About a week and a half ago, my friends and I posted some cookies that I had made for a Creative Retreat and the response was unbelievable! I told a few people I would do a tutorial on this super easy process. Seriously, it’s almost impossible to botch! You can even erase a mistake! So come on and let me show you how to do this :).
First of all, this is my favorite cookie recipe for this type of cookie. They are fool-proof every time. I frost these cookies with royal frosting found here. Remember when preparing royal frosting, your mixing bowl and beaters need to be grease free so wash them with warm, soapy water, a cool rinse and dry. Once you have frosted your cookies, they will need to harden overnight. The supplies I used to decorate the cookies are shown below:
I generally like to use gel paste and put them in an artist’s tray. You will need to add touches of alcohol (the kind drinks are made from) to your paste with your paintbrush. Now, my biggest suggestion here is to invest in a really nice paint brush. I use a “round” and/or a “liner” brush. They will run you around $5 but the results will be way nicer than using a child’s cheap paint brush where the bristles fall out. Take my word on that.
Anyway, I keep a cup of cool water nearby because you will want to clean your brush often. Painting on these cookies is just like watercoloring. Actually, I think they are easier because they are small. If you make a mistake, just use a damp paper towel to gently wipe off the error or in some cases, use a clean, damp brush to wipe away small mistakes. To make my flower, I make a light-colored circle using my paint brush that has been dipped in an “inky” base of gel paste and alcohol. I don’t fill the flower in all the way. Looks more “watercolor-y” that way 🙂 but you can fill it in if you like.
I then start adding little strokes with a deeper shade of the same color. I add just touches here and there. Not too much. Sometimes I come back in with a slightly different shade of a color to add variation. Remember a flower is not really just one color! Good combos are corals, pinks and reds or coral pink, orange and yellow. Always use the lightest shade first.
Monogramming is my favorite part because it means you are INTENTIONALLY thinking of that person! YAY! I love to make things that are purposeful for someone. It makes me happy and i hope it has the same exchange rate!
Did I explain this well enough? Do you think you will give it a shot? I would love to hear what you think.
I hope you will come back on Friday when I share my HUGE, FANTASTIC Estate/Garage Sale finds from last weekend. I had the BEST hoarding day…err treasure-hunting day in a very long time. You won’t believe what I got and how much I paid for it! Hope to see you then.
XO,
Debi
Fabulous tutorial = LOVE! End results = just stunning!
BTW, any mistakes can be easily enjoyed by eating them! LOL!! <– Margie's tip from this post…heehee!!
I adored my beautiful cookies. What an incredibly thoughtful gift idea. I finally gave in to munching them down and they were sooo delicious! XOXO
So glad you liked them Cathe. Thank you. There are more where those came from :). Creative Retreat Round 2 :).
Thank you for posting the recipe and the tutorial! Couple of questions, how do you get your cookies to bake so round and perfect? Also, after you paint the designs on the top, does the gel easily wipe off, or will the designs dry and stay on?
You made the most amazing cookies! Never have I seen any so fabulous and I felt soooo lucky to be one of the happy recipients. Beautiful just like you.
AW! Sharyn, you are one of my sweetest friends! Love you to the moon and back!