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Saturday Spotlight: Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17 Recap

 

Hello, and welcome to the recap of Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17 - Stenciled Scenes! I hope everyone is enjoying the summer holidays, and that these long summer days have been filled with friends, family, and, of course, cookies!

It seems that some challenges are just a wee bit more challenging than others. And this was one of those challenges. It was no small feat to work with so many stencils and stenciling techniques to create a uniquely beautiful scene, but, as always, you have risen to the occasion! I was especially impressed with how many of you not only submitted gorgeous entries, but also posted brilliant mini-tutorials showing exactly how you created them. I do encourage everyone to check out each individual entry and the comments on them, not only to learn a thing (or three!) about stenciling, but also to see the impressive amount of effort that some artists put into this challenge.  

We will get to our spotlighted artists in a moment, but, first, we need to announce the winner of our stenciler's dream prize - a $50 (USD) gift certificate to stencil boutique Stencibelle! I have personally bought stencils from Stencibelle, and I can vouch for how beautifully made and designed these stencils really are. We cannot thank Stencibelle enough for so generously sponsoring this challenge.

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And the randomly chosen winner of Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17 is . . . carouselselsel! Congratulations! I am not sure how she will pick from all of the beautiful stencils at Stencibelle, but I am dying to see what she does with her stencil treasure! Not only did carouselselsel win our random drawing, but she also had one of the most innovative challenge entries, in 3-D no less . . .

Four Seasons by carouselselselDSC03836Summer4Seasons

And without further ado, let's talk about the rest of our spotlighted artists! In no particular order . . .

Point Break by Dolce Flopoint breakWhen this entry first posted, I thought it was a mistake because I could hardly discern where any stencils were used, let alone three stencils and three different techniques! Dolce Flo used her stencils and techniques so seamlessly that the process takes a far backseat to the finished work of art which is an incredibly harmonious scene of texture, depth, and movement. 

Golden Forest Morning Light by Manu
Golden Forest Morning Light
There are so many things I love about this stenciled scene. I love the warm, earthy tones, and the perspective created by the angle of the trees and gradation of color. I also love (and this is the lawyer in me talking) that Manu requested and received permission from the original artist (Jennifer Taylor) to copy her design, making this a gorgeous collaboration of sortsFinally, Manu's mini-tutorial of the making of this cookie, posted in the comments to her entry, is an exceptional must-see.

Blue Bird by Dolce Flo
blue bird - Copia
This cookie is a second spotlighted challenge entry for Dolce Flo! I absolutely adore the colors, patterns, and textures of this entry. One judge remarked that this cookie looks like a beautiful piece of fabric. I could not agree more!

 Stenciled Swan Scene by Rocking Horse Sugar Decorpm IMG_8051
This cookie is one that took a lot of steps and advance planning, and it shows in the final product. We love the depth of this scene, with the multidimensional swan and the use of royal icing stenciling for the elements in the foreground. I especially love the use of the flipped stencils to create the reflection of the trees in the water. This cookie makes me feel like I am sitting in an Adirondack chair in the Lake District watching the swans float by.

 Stenciling Sunflowers in July by Manuimage-9This cookie is also a second spotlighted entry by Manu - and one brilliantly constructed cookie. Let me count the ways . . .  the color palette is summertime perfection; the depth achieved in this scene by layer after layer of stenciling is incredible; and those flower petals are so delicately stenciled with royal icing that they almost look like wafer paper. Plus, the tutorial that Manu created in conjunction with the making of this cookie (you can see it in the comments to this entry) went above and beyond the call of this challenge.

Cinderella by NaGeRaimage-10
Using not three but SIX different purchased and handmade stencils and FOUR techniques, this version of Cinderella is one we loved! I also like that she was not all frilly and pink, put richly stencil-brocaded in gold!

Dream by Sweet Treats by Sonya20160723_213444
Aptly titled, "Dream" has such a wonderful, ethereal feel to me. Sonya did an impeccable stenciling job, and her chosen colors work so well together.

Purple Mountain Majesty by Kim Damon13434106_1283622948314835_2092342772_n-2This creation was not only the very first cookie entered into the challenge, but it ended up being one of FOUR wonderful entries made by Kim Damon! I like the many stenciled layers for the mountains and the use of a nontraditional stencil pattern for the sky. The larger vine stencils up front really give this cookie some great perspective.

Teddy in the Garden 2 by Alison FriedliTeddy in the Garden 2 Our judges liked the warm, rich colors and collage style of this entry. I was particularly impressed that Alison was able to use a whopping EIGHT stencils on this one cookie. I also like how Alison was able to repurpose those little heart stencils in so many different ways.

Morning Glory from a Window by Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.DSC07917
The thing that most struck me about this cookie is how well Ryoko was able to achieve so much dimension by her alternating use of color, texture, and stenciling techniques. The flowers stenciled with royal icing just pop to the fore, while the others recede into the background. Ryoko also did a lovely job of showing us, in the mini-tutorial accompanying her entry (in the comments section of her clip), the stencils she used, which I think were all handmade, and her process.  

And that is a wrap for Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17! Enjoy these remaining long days of summer. Between batches of cookies, be sure to get out and catch some rays, and maybe even a few Pokemon! Be on the look-out for our next challenge, which will post on or about August 7.  

Christine Donnelly began her professional baking career at 16, when she was hired on the spot at her local bakery to work the counter and decorate cakes. After detours to college and law school, she worked as a trial lawyer in Chicago for many years, ultimately leaving that career to become a stay-at-home mother to her two children. In her “retirement,” she continued to bake at home, at last finding her preferred artistic medium in decorated cookies. In February 2013, Bakerloo Station was born with a presence on both Facebook and Instagram. Christine makes cookies to balance her left brain, to inspire and share creative ideas, and to feed those needs that only art can satisfy. 

Photo credit: Christine Donnelly

NotePractice Bakes Perfect is a bimonthly Cookie Connection blog feature written by Christine Donnelly that poses inspiration or challenges to get you to stretch as a cookie artist - for practice, for prizes, and for fun! Its content expresses the views of the author and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. Catch up on all of Christine's past Cookie Connection posts here.

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Images (14)
  • Stencibelle Stencils: Photo Courtesy of Stencibelle
  • More Stencibelle Stencils: Photo Courtesy of Stencibelle
  • Cookies Stenciled with Stencibelle Stencils: Photo Courtesy of Stencibelle
  • Four Seasons: Cookie and Photo by carouselselsel
  • Point Break: Cookie and Photo by Dolce Flo
  • Golden Forest Morning Light: Cookie and Photo by Manu
  • Blue Bird: Cookie and Photo by Dolce Flo
  • Stenciled Swan Scene: Cookie and Photo by Rocking Horse Sugar Decor
  • Stenciling Sunflowers in July: Cookie and Photo by Manu
  • Cinderella: Cookie and Photo by NaGeRa
  • Dream: Cookie and Photo by Sweet Treats by Sonya
  • Purple Mountain Majesty: Cookie and Photo by Kim Damon
  • Teddy in the Garden 2: Cookie and Photo by Alison Friedli
  • Morning Glory from a Window: Cookie and Photo by Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.

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Comments (23)

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Congratulations on your double win Carouselselsel. Great entry and have fun with your prize. Congratulations to all the other featured cookie artists and all who entered the challenge. Thank you Julia  and Christine for another successful challenge.

Congratulations to Zara who got the stencils and who also made beautiful cookies.  (I wish you lived next door, I could borrow them) 

Congratulations to all who entered #17, I could learn a lot from them.  All cookies are beyond my imagination.   Kim, thank you, your cookie is the first entry and you showed me how to use stencils in the comment, that made me understood what I was asked.  

Thank you, Christine, I am very honored and happy to see mine.  The petal dusts I have are very limited and stencils I used are all hand-made, "Necessity is the mother of invention", is this the right words in English?  I just cut out stencils but it was fun to think what I could do with what I had.  

Congrats! Not only to the featured artists, but to everyone who dared to enter this challenge. It was by far the hardest Christine has come up with, in my humble opinion.

It was quite impressive what different approaches and styles you all took. That's what I always like best about PBP, that one identical starting point can turn into so many different directions, and so much eye candy... or rather eye cookie


Congrats to Zara Carouselselsel, to fellow cookiers featured and to all the challenge entrants.

This was another great learning experience and the amount of material, ideas techniques, shared by each of the cookiers in every comment makes this challenge peculiar and precious.

I share the recognition with Jennifer Taylor, author of the original art, who found interesting, (trusted me), and said immediately yes to the project of stenciling her painting on a cookie.
Thinking to transform her magic painting in a stenciled scene and looking at it in layers was a great way to practice within the challenge what I have learned during the challenge itself, after making my Sunflower cookie and watching the other entries.

Thank you Julia once again for making this possible with this website, Christine once again for thinking to these amazing challenges, and Belle for sponsoring.

One very last thing:
I liked making my own stencils but I felt the difference for sure while using stencils made by professional experienced cookiers like Belle and Kat, as their stencils come with their "know how".
Belle and Kat stencils took only one week to "travel" from Down Under to Italy.
Can't wait to see, and soon have the chance to try Julia's new line of stencils.

Last edited by Manu biscotti decorati

Congratulations to Carouselselsel and to all the challenge participants. These challenges are extremely stimulating and formative. It's an honor to have been featured with two of my cookies. Thank you Julia and thank you Christine for your gratifying words of appreciation!

Evelindecora posted:

Congratulations to Carouselsel!!! Many congrats to all the other amazing entries....especially to Manu and Dolce Flo, your cookies are amazing ladies! 

Grazie Evelin per il complimento. Per me sei un punto di riferimento come cookier e come artista! ♥♥

Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. posted:

Congratulations to Zara who got the stencils and who also made beautiful cookies.  (I wish you lived next door, I could borrow them) 

Congratulations to all who entered #17, I could learn a lot from them.  All cookies are beyond my imagination.   Kim, thank you, your cookie is the first entry and you showed me how to use stencils in the comment, that made me understood what I was asked.  

Thank you, Christine, I am very honored and happy to see mine.  The petal dusts I have are very limited and stencils I used are all hand-made, "Necessity is the mother of invention", is this the right words in English?  I just cut out stencils but it was fun to think what I could do with what I had.  

Ryoko, it's a treat to hear I was of help to you. Your cookie is very cool and I love the way you made this challange your own, doing your own stencils and using what you had and what you made yourself! Well done! <3 

Liesbet said it well "getting from idea to cookie" was the challange. I had a gazillion flashes of finished product in my mind and only ended up with 4 entries. Perhaps the hardest thing was to limit myself to my 4 favorites. I must admit, I underestimated the potential fun stencils could be! I realized how much I didn't know in the process, how hard over-spray was to control, how important layering colors, and intensity of colors was, I had to pre-plan and break down the process over and over and ultimately came up with something only vaguely resembling the picture in my mind. The constraints of this contest, frustrated me, pushed me, and made me grow. Thank you. And Congratulations to all who participated, this was a hard one.

Yes congratulations to all they were all amazing pleasant to the eye some of your Creations brought back memories others touch my heart and some made me laugh (but in a good way) thank you to all live sweetly

WOW! I don't know where to start! What a surprise, a blast!

I was busy making cookies and cake for my only nephew's Bday today when I finally saw one of my creations was not only featured, but actually got the prize! And what a prize indeed, oh I am such a happy girl! )) No, I am an EXTREAMLY happy girl!

Thank you Julia and Christine for giving as wings, the chance to constantly learn and develop our skills, and not to forget - the chance to make true friends, even from a distance of thousands of km/miles! In this regard, I would like thank also my dearest friends Manu and Ryoko - Cookie Ave. for always being there for me! I love you girls and I love your cookies too, I was just been lucky to get the prize  

Congratulations to all featured, all of your creations are wonderful!

Love

Zara

 

Last edited by carouselselsel

Congratulations, everybody, and thank you for all of the lovely comments.  The quality of the entries we receive for these challenges never ceases to amaze me!  When I was looking back at all of the amazing entries, and all of the process photos in the comments to those entries, I was just overwhelmed by the amount of work and love you guys put into these challenges. You guys rock!

Special thanks to Belle of Stencibelle for sponsoring this challenge.  I envy Zara's upcoming shopping spree!  And many thanks to Julia, whose advice and counsel in these challenges is indispensable.  And finally, thanks to all of our Cookie Connection contributors who help me sift through all of the amazing entries every month and help me to see all of the millions of beautiful and brilliant details that one pair of eyes can miss. It does take a village!

Dolce Flo posted:
Evelindecora posted:

Congratulations to Carouselsel!!! Many congrats to all the other amazing entries....especially to Manu and Dolce Flo, your cookies are amazing ladies! 

Grazie Evelin per il complimento. Per me sei un punto di riferimento come cookier e come artista! ♥♥

❤️❤️❤️

Congratulations to the winner!

It's an honour for me to see my modest Cinderella featured together with those artworks.

Thanks again for these challenges, which allow us for learning new techniques and enjoying so much!

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