Water Lilies | Manu

I have never made so many round cookies since I started cookie decorating. I made so many because I wanted to display my non-entry in layers and I needed to leave at least 12 cookies with edges clearly visible, per challenge requirements.

My cookies range from a diameter of 2 in/ 5 cm to 4 in / 10 cm.
I relied too much on the fact that I baked almost perfect circle-shaped cookies, therefore I thought I’d just needed to pipe outline along the edge, without drawing any circle on the cookie. Although I felt I kept improving cookie by cookie (from the smaller ones in the middle onwards), the outcome wasn’t so perfect at the end and next time I will need to flood circles I will use a template. I personally found easier piping outling starting at 6 o’clock and proceeding anticlockwise, keeping the tip raised enough to have in sight the edge all the time.
I kept practicing with circles by piping all the lily pad transfers. I didn’t have clear in my mind how to arrange the final set so the leaf transfers gave me more versatility.
I can surely say that I developed that “muscle memory” mentioned by Christine @Bakerloo Station and now I can pipe and breath at the same time 😊

The inspiration to make this set came from a recent trip to Vietnam. I took a lot of pictures of things that I would like to cookie-fy (one of them is already in my February tutorial) and the water lilies below are some of them (photos by Manu).

I just needed an idea to make the set though, so when I read Christine’s article about the challenge and the requirements, immediately the set began to take shape in my mind, as every circle was a potential lily pad or flower. Thank you once again Christine!

Moreover, among the pictures of Christine’s article there was the Autumn set by Samantha @Aproned Artist which reminded me about her tutorial. It came in handy, as I developed her technique to bend the leaves in a way I could build my water lily flowers. Thank you, Sam!

The flowers are made of royal icing. The petals are royal icing transfers piped one by one and then glued to a royal icing center.

Gorgeous!!!

Petra Florean posted:

Gorgeous!!!

Thank you, Petra!💕

Oh, so gorgeous! Those flowers are beautiful after your hard work! Congratulations, Manu💞

Heather Bruce Sosa posted:

Oh, so gorgeous! Those flowers are beautiful after your hard work! Congratulations, Manu💞

Thank you, Heather! It was fun to make them, though it took me more time than flooding all the circles! 🌸

So pretty - they remind me of the lilies we had in a fish pond in our yard years ago.

Thank you, @Nikki Carriere! Glad you could recall memories as well while looking at this set of cookies!😊

WOW Manu, this set is brilliant, fantastic and so perfect and beautiful again. Can't stop looking at it. I think a tuto on how you made the flowers would be great. I also wanted to do a water lily set one day. Now you inspied me and I'll give it a try sooner or later. 

Hi Manu!   Great work as usual!  I'm envious of your trip to Vietnam, as that has been a place high on my list for quite a few years now, don't know whether we'll ever make it now alas. I can only imagine how much the beautiful country of Vietnam inspired you, bet you've got loads of wonderful memories of such a beautiful country?

Manu, that's why I am so proud of you, this set is sooooo perfect and so beautiful.   I am really happy to see your work.  I write you again, after I read what you wrote.  

Now I know how you made those beautiful cookies, Thank you for telling us how you did. 

Great

carouselselsel posted:

WOW Manu, this set is brilliant, fantastic and so perfect and beautiful again. Can't stop looking at it. I think a tuto on how you made the flowers would be great. I also wanted to do a water lily set one day. Now you inspied me and I'll give it a try sooner or later. 

Thank you, Zara, @carouselselsel!😊 Probably the flat lay doesn’t give enough justice to the flowers. I was glad to be able to make this set and to check it off my “to do list “ of cookies! Try to make one while you feel inspired. The challenge was out in perfect timing, with my memories still fresh. 

Carol-Anne posted:

Hi Manu!   Great work as usual!  I'm envious of your trip to Vietnam, as that has been a place high on my list for quite a few years now, don't know whether we'll ever make it now alas. I can only imagine how much the beautiful country of Vietnam inspired you, bet you've got loads of wonderful memories of such a beautiful country?

Thank you @Carol-Anne!😊 Yes, so many memories and there are still a few I woud like to try to express with cookies, while they are still vivid in my mind.

Teri Pringle Wood posted:

Great

Thank you, Teri 🌸@Teri Pringle Wood🌸!

So,so pretty ! what a wonderful set !

cakemodeling posted:

So,so pretty ! what a wonderful set !

Thank you so much!😊

Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. posted:

Manu, that's why I am so proud of you, this set is sooooo perfect and so beautiful.   I am really happy to see your work.  I write you again, after I read what you wrote.  

Now I know how you made those beautiful cookies, Thank you for telling us how you did. 

Thank you, Ryoko! @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.🌸 I was waiting for a second comment after you finished reading what I wrote, then I realized you have edited this one and added a line. Yes, royal icing transfers starting from Samantha ‘s @Aproned Artist’s tutorial.  It has been so much fun!

incredible!

Liesbet posted:

incredible!

😊😊😊Thank you, @Liesbet 💕

So pretty, Manu. I love the flowers. I’ve been contemplating trying that out with a more succulent style plant, and now I know it works!