It's easy for me to get a little site-centric, thinking (mistakenly, of course) that the cookie world revolves around Cookie Connection. After all, I spend at least four hours a day on site stuff! 
But I'm quickly jolted back to reality whenever I step away from my computer and venture to another cookie event - such as the recent Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show (OSSAS), founded and run by Food Network star Kerry Vincent. If you're not familiar with the event, it's the nation's largest - and arguably most prestigious - juried cake show. It also boasts a growing cookie contest that I have had the honor to sponsor and judge the last three years. (Okay, so I didn't judge this year, because I had some unforeseen issues that prevented me from driving to Tulsa . . . but I can't wait to get back into the judge's seat next year!)
So . . . today, instead of the usual site-centric Spotlight, I'm going to bring us all back to reality (as needed) by showcasing the three winners of the OSSAS cookie competition. I asked them to share photos of themselves in action, doing what they love to do, along with photos of their winning entries. In addition, I asked each to answer questions ranging from how they got started in cookies to what was the most challenging aspect of prepping for OSSAS.
And here's what they had to say . . . prepare to have your eyes opened!
First Place Winner: Lori Cossou
[EDITOR'S NOTE: And her winning entry and story . . .]
I started decorating when I was 14 years old (I won't say how long ago THAT was)! I loved to bake and cook, and learned to make cookies and pies from my Grandma at a very young age. But at home, whenever I would ask my mom if I could make something, her standard response was always "if you clean up your mess!" Sometimes that was enough to make me change my mind! (I didn't have to do that at my Grandma's house!) I was first inspired to decorate cakes and cookies when my oldest sister let me use her cake decorating tools to make birthday cookies and cakes for my family when I was about 14. I always loved being artistic, whether I was doodling, drawing, or painting, so cake and cookie decorating was just another creative medium that I fell in love with. I didn't dream at that time that it would take me as far as I've come today!
I work full-time decorating cakes and cookies in my shop, Lori's Creative Cakes & Cookies, which I opened 18 years ago. However, the cookies I do for regular customers are usually decorated in buttercream icing instead of royal icing, but still fairly detailed.
If I am doing very detailed cookies, it is challenging to make each one very special. But if I am doing only one design but on several cookies, I find it even more challenging to keep the designs consistent throughout the dozen (or however many I am doing).
Just like any other skill, it [cookie decorating] takes regular practice, doing research, and staying current on what is "in" now, regarding popular styles, colors, and techniques. But most of the time, my favorites are going back to the "old school" styles with detailed piping and vintage looks.
When I decided I might want to enter the [OSSAS] cookie competition, I started looking through all of my cookie cutters, making lists of the themes I might want to explore. With each one of those themes, the problem came with "displaying twelve cookies creatively". [EDITOR'S NOTE: The OSSAS contest rules require a minimum of 12 cookies "displayed creatively", though not necessarily in the theme of the cake show.] I really don't know how I settled on my final idea, but when I thought of doing 12 different cookie wedding cakes depicting the past 12 winning cakes in the OSSAS Grand National Wedding Cake Competition and displaying each on its own fondant-covered table, I was determined to get it done!
The most challenging part for me was making the paper templates and cutting out each cookie by hand, since the cookie cakes were all different shapes and sizes, and the cookies were tiny! (I had to fit all 12 tables within a certain amount of space, therefore, the cookies had to be very small to be in proportion to the tables.) I also wanted to do as much detail as possible on the tiny cookies so that people would recognize the cookie cakes from the past 12 years of the competition. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Phew! Indeed those cookie cakes were tiny! Great job, Lori, on your well-deserved first place honor!]
Second Place Winner: Gulnaz Woodworth
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Whaddaya say?! I think Gulnaz should get an extra prize for photographing herself with my book! 
While you decide, let me share her winning entry and story . . .]
I initially started decorating cakes about a year and a half ago, and then this year, I came across some of Julia’s books and her website. My first real effort at decorated cookies was this past April when I made a number of needlepoint decorated cookies for my husband on our anniversary. Since then, I have decorated cookies for special events of friends and family.
OSSAS was my first competition ever. Right now, I am decorating cookies and cakes as a hobby, but in the future, I would like to turn my passion for sugar art into a profession. One day I would like to have my own business where I can sell what I have created. It is the American dream! Much of my inspiration has come from Julia’s website and her books. I really like the way she uses different techniques. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Seriously, thank you so much for the kind words, Gulnaz! It thrills me to know that my work has helped and influenced people.]
My favorite themes are holidays and floral patterns. Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I am working on some cookies for the holiday. I think one of the differences between cookie and cake decorating is that while both use similar artistic techniques, cookies require more detailed and refined decoration due to their size.
I try to improve my skills by decorating cookies for special events of my friends and family, using different themes. I also watch different videos about cookie decorating to learn new techniques. In addition to my anniversary, I have specially decorated cookies for my husband’s birthday, a friend’s baby shower, and another friend who recently had an operation.
The OSSAS definitely made me think about different decoration ideas. It was a great experience, and a number of new friends and acquaintances were helpful in giving me ideas about techniques, places to buy tools and material, business tips, and advice on future contests.
Initially, I thought about doing a theme based on my native country of Kyrgyzstan. I was thinking about making a yurt, a traditional home in my country and some traditional ornaments, but I wasn’t sure if I would have enough time to make the designs. I then noticed a couple of Royal Albert vintage china tea sets with floral patterns. My plan was to create a flower design around the pattern of the green and pink tea sets. I tried to incorporate different techniques in my cookies, such as painting, needlepoint, stamping, royal icing, and fondant flowers. [EDITOR'S NOTE: And you did a wonderful job of this! Your set shows such variety!]
There were several challenges along the way. The first one was to come up with a good theme. The next one was figuring out how to get the cookies from Virginia to Oklahoma. I eventually found a plastic carrier that would fit all of the cookies and still go under the seat on the plane. OSSAS was a great experience for me, and I appreciate the fact that Julia and Kerry sponsored the competition. I was very happy to receive an award, and I look forward to a lifetime of sugar art decoration.
Third Place Winner: Briana Johnson
[EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't see too many cookies on this table, Briana, but I still love you! For proof-positive that Briana loves cookies too, check out her winning entry and story below.]
I’ve been baking and decorating desserts since I’ve been able to ask my mom how to turn on the oven. Cookies were the one area that seemed to intimidate me the most though. I became more serious about decorating cookies this year after spending hours and days watching and reading tutorials online.
I work full-time as a social worker and began a part-time job at a local bakery about two years ago. Having two jobs became difficult, so I left the bakery and started Baker’s Dozen XIII, my own home-based business.
I brought a platter of sugar cookies to work one day, and a co-worker asked if they had the “hard icing” on them. They didn’t, but that is when I started watching videos and reading tutorials about using royal icing.
I am still learning how to stay out of the way of the cookies, because “clumsy” is my middle name. I am very careful when decorating, but with cookies, I have to be extra careful because the risk of ruining a design is much higher. There is always that one cookie that I touch too soon, drop, or overfill when flooding. I’ve learned the importance of baking extra “just in case” cookies.
I take decorating classes and practice as much as possible. For practice, I like to bake several square or circle cookies and try out different techniques that I’ve seen.
At first, I thought I would do something really elaborate [for OSSAS]. I wanted to have 3-D decorations, stenciled decorations, fondant . . . everything. I drew out several designs and decided on one that I liked. When it came time for me to make the cookies, it was an epic fail. I thought about giving up. Then I told myself to just keep it simple and try again. I decided that I would focus on using bright colors in a simple design. I used kids’ coloring books and party invitations as my inspiration. I knew I wanted something fun, so I picked out six cookie cutters and asked myself what I could turn them into. I wanted to create characters that people had not seen before.
Keeping the design simple was a challenge. I was worried that I did not do enough. I also poked my finger into the freshly crusted icing of one of the cookies (I did not have extras) and had to find a way to cover it up. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Well, Briana, you did a super job of concealing that slip-up! If it's any consolation, I lost count of my inadvertent finger pokes a long time ago!]
So have these ladies piqued your interest? Are you ready to test your decorating prowess at the next OSSAS? If so, the show is October 3 - 4, 2015. The entry forms for 2015 aren't yet posted, but please check back regularly for updates on the OSSAS site. Congrats again to Lori, Gulnaz, and Briana for their fine work - and for having the courage to compete. What a great way to learn and grow!
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