It's almost 2018, and I'm ringing in the New Year with the introduction of our January site artist, the lovely Susan Crane aka @SusieQCookies. Thank you so much, Susan, for generously contributing your time and talents to beautifying our site!
Before we get to Susan's lovely art, a quick, but important plea! After the posting of our February art, I'm flush out of art for every other month in 2018. So, unless you want to see my cookies all over the site for the rest of the year (I sure don't!), then I urge you to consider submitting your material. The guidelines for doing so can be found here. (They're pretty straightforward, but, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.) All contributors will get their work featured prominently in the site's banner and background for a full month, plus the added PR benefits 
of a forum post like this one and a Cookier Close-up interview . . . Now onto Susan's art . . .
A few weeks ago, when temps here in St. Louis were still hovering around the 50s and 60s (°F), her banner and backdrop (pictured below) might have seemed out of place. But, now, they're a perfect fit with the wintry frost we're experiencing here in the Midwest. (Brrr! The thermometer is predicted to plummet to -3 °F tomorrow!) And that fawn in the banner . . . OMG, it's so darn cuddly and sweet! And her bundled-up snowmen . . . don't they just exude cuteness and joy?! Again, thank you, Susan, for this seasonally apropos and wonderfully executed submission!
As always, I'll be conducting an in-depth Cookier Close-up interview with Susan later in January (after our December artist @Alison Friedli's Close-up has posted). But, until then, please read Susan's bio below to get acquainted!
Susan Crane loves baking. Susan has been a professional artist for over 30 years, but didn't know about the cookie art world until 2016. "How fun to merge them", she says!
Susan's husband was the catalyst for her cookie art business. He would often ask for treats to take to work, and, in 2016, his boss asked if she would make decorated cookies for his store's anniversary. While researching ideas, Susan found @Julia M. Usher's YouTube channel, and it changed everything. That first request started Susan's small cottage industry business.
Right now, Susan sells cookies out of her home or at farmers' markets, which, for her, is perfect. She would prefer to keep her cookie venture small and simple. Because her cookie rewards are more than monetary, she's able to keep the fun alive. Says Susan, "I truly love how people react to seeing this type of art. It's been a real privilege to be asked to make edible art for special occasions in people's lives." From time to time, Susan also hosts "cookie days" with her friends and their kids, but she's not officially teaching yet, as she feels like she's still learning.
To learn more about Susan, check out her website, Facebook page, and portfolio here on Cookie Connection . . . and, of course, stay tuned for her Close-up later in January!
May you all have a wonderful start to 2018! And, please, consider submitting your own work to help beautify and personalize our site. Again, submission guidelines can be found here.
