Cookie Ideas

I am inspired by everyone here.  I know I could never compete though.  I have information overload and just goof up everything.  I'd like to see others comment here too.

Donna, I feel exactly as you do but have noticed over time that with practice my skills are improving. I get cookie ideas from the amazing artists here, tutorials (my personal favorite), sites like etsy, flickr and pinterest, and just looking at pictures and thinking about how to "cookie it". It's immensely challenging but I love the art of cookie decorating!

It shouldn't be a competition though - at any rate, this site wasn't set up to be one. It's more about sharing and learning. I find that when I start thinking competitively, it's when I am most self defeating and least creative.

I usually just think of things in everyday life that I'd like to cookie; then I see what cutters and molds and things I have that can help me construct that vision.

All the artists here inspire me and I am so grateful for all the tips and techniques that they willingly share.  As for coming up with new ideas, Sugarbelle probably said it best and I find that I am developing "cookie-think".  Often I look at ordinary things and think about how I could turn that into a cookie. I also was intimidated when I first saw all the beautiful cookies that are posted here and didn't want to show anyone my sad attempts but everyone here was very encouraging and now I look forward to the comments and try to take advantage of any constructive advice. 

I see inspiration here, from all the talented contributors ("experts" and beginners, alike!).  I also try to look for small motifs and colours, shapes and sizes that can be easily translated to cookies.  it never has to be perfect! A lot of the time, I doodle on paper, and that's where some design inpiration comes from. Colours mostly.  I use markers and just draw like when I was a kid.  You'd be surprised what happens! 

Just go with your gut.  It's all good! 

Smiling at everyone and the comments!  I guess everyone knows that I feel defeated and disillusioned.  This is true.  But it doesn't stop me.  If good old Mother Mary (nun) were still here I might crumble here habit for saying "Dona, you can do anything..."  lol

Sometimes, if I am in a real "cookie-think-funk" I go over to Michael's and look up and down their sticker isle (for scrap booking) and around the rest of the store for anything that might pop out at me that I could turn into a design on a cookie. Believe me; We all start somewhere...If it would let me post a picture on this thread right now, I'd post my very first attempt at Easter cookies...I thought they were so beautiful at the time and I look at them now and think, "what a hot mess!" The saying practice makes perfect is no joke! Keep trying.

I find inspiration in the most unexpected places- from product packaging to commercials (a holiday car ad on television inspired my recent "gears" cookies!), to the designs on my kids clothes and diapers! What I think takes the most "practice", is being able to look at something so ordinary and think "How can I turn this into a cookie?". It's challenging at first, but gets fun, the more you do it!

thanks ladies!