Watercolor Wedding Favor

This is my first challenge and first post so hoping I'm doing this right!  I loved that the packaging was included as an element to consider.

I tried to think about making each component fairly simple and quick to make in batches to keep production in mind plus allow for breakage and painting outside the lines without losing whole cookies.  All painting techniques were loose and quick. The base cookie is a 3.5-inch square flooded in white.

The cake is a white royal icing transfer that I watercolored once dry. Colors were inspired by the floral inspiration photos.  I used Sugarflair eucalyptus, Americolor blush and silver spruce, and Wilton creamy peach; diluted with alcohol to vary intensity.

The eucalyptus branches on the cake are wafer paper I cut using an svg image, then brushed with a bit of both green colors above with a squidge of alcohol for quick evaporation.  The flowers are royal icing transfers, same palette. I wanted the branches and flowers to give some dimension, tried layering in a little stenciling too but that didn't turn out quite as I imagined.

I cut a small acetate stencil with the same branch image (commercial licensed) plus the Mr. & Mrs. image (self-made svg, licensed font) for the stenciling on the right side. Big learning point for me was the practice I need on lettering.  My original design plan was a vertical date on the right but I wasn't happy with my number piping so work to do there - and maybe a projector investment - I would love suggestions and favorite tools on that front!  I’m newer to this medium from candymaking.

The cake stand is also a transfer, I went with the dark gray to bring in the charcoal stationary color and the beading look to reflect the plate edge from the table setting and the darker berries in the floral arrangement.  I piped the stand in black, added small gunmetal color dragees to the plate layer, and dusted with silver when dry to lighten.

Packaging is a square bamboo base with clear top container I use for candy orders with some shiny white baker's string to add a little sparkle without blocking much design.

Thanks for such a terrific challenge, so glad I tried it.  I had a lot of fun planning as well as making and learned a lot!

@Julia M. Usher posted:

Hi, Marilyn ONeill, Congrats on making your first post. I look forward to many more to come!

Thanks, Julia, I've already learned how not to post two clips accidentally Sorry about that!

What a terrific entry Marilyn. I love it!

Beautiful cookie Marilyn @Marilyn O'Neill. I love the colors. You've matched your packaging with the colors of your cookie. Great job.

Well done (it's me this time, for real; my first response was automated)! I love the watercolor treatment on the cake, and how it dovetails with the liner in the box, and the various interplay of techniques! Great first entry!

Congrats to your first post and challenge entry!! It's sooo beautiful! Have fun!! @Marilyn O'Neill ❤️

@Zeena posted:

Beautiful cookie Marilyn @Marilyn O'Neill. I love the colors. You've matched your packaging with the colors of your cookie. Great job.

Thank you so much!

@Julia M. Usher posted:

Well done (it's me this time, for real; my first response was automated)! I love the watercolor treatment on the cake, and how it dovetails with the liner in the box, and the various interplay of techniques! Great first entry!

Thanks for the encouragement, Julia!

very pretty! great approach for mass production! very clever on the cake stand beads to bring in the dark gray!

I love the colors and texture!

Using royal icing transfers to decorate your cookie is such a smart idea. I like that they can be created well in advance, which means less work when it comes time to finishing up the order. The colors, media, and textures work beautifully together. And the "watercolor" cake looks like a piece of artwork. Your packaging is beautifully decorated and coordinates perfectly with your wedding favor.

Love it!!

@Virago posted:

very pretty! great approach for mass production! very clever on the cake stand beads to bring in the dark gray!

Thanks so much for your kind comments!

@Sweet Prodigy posted:

Using royal icing transfers to decorate your cookie is such a smart idea. I like that they can be created well in advance, which means less work when it comes time to finishing up the order. The colors, media, and textures work beautifully together. And the "watercolor" cake looks like a piece of artwork. Your packaging is beautifully decorated and coordinates perfectly with your wedding favor.

Numbers and font work definitely take practice if you're doing it freehand. Perhaps, others can chime in as well, but personally, I tried a few different methods (such as the tissue paper and edible marker method) before I ended up buying a Pico projector. I found it to be much easier and quicker to trace an image or font work with the Pico, and the cost was offset by the time saved decorating.

Many thanks for your thoughtful comments and suggestions!  What a lovely group this is!

@Elke Hoelzle posted:

I love the colors and texture!

Thank you @Elke Hoelzle!

Great entry! Marilyn   The colors of your cake are very pretty🧡💚

Really beautiful watercolor technique Marilyn @Marilyn O'Neill!! You did an awesome job of creating the cake and then using gorgeous flowers to accent the cookie. Awesome work ❤️❤️ Hugs...

@Ryoko ~Cookie Ave. posted:

Great entry! Marilyn   The colors of your cake are very pretty🧡💚

Thank you so much @Ryoko ~Cookie Ave.!

@Cookies Fantastique posted:

Really beautiful watercolor technique Marilyn @Marilyn O'Neill!! You did an awesome job of creating the cake and then using gorgeous flowers to accent the cookie. Awesome work ❤️❤️ Hugs...

Thanks for the kind comments, @Cookies Fantastique, sending hugs right back