This guest post is from Valerie Mangan. She is going to blow your mind with a mixture of cookies and crafting. Yum!
Hi – I’m Valerie and I am thrilled to be part of Julie’s Holidays Handmade series!
I’ve been a cookie baker for a long time. It started as a small holiday activity and has blossomed into a year-round business. My favorite cookies to make are iced shortbread. I’ve made all kinds of shapes and try to come up with something new each holiday season. Not only do we eat them in our house, we decorate with them, too! I’m happy to be here sharing a few cookie projects with you!
Here’s what you will need:
- A good, sturdy shortbread recipe (the one I use can be found here).
- A batch of royal icing (recipe can be found here).
- Misc. cutters (squares, circles)
- Gel food colorant
- Manila tags
- Paint brushes
- Pizza Cutter
- acrylic stamps
- Flour
- assorted ribbon, string, stamps, cardstock
- Rolling pin
STAMPED COOKIE TAGS
Yes, you can stamp on cookies!
Through trial and error I’ve learned the following:
- Acrylic stamps work best.
- Stamps that have less detail give the best impression.
- In order to get a good print, you will dent the base coat of icing – but it’s ok – it adds a nice texture.
- You can stamp with other things besides stamps. (I used chipboard letters to make the initials on my cookie tags.)
To make these tags, I used a manila tag to cut the shape since I don’t have a cutter in this shape. A simple way to do this is to roll out your dough, lay the tag on top and use a pizza cutter to cut around the shape. Use a straw to cut out the hole for the ribbon.
Once the cookie tags are baked and cooled – lay down a base coat of white royal icing and let the tags dry overnight.
A word about royal icing –
Be not afraid. It’s all about the water with this kind of icing. Royal icing is made from confectioner’s sugar, meringue powder and water and dries to a smooth, hard surface. It will take some trial and error but once you get the water content down, it will be smooth sailing. The easiest way to put down the base coat of icing is with a small icing spatula. Dont worry if it runs off the sides, you can trim it off as it dries. (If it’s too thick, it will leave a lumpy, uneven surface – we don’t want that for this project.)
Once your surface is dry, you are ready to stamp.
Choose your stamps and your colors.
Gel colorant is highly concentrated food color so you will not need very much. I used it to paint the color right onto the stamp with a paint brush. (You might want to thin it out with a small amount of water.)
Once you’ve painted the image – press the stamp onto the cookie surface. Don’t be afraid to dent the icing – or to miss spots with your impression. Precision is not necessary and your image can be touched up later with a paintbrush if you like.
Once your stamped images are dry (in an hour or two) you can embellish to your liking.
PAINTED FRAME TAGS
For this project I followed the same baking directions as above, except this time I used a set of cutters to cut these shapes.
(Important: Save the cut out centers, make a hole in each one, bake and reserve for the next project.)
Once the cookies are cooled and the base coat of royal icing has dried you can start to paint on the detail. Using the same gel colorant, watered down slightly, I painted just as I would with watercolor. The possibilities are limitless here!
I added the cookies to some stamped kraft cardstock cut into the shape of a tag & embellished with some string & ribbon. These could also be cute picture frame ornaments or a nice presentation for a gift card.
Now, with the centers left over from the above project, we can make some cute cookie garlands.
COOKIE GARLANDS
Just the thought of icing 50 of these tiny cookies with royal icing makes me tired. Instead I used a much easier and faster method – instead of a knife, I used a paintbrush to apply this small amount of icing to each little part.
Once these little cookies are "painted" & dry you can string them together in any combo you like.
Finally, in order to keep all of your crafty cookie creations edible – always work with clean, or preferably new, acrylic stamps and new paint brushes.
Happy Holidays!
My name is Valerie Mangan. I'm a working mom and wife living in coastal New Jersey. I work by day as an interior designer and I have a small baking business on the side. I'm a scrapbooker and a cardmaker and a self-proclaimed photo geek. I love everything about art and design. You can read about my crafty, baking escapades on my blog Paper & Cookies.
Wonderfully creative projects, Valerie!
Wonderfully creative projects, Valerie!
Wonderfully creative projects, Valerie!
Wonderfully creative projects, Valerie!
Oh my goodness, impressed does not fully describe what I am feeling here. I am in awe. Creativity, craftsmanship, outside-the-box thinking wrapped up with love in all those beautiful, mini pieces of art. I’m trying this out myself…practice makes perfect, right?
Oh my goodness, impressed does not fully describe what I am feeling here. I am in awe. Creativity, craftsmanship, outside-the-box thinking wrapped up with love in all those beautiful, mini pieces of art. I’m trying this out myself…practice makes perfect, right?
Oh my goodness, impressed does not fully describe what I am feeling here. I am in awe. Creativity, craftsmanship, outside-the-box thinking wrapped up with love in all those beautiful, mini pieces of art. I’m trying this out myself…practice makes perfect, right?
Oh my goodness, impressed does not fully describe what I am feeling here. I am in awe. Creativity, craftsmanship, outside-the-box thinking wrapped up with love in all those beautiful, mini pieces of art. I’m trying this out myself…practice makes perfect, right?
those are too cute to eat!
those are too cute to eat!
those are too cute to eat!
those are too cute to eat!
Amazing! Super cute as a decoration, but I would love to make the frame ones as part of my holiday card. Love this idea!
Amazing! Super cute as a decoration, but I would love to make the frame ones as part of my holiday card. Love this idea!
Amazing! Super cute as a decoration, but I would love to make the frame ones as part of my holiday card. Love this idea!
Amazing! Super cute as a decoration, but I would love to make the frame ones as part of my holiday card. Love this idea!
OMG!! how cute are these garlands??!!! i almost wish i didn’t have pets so i could hang some up in my house!
OMG!! how cute are these garlands??!!! i almost wish i didn’t have pets so i could hang some up in my house!
OMG!! how cute are these garlands??!!! i almost wish i didn’t have pets so i could hang some up in my house!
OMG!! how cute are these garlands??!!! i almost wish i didn’t have pets so i could hang some up in my house!
Love these projects from Valerie. That cookie garland is the cutest thing ever!!!
Love these projects from Valerie. That cookie garland is the cutest thing ever!!!
Love these projects from Valerie. That cookie garland is the cutest thing ever!!!
Love these projects from Valerie. That cookie garland is the cutest thing ever!!!
Most creative cookies ever!!! OMGOSH!
Most creative cookies ever!!! OMGOSH!
Most creative cookies ever!!! OMGOSH!
Most creative cookies ever!!! OMGOSH!
these are so so so cute Valerie! I would love to make some awesome cookies this year! Thank you so much for the inspiration!!
these are so so so cute Valerie! I would love to make some awesome cookies this year! Thank you so much for the inspiration!!
these are so so so cute Valerie! I would love to make some awesome cookies this year! Thank you so much for the inspiration!!
these are so so so cute Valerie! I would love to make some awesome cookies this year! Thank you so much for the inspiration!!
Love your idea, Valerie! Too cute to eat! I especially love the garland!
Love your idea, Valerie! Too cute to eat! I especially love the garland!
Love your idea, Valerie! Too cute to eat! I especially love the garland!
Love your idea, Valerie! Too cute to eat! I especially love the garland!
OMG!!! These are so beautiful and I think delicious , too!
OMG!!! These are so beautiful and I think delicious , too!
OMG!!! These are so beautiful and I think delicious , too!
OMG!!! These are so beautiful and I think delicious , too!
Beautiful and yummy! Thanks so much!
Beautiful and yummy! Thanks so much!
Beautiful and yummy! Thanks so much!
Beautiful and yummy! Thanks so much!
LOVE these Valerie! Your execution is impeccable!
LOVE these Valerie! Your execution is impeccable!
LOVE these Valerie! Your execution is impeccable!
LOVE these Valerie! Your execution is impeccable!
Love the mixed media approach. Lead on, Valerie!
Love the mixed media approach. Lead on, Valerie!
Love the mixed media approach. Lead on, Valerie!
Love the mixed media approach. Lead on, Valerie!
aaaaaaahhhh, i’m so excited, i love these. will make with the kids for sure. Thanks
aaaaaaahhhh, i’m so excited, i love these. will make with the kids for sure. Thanks
aaaaaaahhhh, i’m so excited, i love these. will make with the kids for sure. Thanks
aaaaaaahhhh, i’m so excited, i love these. will make with the kids for sure. Thanks
What a fabulous idea!!!
What a fabulous idea!!!
What a fabulous idea!!!
What a fabulous idea!!!
Are these seriously edible? Wow! Too darn cute to eat! Talk about amazing presentation. Love it!
Are these seriously edible? Wow! Too darn cute to eat! Talk about amazing presentation. Love it!
Are these seriously edible? Wow! Too darn cute to eat! Talk about amazing presentation. Love it!
Are these seriously edible? Wow! Too darn cute to eat! Talk about amazing presentation. Love it!
WOW!!! These are just incredible. Love this project to pieces!
And I never knew that’s why your blog was called Paper and Cookies! I’ve learnt so much today 🙂
WOW!!! These are just incredible. Love this project to pieces!
And I never knew that’s why your blog was called Paper and Cookies! I’ve learnt so much today 🙂
WOW!!! These are just incredible. Love this project to pieces!
And I never knew that’s why your blog was called Paper and Cookies! I’ve learnt so much today 🙂
WOW!!! These are just incredible. Love this project to pieces!
And I never knew that’s why your blog was called Paper and Cookies! I’ve learnt so much today 🙂
Yahoooo for Valerie…love her work and this is the ultimate post…crafty cookies…love them!!!!!!! Cookie Garland? Incredible!
Yahoooo for Valerie…love her work and this is the ultimate post…crafty cookies…love them!!!!!!! Cookie Garland? Incredible!
Yahoooo for Valerie…love her work and this is the ultimate post…crafty cookies…love them!!!!!!! Cookie Garland? Incredible!
Yahoooo for Valerie…love her work and this is the ultimate post…crafty cookies…love them!!!!!!! Cookie Garland? Incredible!
super cute and so yummy looking!!!
super cute and so yummy looking!!!
super cute and so yummy looking!!!
super cute and so yummy looking!!!
The awesomest of awesome projects – so, so creative.
The awesomest of awesome projects – so, so creative.
The awesomest of awesome projects – so, so creative.
The awesomest of awesome projects – so, so creative.
Mmkay loved this one 😀
Mmkay loved this one 😀
Mmkay loved this one 😀
Mmkay loved this one 😀
This might be a tradition for various holidays and birthdays!!! Wow, so creative and fun! TFS!!!
This might be a tradition for various holidays and birthdays!!! Wow, so creative and fun! TFS!!!
This might be a tradition for various holidays and birthdays!!! Wow, so creative and fun! TFS!!!
This might be a tradition for various holidays and birthdays!!! Wow, so creative and fun! TFS!!!
Love the frame cookie cutters! What brand are those?? 🙂
Love the frame cookie cutters! What brand are those?? 🙂
Love the frame cookie cutters! What brand are those?? 🙂
Love the frame cookie cutters! What brand are those?? 🙂