Not so fast!

I thought the year would end with silly, but 2016 had one more surprise up its sleeve for me. As always, art is cheaper than therapy. Thank goodness.

Something silly to end the year with

A new direction

In November, I was asked to make some cookies for someone who wanted to give them as Christmas gifts. The challenge was to make the cookies resemble the recipients' very own cats. You all know, I'm usually all about the silly and the whimsical.  I've never tried to do actual portraits in Royal Icing before. However, I thought about it for about 10 seconds, and decided this challenge was just too good to pass up, Sometimes, we don't ask enough of ourselves, and it takes a gentle nudge from someone else to set us on a new path. In the end, I'm really happy with these cookies, and I hope the people whose cats these are enjoyed them, too.

Merry Christmas

Remember when I was baking those Festive Cat in Santa Hats cookies, and I asked you all to guess what the baked cookie shapes wanted to be? You all had really good ideas. However, when I saw the photo on the blog, even though I knew they were FCinSHs, this is what I saw.......

Waiting for Santa

I've never tasted a Whoopie Pie. Have you? I was intrigued by a recipe on the Crosby Molasses site, so I gave them a try. Gingerbread Whoopie Pies. Wow. I don't know if they taste the way they're supposed to, but I'm sold. Hope Santa is, too, 'cuz these are for him.

Hangin' around

The 2016 Christmas tree ornament. Don't worry if you've forgotten what the 2015 one looked like. These are the first in the series. :)

Deck the halls!

Not a cookie

....but it's pretty sweet!

An ugly Christmas (dog) sweater for Cassie's friend Max. Cassie says she wouldn't be caught dead in it, but Max is a dog. What does he know?

I started with a pattern which I actually paid money for on Ravelry. I won't name it, because it was really, really badly written. The numbers just didn't work, and a newbie knitter would be crying now.

I used the CONCEPT and built my own sweater, subbing in my own colourwork designs.

I'm not exactly angry about paying money for the crappy pattern, because I did get the sweater I was shooting for. However, every crappy pattern that's up for sale undermines all the rest of us, who try to offer decent patterns for a fair return.

Sorta grinchy

More Christmas cookies for the family who recently adopted not one, but two, bearded dragons. My vet has one in the waiting room, and I've actually had him sitting on my shoulder. Sort of a weird experience when you're used to dogs and cats (who actually seem to care about you). Bearded dragons are a little different. I found it really hard to make them even look friendly. However, if they could get out and buy their own little Santa hats, I'm sure they'd wear them with pride.

Sugar

Now that Canada Post has succeeded spectacularly and delivered my Christmas gift cookies EARLY!, I can start showing them here. This is Sugar, a sweet pup.

Gnomes Love Carbs

Spoonflower has a design challenge every couple of weeks. This this time, it's all about Gnomes!

Here's the challenge prompt:
No one appreciates getting cozy quite like gnomes, preferring to nestle into subterranean caves and nooks. Although we hear they DO love to travel.... Entries will be previewed on a 21" x 18" fat quarter and should repeat.

And here's the watercolour I based my design on. I added some more cupcakes for interest. Still learning about repeating surface designs.

You can vote, if you're inclined. Just go  here.