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Saturday Spotlight: Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #1 Recap

Well, first of all - WOW!!!!! You guys are amazing! I'm inspired by how many of you took my inspiration challenge and ran with it! What a fabulous debut for the Practice Bakes Perfect challenge and it's all thanks to you!

 

As promised, with every challenge, the Cookie Connection contributors are shining a spotlight on some of the cookies that caught their eye. But this isn't a ranking, guys, because there were many more gorgeous cookies than we could call out - so be sure to check out all of the submissions!

 

But before the spotlight . . . we have a WINNER! We numbered the cookies from 1 to 46 in the order in which they were submitted, and Julia used that little online number picker, and TA DA! The number generated was number one! So Tami of Tami Rena's Cookies is the lucky winner of our prize this month - a custom-embroidered apron all the way from Italy!

 

Challenge 1 Spotlight

 

Congratulations,Tami! Email Julia your address, and she will send you your prize. 

 

On now to our cookie picks - and talk about a challenge. So many eye-catching and interesting submissions. Have a look at a few that stood out for us (listed in no particular order)!

 

Macrame Owl and Shag Rug by Fernwood Cookie

"NO WAY!!" That owl is not macrame, people; it's a cookie! This one was a definite favorite, as it so wonderfully captured the theme. We really appreciated that it used so many inventive techniques, and it was executed perfectly - the owl cookie being eaten would be the only way to prove it wasn't yarn!

 

The shag rug was great too. I'm looking forward to making my own sprinkles soon just to try it! Seems like it would be fun to eat, too.

 

Fernwood Cookies

 

The Early Years by Gigi's Fresh Baked

Wow! Double wow! This entry also blew us away with its complete embrace of the era, and its incredible trompe l'oeil effect on the cookie vase! Let's talk about the vase for a minute - one, it's a cookie; two, great pattern, colors, and textures; and three, it is filled with more awesome cookie flowers and leaves. AND not only that, but, hello, cookie painting on cookie stand! I think it is safe to say that Lisa gave us her all on this entry, and it shows. Outstanding!

 

Gigi's Fresh Baked - Copy

 

Retro Flowers by hez

This early entry was appreciated for capturing the essence of the board with great elegance. The colors are perfect, and the use of the teardrop shape for both the cookie array and each design is very nice. The combination of flat and raised wet-on-wet elements is lovely as well.

 

hez Retro Flowers - Copy

 

Parenting - Roots and Wings by Rocking Horse Sugar Decor

This entry tugged at our heartstrings with its sweet sentiment. The design is nicely whimsical, with cool abstract flowers. The airbrushing highlights, but doesn't distract. Wonderful colors as well!

 

Rocking Horse Sugar Decor

 

Crewel Flowers Plaque by Bakerloo Station

Another entry with great technique - this time the crewel embroidery. The look is very nicely captured here, and the sentiment is a wonderful one as well. 

 

Bakerloo Station - Copy

 

Mom's Dress, Repurposed by Dana's Daydreaming Cookies

Dana tells us this is her very first cookie! Wow - what a great first project! Wonderful color, professional technique, and a great design. The subtle 3-D effect of the frame is nice as well. Really very, very good for a first design - we predict great things in cookie for Dana!

 

Dana's Daydreaming Cookies - Copy

 

Mason Jar Bouquet by La Vie en Cookies

The sweet colors of this cookie are very appealing. The delicate handcut shape is lovely and highlights the flowers, and the way the stems appear to float in the water is a wonderful effect. And I for one am a great fan of cookies tied up with string - a very nice finishing touch here.

 

La Vie en Cookies - Copy

 

Sunflower Seed Flowers by Liesbet

These sweet cookies perfectly epitomize the crafty homespun ethos of the 70s. The color of the sunflower candies, their shape, everything! Great little retro designs.

 

Liesbet - Copy

 

Make a Wish Dandelions by Manchester Ovens

These cookies are evocative of the sunny meadow feel of the inspiration board, with dandelions that look like you could just blow them into the wind. Gorgeous colors in the background and a lovely free and loose feel to the design had us coming back to this set.

 

Manchester Ovens - Copy

 

Bobbin of Memory by El rincÓn de glass

The sewing element was introduced on the board with an embroidered sewing machine image, and this cookie in particular really took that idea to the next level. The wonderful 3-D elements of the needle and thread are great, and then that painting detail taken from my little baby shirt brought it all home. Like many of the entries, this one shows great photo styling as well.

 

El rincón de glass - Copy

 

What a creative and talented bunch you all are! Congrats to all who participated for stretching yourselves and giving of your time to share your art with us. In just a few days, you can look for the next challenge. This one is going to be a little different, but I hope you will like it. I know we have great prizes for it! Tune in soon and thank you all again!

 

All photos shown here are the courtesy (and copyright) of the designers listed.

 

 

Rebecca Weld came to cookie decorating from gingerbread house making. As a "real" architect, busy business owner, and mom of two small kids, Rebecca discovered that gingerbread houses had a way of getting out of hand, and that cookie baking offered her a more manageable artistic outlet. Always eager to be a part of the cookie conversation, Rebecca maintains an active Facebook page as The Cookie Architect, as well as Pinterest and Instagram presences. She makes cookies to inspire herself and others, to feed those needs that art fills in all artists: expression, sharing, stretching yourself. 

 

Photo credit: Rebecca Weld

 

Note: Practice Bakes Perfect is a monthly Cookie Connection blog feature written by Rebecca Weld 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 Rebecca's past Cookie Connection posts here.

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Images (11)
  • Challenge #1 Prize Winner: Tami Rena's Cookies
  • Macrame Owl and Shag Rug: Cookies and photo by Fernwood Cookie
  • The Early Years: Cookies and photo by Gigi's Fresh Baked
  • Retro Flowers: Cookies and photo by hez
  • Parenting - Roots and Wings: Cookies and photo by Rocking Horse Sugar Decor
  • Crewel Flowers Plaque: Cookie and photo by Bakerloo Station
  • Mom's Dress, Repurposed: Cookie and photo by Dana's Daydreaming Cookies
  • Mason Jar Bouquet: Cookie and phoot by La Vie en Cookies
  • Sunflower Seed Flowers: Cookies and photo by Liesbet
  • Make a Wish Dandelions: Cookies and photo by Manchester Ovens
  • Bobbin of Memories: Cookie and photo by El rincón de glass

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Comments (14)

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Congratulations Tami! I hope you enjoy, your lovely apron!! Congratulations to everyone who shared their cookie art in the Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #1. It was a pleasure to see everyone's creative cookies! Thank you, Rebecca for making the first Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge a success!  

Originally Posted by Dana ~ Dana's Daydreaming Cookies:

Congratulations Tami! I hope you enjoy, your lovely apron!! Congratulations to everyone who shared their cookie creations in the Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge #1. It was a pleasure to see everyone's creative cookies! Thank you, Rebecca for making the first Practice Bakes Perfect Challenge a success!  

No, Dana- Thank YOU!  It was submissions like yours that made the first challenge a success! 

Congratulations Tami! What a really special apron to have! Thank you for offering this cool challenge. I feel pretty proud to be one of the Saturday Spotlights, Thank you! The original idea in my head is not what you see in these cookies. I took a turn in design halfway through, LOL.  

 

All of the entries were so creative and beautiful and all so different from one another. It's really neat to see how others were inspired with the same pictures.  Thank you again! 

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