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Saturday Spotlight: Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #25 Recap

 

[EDITOR'S NOTE: My apologies for the delay in posting our usual Saturday recap, and the next challenge. (See the very end of this post for details about the timing of the latter.) I am traveling with a spotty internet connection, and will be doing so over the next few weeks, so it's tough to find computer time! Thanks especially to @Bakerloo Station for overlooking my tardiness! ]

Vintage art and items have always been popular, and for good reason. Objects, whether truly vintage or merely vintage in style, tend to evoke deep and fond feelings about the past. Who doesn't look at a little dress from the 70s and think, "Gee, that's just like the dress I insisted on wearing every day of second grade?!" Or, see a vintage porcelain tea set and recall afternoons spent having tea and cookies with grandma and a table full of well-dressed teddy bears? The entries for this challenge stirred up exactly the same warm and fuzzy feelings for me, and I hope you all felt the same!

Before we get to our lovely vintage spotlighted entries, let's talk about the incredible prize that one lucky challenge entrant (chosen at random from among all of the entrants) has won! Generously donated by Cookie Connection founder @Julia M. Usher, the prize for our Silver Anniversary Challenge #25 is the soon-to-be-released "Julia" airbrush, designed with Badger Air-brush Company specifically for cookie and cake decorating, and companion compressor (not pictured here).

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And the winner of this unbelievably awesome prize is . . . @Biljana Kovacevic! Congratulations, Biljana! As someone who doesn't even own an airbrush, I have to say I am pretty darn jelly! 

Biljana's challenge entry was also a favorite of our judges . . .

Vintage Lady Hair Care by Biljana KovacevicIMG-d210fbaa2429ac08b42fcdd865ff0402-VThe finely piped details and realistic aged metallic sheen really stand out in this entry. One judge even said this set bore an uncanny resemblance to her own grandmother's hair accessories set, which she used to play princess with when she was a little girl!  

Let us turn now to the rest of our spotlighted artists, presented in no particular order.

Vintage Shelf by E. Kiszowara MOJE PIERNIKIIMG_20171009_154336
This entry has it all. It has multiple vintage subjects: enamelware, portraits, and clocks. This set also has perfectly executed vintage style: the distressing of the enamelware, the antiquing of the golden picture frames, the sepia-colored portraits, and even the photo staging lend a vintage air. Additionally, we were incredibly impressed by the handpainted portraits. The amount of work that went into this entry is staggering, and it shows! 

Tiffany by sweets decoration TinkIMG_20171025_151813_657
I hardly know where to begin with this entry! Every cookie is an individual work of art. The theme, Breakfast at Tiffany's, is iconically vintage. Our judges were just blown away by the 3-D Tiffany-style stained glass lamp, which we swear would light if you pulled the cord! The bronze base of the lamp is incredibly realistic, and I would love to know exactly how @sweets decoration Tink achieved that color and texture. Finally, can we talk about that handpainted portrait of Audrey Hepburn?! Holy cow! At first, I thought it was a printed image. When I realized it wasn't, my jaw literally hit the floor. What talent!

Japanese Vintage Hair Accessories by Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.kanzashiallOne of the reasons this set looks so truly vintage is that Ryoko did her homework. She literally interviewed elderly people and asked them about the things they had used more than 50 years ago. (You can also see the results of Ryoko's research in her other fabulous challenge entry, Vintage Toys in Japan.) Her detailed research shines through in this set, lending an incredible feel of authenticity. Additionally, I think the execution here is flawless. The piped floral details of the red wooden kanzashi are impressive, and the "tortoise shell" kanzashi with the cranes is so realistic that I thought it might not be a cookie at first, but a real kanzashi used as a photo prop.

Vintage Girls' Dresses by La Shay by Ferda OzcanIMG_8513This set of cookies could easily have been inspired by a set of vintage Butterick dress patterns from the 50s and 60s. Because the styles of these dresses are so obviously vintage, no other antiquing techniques (such as using brown dusts around the edges) are even needed. Additionally, I have to say that that deep red velvet dress with the stippling technique is just fabulous.

Vintage Alice in Wonderland Cookies by Tammy Trahan New Orleans Cookie CompanyIMG_7533
I love the layers upon layers of vintage deliciousness in this set by Tammy Trahan. All of those layers - the sepia stamping and backgrounds, the transfers, and the handpainted fondant characters - really give depth and personality to these cookies. The antique gold picture frames also tie the whole vintage look together. This is just a really well-crafted set of cookies any Alice fan would die for!

Embroidery by micaling @ PEACH PITChallnge #25 Vintage
I know I have mentioned this before, but my mom is a massively talented sewer, and so I always have a soft spot for sewing-themed cookies. This set is not an exception. I really, really like how @micali @ Dress Sweets antiqued all of the backgrounds of these cookies, some flooded with royal icing and some left bare. My favorite cookie of this set is that embroidery hoop - with the textured netting background and very realistic stitching - although that pin cushion, with its perfect ruffles, is a close second!  

Vintage Halloween Greetings by Kim DamonVintage Halloween 3-2With her paper-and-ink style and judicious use of orange, Kim perfectly captures the curious vibe of vintage Halloween art in this entry. You could spend a long time debating "creepy-cool" with this one, but no one could deny that this entry is brilliant!

Goodbye My Love by Love CookiesGoodbye My Love by Tarryn Meiring #25 
I have said it before, and I will say it again: I adore this vintage theme! What a touching scene it represents, and how appropriate for Veterans Day! The portrait is wonderful, with the perfect clothing, hair, and mustache for the time period. The quill, with all of the shading and rich emerald green tones, is really striking and provides a marvelous contrast to the muted neutral tones of the rest of the set. The fact that there is a 3-D cookie thrown in there is just icing on the cake!

Vintage Thanksgiving and Autumn Set by Sweethart Baking Experiment20171005_203147Does this set not scream the 1960s?! The colors - browns and muted warm tones - are iconic. And the speckling effect is literally "spot-on!" In fact, the speckled brown, oranges, and yellows remind me of 60s and 70s formica. The patterns and colors of the rooster really complete the theme. I would love to have a retro tea cosy with that rooster design on it!  

1950s Clothing by Econlady1950s clothing allThe "judges" all like this set for a couple of reasons. First, the style of the clothing - the long white gloves and three-quarter-length dresses are so vintage 1950s - and, on top of that, @Econlady did a brilliant job of antiquing the colors and creating aged fabric creases with her brown petal dusts. I also give bonus points if she actually hand-cut those gloves, as it appears she may have!

And with that, we bring our Silver Anniversary Practice Bake Perfect Challenge Celebration to a close! Thank you to everyone who entered this challenge, or participated by providing the myriad of supportive comments to these entries. Stay tuned for our next challenge, which will be slightly delayed due to Julia's travel schedule and the Thanksgiving holiday. It will post during the first week of December.  

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.

Attachments

Images (12)
  • Julia's New Airbrush: Airbrush Design by Julia M Usher and Badger Air-brush Company; Photo by Julia M Usher
  • Vintage Lady Hair Care: By Biljana Kovacevic
  • Vintage Shelf: By E. Kiszowara MOJE PIERNIKI
  • Tiffany: By sweets decoration Tink
  • Japanese Vintage Hair Accessories: By Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.
  • Vintage Girls' Dresses: By LaShay by Ferda Ozcan
  • Vintage Alice in Wonderland Cookies: By Tammy Trahan New Orleans Cookie Company
  • Embroidery: By micaling @ PEACH PIT
  • Vintage Halloween Greetings: By Kim Damon
  • Goodbye My Love: By Love Cookies
  • Vintage Thanksgiving and Autumn Set: By Sweethart Baking Experiment
  • 1950s Clothing: By Econlady

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Comments (18)

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Congrats to all of the featured artists! I am about to board a plane, so I will get you "winners" badges as soon as possible, though there may be a 24 to 48 hour delay. Likewise, @Biljana Kovacevic, I will be in touch via email about your airbrush prize, in the same 24 to 48 hour window! Thanks for your patience!

Congratulations to @Biljana Kovacevic !  That airbrush really looks nice.   Congratulations to all participated in this challenge.  Every entry is very amazing, that made me "wow" 

I am very honored to see my cookies along with beautiful cookies with great skills done by wonderful artists.  Each challenge makes me learn something, my eyes open and shows me many possibilities.   Thank you Christine, @Bakerloo Station for hosting this fantastic challenges.  

Thanks you, Julia who gives us opportunities for us to see superb cookies everyday. 

Wow! Each entry is so incredible! Some I had not even had the pleasure of seeing. The art is magnificent! Such talent in each of the entries, I'm so blessed to have my cookies be a part. Congratulations all!  \(^○^)人(^○^)/

So jelly - I don't have an airbrush yet either, @Bakerloo Station! Congrats to the winner - that set is absolutely gorgeous! I was more than happy to be part of the challenge - it was my third one. Looking forward to more challenges! 

Woow!!! Omg!!! I am soo happy!!!

I actually joined the Cookie Connection by entering the previous Challenge#24, because I was so sure that the mystery prize for that challenge would be airbrush designed by @Julia M. Usher. At that time I did not even know that she is making one, but I was convinced that she does, because of her stencil line and all of the "suspicious" surveys on the subject 😂😂. I dont have an airbrush and I was just exploring at that time, which one would be good for decorating cookies, and thought: "What if Julia would make one?! But I probably couldn't buy it in my country. I must win it than!" I didn't win that challenge, but the prize was not an airbrush, so that explained it 😂.

And there is not a person on this world who would want this prize more than I do! So @Julia M. Usher and @Bakerloo Station , thank you sooo much!!! And thank you also for keeping this challenges ongoing. I am learning from them so much! And they are contagious! I still see butterflies everywhere 😂. Also, congrats  to all the fellow cookiers who entered this challenge! Love you all! 

So disappointed that I missed entering this challenge as it is a theme I love so much!  I've been without access to a kitchen for a month now and hope to be back in action in December!  Maybe I can participate in the next one.  All of the entries was so beautiful and creative!!!  Great ideas and so many different techniques.

 

Biljana Kovacevic posted:

Woow!!! Omg!!! I am soo happy!!!

I actually joined the Cookie Connection by entering the previous Challenge#24, because I was so sure that the mystery prize for that challenge would be airbrush designed by @Julia M. Usher. At that time I did not even know that she is making one, but I was convinced that she does, because of her stencil line and all of the "suspicious" surveys on the subject 😂😂. I dont have an airbrush and I was just exploring at that time, which one would be good for decorating cookies, and thought: "What if Julia would make one?! But I probably couldn't buy it in my country. I must win it than!" I didn't win that challenge, but the prize was not an airbrush, so that explained it 😂.

And there is not a person on this world who would want this prize more than I do! So @Julia M. Usher and @Bakerloo Station , thank you sooo much!!! And thank you also for keeping this challenges ongoing. I am learning from them so much! And they are contagious! I still see butterflies everywhere 😂. Also, congrats  to all the fellow cookiers who entered this challenge! Love you all! 

Yay! I am so glad this prize is just what you were hoping for. I sent you an email about it yesterday, explaining some things about it and asking for your address. Did you get that email? I've been traveling and so I've had trouble sending some emails, but it looks like it sent from this end. Anyway, please let me know - and, if not, I will send it again.

Julia M. Usher posted:
Biljana Kovacevic posted:

Woow!!! Omg!!! I am soo happy!!!

I actually joined the Cookie Connection by entering the previous Challenge#24, because I was so sure that the mystery prize for that challenge would be airbrush designed by @Julia M. Usher. At that time I did not even know that she is making one, but I was convinced that she does, because of her stencil line and all of the "suspicious" surveys on the subject 😂😂. I dont have an airbrush and I was just exploring at that time, which one would be good for decorating cookies, and thought: "What if Julia would make one?! But I probably couldn't buy it in my country. I must win it than!" I didn't win that challenge, but the prize was not an airbrush, so that explained it 😂.

And there is not a person on this world who would want this prize more than I do! So @Julia M. Usher and @Bakerloo Station , thank you sooo much!!! And thank you also for keeping this challenges ongoing. I am learning from them so much! And they are contagious! I still see butterflies everywhere 😂. Also, congrats  to all the fellow cookiers who entered this challenge! Love you all! 

Yay! I am so glad this prize is just what you were hoping for. I sent you an email about it yesterday, explaining some things about it and asking for your address. Did you get that email? I've been traveling and so I've had trouble sending some emails, but it looks like it sent from this end. Anyway, please let me know - and, if not, I will send it again.

I just saw your message and sent you an email with my address. Sory that I didn't saw it on time. Thank you again for this wonderful prize!!! ❤

My heartiest congratulations to everyone involved in this challenge, whether it was by entering a set of cookies, or offering constructive comments and compliments! All of the entries were amazing, and as someone who does not do "vintage" all that often myself, I found a ton of inspiration from studying all of your gorgeous entries. Special congratulations to @Biljana Kovacevic on winning the air brush prize! I hope you and your airbrush will spend many happy years together!

My deepest thanks to Julia for hosting these challenges, and for her constant helpful input and advice.

Finally, thanks to my fellow Cookie Connection contributors, who help me sort through and thoughtfully assess all of the incredible entries that we get. Your input in invaluable.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! 

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