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My second week of making cookies for food distribution at the local community center was definitely shakier than the first.  I decided to make strawberry cookies.  I've been trying to learn more about colors, how the icing darkens as it dries, etc.  I really don't recall exactly what I was thinking but I used a lighter shade of red for the base and, after it dried, it was much too light to be a strawberry.  So I decided to airbrush the royal icing with a deeper red.  It was a complete disaster!  There were so many things wrong, the majority of which were my own mistakes.  They were blotchy, the airbrushing pooled in random patterns and they looked terrible.  In addition, the surface became extremely tacky!  I could not get it to dry up.  So I had to brush each cookie with corn starch to get rid of the tackiness.  I did whatever I could to cover the surface, including an enormous number of seeds and dangling strawberry blossom.  I was finally able to get something at least suitable to give away, even if it wasn't as nice as intended.  A few days later, I watched Julia's @Julia M. Usher video on airbrushing and it helped me figure out at least some of what went wrong.  But as I said, a lot of mistakes were made.  

I'm including photos of the horrific airbrushing, a close-up of the redemption and the final package.  I made 150.  It was certainly a learning opportunity.  And a solid excuse for an extra glass of wine!

strawberrystrawberry close-up [2)strawberry airbrush

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It's always a learning experience, isn't it?!! If airbrushing large swaths of cookie with a very saturated color, I prefer to use alcohol-based coloring as it will spray more evenly, evaporate more quickly, and rarely pool like the water-based ones. I'm using it on some dimensional poppy flower cookies I'm making now, because the water-based red just looked too wet.

So, to whom exactly are all these cookies going? Such a nice donation!

It's always a learning experience, isn't it?!! If airbrushing large swaths of cookie with a very saturated color, I prefer to use alcohol-based coloring as it will spray more evenly, evaporate more quickly, and rarely pool like the water-based ones. I'm using it on some dimensional poppy flower cookies I'm making now, because the water-based red just looked too wet.

So, to whom exactly are all these cookies going? Such a nice donation!

I'm going to try the alcohol-based coloring next.  I really did learn so much from your video regarding water versus alcohol based coloring.  I'm trying to up my airbrush game (I guess my whole cookie game, to be honest!)  I did notice that I do not hold my airbrush correctly.  Despite watching all of your videos on airbrushing, I realized that a good deal of my problems with stencils is definitely operator error.  

The cookies are being donated to the community center of a small coastal town on the Chesapeake Bay where we have a home.  It's a typical east coast locale with a population that swells in the summer months.  There are a lot of small businesses closed because of Covid-19.  As a result, the center has turned into a food distribution hub serving people who never imagined they would have the need.  I decided to make 150 cookies each Friday to give them a sweet way to start the weekend.  The strawberries were last week and I just dropped off this week.  I am learning so much and enjoying it tremendously.  Though I have donated large batches before, this is my first time doing them on a regular basis.  I have a whole new appreciation for professional commercial cookiers!!

And even if they didn’t look suitable to you, I’m so sure you brightened 150 lives with your gift of love! God bless you and, thank you!!♥️

Thank you so much @Heather Bruce Sosa.  People do seem to be happy with them so I've been reminding myself of that (though admittedly, I haven't been in the mood for strawberries since!! 😂

Way to go!  Thank you for sharing them with us.... mistakes and all.  It's so hard to remember that the people who will get them will never judge them has harshly as the maker.  They see a great looking cookie and are happy to get a special cookie that is yummy to eat.  I applaud your kindness!

@LisaF posted:

I'm going to try the alcohol-based coloring next.  I really did learn so much from your video regarding water versus alcohol based coloring.  I'm trying to up my airbrush game (I guess my whole cookie game, to be honest!)  I did notice that I do not hold my airbrush correctly.  Despite watching all of your videos on airbrushing, I realized that a good deal of my problems with stencils is definitely operator error.  

The cookies are being donated to the community center of a small coastal town on the Chesapeake Bay where we have a home.  It's a typical east coast locale with a population that swells in the summer months.  There are a lot of small businesses closed because of Covid-19.  As a result, the center has turned into a food distribution hub serving people who never imagined they would have the need.  I decided to make 150 cookies each Friday to give them a sweet way to start the weekend.  The strawberries were last week and I just dropped off this week.  I am learning so much and enjoying it tremendously.  Though I have donated large batches before, this is my first time doing them on a regular basis.  I have a whole new appreciation for professional commercial cookiers!!

Such a great thing to be doing! Keep showing us your weekly offerings!

@E. Sherwood posted:

Way to go!  Thank you for sharing them with us.... mistakes and all.  It's so hard to remember that the people who will get them will never judge them has harshly as the maker.  They see a great looking cookie and are happy to get a special cookie that is yummy to eat.  I applaud your kindness!

Thank you so much @E. Sherwood. I really have been enjoying the experience despite the setbacks. I’ve also learned that I have to become better about time management and a whole lot neater! Our clean-up supplies are limited these days!!

Lisa, these are so amazing @LisaF!! What an awesome gift of love and time . I salute you my dear...your efforts and beautiful cookies are likely appreciated more than you know ❤️❤️

Lisa, these are so amazing @LisaF!! What an awesome gift of love and time . I salute you my dear...your efforts and beautiful cookies are likely appreciated more than you know ❤️❤️

Thank you so much Carol @Cookies Fantastique. I’m really enjoying how much I am learning. 

Oh dear Lisa, it looks like hard work... So many cookies!
I like the strawberry blossom on every strawberry. Beautiful job Lisa! @LisaF ❤️😘

Thank you so much Gabi @Icingsugarkeks. I’m slowly carving out a schedule that isn’t too overwhelming. I’m working very hard on time management 😝🤪🤣

@LisaF posted:

Thank you so much Gabi @Icingsugarkeks. I’m slowly carving out a schedule that isn’t too overwhelming. I’m working very hard on time management 😝🤪🤣

Oh dear Lisa, I immediately believe that at the many cookies !!

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