I was at Cookie Camp last weekend and met lots of super talented cookie artists, we learned all kinds of new techniques and just had some plain old fun.
I returned Sunday night and Dave had a whole new outlook on our business. In case you aren’t familiar with me, or this blog…lately I’ve been not so happy with the cookies we’ve been making. It’s great to have a business and make a living based on something that you really enjoy doing, but when it starts to become a chore that makes you slightly miserable, well, it’s time to take a step back and see how you can right your ship.
I do love what we do, but sometimes (ok, lately ALL the time) I’m so incredibly bored and annoyed with making the SAME OLD cookies over and over and over again. I really want to make creative, fun, pretty cookies, and new ones. New ones as often as possible. I tell you if I have to ice one more Boston Jersey, I’m going to hurl myself into the river. (and there are many other designs that make me contemplate throwing in the towel, or worse!)
Anyway, I do understand that I am marginally lucky. Lucky that I don’t have to answer to any boss, wear a name tag, or follow someone else’s rules. And I also understand that I CHOSE this job, but I always enjoyed CREATIING, not repeating the same designs over and over and certainly not pushing my own creativity to the side to be boxed in by inexperienced, non cookie artists idea of what they want on a cookie (which never looks as good as it could if they would only give me freedom to create something amazing for them)
I also know that not a lot of our customers actually read this blog, but if you are reading, this is not targeted at any one person in particular, and yes, the customer is paying for the cookie. Just trust me though, I’ve been designing and producing cookies and cookie collections for 8 years on a full time basis, and I’m sure that’s more experience than most. When you limit me, you stifle me.
Dave wants to take on even MORE responsibility so that I can create new collections for our store.
While I was away, he created a custom favor for a client and iced yet ANOTHER Boston cookie order. All on his own, and all so that when I returned from Camp, I could have a full day to create the first of our Halloween collections for 2K11.
How great are the bowling cookies that he made?? I love the retro feel and the colors and just about everything about these!
I didn’t photograph the Boston cookies that he made, but they look the same as all the other Boston cookies that we make, if you search them on this blog, you’ll find LOADS of examples.
When I returned from Cookie Camp, I was full of ideas and had learned lots of new things. Dave and I had these sketched out a little bit, and we had some clip art to look at in order to come up with the NEW Jack-O-Lantern collection.
I have to say, I think these are the best Jack-O-Lanterns I’ve EVER made. Chalk that up to a great starting point and a weekend in the Smoky Mountains with the most amazing and talented cookie artists in North America.
I finally got to meet Bea of Cancun Cookies. She is the nicest person around and we’ve “known” each other since the very beginning of this blog. She’s been ever so supportive, even when I just started and my writing was crap, my photos were horrible, and my posts were just dumb. She’s been there, reading and commenting and being kind.
I worked on another set on Monday, but I’ll post them tomorrow.
For now, I’ve got more Halloween designs on deck, as well as October Fest and more Fall Collections. Until then, there are a few orders for party favors (yes, more of the same) that need to be finished and this weekend should be busy in the bake shop, so I’m not sure when I’ll get to create again, but I think it will be sooner rather than later!
A HUGE thank you to all the ladies at Cookie Camp, especially the organizers of the whole weekend;
And an even bigger THANK YOU to Dave, you are the most supportive and motivated person I have ever known. Thanks for trying to get my ship right and trying to bring back my joy in the art of cookie decorating.
22 Responses to “Righting My Ship”
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October 5th, 2011 at 11:49 pm
I know the feeling…cannot wait to see Laura UNLEASHED! I have a good feeling about this!
October 5th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Wow! I’d love to go to a cookie camp and learn new things, but I’m just an amateur. So jealous of your getaway. Jacks look fabulous, BTW and how nice of Dave to give you that break you needed.
October 6th, 2011 at 12:00 am
What a sweet guy! I hope you find more happiness in your upcoming cookies. You are so incredibly talented!
October 6th, 2011 at 12:46 am
I too can’t wait to see all your new collections!! I saw your cookie camp Queen cookie and it is AMAZING! So i’m sure there are lots more we can expect to see!
October 6th, 2011 at 2:21 am
Laura UNLEASHED!! Haha! Love it! What a wonderfully thoughtful hubby you have. Nothing like a man that’s handy with an icing bag. I can’t wait to see what else you come up with soon! LOVE your jack-o-lanterns. Again, perfectly piped
October 6th, 2011 at 5:43 am
You and Dave are a perfect couple — balancing and supporting each other, which is why you both have such a successful business. Keep up the good work!
October 6th, 2011 at 5:52 am
My ship is the Titanic. Love the bowling cookies – so cool and love the jack-o-lanterns. I think if you get some great new samples in the store (site) – people will come – most of us see something we like it – we order it…does it say in your “store” – can customize or create your special cookie favor – I’m sure it does – I know I would trust your vision and creativity.
Glad you had a wonderful time. Dave is a keeper.
October 6th, 2011 at 6:15 am
You met Bea!
October 6th, 2011 at 6:48 am
This post makes me happy, so glad to read you’re feeling inspired! I sure know that feeling is hard to hold on to.
October 6th, 2011 at 6:54 am
You met Bea?????? How fun!!!
October 6th, 2011 at 11:07 am
….and Dave sent flowers to Laura at camp – they were there to greet her when she arrived………..soooo romantic!!!!!! Laura – those jackolanterns are phenomenal – LOVE THEM!
October 6th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
You met Bea!!! … and I met Laura!!!! I had such a great time with you at camp. Dave sounds like the perfect piping kinda guy. I love your pumpkins and can’t wait to see “Laura Unleashed!” Just tell me where to buy a ticket because this will be one show I don’t want to miss! lol
October 6th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
I met YOU!!!! Talk about being supportive, I can just thank you for all the help and inspiration… I love the life you chose to live in VT, the family you have, that you are able to ice COOKIES and make a living and that you decided to share your experiences with us! Meeting you at CC was a dream come true! I think Dave did a great job, and I really like the COOKIES he made and the new designs!
October 6th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Glad you enjoyed cookie camp and had a chance to meet a number of people you admire. The bowling pins Dave made are great. The Halloween pumpkins are fantastic. I wish I could make my pumpkin look like any of those.
October 6th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Laura-you live the dream most of us strive for. Keep living it and loving it! It was a pleasure meeting you in person and I look forward to watching your success! Maybe Dave can attend next years CC too! ^_^
October 6th, 2011 at 9:28 pm
The best pumpkins YOU’VE ever made? I think those might be the best pumpkins ANYONES ever made! Those are incredible! And I wish you could branch out, like the website used to be before you became overwhelmed with all those custom orders. I liked seeing all the unique and creative cookie tins you offered. They were so fun! I hope things eventually work out for you!
October 9th, 2011 at 9:07 am
Dave is a gem for sure. So glad you were inspired and looking forward to seeing the results. I so need to go to cookie camp.
October 10th, 2011 at 9:08 am
Those pumpkins are fantastic! I LOVE how the facial features are lower than the rest of the cookie – gives a real carved feel!! I’m going to have to figure out how you managed that. They really are incredible – as are you and Dave! Great job!
October 10th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Good for you for speaking your mind and better yet, for knowing what makes you tick!
Far be it from me to offer advice, but you are too widly creative to just take orders from (the less creative) customers – Therefore, I would start every order with a suggestion that they explain their vision and then agree that YOU will create the final product. I know the customer is always right/is paying for the product – but in the end, if implementing your own ideas into their designs keeps you healthy and loving what you’re doing, then it’s worth making it a policy. And if they simply MUST have a cookie that is identicle to their invitaiton… pass it onto an apprentice!
Best of luck, and remember… You’re ah-mazing!
October 10th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Laura, you and Dave have the best marriage and partnership of any folks I know, there is nothing you 2 can’t get through together….you and Dave are an inspiration to us all
October 11th, 2011 at 12:44 am
It was so amazing to meet you at Camp! You are such a talented and beautiful person! I love to hear how you and Dave support each other. A perfect match for sure!
Glad you got a little extra cookie mojo working. Fresh inspiration and focus is always exciting and I can’t wait to see all the mind-blowing cookie magic you have up your sleeves! So happy for you!
October 16th, 2011 at 1:52 am
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