Sunday, December 20, 2015

My Domed Cake Stand Cutters in the hands of True cookie Artists!

When I designed and copyrighted my Domed Cake Stand
Cookie Cutters almost three years ago, I was pretty excited...
But as much as I loved creating cutters inspired by some of my favorite
domed cake stands and enjoyed using them to create my own cookies...
My true wish was for my fellow cookies who received them as
gifts or bought them would share their designs with me too!
Well, guess what?
That's exactly what has been happening! So allow me to introduce them to
you... First to share her DCS cookies with me was Leah, who used rubber
stamps and colorful edible markers to bring these adorable designs to life!
Then, there was Lorraine... Her design using my Tall DCS
cutter featured a cake that was already partially served - Yum!
And, look! My darling friend Sue used all four of my DCS
cutter designs to celebrate a very special first birthday party!
Since I no longer create cookies often as I once did... I've been relying on my
friend Nicole to fulfill the requests I still receive. She's created amazing cookies
for my CPA and recently for one of my former bosses at Hanes - Cookies that had
to travel all the way to Pakistan, no less! After sending Nicole both sets of my
Domed Cake Stand Cutters, she used them to create this set for one of her clients!
I loved these cookies so much, and all of Nicole's work in general, that I
have asked her to come up with even more designs to help market my
Domed Cake Stand Cutters... I know you'll want to stay tuned for that!


If you have my cutters and would like to share your designs... Please do!
By the way... All four of my cutters are created by an American
Craftsman right here in the United States and I endeavor
to always ship on the same day your order is received!

If you don't already have sets of your own, hop on over to
my etsy store because just for you, I'm offering promo code
HOLIDAY15 for 15% off your order plus, you'll receive a
digital copy of my recipes and decorating guide, FREE!

Wishing You the Sweetest Christmas!
xo

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

How to Stay Calm During the Holiday Season!


The Christmas holidays are all about fun, family and friends, but the whole period can be a tad bit stressful at times. If Christmas feels like it’s getting on top of you this year, take a read though our handy tips on how to stay cool, calm and collected through the festive period.

Exercise
This may seem like an odd suggestion, but finding time for even fifteen minutes of exercise a day can dramatically boost your mood with stress-fighting hormones. Set aside a small time each day to elevate your heart rate, be it jogging, skipping or a brisk walk around the area, admiring your neighbors' Christmas decorations.

Plan ahead
Fail to prepare... Prepare to fail. Truer words have never been spoken, which are particularly appropriate this time of year. Christmas dinner is a juggling act, so plan ahead with pre-prepared meals which can be simply re-heated on the big day. Similarly, gifts can be ordered well in advance, saving you time and stress on the run-up to Christmas.

Eat healthy
In the weeks running up to Christmas Day, the house is often stocked full of treats and tasty food. Digging into your sixteenth piece of candy will only make you feel sluggish, so opt for a lighter, healthier diet on the lead up to Christmas. Drink plenty of water, preferably Brita filtered, to flush your system and be ready for a feast on the 25th.


Meditate
If you feel as though you’ve been running around for weeks, buying presents, visiting relatives and putting up decorations, you owe it to yourself to carve out some "me time". Meditation isn’t as hard or as new age as it sounds. Simply sit comfortably, with crossed legs or in a chair with a straight spine, and spend 10 minutes each day focusing on your breath and nothing more. Thoughts will come, but watch them go as you re-focus your attention on your breathing. Studies have shown a short practice each day can improve your ability to manage stress and foster a feeling of calmness.

Feel grateful
When we are seated around the table with our friends and family, ready to eat a delicious meal, it’s important to be thankful for everything you are about to receive. Christmas is often one of the loneliest times of the year for many, so spend a few minutes feeling grateful for everything you have, everything that is right at the moment and focus on all those special people in your life.

Christmas doesn’t need to be stressful, so make a decided effort this year to be level-headed and full of happiness. Merry Christmas!

Images by Y0$HlMl and Hernán Piñera used under the Creative Commons license.