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Saturday Spotlight: Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #20 Recap

 

Happy New Year! The holidays do seem like they were quite some time ago, but I hope you all had a restful break, and are back into the swing of cookie decorating. By the looks of some of the valentines already being posted on Cookie Connection, I'd say you all have hit the ground running!

Now, I know that many of you finish your holiday orders in December and take short sabbaticals through the end of the year, so I was impressed by how many of you still took the time to enter Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #20. And, as ever, I was blown away by the effort that all of our entrants put into their challenge submissions, with some of our entrants joining Cookie Connection and entering the challenge for the very first time! I hope that in 2017 we see many more people jumping in and trying these challenges. If you have been hesitant to try your hand at these challenges in the past, consider this YOUR invitation to get on board the Practice Bakes Perfect train! [EDITOR'S NOTE: Hear, hear! I echo those sentiments!]

As if you all needed any additional incentive, we also give away some fabulous prizes for these challenges. The winner is always chosen at random, so you are rewarded simply for giving it a go and taking some healthy cookie decorating risks - a win-win in my book!

And so, with that, let me announce the winner of Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #20 (chosen, as I said, at random from among all of our entrants). And that winner is . . . carouselselsel! As our lucky winner, she will receive a Dinkydoodle airbrush system AND three five-stencil sets from Julia M. Usher's new stencil line (an estimated retail value of $210 USD)! Holy moly, what a prize! Even I am a bit jelly!

IMG_8712Cropped

Not only was carouselselsel the winner of our random prize drawing, but she also had a fabulous entry.

Golden Valentine by carouselselselDSC05827GoldenValentine

In this entry, carouselselsel took an older rustic heart valentine set (which you can see in the comments to her entry here), and swapped out lots of wood grain for gold filigree, and really changed the entire tone of this set from shabby chic to glamour gold!

Congratulations on the big win, carouselselsel! And now, let's take a look at our other spotlighted entries, in no particular order.

 Kaleidoscope by Manuimage-18

I love so much about this entry. It is a redo of an entry to a prior challenge (Practice Bake Perfect Challenge #15 - Instanbul), which was her interpretation of the dome of the Blue Mosque. (You can see her original set of cookies in the comments to her current entry here.) In this new set, Manu chose as her subject the same dome of the Blue Mosque, and utilized many of the same colors and patterns. However, in this new entry, she completely swapped the perspective of the dome so that we are no longer looking up toward the dome, but rather down from the top of the dome to the ground! This reversing of her perspective was pure genius, in my opinion, and the result is absolutely stunning.

Baby Samurai and Ninja Bear by Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.babysamurai3

In this redo, Ryoko took a very classic set of pink baby cookies (you can see the original baby set in the comments to her entry here), and made them into a style that was much more her own, and reflective of her own home country (Japan) and culture. We all learn our cookie decorating craft by essentially imitating the artists who came before us, and it is truly a sign of progression and growth when you can finally break out and find your "own" style. Plus, the little story Ryoko tells in relation to her new set and its inspiration is delightful!

 Tangram Cat by NoaaIMG_4962

Similar to Manu's entry, this entry is also a redo of a prior Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge entry (Challenge #10 - Arrays)! In this entry, Noaa took her original concept, a tangram cat (see it in the comment to her entry here), and reorganized her tiles to create a cat sitting upright, rather than a cat on all fours. Then, instead of using brightly colored piping, she handpainted the whole redo set in muted, natural tones. As a result, she created a wholly different set, with a more realistic feel.

Sherlock by Frost Me BeautifulFrost Me Beautiful Sherlock Set

Despite my own obvious, personal love of this theme, I think we can all agree that this set, by Frost Me Beautiful, is a brilliant entry. This set is a redo of a more generic London set from two years ago (you can see the original set in the comments to this entry here). The original set had all of the standards - Union Jack; Tube and "Keep Calm" signs; and a red, white, and blue color scheme. In this new set, she really takes this theme to the next level, adding the Sherlock sub-theme, giving the set a more antiqued look, and adding handpainted and stenciled elements for more depth and interest. I really like how the Union Jack was painted across the Sherlock letters - very clever design work there!  

Let It Snow by katydoescookiesPMP2

This set is another one where the artist was able to completely change the tone of the set simply by swapping decorating techniques and color palettes. Katy's original set of winter snowflakes was beautiful with piped snowflakes in soft, wintery pastel tones (see it here, in the comments to her entry). However, in the new set, she went with a richer, monotone palette, and deftly layered stencils and used over-piping to creating subtle textures and depth. The overall result is a more sophisticated set of cookies.

Calhoun's Construction Set by Sweet Treats by Sonya20170117_093252 [1)

This entry is a fantastic example of the progress we cookiers can make from one year to the next. Sonya's original set was adorable (see it in the comments to her entry here), but this new one really kicked it up a notch (or two!). Sonya added a bagful of new techniques to the new set, including handpainting, fonts and images piped with the assistance of her new Kopykake projector, and improved photography techniques. The result is a very cohesive, playful set, in perfect harmony with the theme.

Makeup! by Sweet Treats by Sonya20170120_154709

In this second entry from Sweet Treats by Sonya (and her second spotlighted entry - congratulations, Sonya!), Sonya used many of the same shapes and elements from an earlier makeup-themed set (you can see the original set in the comments to this entry here). However, in this latest set, she really changes the feel and tone by completely changing the color palette, and refining some of her techniques. For me, the most significant change was eliminating a lot of black, piped outlining in favor of the silvery gray color in her challenge entry. The softer color really helps the other colors and finer details to shine through.

New Year Cookies by Le Monnier du BiscuitIMG_4778

Although her original New Year-themed set from 2015 was lovely, Le Monnier du Biscuit was so unhappy with how that one turned out (declaring it to have too much airbrushing and too many letters, and to be horribly photographed to boot!) that she never posted it publicly! (But YOU can see it here in the comments to her entry.) While we can argue with Le Monnier du Biscuit about her characterization of her previous set, we cannot argue with the success of her 2017 New Year cookies. Less is more in this set - fewer colors; bolder, more simple graphic designs and patterns; and all perfectly matched to the inspiration plate. If this entry is any indication, 2017 will be a very good year for cookies, indeed.

Brush Up Your Sweet Tooth! by SugaredAndIcedteeth

This entry is a second crack at a dentist-themed set by SugaredAndIced. Her original set, done just over the 2016 holidays, was very Christmas-focused and not nearly as dentist-focused. (See that set in the comments to her entry here.) In her new set, she made the tooth theme more whimsical (teeth with gold crowns to represent teeth with dental crowns!), and used a variety of different techniques, including piping the "Smile" plaque with the help of her pico projector. She felt she was taking a risk with the "open wide" cookies, but then felt they were her favorite of the set. (I just love it when a healthy decorating risk pays off!).

Home Is Wherever You Are by Alison Friedli2016-12-09

In our final spotlighted entry, Alison Friedli took a previously created Easter bunny-themed house and recreated it for Valentine's Day. (See the original Easter house in the comments to this entry here.) The beauty of this reimagined set is that it can be redone, and redone, and redone in a new theme for every season of the year. Having an original idea that is so well done and versatile at the start makes reimagining all the more possible!

I am looking forward to our next challenge, which is already in the works as we speak. Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #21 will post on or about February 6, 2017, so stay tuned for another cookie challenge adventure!

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 (13)
  • Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #20 Recap Banner: Photo by Steve Adams; Graphic Design by Julia M Usher
  • Prizes: Photo by Julia M Usher; Prizes Courtesy of Julia M Usher
  • Golden Valentine: Cookies and Photo by carouselselsel
  • Kaleidoscope: Cookies and Photo by Manu
  • Baby Samurai and Ninja Bear: Cookies and Photo by Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.
  • Tangram Cat: Cookies and Photo by Noaa
  • Sherlock: Cookies and Photo by Frost Me Beautiful
  • Let It Snow: Cookies and Photo by katydoescookies
  • Calhoun's Construction Set: Cookies and Photo by Sweet Treats by Sonya
  • Makeup!: Cookies and Photo by Sweet Treats by Sonya
  • New Year Cookies: Cookies and Photo by Le Monnier du Biscuit
  • Brush Up Your Sweet Tooth!: Cookies and Photo by SugaredAndIced
  • Home Is Wherever You Are: Cookies and Photo by Alison Friedli

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Comments (17)

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Wow!  Thank you soo much for featuring both of my entries!  It is such an honor to be a member of The Cookie Connection.  I am always inspired by the magnificent work of each and every cookie artist here.  Love you all!

Last edited by Sweet Sophia's

Congratulation to all the artist featured for the amazing cookies and congrats to Zara carouselselsel!

I am so honored to have been featured. Every challenge has been a learning experience and helped me to try and master new techniques and most of all to think outside the box.

Thank you again @Julia M. Usher for this website and Christine @Bakerloo Station for challenging us! 

Congratulations to Zara!  I told you many times but I really wish you were next door to me so I could ask you to let me use your prize. 

Congratulations to all who are featured.  All entries are really beautiful, I looked forward to seeing each entries. 

2017 is surely Happy New Year to me, very good start!!    I could tell how much I learn, what I can and what I am not good at by challenging to Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge.   Most of all, I am very lucky to have friends who encourage me to go forward here, Cookie Connection.  Thank you.  

Beautiful entries, each! I just love to see the new sets in contrast to the old ones! Such improvement in cookie making and in photographing. In each, the origional is fantastic (all on it's own) but the new, spotlights the growth of each sugar artist. Well done! 

WOW!!! What a surprise...again!!! I don't know how to express my emotions which gone totally wild after I finally realized I won the prize! I am the happiest and the luckiest girl on earth! Such a great honour to be featured and winning such a fantastic prize! Thank you all, thank you Christine @Bakerloo Station, but most of all - thank you Julia @Julia M. Usher! I am so happy that both of my true 'cookie' friends are also featured - @Manu biscotti decorati and @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. Their cookie sets are amazing, like all the other which were featured and participated. And like Ryoko said, the new year (Chinese as well) starts really well, I wish it is happy for everyone from all my heart!!! Thank you again!  xx Zara

carouselselsel posted:

WOW!!! What a surprise...again!!! I don't know how to express my emotions which gone totally wild after I finally realized I won the prize! I am the happiest and the luckiest girl on earth! Such a great honour to be featured and winning such a fantastic prize! Thank you all, thank you Christine @Bakerloo Station, but most of all - thank you Julia @Julia M. Usher! I am so happy that both of my true 'cookie' friends are also featured - @Manu biscotti decorati and @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. Their cookie sets are amazing, like all the other which were featured and participated. And like Ryoko said, the new year (Chinese as well) starts really well, I wish it is happy for everyone from all my heart!!! Thank you again!  xx Zara

Congrats again! Be sure to email me your address so I can get your prize to you!

Julia M. Usher posted:
carouselselsel posted:

WOW!!! What a surprise...again!!! I don't know how to express my emotions which gone totally wild after I finally realized I won the prize! I am the happiest and the luckiest girl on earth! Such a great honour to be featured and winning such a fantastic prize! Thank you all, thank you Christine @Bakerloo Station, but most of all - thank you Julia @Julia M. Usher! I am so happy that both of my true 'cookie' friends are also featured - @Manu biscotti decorati and @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. Their cookie sets are amazing, like all the other which were featured and participated. And like Ryoko said, the new year (Chinese as well) starts really well, I wish it is happy for everyone from all my heart!!! Thank you again!  xx Zara

Congrats again! Be sure to email me your address so I can get your prize to you!

OK, thanks again!!!

Wow what an honor for a first-timer!!  It has inspired me to try again.  Thank you Bakerloo Station & Julia for providing these opportunities.  Congratulations Zara!!  And congratulations to all the other artists who participated.  I really enjoyed seeing the growth in your artistry.  --Katy

carouselselsel posted:

WOW!!! What a surprise...again!!! I don't know how to express my emotions which gone totally wild after I finally realized I won the prize! I am the happiest and the luckiest girl on earth! Such a great honour to be featured and winning such a fantastic prize! Thank you all, thank you Christine @Bakerloo Station, but most of all - thank you Julia @Julia M. Usher! I am so happy that both of my true 'cookie' friends are also featured - @Manu biscotti decorati and @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. Their cookie sets are amazing, like all the other which were featured and participated. And like Ryoko said, the new year (Chinese as well) starts really well, I wish it is happy for everyone from all my heart!!! Thank you again!  xx Zara

Congratulations, Zara! I always love your very enthusiastic participation in these challenges.  Enjoy your fabulous prize! 

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