Sunflower for Manu

Hi everyone, it's me, Ryoko

When was the time difference between Japan and Central time changed? 

I found out I could not make the flowers by the closing date for CCC #54 even though I made cookies less than I had planned to make and anyway they are not qualified because they are not wrapped like a bouquet.   Where did my wrapping things go?  I couldn't find any fancy things at my house....   Well, business woman needs only a business bag these days,  (what a colorless life! and no cute things)

If I could, I really wanted to make it since I have not made cookies for CCC by Manu and her birthday is coming.  Eventually I gave up making an entry to CCC with these cookies, but I made those, especially her favorite sunflower, that's for her early birthday.  Happy Birthday, @Manu biscotti decorati.

Now I tell you what are my challenges and how I made those cookies.

1  I usually designed my cookies and cut out as my drawing with a knife but this time I use my cookie cutters and I wanted to see what I could do.

This is how I made the leaves for strawberry.

Actually, you cannot see strawberry flowers and strawberry themselves anywhere in my flowers.  Flowers... I did not have time    Strawberries....  I ate them and couldn't find samples anywhere to look at. 

this looks good

I cut out 2 of them and layered them to make chrysanthemum

these are going to be the leaves of sunflower

The side of green flower I made.  I do not know the name of this flowers, they look like carnation but very small.

This one is going to be the leaf of chrysanthemum.

2. To bake cookies, I put some aluminum foil under cookie dough to bend cookies for themselves

  Hopefully they are going to look like natural flowers and leaves.

3.  Some sticks, I warmed them with a candle light and bend them slowly and gradually.

3   I used a brush to make the petal flat and make some lines (strings)

This is the first layer of the petals.

second layer of petals

to make them a little round, I used a plastic bottle.

Icing was on the cookie with a brush

Second layer of the petals are on the first layer

These cookies are assembled  to be a sun flower.

4  How I made other leaves

Left ones are for strawberry flowers and right one is for chrysanthemum.  Both are piped.

This is the center of the bud, waiting to be dried. 

And it became a bud.  How I pipe the petal is that I put two colors of icing into one bag that has a tip so, purple color comes our with white one. (upside right)

These are very small carnation-like flowers, that I do not know the names.  I found them at a flower shop.  I piped the petals with a tip.

Happy Birthday @Manu biscotti decorati, I planned to make two sun flowers, the other one I couldn't make was supposed to be three dimension and different angle.  I do not know even if I did have time, I could make it  as I imagined.  These flowers for your birthday, like I brought flowers to you in Italy.    Happy Birthday.   

Hi, Ryoko! I love this bouquet (and your mini tutorial in the comments)! What a special birthday gift for @Manu biscotti decorati. Though you posted too late to be considered for one of the challenge prizes, I added your photo to the challenge as it certainly meets all of the criteria, and I am sure @Anna_Sunday_Cookers will also be thrilled to see it. So wonderful to see you on the site as well! ❤️

@Julia M. Usher posted:

Hi, Ryoko! I love this bouquet (and your mini tutorial in the comments)! What a special birthday gift for @Manu biscotti decorati. Though you posted too late to be considered for one of the challenge prizes, I added your photo to the challenge as it certainly meets all of the criteria, and I am sure @Anna_Sunday_Cookers will also be thrilled to see it. So wonderful to see you on the site as well! ❤️

Hi, Julia!  It is really hot here or raining.  I am going to be either melted or drained.  Thank you for your  consideration, I have never thought I could make those cookies so near to the closing date.  As usual,  I spent a lot of my business-free time to find out the ways what I want to make with tools that I have.   Still some of them are not solved.  It means my challenge has not been over, yet. 

While I am not here, many people joined Cookie Connection and more pretty cookies!  That's really great to know. 

Wow Ryoko, this has been a tutorial inside another tutorial!! Thank you for sharing the process with so much detail!
Your kind and loving heart shows in your beautiful gift to Manu.
And your flowers are absolutely gorgeous! I’m glad they were included in the Challenge.
Not quite sure of the date, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear Manu @Manu biscotti decorati! You are such a blessing to us all. God bless you♥️

P.S. I really like how you achieved the various angles on the leaves. Quite clever!

Wow, so interesting and beautiful, Ryoko ❤️

Well, Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave., what can I say… “thank you” just doesn’t seem enough!

I love the sunflower, the mum, the leaves, the way you arranged the cookies in the cup, your detailed comment, your mini tutorial, the photos, your humor through the lines, everything! Thank you for finding the time to participate to the challenge, I know how super busy your schedule is and thank you for this wonderful gift.

I am sure Anna @Anna_Sunday_Cookers will be thrilled to see your piped flowers.

•••••••••••••

Now on a more personal note, but our friendship is really tied to this website and its cookies challenges.

I give some context for those new to Cookie Connection. Ryoko and I virtually met here on Cookie Connection in 2016 as two active and enthusiastic participants of the previous format of the Cookie Connection Challenges - Practice Bakes Perfect. We also had the chance to meet three times in person during these 8 years. This is really a nice story and thanks to Julia @Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Connection we made a connection and shared our passions for cookies and many other arts and crafts. (Ryoko actually met Julia in person, I havent had the chance yet, but I am confident that surely I will too one day!).

Ryoko after a few months that we met surprised me with a B-Day cookie and for the next eight years, EIGHT she has kept baking a cookie for my B-Day, no matter what! And every cookie has its own story. They are all posted here on Cookie Connection and I attached the photos below.

My dear Ryoko, thank you for being such a thoughtful friend. Once again you have surprised me. I so appreciate you 💙

@Manu biscotti decorati posted:

Well, Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave., what can I say… “thank you” just doesn’t seem enough!

I love the sunflower, the mum, the leaves, the way you arranged the cookies in the cup, your detailed comment, your mini tutorial, the photos, your humor through the lines, everything! Thank you for finding the time to participate to the challenge, I know how super busy your schedule is and thank you for this wonderful gift.

I am sure Anna @Anna_Sunday_Cookers will be thrilled to see your piped flowers.

•••••••••••••

Now on a more personal note, but our friendship is really tied to this website and its cookies challenges.

I give some context for those new to Cookie Connection. Ryoko and I virtually met here on Cookie Connection in 2016 as two active and enthusiastic participants of the previous format of the Cookie Connection Challenges - Practice Bakes Perfect. We also had the chance to meet three times in person during these 8 years. This is really a nice story and thanks to Julia @Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Connection we made a connection and shared our passions for cookies and many other arts and crafts. (Ryoko actually met Julia in person, I havent had the chance yet, but I am confident that surely I will too one day!).

Ryoko after a few months that we met surprised me with a B-Day cookie and for the next eight years, EIGHT she has kept baking a cookie for my B-Day, no matter what! And every cookie has its own story. They are all posted here on Cookie Connection and I attached the photos below.

My dear Ryoko, thank you for being such a thoughtful friend. Once again you have surprised me. I so appreciate you 💙

Thank you so much @Manu biscotti decorati for posting the memorable cookies.    They remind me what we had talked at that time each year.

I really couldn't find anything cute in my house to put those cookies with sticks.  I used a long drinking glass and put rice (before cooked LOL) to hold them.  I wanted to get some pretty beads but Daiso is closed at midnight or early morning.   I wanted to wrap them cutely but what I could find was Japanese newspaper....   

Now I look at what I made, pink flowers and blue flowers should be added... but my sleepy eyes couldn't overcome the wave of sleepiness.  And I couldn't see the details with my  magnifier.  　But the sunflower looks good to me!   That reminds me how we found the florist and we didn't know how to order.....in Rome.  That was fun.

@carouselselsel posted:

Wow, so interesting and beautiful, Ryoko ❤️

Hi Zara!!!!!!  @carouselselsel How are you?  It is so good to hear from you.   This year, I am going to find some time to make cookies for you!  I should start thinking what I make.

@Julia M. Usher posted:

P.S. I really like how you achieved the various angles on the leaves. Quite clever!

Thank you, Julia.  We are supposed to do something new to ourselves for the challenge, right?   So I thought I should do the shape of cookies and where I put sticks. 

The challenge was:  I make cookies by closing date.  What I wanted to make was in my mind but how?  I was thinking and thinking and when I realized, I fell asleep. 

@Heather Bruce Sosa posted:

Wow Ryoko, this has been a tutorial inside another tutorial!! Thank you for sharing the process with so much detail!
Your kind and loving heart shows in your beautiful gift to Manu.
And your flowers are absolutely gorgeous! I’m glad they were included in the Challenge.
Not quite sure of the date, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear Manu @Manu biscotti decorati! You are such a blessing to us all. God bless you♥️

Hi Heather

Thank you @Heather Bruce Sosa

My tables are so messy to take photos and other cookiers' tables look like mine while they make something new....     

@Manu biscotti decorati posted:

Well, Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave., what can I say… “thank you” just doesn’t seem enough!

I love the sunflower, the mum, the leaves, the way you arranged the cookies in the cup, your detailed comment, your mini tutorial, the photos, your humor through the lines, everything! Thank you for finding the time to participate to the challenge, I know how super busy your schedule is and thank you for this wonderful gift.

I am sure Anna @Anna_Sunday_Cookers will be thrilled to see your piped flowers.

•••••••••••••

Now on a more personal note, but our friendship is really tied to this website and its cookies challenges.

I give some context for those new to Cookie Connection. Ryoko and I virtually met here on Cookie Connection in 2016 as two active and enthusiastic participants of the previous format of the Cookie Connection Challenges - Practice Bakes Perfect. We also had the chance to meet three times in person during these 8 years. This is really a nice story and thanks to Julia @Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Connection we made a connection and shared our passions for cookies and many other arts and crafts. (Ryoko actually met Julia in person, I havent had the chance yet, but I am confident that surely I will too one day!).

Ryoko after a few months that we met surprised me with a B-Day cookie and for the next eight years, EIGHT she has kept baking a cookie for my B-Day, no matter what! And every cookie has its own story. They are all posted here on Cookie Connection and I attached the photos below.

My dear Ryoko, thank you for being such a thoughtful friend. Once again you have surprised me. I so appreciate you 💙

I love this story of how your friendship "blossomed" (appropriate for this challenge, right? )!

Beautiful cookies as always. Thank you for the tutorial Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave..

@Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. posted:

Hi Zara!!!!!!  @carouselselsel How are you?  It is so good to hear from you.   This year, I am going to find some time to make cookies for you!  I should start thinking what I make.

Hehe, my dear Ryoko, you are always so sweet ❤️❤️❤️ you know you don't have to, but I will be thrilled if do and always looking forward to what you do.

I am fine, thanks, hope you are fine too 💞

@Zeena posted:

Beautiful cookies as always. Thank you for the tutorial Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave..

Hi @Zeena. Thank you for your sweet comment 🌻

@carouselselsel posted:

Hehe, my dear Ryoko, you are always so sweet ❤️❤️❤️ you know you don't have to, but I will be thrilled if do and always looking forward to what you do.

I am fine, thanks, hope you are fine too 💞

Too hot to do anything here right now and I always look into fridge 😅

I love everything about this post. I love the cookies, I love the details, I love the commentary. Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this with us.❤️😘🍪

@LisaF posted:

I love everything about this post. I love the cookies, I love the details, I love the commentary. Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this with us.❤️😘🍪

Hi @LisaF

Thank you for leaving a comment!  That's really good to hear from you and I am glad that I haven't given up making them and posting them. 

Hello Ryoko, Thats are so beautiful Birthday flowers my dear cookie friend. Love the little leaves too. It's such great work.  @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. ❤️

@Manu biscotti decorati posted:

Well, Ryoko @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave., what can I say… “thank you” just doesn’t seem enough!

I love the sunflower, the mum, the leaves, the way you arranged the cookies in the cup, your detailed comment, your mini tutorial, the photos, your humor through the lines, everything! Thank you for finding the time to participate to the challenge, I know how super busy your schedule is and thank you for this wonderful gift.

I am sure Anna @Anna_Sunday_Cookers will be thrilled to see your piped flowers.

•••••••••••••

Now on a more personal note, but our friendship is really tied to this website and its cookies challenges.

I give some context for those new to Cookie Connection. Ryoko and I virtually met here on Cookie Connection in 2016 as two active and enthusiastic participants of the previous format of the Cookie Connection Challenges - Practice Bakes Perfect. We also had the chance to meet three times in person during these 8 years. This is really a nice story and thanks to Julia @Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Connection we made a connection and shared our passions for cookies and many other arts and crafts. (Ryoko actually met Julia in person, I havent had the chance yet, but I am confident that surely I will too one day!).

Ryoko after a few months that we met surprised me with a B-Day cookie and for the next eight years, EIGHT she has kept baking a cookie for my B-Day, no matter what! And every cookie has its own story. They are all posted here on Cookie Connection and I attached the photos below.

My dear Ryoko, thank you for being such a thoughtful friend. Once again you have surprised me. I so appreciate you 💙

Happy Birthday Manu, belated by me!!  @Manu biscotti decorati ❤️

Just beautiful and creative as always! 🌻🌻🌻