Maybe it's my non-stop cookie decorating of the past week. Or the fact that all of the projects I'm doing are ones I've done before . . . Or the sheer quantity of cookies (about 3,000) that have passed before my eyes, hundreds of which are the EXACT SAME shape . . . (I'm prepping for a series of classes in Europe, thus the design monotony. Case in point: below is a small fraction of the cookies made by my Barcelona baking team!)
Anyway, I'm not sure which of these things has most gotten to me - but I do know one thing: I feel a compelling urge to shake things up. No, I'm not going to shave my head (though on bad hair days like today, I'm tempted) or bungee-jump off the top of the St. Louis Arch (at least not before a stiff drink). I'm just going to mess with my traditional Saturday post!
Instead of featuring the 10 hottest cookies on the site, I'm about to do a first for me here on Cookie Connection by making a few (five, to be exact) personal picks. What?! Pick just five cookies from among the fabulosity on the site? No, not doing that either. (I wouldn't dare after the agony of selecting our Cookie of the Year!)
I'm simply going to point to five things that have happened on the site this week (and maybe last) that shouldn't be missed. I know, it's tempting to stay glued to the home page photos feeds (I fall prey to that addiction myself), but there's a wealth of stuff happening in the blog, forums, and chat rooms that everyone ought to know about. Ready or not . . .
#1 Pick: Dear Yankee Girl blog debut by Yankee Girl Yummies. The talented Kari Arroyo has joined Cookie Connection's team of dedicated contributors with a monthly "Dear Abby"-esque cookie decorating feature. Got an unanswered question, Kari's your go-to gal! While waiting for her email box to fill up, she posted this ombre heart tutorial this week, just in time for Valentine's Day. Stay tuned - we've got another crazy-skilled contributor joining us later this month, too! (Shhhh . . . she's a surprise!)
#2 Pick: Retro Apron Giveaway Courtesy of Mama & Madison. It's time to say so long to your worn-out sweats, and go cookie-glam with one of Tracie Esposito's custom-designed aprons. Her giveaway lasts until February 11, 4 pm central (more info here). But if you can't wait that long, you don't have to! Tracie is also kindly offering 10% off to anyone who purchases from her Etsy store before February 28 with the coupon code COOKIECONNECTION10.
#3 Pick: New Tips, Techniques, and Templates Clip Set. Thanks to The Cookie Connoisseur (aka Tracy Hicks) for coming up with this great suggestion - a non-cookie clip set dedicated to posting helpful tips! Whether simple photo suggestions or full-blown video tutorials, all forms of advice are welcome in this set. For an example of what I'm talking about, check out Tracy's inaugural post to this set - a photo tip about how to figure out exactly how much tinted icing to mix!
#4 Pick: CookieCon 2014 Speaker Series. If you can't make it to CookieCon in March, you can still get to know CookieCon's illustrious lineup of speakers! Woo hoo! Each week or so in the run up to the conference, I'm featuring an in-depth Cookier Closep with a different speaker. To read those interviewed so far (SweetAmbs, Chapix Cookies, and, most recently, Flour Box Bakery), just click on the "CookieCon 2014 Speaker Series" blog collection under "Blog" in the main navigation line. Or take a shortcut and click here! Next up on this coming Tuesday or Wednesday: Susan Schmitt of The Painted Cookie, who has a ton to say about transitioning a cookie business from home to a brick-and-mortar shop! Something you won't want to miss!
#5 Pick: Decorator Directory. OK, so you got me on a technicality: the directory isn't new this week. But I do freshen it up with cookier additions every weekend! Don't know what it is?! It's a place on site (accessible through "For Hire" in the main nav line or the button on the right side of the home page) where you can download a list of the Cookie Connection members who sell cookies, or at least the subset who have joined the list. Why join? It's the best way for people seeking cookie designers to see who is serving their area - in short, it's a lead generator. And we all need more business, right? To download the latest version or to sign up, click here for more details.
While you fully digest this week's Five Faves roundup, I'm off to pack for Barcelona! Enjoy the rest of your weekend; when we next connect, I'll be happily cookie-ing on the other side of the Atlantic!
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