As Autumn is getting closer, we’re working on our inventory of cookie collections for the season.

You’ve already seen a preview of turkeys and Halloween, now feast your eyes on our football collection. I know it looks an awful lot like Tom Brady’s jersey (he’s so cute), but we are from Boston and the bulk of our core customers are New Englanders who happen to be big Pats fans.
Keep in mind that if you really, really, really wanted me to, and you don’t mind paying a little bit more for a customized single tin, I could ice the jersey, helmet and cheerleader in different colors. We’d probably need a few days to customize the cookies, but it can be done. Just call or email if you want a different color combo.

Customized baseball jerseys and hats to go into the Pennant Fever collection for a client in Milton, MA.

Another highly detailed collection for new home owners, or home owners who have recently sold their home.

All the detail is not complete here, I still need to detail the front door, the welcome mat and the deed.

Oy, a client called on Monday to have these in NYC by Wednesday.
Yikes, talk about a last minute order!!  The standard ground shipping from VT to NYC is two days.

These had to be baked and iced at the last minute on Monday night, and shipped overnight on Tuesday for Wednesday delivery!!

All bagged and ready to be taken to UPS.
Mind you, I don’t tie the ribbons into bows on our favors. If I did, I’d never get anything done. I just thought these would be pretty for the picture.

My cute little crocodile all wrapped and tied with my favorite color green ribbon!

Note cards that Karla sent me, aren’t they sweet?!  I love the little sparkly stones on them.

How cute?!

Karla, thanks so much. I love the note cards. Let me know if your friend that makes then has a website. I’d love to post a link.

Love, love them!

I’m hoping that Wednesday I’ll be able to finish all the detailing on the 200 wedding cake cookie towers. They take so long. I have 120 left to finish.

Until then, have a wonderful day!

Bye for now.

These were made for a client sending a tin of cookies to a Northeastern University student (or grad, not sure I just ice the cookies here).

I had a few extra, so I’m shipping them off to a friend who is an N.U. graduate.
I’m sure she’ll appreciate them, right Maureen???

Part of a larger order, scroll down to see the yellow ducks that went out with this order. Half chocolate dough and half vanilla.

This is my work station in the bakery. I keep magazines and mail by my side even though I never read any of it until after work.

An action shot of me turning the tray around.

One sheet pan complete!

I also worked on some baby girl cookies today. These are very hot sellers right now. We can’t seem to keep them in stock!!

Finally, I have a bunch of cookie cutters that have never ever been used. So today I had Dave bake off a few of these shapes. I think they came out really cute, especially the pink sparkly sugar.

Recently, I’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time reading blogs.
A combination of food, design, paper, lifestyle, decorating and preppy blogs. I just have a lot of different interests. That’s what happens when you’re 38 and on your second career.

So, on with the reason I started this post.
In poring over different blogs, I have found many interesting and fun blogs. I’ve even begun to shop from them.

Here are some clever, handmade goodies that I’ve bought.

Really cute headband from Keeks and Brie. You have to check out their adorable handbags, watches and everything else. So cute!

Slippers from Monogram Me. Love them, but it’s already cold at night here in VT, so I’m not wearing them too much. I do plan to wear them while on a mini vacation in NYC!

I’m so ordering some picture frames and night lights for holiday gifts. Plus, I definitely want the large monogrammed umbrella.

A set of beautiful Thank You cards in our company colors to be sent out to clients and event planners that make large purchases. Cards made and designed by Preppy Paper Girl.
I’m most definitely ordering monogrammed cards for holiday gifts, and possibly a couple of ornaments for me!

I know it’s late in the year, but this is the little something that we’re sending clients with big orders. A half pint can of pure Vermont Maple Syrup, a little maple leaf cookie, and a pretty card.
I think next year we’ll do maple sugar candy cause I don’t think Vermont cheddar will ship very well!! (especially in the summer).

Now, I ‘ve also made a number of purchases from Preppy Petunia. She’s so very talented and made some super cute table runners for my annual summer party, along with a matching apron. I also love to give her hand towels as hostess gifts.

The best part of my blogging/shopping experience is that I get to buy things that are unique and hand made by regular people. Not a giant factory in some other country.

If you’re in the market for a really nice, unique, and fun gift for someone, you should definitely check out the above mentioned shops.

Go on, click the links!!!

After our guests/volunteers left on Saturday, we headed over to the Farmer’s Market in Rutland. There’s always a great selection of tomatoes, corn, cheeses, veggies, and all kinds of crafts.

It’s funny to me that the Farmer’s Market, which is all about buying locally made and grown products is in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart.

We bought some organic tomatoes, amazing scallions, mozzarella made from buffalo milk and some really good sourdough from Bear Mountain Bakers

After the Farmer’s Market we stopped at the mall to see about a new exercise bike at Sears. Apparently the Sears in Rutland doesn’t carry exercise equipment because we couldn’t find any. We didn’t ask anyone either, so it’s possible that they sell it and we just couldn’t find it.

This is the view of the mountains from the parking lot of the mall.

After checking out Lisagh’s finds at Old Navy, I thought, since we’re at the mall we might as well just see what they have.

So I ended up with a really cute argyle polo, super cute navy sandals, khaki Bermuda shorts, a fine gauge cable cardigan and a watermelon colored tank. Not shown is the new workout pants and top.

I’m trying to get back into working out every morning and new exercise clothes are a great way to get myself motivated.

I also got some new sneaks at JC Penney. I don’t know that I’ve ever been in a JC Penney, but they did have some cute Izod sweaters and shirts on sale. (I’m probably going back next week for a sweater).
Ugh, look how pasty my legs are. You can tell I’ve spent my entire summer icing cookies in the bakery. My sneakers are cute though, about as cute as sneakers can be, they do have pink on them! I used to be a size 8 1/2, which is pretty average. Well my new Nikes are a size 9 1/2. Eeek, I have giant feet.

Finally, I got my swap partner this morning and couldn’t be more excited. I was so surprised to see it was someone who’s blog I read regularly, so I have some really fun ideas.

Off to test drive my new sneaks!!

Bye for now!

Today was time for our volunteers to pack it in and head home.

On our last night, the girls and Dave made some custom cookie cutters. Abby chose a panda and Nicole chose an anteater.
After they sketched their animals, made the cutter and baked the cookies it was my turn to help them decorate the cookies.

Nicole’s anteater in shades of brown.

Abby’s panda bear with my favorite polka dot grosgrain ribbon.

I made a wedding cake cookie tower for each of the girls to take home.
We still have to detail and assemble 200 towers!

We also worked on some baby shower favors.

I iced more barbecue cookies. I honestly didn’t think I’d be making any more of these until next summer, but we received an order for 9 tins.
Next week I hope to work on more Autumn cookies for a change.

Hamburgers and hot dogs, the hot dogs are getting easier, but the hamburgers have so many steps. They’re very time consuming, yet super cute.

Lemonade, watermelons and pickles

Abby and Nicole posing with their wedding cake tower cookies right before leaving.

Dave and I had such and enjoyable two days with the girls. Hopefully they’ll be back for more cookie icing!

Dave and I are exhausted from our work load this week, so I thought you’d like to see a couple photos of some of the wild life in VT.
Knewts and cows, probably just what you’d expect, but I get excited every time we see a deer, cow, horse, beaver, or donkey!
I know I promised a tour of the bakery, and I’m working on that so keep checking back. For now, enjoy the animals.

I don’t know how I spotted this little guy in the grass, but I thought it was a toy that one of the hundred kids that have visited us this summer left behind. Wait, it’s moving!

Look how crazy red he/she is. We’ve been here almost a year and a half and this is the first one of these I’ve seen. And two days later I found another one in front of the door to the bakery. Is it knewt season or something??

We found these little babys on the way to the PYO blueberry patch that ended up being closed. Getting to see the calfs made the trip worth it though.

Aren’t they just the cutest??!! Makes me want to stop eating beef. But, maybe I like it too much, now I feel bad.

Seriously thinking of cutting out the beef.

Oh, those last two aren’t wild animals?

This week is yet again another crazy busy week for production. We got all kinds of orders for custom work and for tins that we didn’t have on hand, so we had a million colors to mix.
On top of that we have an order for 200 wedding cookie towers. This is an awesome job again provided by one of our favorite Event Planners, Carolyn Perlow.
The cookie towers sure look like a pretty simple affair, just some iced rounds, a monogrammed top and a bead border around the top of each layer. Well, let me tell you, these cookies are extremely labor intensive.
First, massive amounts of dough must be made. Then over 1600 rounds are cut and baked. All the rounds are outlined by yours truly, and our Cookie Campers are all set to start filling in the outlined rounds!
Thankfully, we have 2 enthusiastic young volunteers to help out. As well as my Aunt and Uncle. (who are also enthusiastic, but not as hilarious as the girls)
Today was our first day of production with our volunteers. They reported for duty 1 hour early and did a spectacular job of icing, assembling boxes, cutting and baking the dough and washing the dishes.
Hopefully tomorrow they won’t be sick of cookie production.

Nicole and Abby cutting out the shapes.
Nicole is working on yet another job that I forgot to mention, but more about that another day.

Don’t they look like professionals?

Abby’s loading up the freezer with some of the chocolate rounds. The wedding cookie tower order is for 100 chocolate and 100 vanilla.

The shapes get chilled before we bake them. This helps them keep their shape.

It takes a lot of concentration to cut cookie dough!

Abby even got to help Dave package those Republican elephants, now she’s shrink wrapping the tins. Abby’s now a fully cross trained volunteer.

We iced all these cookies today!!!
I swear these are the most rockin’ volunteers. They iced all these for some cheeseburgers and a badminton match!!

AND- we even got a Presidential Speech and a sock puppet show. Don’t ask what I’m talking about, but trust me it was the most entertainment I’ve had since we got rid of Satellite TV.

Please moms, send them both up here once a month!!

A sneak peek at what we’ll have for Autumn and Thanksgiving. The turkeys are a lot of work, but the simple leaves help to keep production moving.

We’re trying to get all of Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving collections ready for an appearance that we’ll be making at the Phantom Gourmet Food Festival in Boston on September 20th.

If anyone’s in the area, we’ll be giving out cookie samples and showing all of our collections for 4th quarter!

I’m starting to get a little anxious for fall.

I iced some vanilla birthday cookies earlier this week.

Disclaimer: I am not a Republican, or a Democrat. I like to be independent so I can vote whichever way I want.

But I’ll sell either cookie to anyone that wants to pay!!

And without further adieu, the construction (hard hat) cookies. All wrapped and ready to ship. I’m really digging this grosgrain polka dot ribbon. I need to find a wholesaler that carries it. As of now, I’m buying tiny spools of it at Michael’s.

I’ve never really been a fan of TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Maybe because I spent so many years working in retail and getting employee discounts on all kinds of fancy designer clothes, home furnishings, jewelry etc.
After reading a particular blog where the author seems to score some really great stuff, I decided to check out my local TJ’s.
Now, I didn’t even know we had a TJ’s in the area. We don’t seem to have much of anything in the way of shopping, unless you like the local dollar store. Sorry, I guess I’m a bit of a snob.
At any rate, we ventured into TJ’s to buy a gift card for my SIL who apparently LOVES TJ’s.
I am now addicted. Even Dave was amazed at some of the really nice home furnishings and table top. I am particularly obsessed with bedding and towels, and of course dishes, serving dishes, glasses, silverware. Ok, so I’m obsessed with a lot of things.
I’ve been to TJ Maxx 2 more times now and got a set of bed linens each time. Oh, I find lots more that I would be happy to purchase, but with a small business, I need to save my pennies for the next big order of butter and vanilla.

Check out the super cute bedding I got for the guest room.

I was a little worried about the pink, but Dave liked it more then the previous set of bed linens.
Of course, now I have to change all the artwork. I’m working on an inexpensive way to do that, and will post pics as soon as the last picture hook is hammered in.
In the meantime, the cats have been getting the most enjoyment from the new bedding.

Franklin looks so blissful.

They even brought the orange mouse skin to bed.
Casper loves to peel the furry skins off her toy mice.
A true lioness!

Franklin really enjoys this particular spot.

I hope our next guests don’t mind a little cat fur on their sheets!!

A sneak peek at our Halloween cookies! I made this tin last year, but tweaked some of the designs and changed one of the coffins.

Dave doesn’t like the skeleton hands on the R.I.P. coffin. He thinks they are too abstract.

These aren’t Halloween.
What’d you think? I was going to spoil the surprise with all Halloween cookies.
Well, check back tomorrow for some turkeys.

I think these lobsters look shocked!

Can anyone figure out what this is suppose to be? Dave loves it and thinks its the bees knees. I’m not so sure. I would have preferred to do the detail in yellow. It’s for a boys birthday party.
Please let me know if you can tell what this is?