1. I {Heart} Stuff

    April 24, 2013 by Mike

    i heart stuff title

    I have some free time at the moment. I thought I’d take advantage of this rare quiet period to share with you a few favorite things that I’ve been loving lately. A few “Mikey’s Likeys” if you will. (Maybe that should have been the title of this post.) Some of these items are cookie related; some are just random. However, all of these are items I highly recommend.

    favorite things collage one

    1. Blue tinted Ball mason jars are back! but for a limited time. Typically, vintage blue jars could only be found on eBay or in antique shops. These blue Ball Heritage Jars mark the 100th anniversary of the first series of mason jars by Ball and are sure to be a collector’s item. They also come in handy as a colorful prop in food photography.

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  2. Blogging for Autism

    April 20, 2013 by Mike

    autism awareness airplane cookies

    Today I’m hanging out at my friend Kim’s blog, The Cookie Puzzle. Click the link to see the cookies I made to bring more awareness to autism.

    Blogging for Autism pic

    Everyday, throughout the whole month of April, be sure to check back at Kim’s blog to see what a new guest blogger will share for Autism Awareness Month.


  3. DIY Reversible Wood Table Top Tutorial

    April 15, 2013 by Mike

    food photography wood background tutorial

    I’ve been getting a few questions on my backgrounds in my recent cookie photos. So, I thought I’d take the time to show you what I use and how I made them.

    A few months ago, I was getting tired of seeing my boring, dark, dining table surface in my photographs. I wanted some realistic variation in my photos without having to buy actual tables to clutter my condo. I searched on Pinterest for ideas and came across a nifty tutorial from Confections of a Foodie Bride (who got inspiration by a tutorial from Love & Olive Oil). It was a how-to for a double-sided, wooden table top, about 2 feet square in size.

    It was exactly what I was looking for, so I took a trip to The Home Depot to get the supplies.

    (For a more detailed list of supplies and the step-by-step instructions, please visit the tutorial at Confections of a Foodie Bride. My plan is to show just a glimpse into the construction process, while sending traffic their way of anyone interested in doing this themselves.)

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  4. Throwback Thursday – Cabbage Patch Kids Cupcakes

    April 4, 2013 by Mike

    cabbage patch kids cupcake

    It’s Throwback Thursday! I intended to do a throwback post in March, but I missed having it ready and written by the last Thursday of the month. You see, I recently went home to visit family in Florida for a few days. The trip was a nice break from making cookies, but it did throw off my once-a-month-throwback intent. Probably poor planning on my part. Anyways, I made sure to have a post ready this week.

    Now that Easter has come and gone, Spring is officially in full swing. I figured a Spring-themed throwback might be in order. Last week, I found this flower pot cupcake kit at Wal-Mart in the seasonal Easter section. The cupcake cups are made of non-stick baking silicone that look just like terracotta clay pots. If you’re interested in this kit but can’t find it at Wal-Mart, here’s a link to a similar product on Amazon.

    silicone plant pot cupcake cups

    I really wanted to use these cupcake cups for a cookie idea. When I was brainstorming “throwback” and “plants” ideas, the first thing that came to mind was Cabbage Patch Kids. So, I got to work.

    In retrospect, I guess I could have possibly worked with a Strawberry Shortcake idea as well. (Maybe next time, Huckleberry Pie. Maybe next time.)
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