Autumn Tree Chocolate Cookies
We attempt to practice frugality and to be good stewards of our stuff, but it’s pretty hard in 21st century America. At our most recent Crafternoon, we tried our best. Thanks to some leftover Halloween decorating materials from our Witch Houses, we had a lot of fun repurposing them for Autumn Tree cookie decorations.
To add a little twist, I thought we’d give the Wilton’s spray food coloring a try. The metallic gold was spectacular. I also bought orange which gave a brilliant effect. I’m not sure we will ever bake again without color mist. (So much for frugality).
Before we ventured into spraying our tree cookies, we thought we should first master the nozzle and achieving even coverage. We practiced on some sugar cookies.
THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL SATURATION IN THIS PHOTO. THE color is THAT INTENSE!
NOW FOR THE AUTUMN TREE COOKIES . . .
Before spraying we had some serious frosting to squirt, fondant to massage, and assorted doo-dads to apply. Decorated baking is such a perfect activity in their minds. And as if the design, sculpting, and embellishing weren’t enough, you get to actually eat your work! At this age, they just can’t get enough of this type of creative expression. I suspect there will be no shortage of fun with the Christmas season ahead.
HAPPINESS IS CREATING
The girls were happy with their cookies, as they should be. It is a joy to make anything, I think. Being a creator of something is life at its best. People have asked me for decades how I keep coming up with ideas of things to do with my children and grandchildren. I hate to ruin the magic, but here goes - the big secrets.
I ask them what they want to do.
I take junk (like a bunch of fabric, a sword, or, as in this case, some leftover baking supplies. I innovate. I find it is always easier to come up with something when I have materials than working from a blank slate. And it makes the projects more unique. They add the sparkle.
OUR BIG COOKIE REVEAL: TA DA!
Unfortunately, I took a photo of Presley’s cookie before she sprayed her gold and orange mist. Oops. Bad Granny. In any case, it was two hours well spent. Fun time for sisters. Learned something new. Got to take ideas from their heads and manifest them in our three-dimensional space-time. As I always say, “It’s never about the cookie.”
PRESLEY’S AUTUMN TREE COOKIES
LILLY’S AUTUMN TREE COOKIES
“We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.”