The Great Gingerbread Giveaway from Tunde Dugantsi

Oh how wonderful - I am always in awe of the gingerbread designs Tunde does. I cut a whole gingerbread family the other day (7) and was thinking I would love to to them all in the traditional white work that she does - I will have to belay that as the set is now going out clothed for another Fundraiser - this time for another defibrillator for St Johns. But I did decide before reading this that during the Winter Months (May-July here in New Zealand) I would cut more and play/practice. These books and set would really help with that now wouldn't they Thanks, Kat

I am a "newbie" to decorating, and would love to have these prizes to help me learn more about decorating cookies and cakes, thank you for offering such a fantastic prize!

I have always loved gingerbread houses and would love to make one using a lighted interior with isomalt windows. I would love to win this giveaway and learn some of the awesome techniques.

Who doesn't want this prize?! I have wanted to make puffy heart shaped cookies like Tunde's but I can never find any tin like that in Japan.
This year I made a gingerbread house all covered in RI for the first time. It was great fun.

Planning on my first ever gingerbread house this Xmas....from scratch!  My 6 year old is excited to be the "decorator"

Gingerbread cookies were a tradition on our Christmas tree when the children were small.  They got to eat them as they undecorated the tree...it was a good incentive to get them to help.  Last year I made some ABC gingerbread men for my grandson's kindergarten class.  Also made my first gingerbread house from scratch.  I already have Tunde's books but would love the molded cutter set.  Thanks for the giveaway.

I have never really worked with gingerbread before, but I'd love to try. I'd really like to make a gingerbread tree house, filled with woodland friends!

Thanks for the great competition. I already have and love the Christmas book and molds so if I win I will share my prizes . I love working in gingerbread, I'd like to try some 3d new designs though my Christmas houses are always fun to do.

I've never heard of this cookie decorator before, but oh my her work is beautiful. I've learn a lot since joining Cookie Connection, Thanks Julia. I'm looking forward in the next couple of weeks to introduce 4 kids (ages 3-9) to decorating Gingerbread houses and cookies. This should be a lot of fun having them over and getting all messy. We can only wait and see where their imagination will take them. Would love to win these books and that cool 3D heart cookie set (I ❤️ Hearts!).

I used to make my children gingerbread creations every Christmas, train, ski village, down town market scene... something different every year.  I'd love to try my hand at this type of gingerbread.  Thank you for the chance... I'm off to share on both my FB pages now.

Hey!!! Faboulous gift!!! My best cookie is a gingerbread house, I maded it the last week, it was a present for mi blog followers and I worked 4 days with this. It was very fany and I like repeat the experience. That's!!!!

Hi there! It's hard to pick a favorite - I've made houses every year for my grandkids since 2000, and several before that.  Some years were better (and worse) than others!  But I think the most fabulous so far was a group of houses I never saw completed.  My client ordered four UNdecorated houses, along with "trim" cookies - doors, windows, wreaths, trees, topiaries, etc.  She invited close friends of her son to decorate them together.  This year it's SEVEN houses, and I'm almost through baking.  Next year I might start in October!

Fabulous gingerbread hasn't happened for me yet, but with this prize it sure could! I love the intricacy of design, the details...and to be able to replicate that would be awesome!! Thanks for the opportunity!!

So here's my "most fabulous" story. I see pictures of beautiful cookies in my mind, like I wake-up in the morning with an inspiration and then I'm haunted by the image until I create it. Having said that, I've done art all my life but I'm new to cookieing. My friend Rebecca (The Cookie Architect) got me hooked over wine and white Russians a few months ago (many thanks!) Anyway I create something and adore it, then I create something and fumble with my tools or with the recipe I used and the cookie falls apart or the frosting is too think or will not harden and I eat the evidence! And I learn and I grow, and I try again a little wiser and a little more determined to do better. I digress, last night, my frosting was too think, and too thin (mixed too long?, too cold from the fridge) and my tips were too big. Did I mention this is my first batch of gingerbread cookies? Well, I (as most people this time of year) noticed a few pound weight gain and had vowed to begin eating healthy on this fateful morning (so eating the evidence was out of the question). I drew a beautiful whimsical picture on my cookie (and loved it) I was all set to put the frosting on and fumbled with every step. I messaged Rebecca with my stress (while I'm sure she was in the middle of dinner or playing with her little ones) and she said “with small detail, I always paint”. It was too late to just paint the cookie, but I also couldn't eat it. So I just set it aside and got a different cookie to work on, to soothe my frustration. It was wonderful and healed my stress, meanwhile (here's the fabulous part) my very talented daughter (16 years old) picked up my failed cookie and as per usual, patiently and with much talent “fixed it”. She created her own lovely cookie out of my mess. I was able to affirm her talent, she was able to make beauty out of mess and we had a great time making cookies together. Here's a picture of both.

Thanks for the giveaway! I shared this post on Facebook because it's the only social network I use I only have made some gingerbread men at Christmas three years ago, but I hope to make something more original this year as homemade Christmas gift!

My first gingerbread construction project was the PBP #7 entry but it was such fun that I want to try more.  I am always in awe of the wonderful European style gingerbread artworks that I see here.

I would love to be able to try to make one of those beautiful gingerbread creations. I say every year I am going to make one and then we usually use one of the cheesy kits. Shameful I know,  Maybe this will be the boost I need to get started. Thanks for this great giveaway.

First gingerbread house walls were supported by my prenatal vitamins. Since it was a high risk pregnancy no one knew at work. Took the house to work and two days later someone ripped the roof and the vitamins were in full display !!! So much for me keeping the secret.... 

I've only done simple gingerbread men.  I've got more cutters and will try for something a bit more dramatic this year.  I love Tunde's work & those books would be fantastic!  I got the molds right when she made them available here in the US, so I would definitely gift those this holiday season.

Oh my! I am in awe of the Tunde's creations! Every year I make very simple gingerbread cookies, I've never attempted the magnificent ones that I see. I've also never done a house, although it's on my bucket list. LOL Part of the problem is that I get so busy around the holidays I don't have time to work on projects just for me. I may have to create a gingerbread beach house in the summer.

 
My gingerbread girl is the one that makes me more proud of. It represents my first daughter (chapis means "the short one") and my work. It's not made from flour and butter, but hope and love.

Thank you Julia and Tunde for being so generous.

The only gingerbread I have done was make a little gingerbread house with my son when he was in kindergarten. It was a great day being able to spend time with him on a little project for school. 

Hi dear! What a nice giveaway! The only gingerbread creation I have made was a batch of 45 gingerbread men that I made last weekend for a customer. But I hope to make beautiful 3D gingerbread houses on day, it's on my bucket list! :-)

Thanks for a great giveaway!  I shared on FB & tweeted!  We had gingerbread houses when I was little.  My favorite was one that my Mom made, stacking gingerbread logs (just like Lincoln logs) to build a cabin. Santa was even coming down the chimney.  My kids are at the perfect age to appreciate a gingerbread house.  I need to get on it and start making some new traditions!  Hope these books will inspire me!

Well, in my 25+ years of decorating cookies, I can honestly say that I have never (yes, never) done anything with gingerbread. However, I hope to do some of the 3D heart creations at Valentines. Tunde - you are amazing! Thanks for sharing your talent and gifts with us!

Awesome, awesome.love the beautiful gingerbread!!!The books look wonderful! have played with gingerbread for years, The neatest was a gingerbread Church and village made for our dining room table, let the kids eat it at my sons birthday party on Jan. 4th. One little girl just could not get enough, her Mom would never have believed she loved it so!! A great memory!!

I love to make gingerbread people. Every year, I do a cookie decorating party for the neighborhood kids and I think they like the people best. I aspire to do the delicate work that Tunde does. It s beautiful!!

I am always amazed by Tunde's fantastic designs.  She is truly an inspiration to me.  What a wonderful give-away and I would love to win :-)

 

Wow, what a great giveaway! Last year, I made a gingerbread TARDIS (from Doctor Who). It was definitely my most unique gingerbread creation but I have also made birdhouses as Christmas gifts and regular houses, too! I LOVE GINGERBREAD!

 

[EDITOR'S NOTE: SINCE WE ALLOW ONLY ONE COMMENT PER PERSON ON GIVEAWAYS, I'M COPYING RESPONSES TO LAUREN'S POST ABOVE DIRECTLY BELOW AND DELETING THE DUPLICATE POSTS]

 

From Tiffany Nash to Lauren:

Lauren's response:

The Tardis got me started cookie decorating! I had such a hard time with the letters and started practicing and next thing you know... Here's my Pinterest link. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/206250857908699810/ 

Ok, so my dear daughter is a HUGE Dr Who fan so I REALLY must see the Tardis gingerbread as we have a family gingerbread party next weekend! Please share.

 

My gingerbread story is really my son's. He entered the Nat'l Gingerbread Contest held in Asheville, NC in 2007 and WON the Junior Division. He and a buddy created Santa's Hawaiian Vacation complete with a scuba diving Santa, elves in a hot tub, etc.

 

Here is a link to the video clip:

http://youtu.be/VzhHPiC9gPI

I love gingerbread so much I saved and traveled a total of 24 hours to meet with and learn from Aniko. 

The most beautiful gingerbread peace I have made so far was in her shop but since then have enjoyed incorporating some of the techniques into my everyday work. 

Thank you for the wonderful offer.

I am taking a break from decorating some gingerbread cookies as I type this.  I have a top coat flooded and now waiting for them to set.  I love great ideas and challenges in decorating cookies.  I think all info is good info.

I would love to make a Victorian gingerbread house and a gingerbread church, someday. Shared this post on Pinterest & Facebook

Would LOVE those books! Just playing with mini houses this year for the first time!

Gingerbread snowflakes! I just love the aroma while decorating!

czimrn@aol.com

The only time I worked with decorating anything gingerbread was when my Mom who was living with Alzheimer's disease, and I put together a pre packaged gingerbread house and decorated it.  It is one of my favorite memories of our final Christmas together.  We ate all the leftover candy!

I greatly admire both julia and tunde's work. I am new to the art of cookie decorating and have been doing a lot of it with the holidays coming up. I hope to make a 3 d heart and a cookie box one day and these tools provided in the give away will help me to achieve this goal

Seeing all the beautiful gingerbread houses / villages I'm in aww!! I've always wanted to make one and this year I finally did!! I'm a beginner at cookies but it's a field I need to exspand too.. ( mostly cakes and figurines)
Winning this would be a blessing and would be put to great uses!! I soooo want to make a gingerbread light up village for my mom , dad and sister . this is the FIRST Christmas we will have together in 34 YEARS!!

I'm new to decorating cookies, and would love to win these prizes to help me learn more about decorating and backing cookies, especially gingerbread, I love gingerbread!!!!

 

Last year I have made some Christmas cookies and everybody loved them, the only person who wasn’t so happy about them was me . . . I’m my worst critic! 

Well, I'm not on social medias.  lol  I love Tunde's work!  I think Aniko is on CC..  Not sure.  But if she is the Aniko I see posting here and that I compliment, I love her work too!   

Had I known her book is out/published I would have bought it. Gosh darn it!

I'll go to Barnes and Noble...  

What a lovely giveaway.  I got into gingerbread a little later in life.....I've only made three, but they were all large.  Each time I thought, what was I thinking!  I make gingerbread houses now in tribute to my Gramma that passed.  I never got around to making one with her and now I make them in her honor.  My third project is the one I'm most proud of...Cindy's Castle.....I had a couple meltdowns in the process of making it and I'm still learning easier ways to do things and such so it's a great learning adventure. 

I would like to make gingerbread houses and give them to my friends.

For the last few weeks I have been caring for my mom in her home.  She was just recently diagnosed with a brain tumor that is not treatable and has very little time left - according to Drs..  Your sites have been a little window of joy into my world!  At the moment I can only dream of designing these beautiful works of art and have begun to draw out designs on paper.  It is looking like this may be our last Christmas together and I believe for years to come, I will think of her  and our Christmas together when I'm designing gingerbread art.  Thank you again for such amazing inspiration!  

 

[FROM JULIA: So sorry to hear about your mom. Such a heartfelt sentiment to share with us. May you treasure this holiday together.]

I am yet to make a gingerbread house despite having two books on the subject.  Mostly a matter of time but will get to it one day.  I would love to do a Christmas barn with animals included.  I have the heart molds already but have been wanting the books and have a cookie friend to whom I could give the molds. 

I just recently did my very first gingerbread house.. here in Mexico is really hard to find some of the traditional ingredients such as molasses, golden syrup, sometimes even ginger... but after a few years doing "fake" gingerbread houses (sugar cookie dough) this year I made the first batch and I totally loved the consistency of the cookie.. is a strong, sturdy cookie with a really lovely smell.. smells like Christmas with Santa of course.. mine looks like decorated by kids, but I'm still proud of finding and making a suitable recipe

WOW!  I love the tin heart mold and recipe!! I made my first gingerbread house last year with only white royal icing, and hopefully I can make another one this year with coloured royal icing...

 

My two sisters and I have been making gingerbread cookies for the past 4 years as a way to give to local charities.  Our most difficult cookie was an 8 inch snowflake with color flow and piping.  Made several and they were a huge hit.