Julia M. Usher
Posts By Julia M. Usher
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Cookies
Hey, all! I need to be super snappy with this post, as I'm teaching at The Bake Fest all weekend, and I still have some prep yet to do tonight. Aside: As a means of enticing last-minute class-goers to...
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Halloween Cookies
In last week's Spotlight social media post, I said that one can never be too early with Halloween cookie planning. This week, I insist that the corollary is also true - one can never have enough Halloween cookies! And, so, it’s in this spooky spirit that I present you with another...
An Open-and-Shut Cookie Deal! Featured
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Cookies
Hi, all! We've had another active week with lots of great new cookie art having been posted to the site! Most of it is also featured in this week's hot list - so hurrah, and...
Cake Masters Awards Nominations Open!
Hi, all! It's once again time to celebrate your favorite cookie and cake heroes on a global scale! Yes, the Cake Masters Magazine Awards (conferred in Birmingham, England in November) are now open for nominations. You can nominate cookie and cake artists anywhere!...
Feedback Is Done!
Hi, 2024 cookie art competition entrants! Just a quick update to say that I have completed all of the feedback forms that were requested by the June 30 deadline! Hurrah! If you didn't get yours and think you requested it on time, please...
The 2024 Winner Reveal: Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™
As Taylor Swift (muse for this year's competition theme) would ask, "Are you ready for it?!" - "it", of course, being the grand winner reveal in the third virtual edition of Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™! From what I've witnessed online, I suspect so. And the good news is...
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Cookies
Hello, Cookie Connection members! I'm going to keep it brief this week, if that's all right with you. Between my competition wrap-up (the big winner reveal is slated for July 30) and all of the unexpected contractors and cleanup I've had to deal with this week...
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Food Lookalike Cookies
Around Tuesday of this week, with the release of Fall Cookie-A-Thon and the soon-to-be-released holiday edition of The Bake Fest looming large, my mind unexpectedly wandered from summertime-present to the future promise of pumpkin and pecan pies, spice lattes, candy apples, and all manner of autumnal treats. I was abruptly awakened...
What to Expect Now that Entries Are In!
First off, congrats to our entrants! As I've said before, you all should consider yourselves winners just for having successfully landed your entries on the virtual judging table by the June 30 deadline! You certainly are a...
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Cookies
My head was spinning with every walk down the runway at last week's Paris Fashion Week. Cutting-edge (crazy?) new fashion has the same gaze-stopping effect on me that...
A Special Gold Sponsor Shout-Out - and Entry Deadline Reminder!
There's no such thing as too many sponsor thank-yous! Indeed – especially when sponsors have knocked the ball miles out of the park. Such is the case with...
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Father's Day Cookies
With Dad's big day on Sunday, I really had no choice but to feature the top-trending Father's Day cookies this week! And so, below you'll see our ten honorees' various...
Final Live Competition Q&A Replay with Sandie Beltran of You Can Call Me Sweetie
Hello, cookie competitors! If you missed my last live competition Q&A of the 2024 season with judge Sandie Beltran (aka You Can Call Me Sweetie), no worries...
Last Competition Q&A of Competition Season - and It's with You Can Call Me Sweetie!
Hello, cookie competitors and those of you who are still contemplating whether to take the leap! I can feel the excitement building as we get closer and closer to the...
Saturday Spotlight: Top 10 Cookies
Hi, all! I am up in Maine for a few days at my home-away-from-home, trying to get some much-needed R&R. My springtime class schedule and contract renegotiation with my stencil partner (which spanned from December until now!) were...
A Heartfelt Thank-you and Important Update about My Kitchen Club and JULIA-brand Tools
My dear stencil customers and Kitchen Club members, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to share some long overdue and important news about a significant change in my Kitchen Club and JULIA-brand tools brought to you in partnership with Confection Couture Stencils...
Why Compete (in Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™) with Heather Brookshire of The Cake Whisperer
Still on the fence about competing in the 2024 Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™? Well, this video by Heather Brookshire (aka The Cake Whisperer) is sure to...
Competition Q&A and Gold Sponsor Spotlight with Lara Parodi of Sweet Bite APP
Hi, everyone! I’ve got another wonderful Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™ video for you! This session features our ingenious Gold Sponsor Lara Parodi, who...
Live Competition Q&A #2 Replay with Julia and Beatriz Muller
As I alerted you earlier this week, I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with judge and Gold Sponsor Beatriz Muller (aka Cakes by Beatriz/Gingerneers) for a chat about the judging process behind the 2024 Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™...