It's hard to pinpoint the exact birthday of this (my beloved) site. It launched "softly" into cyberspace in Spring 2013 with different people getting introduced to it at various stages of development.
About a month before I announced its birth on Facebook, a small cadre* of members were already testing the site's various features and functionality while I was furiously adding content so it wouldn't be naked upon official arrival. (Naked might be normal for most babies, but it wasn't acceptable for this one!) A month or so before that, the lovely Jaci Baynes Harper of Ali's Sweet Tooth was the one who gave me the idea and encouragement to start this community. It took some coaxing, but she eventually convinced me! 
She looked at early versions of the site, provided input on possible names, and also joined the team doing the early testing. Around this same time, Elizabeth Watt of Pretty Sweet Designs stepped in to offer advice on my color and font choices and to work on banners, backgrounds, and other necessary graphics. I am deeply indebted to all of these people; for without them, Cookie Connection would have never come into being.
While the history is a little fuzzy, I do know this: it was a quick gestation period (no more than two months). Testing on the site was still underway at the end of May and into early June 2013, and one of my first official welcome posts on the site was dated June 7.
That said, I'm splitting the difference and declaring June 1, 2013 as Cookie Connection's official birthday! I hope you'll celebrate with me by taking part in this giveaway!
(Another great graphic by Pretty Sweet Designs, BTW!)
In one short year, we've grown to over 3,700 members (from nearly 50 countries)! We've brought on six (now five) incredible contributors, and we're experiencing an average of about 1.4 million views per month. What's more, some amazing sponsors, including Designer Stencils, Fancy Flours, BRP Box Shop, The Classic Cookie Cutter, and Craftsy, have consistently supported us along the way.
But more important than any of these numbers are the warmth, energy, and wonderful artistry that members of this community share so generously with one another each day. It's been immensely gratifying to see the world of cookie decorating come closer together and to get to know many of you through your cookies and comments on this site. Thank you, everyone, for making this year one of the most rewarding ones that my sieve-like brain can remember! I look forward to many more years of cookie fun together!
Enough waxing poetic about the site's birthday . . . about that giveaway!
What's Up For Grabs
We've got three great prizes, all for one winner:
1. First, a Kalorik volumetric kitchen scale (retail value: $50), a never-used gift to me from sponsors of the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show. It automatically converts various things from grams/ounces to cups to take the guesswork out of your royal icing mixing!
2. Second, another lovely custom-embroidered Cookie Connection apron straight off the plane from Italy, this time in blue (retail value: $40).
3. And, last but certainly not least, this set of nine gorgeous and super well-crafted (I know, I'm lucky to have some!) Tiffany blue cookie cutters from Tracy Hicks, owner of Whisked Away Cutters (retail value: $65). PLEASE NOTE: The cutters can only be shipped in the domestic US. But should there be a non-US winner, the other prizes will be shipped anywhere.
Yeah, I just did the math - that's a combined $155 in cookie value! Ka-ching!
How to Enter
Just tell me what you'd most like to see happen on Cookie Connection in its second year in the comments area below. All comments must be received no later than June 15, 2014, 5 pm central, when the giveaway closes.
Other Giveaway Details:
- Only one comment per person is permitted. Duplicates will be deleted.
- Remember, you must be a Cookie Connection member to comment on this site. To join, just click on "Join Community" in the upper left of our home page and follow the sign-up prompts.
- The winner will be determined by random number generator at the close of the giveaway. The person whose comment position matches the number drawn by the random number generator will win!
- The winner will be announced on this site and also contacted directly via email shortly after the close of the giveaway.
I think that's it. Please email with any questions. And, again, my sincerest thanks to all of you and to . . .
*The Cookie Connection Start-Up Team
Jaci Baynes Harper (Ali's Sweet Tooth), Elizabeth Watt (Pretty Sweet Designs), Liz Adams (Arty McGoo), Glory Albin (Glorious Treats), Penny Knapik (Lucky Penny), Marian Poirier (Sweetopia), Michele Shoup (Bakeskool), Kip Simpson and the BRP team, Pam Sneed (CookieCrazie), Amber Spiegel (SweetAmbs), and Mike and Karen Summers (Karen's Cookies).
***** AND WE HAVE A WINNER! *****
The random number generator has spoken!
This means that comment #181 (or lttlemad) is our lucky winner. Stay tuned, lttlemad, I'll be contacting you shortly about how to redeem your prizes. Congrats!
Thanks to everyone for participating, especially for sharing your thoughtful feedback! Read all about how we're acting on your advice here. And a super special thanks to Whisked Away Cutters for her generous donation of the nine-piece cutter set shown above. If you weren't lucky enough to win it, there are plenty more in her Etsy store.
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