Julia's December Stencil Release, and Some Important Announcements!

Hi, everyone! Did you notice that I didn't use Prettier Plaques^TM in this blog post title?! Well, that's because I'm introducing a NEW Julia-branded stencil series this month called Dynamic Duos^TM, which will replace Prettier Plaques^TM for the foreseeable future. For those of you who loved my Prettier Plaques^TM (which I sincerely hope is everyone), have no fear! My Dynamic Duos^TM still allow you to create prettier plaques, but they also provide much more design versatility. And, you'll still find all of my previously released Prettier Plaques^TM sets on my partner Confection Couture's site. Before I elaborate on Dynamic Duos^TM, here's a quick snapshot of what I'm releasing this month:

Starting in the upper left and moving clockwise, the first "collage" cookie set was made with both my NEW Julia-branded Valentine's Day-themed Chrysanthemum Dynamic Duos^TM Background Set and coordinating Love Letter Dynamic Duos^TM Message and Frame Set. The next photo is the Confection Couture-branded Vintage Valentines Basic Accent Stencil. The third photo is, as usual, a reminder of a previously released Prettier Plaques^TM set called "I'm Yours". And, in case you were asking, "What's that quirky thing in the lower left?", well, it's my new Quadrant Masking Tool, which I use to isolate messages and frames in my Duos, and elements on Confection Couture accent stencils.

Now, back to my new Dynamic Duos^TM - and why I called them this and how they work!

Basically, you'll be getting double the fun with each of my Dynamic Duos^TM designs! That’s because each monthly design consists of two sets (sold separately) - one with backgrounds and another with messages and frames. Each set also contains two primary stencils along with related masking and shading pieces. And you’ll always find a minimum of two frames and messages in every message and frame set. (Hopefully, the "duos" part of Dynamic Duos^TM is now clear! ) But the best thing is: having twice as many tools affords you an incredible amount of design flexibility! And "flexibility" means a super "dynamic" design process, get it?! 

For example, here are the contents of this month's two Dynamic Duos^TM sets . . .

Chrysanthemum Background Set

Love Letter Message and Frame Set

While the elements across both sets work seamlessly together, the background set can be used without the message and frame set, and vice versa. And, most every element in either set can be mixed and matched with other stencils in my Dynamic Duos^TM and Prettier Plaques^TM series. As always, these stencils work well with both royal icing and airbrushing.

IMPORTANT: This product change will also change our Stencil of the Month Club shipment. Last year each month, Stencil of the Month Club members received a $18.99-value Prettier Plaques^TM set for $14.99 plus shipping and handling. For the time being, Stencil of the Month Club members will automatically receive the Dynamic Duos^TM Background Set ($16.99 value) and a Confection Couture stencil ($5.99 value) that's been handpicked by me, all for the usual monthly Club price of $14.99. (Again, this time, the Confection Couture stencil is the Vintage Valentines Basic Accent Stencil.) The offerings for the Stencil of the Month Club may very well change from time to time, but we will always strive to deliver the same or more value for a similar price. And members will always get a 15% discount on anything else on the Confection Couture site! Now, what better way to use that discount this month than to pick up the coordinating Love Letters Dynamic Duos^TM set?! Just apply your members-only coupon code at checkout.

If you're not a Club member, but want to get this same great deal, just sign up for the Club here. And, if you're not sure about Club membership, you can still get a couple dollars off both the Chrysanthemum and Love Letters Dynamic Duos^TM sets by snatching up the bundled deal on this page, which is valid forever!

Detailed Dynamic Duos^TM instructions can be found in every background and message and frame set, and here online, so I'll let you review them at your leisure. I'll also be posting an in-depth how-to video using this month's sets in a few weeks. In the meantime, I'd like to close out this post by showing you the wide range of cookies achievable with just these two Dynamic Duos^TM sets!

First, if you just use the background duo, you can create a plethora of message-less cookies just by rotating the floral foreground piece on the background and framing it within different cookie shapes in different ways. For example, here I've got a simple round with the floral foreground piece applied twice very close to the cookie sides, and a fun plaque with a single more exposed floral element:

Second, if you add the message and frame duo set to the mix, your options expand nearly exponentially. Notice all the different messages and frames, and positions they have, on these cookies . . .

Grrrr, I hate how this site handles vertical images! It compresses them into a complete blur. So, here's a squarer, clearer view of the above shot!

(Note: The postage stamps and tiny lettering were made with rubber stamps, not included in these sets. Though, for a similarly wonderful effect, elements on the Vintage Valentines Basic Accent Stencil could be stenciled as a last layer on top.)

The messages and frames also look lovely on smaller round cookies!

And, of course, if you start mixing and matching with other Julia-branded stencils, the design options sky-rocket! For the cookies in the foreground and background below, I swapped in my Save the Date Prettier Plaques^TM background for the one in this month's duo set.

Here's the bottom cookie again, this time all by itself so you can appreciate the added wafer paper flower (also made with this month's background duo set) and chocolate bow!

Oh, and before I forget, here are closer views of the Confection Couture accent stencil, that's part of this month's Stencil of the Month Club release, and my oldie-but-goodie "I'm Yours" set, also perfect for Valentine's Day:

• To purchase my NEW Dynamic Duos^TM sets, click here.
• To join my Stencil of the Month Club, click here.
• To see my entire stencil line, click here.

If you have any questions about anything here, please don't hesitate to email me at sweetlife@juliausher.com or to leave a comment below. Please, however, direct all ordering questions to service@confectioncouturestencils.com. Thank you and, 'til next time, happy dynamic-duoing!