Who needs cookies and milk when you can have cookies and beer? I mean, think about it . . . a pairing of a robust stout with a spicy gingerbread cookie . . . How delish! Or a not-too-dark ale with a chocolate chip cookie . . . Or a sweet golden ale to complement the tartness of a cookie with lemon zest . . . Mmmmm, I might just start a new trend (at least among dads, that is)! 
But beer aside, let's talk a bit about how I arrived at this month's designs. You might recall that about a year ago this month, I released the Dynamic Duos™ sets that made these cookies . . .
If they somehow slipped past you, let me just say . . . they were a hit! I guess the silhouettes that inspired them (you know, the ones that so many of our moms made of us as kids) resonated with the general cookie world as much as they did with me. In fact, at the recent CookieCon, one attendee liked them so much that she wanted my companion Father's Day version. Sheepishly, I had to say that it didn't exist . . . but, no sooner than she walked away from my booth empty-handed, I promptly started designing! What you see this month, pictured below, is the result of that design kick-in-the-pants. I hope these sets will make a memorable addition to your Father's Day cookie tool kit, and that any cookies made with them will create an equally memorable gift for your dad!
And where can you find all of the stencils used to make these cookies? Glad you asked! They're behind the links below, on my partner Confection Couture Stencils' site:
- World's Best Dad Dynamic Duos™ Background Set (upper left),
- World's Best Dad Dynamic Duos™ Message and Frame Set (combined with the Duos™ background set; upper right),
- My partner Confection Couture Stencils' Father's Day Messages Stencil (lower right), and, once again, another view of last year's charming Mother's Day release (as the companion set to World's Best Dad, it just had to be shared again this month!) . . .
- A Mother's Love Dynamic Duos™ Set.
If you're a planner like me (or just a stencil hoarder, LOL!), you needn't wait for this announcement to order each month. In fact, you'd be far better off if you signed up for my Stencil of the Month Club. As a member, you automatically get specially curated stencils, well before everyone else, at HUGE discounts each month. For instance, in April, club members will get this stencil bundle:
Normally, the average Joe could buy this bundle for about $22.99, but club members get it for only $14.99! PLUS, they also get 15% off anything else on the Confection Couture site, as long as they stay members! Have I sold you yet?! If so, just click here to sign up. If not, email me for the longer, more ardent sales pitch! 
Now, let's explore the background set, and see how many different designs you can create!
World's Best Dad Dynamic DuosTM Background Set (7 pieces)
You can use the background stencil alone with the lamp on the right, or flip it over and put the lamp on the left. You can also superimpose one (or more) father-and-child silhouette stencils by first masking off an area using the corresponding masking piece, and then airbrushing in the respective element on the foreground stencil. (For more in-depth instruction about my layering techniques, please visit my stencil video playlist on my YouTube channel.)
A number of the above design possibilities are depicted in this photo:
Here's a closer view of the centerpiece cookie that includes one of the four silhouette options:
Now, it should be noted that I stenciled with airbrush coloring only, but royal icing can also be used in layered designs, just so long as it is applied as the last layer. In the above cookie, for example, it would have been nice to stencil the silhouette with royal icing, just to give the man and child a little "lift" and to heighten the appearance of them being in the foreground.
As for colors, I kept them "dad-like" - strong, bold, and earthy. Specifically, I used the following six colorings: A combination of AmeriMist Electric Green and Avocado Green for the tree leaves and shrubs; Chefmaster Harvest Brown for the silhouette and tree trunks and branches; a custom "royal blue" blend of AmeriMist Royal Blue and Violet for the swing set and parts of the lamppost; Spectrum Flow Sky Blue for the lamppost and birds; and AmeriMist Super Black for the stones, parts of the lamppost, and subtle shading on the birds.
Tip: I struggled with some of the AmeriMist colorings being too watery and too easily pooling up on the stencil and the cookie. But, after I added a touch of Spectrum Flow alcohol-based White Matte coloring, the blended coloring dried a lot faster without pooling. Keep this in mind, especially when airbrushing through tiny stencil openings, where pooling occurs more rapidly.
Now, let's chat about how to extend the number of designs by adding in the complementary message and frame set. But, first, a sneak peek of some of those possibilities:
All of the message cookies above were done with the previous set and this five-piece message and frame set:
World's Best Dad Dynamic DuosTM Message and Frame Set (5 pieces)
The way to apply messages and frames is exactly the same as superimposing a foreground element on the background stencil in the previous set: just set down the mask; then airbrush a frame and then a message in the void left behind by the mask. In the following cookie (center), all elements were airbrushed and stenciled directly on the iced cookie:
The same is true of the following cookie except that it's also embellished with an airbrushed modeling chocolate bow and a royal icing transfer (more is more, people!):
And, in the following few examples, I've brought in added dimension by turning the framed messages into separate, elevated fondant appliqués:
Here's a closer view . . .
Also to note: the above cookie has a slightly softer, more muted look than some of the others because the icing background started out light taupe rather than stark white.
Clearly there's no shortage of design possibilities for dads to enjoy! Here's a photo recap of some of my faves:
Now . . . before I let you go, can I just brag a bit about my photo props?! I'm not one who often experiences the stars coming together in perfect alignment . . . In fact, it's often quite the opposite. Just earlier this week, in the course of two days and on top of the unending coronavirus chaos, my only bathroom sink sprung a leak; my dishwasher erupted like Mount Vesuvius with a huge plume of black smoke; and my house painters discovered a 10-foot rotten section of my roof that required immediate attention. So, you can only imagine my surprise and delight when I (cloaked in mask and gloves) went to the grocery in search of some beer with a blue label to coordinate with my cookies, and - BOOM! - I found this . . .
Who knew St. Louis is home to a craft brewery that has a Dad's cookie-themed beer WITH a blue and white label no less?! I couldn't have dreamt up a more perfect prop!
Here's hoping your stars line up just as nicely in the coming weeks!
- To purchase my Dynamic Duos™ sets, click here.
- To join my Stencil of the Month Club, click here.
- To see my entire stencil line, including my Prettier Plaques™ sets, click here.
- To view my videos that show how to create layered looks with my stencil sets, click here.
If you have any technical questions about these stencils, just email me at sweetlife@juliausher.com or leave a comment below. Please, however, direct all ordering and Club questions to my stencil partner, Confection Couture Stencils, at service@confectioncouturestencils.com. Thank you!
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