Vintage Valentines (Cookie Celebration)

Whew! Mixed media WAS a challenge. In these Vintage Valentine's Day cookies I've used royal icing transfers, stenciling, stamping, wafer paper, luster dusts, hand painting and intricate piping.  It was fun. Not a fan of wafer paper at the moment. Some closeup photos on my Facebook page : Facebook/Cookie Celebration

This set is GORGEOUS!  Difficulties aside, you totally rocked this.  But tell us, what about the wafer paper did you find so irksome? 

Bakerloo Station posted:

This set is GORGEOUS!  Difficulties aside, you totally rocked this.  But tell us, what about the wafer paper did you find so irksome? 

Well, I love that it adds an element to my cookies that I could not otherwise "paint" myself...that was very valuable and I've wanted to try it out for a long time.  I found shaping it into bows, or making 3 dimensional flowers out of it difficult and unsuccessful.  I had to hand paint some additional details over the images as the printout, although good quality, didn't give enough "punch" to the overall picture.  I'll use it again, I just had the expectation that I would be able to use it more dimensionally than I was able to.

Cookie Celebration posted:

Bakerloo Station posted:

This set is GORGEOUS!  Difficulties aside, you totally rocked this.  But tell us, what about the wafer paper did you find so irksome? 

Well, I love that it adds an element to my cookies that I could not otherwise "paint" myself...that was very valuable and I've wanted to try it out for a long time.  I found shaping it into bows, or making 3 dimensional flowers out of it difficult and unsuccessful.  I had to hand paint some additional details over the images as the printout, although good quality, didn't give enough "punch" to the overall picture.  I'll use it again, I just had the expectation that I would be able to use it more dimensionally than I was able to.

That is very interesting and definitely good to know.  I just bought my first pack of wafer paper this week and have been a bit afraid to use it!  I will definitely prepare myself for issues lol!

Bakerloo Station posted:

Cookie Celebration posted:

Bakerloo Station posted:

This set is GORGEOUS!  Difficulties aside, you totally rocked this.  But tell us, what about the wafer paper did you find so irksome? 

Well, I love that it adds an element to my cookies that I could not otherwise "paint" myself...that was very valuable and I've wanted to try it out for a long time.  I found shaping it into bows, or making 3 dimensional flowers out of it difficult and unsuccessful.  I had to hand paint some additional details over the images as the printout, although good quality, didn't give enough "punch" to the overall picture.  I'll use it again, I just had the expectation that I would be able to use it more dimensionally than I was able to.

That is very interesting and definitely good to know.  I just bought my first pack of wafer paper this week and have been a bit afraid to use it!  I will definitely prepare myself for issues lol!

I'm sure it is my lack of technique at the moment as I've seen designs beautifully done.  I'll have to explore other's processes.  Also, it tastes like the "host at communion time!"  I'll have to explore more!

Absolutely love these.  Really spectacular.  I also very much enjoyed the exchange regarding wafer paper.  So much to learn and the sharing sure is helpful!

These are absolutely stunning! You brought so many techniques successfully together to create vintage valentine art!

Suzie09 posted:

These are absolutely stunning! You brought so many techniques successfully together to create vintage valentine art!

 

Thank you so much! It was fun to take the challenge.  You  learn a lot about your own style, what you like to do, don't like to do, and might work further on to master!

LisaF posted:

Absolutely love these.  Really spectacular.  I also very much enjoyed the exchange regarding wafer paper.  So much to learn and the sharing sure is helpful!

Thank you! Wafer paper has its value but I'm still on the fence.  The fact that it doesn't taste like anything baffles me in its use but it is a nice feature to make a cookie pretty extraordinary if you're not a painter in realism.

These are gorgeous! As I play the role of challenge enforcer , I have to ask which of these cookies contains four or more of the techniques listed in the challenge? Could you please state that cookie in a comment and list those four techniques? I could hazard a guess, but this statement is a requirement of the challenge. Many thanks.

Also, just a couple of comments about wafer paper:

(1) It needs to be lightly and evenly moistened in order to shape it into bows and such. I use a barely damp sponge or cloth to moisten the back and then shape as I like. (Just made a bunch of tendrils where I twisted thin strips around a paint brush.) Some people use atomizers/misters to moisten for more control.

(2) Icing Images has a new wafer paper that is vanilla-flavored; it's much better than the plain stuff (though still a weird papery texture, of course). I also like this paper because it has a little more body and is a little more naturally bendable than some of the others I've tried. http://www.icingimages.com/wafer-paper 

Julia M. Usher posted:

These are gorgeous! As I play the role of challenge enforcer , I have to ask which of these cookies contains 4 or more of the techniques listed in the challenge? Could you please state that cookie in a comment and list those four techniques? I could hazard a guess, but this statement is a requirement of the challenge. Many thanks.

Sure!  Okay.  The bottom left has the silicone mold used, the angel is wafer paper, the background is stenciled with gold spray, and the red roses are royal icing transfers. The large red one in the middle has a wafer paper for the middle picture, royal icing transfers. The bottom right uses wafer paper (angel) and wafer paper with stamping for the "happy valentine's day" banner.  Royal icing transfers for the roses, hand painting for the background lettering. For the bark look I used royal icing with a brush technique and then painted on using a dry brush technique, some white food coloring to add some depth.  Upper right cookie uses wafer paper for the angel and I doubled up the wings and arrow holder with another level of wafer paper. Royal icing transfers for the flowers and hearts with luster dust on the hearts and flowers. Hand painting to get a vintage look to the background on top of a crackled look achieved using SweetAmbs etching technique, and hand painting of smaller leaf and branch details.  Middle cookie top row: the background was sprayed with gold and then I hand painted the lines and the white stems leave on the flowers inside the inner heart surrounding the wafer paper angel.  Piping for the inner heart, royal icing transfers for the flowers. And, finally, upper left cookie, wafer paper angels and red heart. Royal icing transfers for the gold-brushed hearts and roses, silicon mold blue flowers were done by painting the cookie with white and blue food gel mixed together, same antiquing and crackled effect used for the upper right cookie.  I added some depth to the wings by overlaying some royal icing and spreading it out a bit.  I painted over some of the wafer paper designs to obtain a more detailed image as the printing was a little light on the wafer paper.  Gold luster dust used on most of the cookies, either as powder or mixed with a bit of alcohol.  I think that's it!!

Jimmynee Cricket !  Geesh! Looks like a lot of work. Beautiful photo. Maybe the wafer papers don't have flavor so as not to interfere with the flavor of the cookies.

ClassicCookies by Parr posted:

Jimmynee Cricket !  Geesh! Looks like a lot of work. Beautiful photo. Maybe the wafer papers don't have flavor so as not to interfere with the flavor of the cookies.

I guess, but I wanted to do more three dimensional things with the paper and cannot imagine eating it as something separate from the royal icing. I definitely have to explore more with it, especially after learning that you have to moisten it a bit in order to work with it properly! (thanks Julia!)

Totally misunderstood your request Julia!! So sorry for the lengthy tale.  Okay, I think the bark cookie has all four: Wafer paper, royal icing transfers, hand painting, stamping (on the Happy Valentine's Banner).

Julia M. Usher posted:

Also, just a couple of comments about wafer paper:

(1) It needs to be lightly and evenly moistened in order to shape it into bows and such. I use a barely damp sponge or cloth to moisten the back and then shape as I like. (Just made a bunch of tendrils where I twisted thin strips around a paint brush.) Some people use atomizers/misters to moisten for more control.

(2) Icing Images has a new wafer paper that is vanilla-flavored; it's much better than the plain stuff (though still a weird papery texture, of course). I also like this paper because it has a little more body and is a little more naturally bendable than some of the others I've tried. http://www.icingimages.com/wafer-paper 

I have to try that out! I was afraid to moisten it and have it melt on me but I really want to try and get more depth out of this technique.  I'll check out Icing Images as well. Tx.

Cookie Celebration posted:

Totally misunderstood your request Julia!! So sorry for the lengthy tale.  Okay, I think the bark cookie has all four: Wafer paper, royal icing transfers, hand painting, stamping (on the Happy Valentine's Banner).

Great. Thanks!

Julia M. Usher posted:

Cookie Celebration posted:

Totally misunderstood your request Julia!! So sorry for the lengthy tale.  Okay, I think the bark cookie has all four: Wafer paper, royal icing transfers, hand painting, stamping (on the Happy Valentine's Banner).

Great. Thanks!

You bet, and the Icing Images website is a very good resource.  I like the tutorials I just scanned and better understand how I would use this to achieve more depth! Love the steam idea used on the site.

Wonderful!!!!  

These are extraordinary!!! I absolutely love your work !!

Just EXQUISITE! You did a beautiful job incorporating all of the variety of techniques.

ive tried julia's technique and didnt think i did too well        i agree w cookieceleb     lol     ive seen that wafer paper      maybe im wrong  i think i woul dhave to buy more sheets than needed    i bought plain      i play w it now and then     but not good at it     my lack of experience            and  i really dont think im good at anything   hahahaaaaaaaaaaaa  i do love looking at everyone's art   achievements     though     and big hissssssssss to allayouuuuuuuuu    hahahaha            okay   you did a stupendous job      really a beautiful set            bravooooooooooooooooo

donaharrisburg posted:

ive tried julia's technique and didnt think i did too well        i agree w cookieceleb     lol     ive seen that wafer paper      maybe im wrong  i think i woul dhave to buy more sheets than needed    i bought plain      i play w it now and then     but not good at it     my lack of experience            and  i really dont think im good at anything   hahahaaaaaaaaaaaa  i do love looking at everyone's art   achievements     though     and big hissssssssss to allayouuuuuuuuu    hahahaha            okay   you did a stupendous job      really a beautiful set            bravooooooooooooooooo

Thank you Dona!  The wafer paper thing...I think it's a matter of seeing someone else work with it in a video and practicing! That's the idea of the Practice Bakes Challenge though, we explore new things.  For instance, I can paint very well with regular acrylic paint (not on cookies of course!), but I'm terrible at watercolors.  That is why I think I'm so uncomfortable painting on cookies - it's a lot like using watercolors.  So I keep on trying and I found that mixing white in helps me stabilize my look a bit more. Keep on trying new things...you don't have to fall in love with every technique. Arrrgggghhh, I'm still going to go after that wafer paper!!!!!

I love your cookie collection.  They are so beautiful.  

Mily posted:

I love your cookie collection.  They are so beautiful.  

Thank you Mily!

donaharrisburg posted:

ive tried julia's technique and didnt think i did too well        i agree w cookieceleb     lol     ive seen that wafer paper      maybe im wrong  i think i woul dhave to buy more sheets than needed    i bought plain      i play w it now and then     but not good at it     my lack of experience            and  i really dont think im good at anything   hahahaaaaaaaaaaaa  i do love looking at everyone's art   achievements     though     and big hissssssssss to allayouuuuuuuuu    hahahaha            okay   you did a stupendous job      really a beautiful set            bravooooooooooooooooo

Dear Dona, I think you are too hard on yourself!!! You have a lot of talent but it seems that you don't see in yourself...I love your tenacity and willingness to try anything!!! That takes a lot of courage which I definitely don't have!!! Too afraid of making mistakes and then I'll trying to figure out how to workaround what I don't like and turn it into something I do like. It's amazing to me how many times I've been able to do just that. Lol. I just love your attitude... Keep it up!!!

Cookies Fantistique by Carol posted:

donaharrisburg posted:

ive tried julia's technique and didnt think i did too well        i agree w cookieceleb     lol     ive seen that wafer paper      maybe im wrong  i think i woul dhave to buy more sheets than needed    i bought plain      i play w it now and then     but not good at it     my lack of experience            and  i really dont think im good at anything   hahahaaaaaaaaaaaa  i do love looking at everyone's art   achievements     though     and big hissssssssss to allayouuuuuuuuu    hahahaha            okay   you did a stupendous job      really a beautiful set            bravooooooooooooooooo

Dear Dona, I think you are too hard on yourself!!! You have a lot of talent but it seems that you don't see in yourself...I love your tenacity and willingness to try anything!!! That takes a lot of courage which I definitely don't have!!! Too afraid of making mistakes and then I'll trying to figure out how to workaround what I don't like and turn it into something I do like. It's amazing to me how many times I've been able to do just that. Lol. I just love your attitude... Keep it up!!!

smiling    i can go on a fiery    rampage     lol           not sure if i have talent    thinking i should hang it up   but then i icontinue to try   lol          im a hit it or miss it    ive done some that made top ten   got spotlights      but i think i mostly go on a downhill slide into the sewers           lol         

Hi, FYI, I removed these from the 3-D cookie set because they don't fit that clip set's definition, which is a 3-D construction comprised of more than one cookie. While these cookies have some dimension/relief, it's not achieved by building a cookie structure. Thanks.

So beautiful!!