Hello, and welcome to the recap of Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17 - Stenciled Scenes! I hope everyone is enjoying the summer holidays, and that these long summer days have been filled with friends, family, and, of course, cookies!
It seems that some challenges are just a wee bit more challenging than others. And this was one of those challenges. It was no small feat to work with so many stencils and stenciling techniques to create a uniquely beautiful scene, but, as always, you have risen to the occasion! I was especially impressed with how many of you not only submitted gorgeous entries, but also posted brilliant mini-tutorials showing exactly how you created them. I do encourage everyone to check out each individual entry and the comments on them, not only to learn a thing (or three!) about stenciling, but also to see the impressive amount of effort that some artists put into this challenge.
We will get to our spotlighted artists in a moment, but, first, we need to announce the winner of our stenciler's dream prize - a $50 (USD) gift certificate to stencil boutique Stencibelle! I have personally bought stencils from Stencibelle, and I can vouch for how beautifully made and designed these stencils really are. We cannot thank Stencibelle enough for so generously sponsoring this challenge.
And the randomly chosen winner of Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17 is . . . carouselselsel! Congratulations! I am not sure how she will pick from all of the beautiful stencils at Stencibelle, but I am dying to see what she does with her stencil treasure! Not only did carouselselsel win our random drawing, but she also had one of the most innovative challenge entries, in 3-D no less . . .
Four Seasons by carouselselsel
And without further ado, let's talk about the rest of our spotlighted artists! In no particular order . . .
Point Break by Dolce Flo
When this entry first posted, I thought it was a mistake because I could hardly discern where any stencils were used, let alone three stencils and three different techniques! Dolce Flo used her stencils and techniques so seamlessly that the process takes a far backseat to the finished work of art which is an incredibly harmonious scene of texture, depth, and movement.
Golden Forest Morning Light by Manu
There are so many things I love about this stenciled scene. I love the warm, earthy tones, and the perspective created by the angle of the trees and gradation of color. I also love (and this is the lawyer in me talking) that Manu requested and received permission from the original artist (Jennifer Taylor) to copy her design, making this a gorgeous collaboration of sorts. Finally, Manu's mini-tutorial of the making of this cookie, posted in the comments to her entry, is an exceptional must-see.
Blue Bird by Dolce Flo
This cookie is a second spotlighted challenge entry for Dolce Flo! I absolutely adore the colors, patterns, and textures of this entry. One judge remarked that this cookie looks like a beautiful piece of fabric. I could not agree more!
Stenciled Swan Scene by Rocking Horse Sugar Decor
This cookie is one that took a lot of steps and advance planning, and it shows in the final product. We love the depth of this scene, with the multidimensional swan and the use of royal icing stenciling for the elements in the foreground. I especially love the use of the flipped stencils to create the reflection of the trees in the water. This cookie makes me feel like I am sitting in an Adirondack chair in the Lake District watching the swans float by.
Stenciling Sunflowers in July by Manu
This cookie is also a second spotlighted entry by Manu - and one brilliantly constructed cookie. Let me count the ways . . . the color palette is summertime perfection; the depth achieved in this scene by layer after layer of stenciling is incredible; and those flower petals are so delicately stenciled with royal icing that they almost look like wafer paper. Plus, the tutorial that Manu created in conjunction with the making of this cookie (you can see it in the comments to this entry) went above and beyond the call of this challenge.
Cinderella by NaGeRa
Using not three but SIX different purchased and handmade stencils and FOUR techniques, this version of Cinderella is one we loved! I also like that she was not all frilly and pink, put richly stencil-brocaded in gold!
Dream by Sweet Treats by Sonya
Aptly titled, "Dream" has such a wonderful, ethereal feel to me. Sonya did an impeccable stenciling job, and her chosen colors work so well together.
Purple Mountain Majesty by Kim Damon
This creation was not only the very first cookie entered into the challenge, but it ended up being one of FOUR wonderful entries made by Kim Damon! I like the many stenciled layers for the mountains and the use of a nontraditional stencil pattern for the sky. The larger vine stencils up front really give this cookie some great perspective.
Teddy in the Garden 2 by Alison Friedli
Our judges liked the warm, rich colors and collage style of this entry. I was particularly impressed that Alison was able to use a whopping EIGHT stencils on this one cookie. I also like how Alison was able to repurpose those little heart stencils in so many different ways.
Morning Glory from a Window by Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.
The thing that most struck me about this cookie is how well Ryoko was able to achieve so much dimension by her alternating use of color, texture, and stenciling techniques. The flowers stenciled with royal icing just pop to the fore, while the others recede into the background. Ryoko also did a lovely job of showing us, in the mini-tutorial accompanying her entry (in the comments section of her clip), the stencils she used, which I think were all handmade, and her process.
And that is a wrap for Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #17! Enjoy these remaining long days of summer. Between batches of cookies, be sure to get out and catch some rays, and maybe even a few Pokemon! Be on the look-out for our next challenge, which will post on or about August 7.
Christine Donnelly began her professional baking career at 16, when she was hired on the spot at her local bakery to work the counter and decorate cakes. After detours to college and law school, she worked as a trial lawyer in Chicago for many years, ultimately leaving that career to become a stay-at-home mother to her two children. In her “retirement,” she continued to bake at home, at last finding her preferred artistic medium in decorated cookies. In February 2013, Bakerloo Station was born with a presence on both Facebook and Instagram. Christine makes cookies to balance her left brain, to inspire and share creative ideas, and to feed those needs that only art can satisfy.
Photo credit: Christine Donnelly
Note: Practice Bakes Perfect is a bimonthly Cookie Connection blog feature written by Christine Donnelly that poses inspiration or challenges to get you to stretch as a cookie artist - for practice, for prizes, and for fun! Its content expresses the views of the author and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. Catch up on all of Christine's past Cookie Connection posts here.
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