winter cookies to show you.....more how-tos and a give-away coming soon.