Julia's January Stencil Release!

Hi, everyone! Happy 2018! We're fresh from ringing in the New Year, but I'm already releasing spring and Easter sets for you! I know, I know, I feel like I'm living in some kind of time warp, but that's just how it goes in stencil land. We're always designing two to three months ahead to give you plenty of time to plan cookies for the next holiday.

If you missed last month's release, I launched a new stencil series in December called Dynamic Duos^TM. You can still create lovely layered message cookies with these sets, just as with my Prettier Plaques^TM, but you essentially get double the fun with these new 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. But the best thing is: having twice as many tools affords you an incredible amount of design flexibility, as I think you'll see in my January release, below.

Pictured in the upper left is my new Egg Hunt Dynamic Duos^TM Background Set, which makes a fully cohesive design on its own. In the upper right, that set is combined with the messages and frames in the coordinating Egg Hunt Dynamic Duos^TM Message and Frame Set. (Remember: while both sets are designed to work seamlessly with each other, either set can be used by itself or with elements from other Dynamic Duos^TM and Prettier Plaques^TM sets.) Filling up the bottom row (right) are my partner Confection Couture's Easter Basic Accent Stencil and my usual blast from the past (and one of my personal faves) - my previously released Easter Whimsy Prettier Plaques^TM set.

Like last month, my Stencil of the Month Club members will receive both my Egg Hunt Dynamic Duos^TM Background Set and Confection Couture's Easter Basic Accent Stencil - a $22.99 value for only $14.99 (plus 15% off anything else on the Confection Couture site)! If you'd love to see similar savings on my stencils month after month, then just sign up for my Club here. If you're not sure about Club membership, you can still get a discount on both of these Duos^TM sets by snatching up the bundled deal on this page, which lasts from now through eternity!

Now, let's zoom in on those Duos^TM sets. Here's what each set includes this month:

Egg Hunt Background Set (5 pieces)

Egg Hunt Message and Frame Set (5 pieces)

With just the background set, you can make so many different designs . . . a clover patch, eggs hidden in a clover patch, a bunny in a clover patch, eggs and a bunny in a clover patch, you catch my drift . . . Below, I've done all of these things, as well as make dimensional royal icing egg transfers using the foreground layer in the set!

Here's another shot, with a better view of the cookie with both the eggs and bunny in the foreground (upper right) . . .

Now, if you layer on the message and frame set, the design possibilities skyrocket! Below are just a few variations. First, two cookies with the same message and frame, but different foregrounds and cookie shapes . . .

Next, two big eggs with all the elements from both Duos^TM sets - i.e., both foreground elements (bunny and eggs), the background clover field, and a message with frame! In the case of this Duos^TM set - which is unusual because it contains two foreground elements - you need a pretty big cookie to fit everything. (Mine was a little over 5 inches long.) But, if you just use one foreground element and a message, you'll find many permutations that fit cookies in the 3- to 4-inch range.

And lastly, a varied, yet cohesive set of cookies using different combinations of foreground elements, different messages, and different cookie shapes and background icing colors . . .

For more details about how to use these sets, either on their own or in tandem, please check out my online instructions, which also come with all of my sets. I'll be launching two how-to videos, one next week and another closer to Easter, so please also stay tuned!

In the meantime, I leave you with a closer look at my previously released Easter Whimsy Prettier Plaques^TM set and Confection Couture's Easter Basic Accent Stencil.

(Please note that the above photo is a graphic rendering of the Confection Couture accent stencil; actual results may vary.)

• 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.

I hope you enjoy my latest stencils, and I can't wait to see the cookies you create with them!

If you have any technical questions about these stencils, please don't hesitate to email me at sweetlife@juliausher.com or to leave a comment below. Please, however, direct all ordering and Club questions to service@confectioncouturestencils.com. Thank you!