CookieCrazie Chatter...... Friday, June 12, 2015

CookieCrazie is teaching hands-on classes in the coming days!


CookieCrazie will be teaching Pre-CookieCon classes!
Click here for more details.

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CookieCrazie's Week in Review

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Personal Side

First full week of June.....and crazy hot already.

This is not my favorite season.....but I know that's not the opinion of most people.

I WILL say.....I love sunny days. :)

It's just the heat that I'm not fond of...

It's been a successful week of cookies.

I made red velvet cookies with cream cheese-flavored glaze.

My son-in-law loves that flavor....so hopefully he will love the cookies I've created for him.

My other son-in-law also has a birthday right now, so I made him some baseball cookies.

My immediate family gets together this weekend....hurray!

I've been looking forward to this for weeks.

Let the celebrating begin...

This week's decorating was challenging on several fronts.

I attempted some difficult designs....and a few of them I had to lay aside.

My son saw my half attempts and wondered why I didn't complete them.

He told me I could have totally done it....and done it well (in his opinion).

But have you started a big project, bitten off more than you could chew (haha....EVERY time!),

and found that to relieve stress it was best to just get rid of the biggest stress-ers?

That's what I do. 

Since every cookie for me is a fun adventure, why would I stress myself out over a design or two?

So......to keep my sanity, I just chunk the ones that are making me even more CRAZIE. haha

I can always try them some other time, right?

I also worked with my airbrush this week.

I planned on decorating a bunch of extra birthday cookies in white glaze

(for sharing with the entire family)

and then airbrushing them with color.

I had some issues.....but Ginny of Creative Cookier came to my rescue.

I got my airbrush working.....and found out that you're not supposed 

to clean the airbrush between each color.....especially not with alcohol! haha

So I'm learning...

I haven't picked out the cookie designs for next week,
but I'm leaning toward something with mixed-media.

I love Sugar Pearls Cakes and Bakes work and am anxious to continue to experiment. :)

No hospital work this weekend.....just time with family.
Awwww.......... :)

♥♥♥

Instagram photos for this week:

Thirsty?

Come join me on Periscope in a minute
as I tell you about how I'm seeing red today......red velvet, that is. :)
Periscope: cookiecrazie

Lace......an effect I'm continually trying to improve.

Happy Sunday!

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Glaze going strong.....
I hope my SIL loves them.
Today is his birthday. :)

Last year's tool cookie for Fathers Day. :)

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Last CookieCrazie Chatter....

CookieCrazie Chatter...... June 5, 2015

Spreading Cookie Love in Ukraine (2015)

Every year when I return home from my annual Ukraine trip,
I spend time reflecting on how amazing it is that my love for cookies
always manages to be a huge contributor to the make-up of the trip.

If you're not aware, I use the proceeds I make from blog revenue,
cookie sales, and cookie decorating classes,
to fund my travel to Ukraine and the ministries we participate in while there.
You can read more about it here.

This blog post attempts to share the "cookie side" of the trip's story.
For a full report of the overall mission trip, you can read about it here.

Beyond the cookie-related financial contributions, actual cookies are a big part of the trip.
Each year, I take as many small cookies as possible to pass out to all those we visit and minister to.
The airbrush lace cookies shown above were this year's design.
I ended up carrying 200 small square cookies in my checked luggage. :)
To me, it's about "spreading cookie love".
Plus, I want the Ukrainians to know that even cookies can make a difference in this world.

The 2015 Ukraine trip started on Thursday, May 14.
Together with my two other team members, we left St. Louis, Missouri for L'viv Ukraine,
arriving about 24 hours later.

Prior to our trip, we shipped several boxes of needed items,
including a pile of cookie decorating supplies.
It was nice to arrive to our final destination finding the cookies and supplies making it in good shape.

One of the initial projects we attempted were Dum Dum bouquets for centerpieces at the senior tea.
My OCD-ness came in handy as I gladly separated out hundreds of suckers by color. :)

The bouquets looked so pretty on the tables.....
and the seniors loved taking handfuls of suckers home to share with their families.

For the women's camp, the ladies are treated to a variety of "classes" they can attend.
This year, I offered a basic cookie decorating class.
With 80+ ladies in attendance, this required us to have a major baking session in our hostess' home.

The process was even more time consuming because we could only put
one cookie sheet in the oven at a time!

But several hours later, we had baked and boxed up 170 cookies for the event!

The women's camp site is gorgeous......but the weather was not exactly cooperative.
Most of the three days we were there it was rainy and cool.
One day, it was downright cold.....47 degrees and windy!

But despite the weather, we had a fabulous time being together and
enjoying a break from our everyday lives.
For most of these women, having three meals a day served to them is extremely rare!
You can just look at their faces and see how much they enjoyed this treat.

I had the awesome privilege of sharing a Bible study with the ladies each day.

This photo below shows a small window of time on the first full day of camp when it was actually
sunny and beautiful outside.
Just a few hours later, there was a torrential rain storm with flooding occurring at the camp entrance!

The morning of the cookie decorating class, Nadia and I worked on making glaze at 7 AM.
As you can see below, there was only one outlet in the work area,
and that location didn't happen to have a counter close to it.
So I mixed glaze on a child-sized chair!

The work area was very challenging......nothing like at home.

But some how we managed to fill 50+ tipless bags of glaze for the ladies.

They had a blast. I had a blast. It was a very good time! ♥

Notice those beautiful cookie boxes in the photos.
Those were donated by our good friends at BRP Box Shop!

And after the crazie long work day providing the cookie decorating class to over 60 women,
it was time to relax and regroup with some yummy herbal tea and honey. :)

Here's a photo slide show of the 2015 Ukraine women's camp.

Our final day in Ukraine was spent wandering the streets of downtown L'viv.
It's such a beautiful city with some gorgeous sites.

The candy store boasted many varieties I have never seen before.

The local coffee roasting shop even had some decorated cookies for sale!

Once we returned to our host home, a package was waiting for me
from a Ukrainian friend that lives in the capital city, Kiev.
We had hoped to meet face-to-face....and when that wasn't possible,
Natalia sent me these lovely cookies and gifts in the Ukrainian mail. :)

Our team was still going strong after two weeks of ministry.
(L to R: Pam, Dave, Donna)

We were grateful for a smooth trip home.

And once back in my own kitchen, I was able to enjoy gifts I received from my Ukrainian family......
herbal tea and local honey.
It gave me a chance to ponder the trip and say a word of thanks to God for all He allowed us to do.

♥♥♥

2015 Ukraine Trip Recap
Photo Slide Show of 2015 Women's Camp

CookieCrazie Chatter...... Friday, May 15, 2015

CookieCrazie is teaching hands-on classes in the coming days!


CookieCrazie will be teaching Pre-CookieCon classes!
Click here for more details.

_________________________________________________________

CookieCrazie's Week in Review

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Personal Side

For the last 24 hours, I've been enroute to Ukraine.

Something tells me I am probably tired of sitting in a small airplane seat....

and I've probably gotten very little sleep in the last day. haha

By the time this is posted.....I will probably be in L'viv.

It has been a whirlwind week.....with lots of last minute prep.

But I love the anticipation of trips like this.

It is so exciting to think about what could be accomplished during this year's excursion.

Internet access is very limited  in Ukraine.

There will only be rare occasions when I actually sit down with my phone or laptop and use wifi.

But you can be sure that when I get the opportunity, I will be updating.

If you're interested, I have a blog that solely talks about our Ukraine adventures.

The last seven trips are chronicled on it.....and this one (2015) will be too, as soon as I return home.

I also hope to post photos on my Instagram and FB pages. 

Thanks for all your support.

Your visits, comments, likes, and clicks on this blog help me help Ukraine. :)

It is such a pleasure to decorate cookies and show others what I've learned along the way.

Through advertising and now.....through teaching classes, I am generating finances to 

provide the airfare for my trip and also, supply much needed funds for the ministries we do there.

With much gratitude in my heart........I thank you!

♥♥♥

Instagram photos for this week:

OK. I can't post ONLY the cookies that I'm happy with, right?
My rookie status with the airbrush shines through TODAY. :(
Then I tried to cover it up by stamping "b-i-r-t-h-d-a-y" across the cookies.
(Tomorrow is my husband's birthday.....haha.)
Someday.....maybe this idea will be a good one. Ugh...

I'm bubblin' over with excitement for this set of cookies. :)

I'm happy to report that my new burlap silicone mat works exactly as I'd hoped. :)

#whomadeyouamother ❤
Just took a trip down memory lane.....gather photos of my loves.
I'm blessed beyond measure to be called Mom.
My heart is full.

Happy Mothers Day!
Enjoy celebrating the greatest profession of all. :)

Happy Tuesday!

Bacon.....loved and admired by most.
This is from last year's Mothers Day Breakfast in Bed set.
Mmmmmm......

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Last CookieCrazie Chatter....

CookieCrazie Chatter...... May 8, 2015