Because you have to start somewhere....

OK...I've gotten a lot of great pictures from you guys of your "first" cookies. Let me say, I am amazed! You all are so talented!!!

Ten years ago, when the desire to make and decorate cookies hit me, I had not a clue what I was doing! I think I'd eaten my fair share of Cookie Bouquet cookies and thought, not I can do this, but, hey...if I could make my own, I'd get to eat them a lot more often! :)

When we moved recently, I came across some old pictures of MY first cookies. It's taken me 5 months to work up the nerve to show you.

Are you ready?

Really? They are pretty scary!

Are you sure?!?

I warned you...

See, I knew royal icing was involved, but I didn't know anything about flooding cookies. (That came later, thanks to Martha.) I just smeared it on the cookie...and not very well at that.

I obviously had a thing for bouquets (and two-tone hearts?). Seeing these pictures brought back terrible memories of running around finding Styrofoam balls, matching paper shred and hot gluing the ribbon to the pots so it wouldn't slip off.

I personally apologize to anyone who received these cookies!

Do you see what I mean about all of your "firsts" being brilliant? Thank you for sending the pictures my way or posting them on your blogs! You guys rock!!! :)

I definitely have more to learn...maybe someday my cookies will look like this or this. A girl can dream, can't she? Hope you'll come along for the ride and learn along with me!

Alright...humor me and go look at some prettier ones now, please!

13 comments

BeaMay 7, 2009 at 9:26 PM
I wouldn't dare show my first COOKIES! Yours are not bad as mine... I think Nancy Fancy's COOKIES are great and full of beautiful details, but yours are, too!! Practice makes perfect :)
TonyaMay 7, 2009 at 9:27 PM
I am so glad to see these pictures! It makes me feel better. I have cookie dough in the fridge, and I am going to work on my "first" real attempt this weekend.

Do you have a favorite sugar cookie recipe? I can't wait to see what I can come up with, I am thinking maybe the cookie bouquet would be nice for mother's day.
AmandaMay 7, 2009 at 9:33 PM
seriously, those would look like masterpieces compared to anything i could come up with.

what i want to know is all the basic items and utensils you would have to say you needed to start doing this? like what would be in your armory if you could start all over again, knowing everything you know now??
lovinsantaMay 7, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Okay now you are making me feel better...if my first turn out as good as your first and end up as good as yours now...there is hope for me!

Oh Yippy!!! Thank you for sharing!
bridget {bake at 350}May 8, 2009 at 7:44 AM
tonya...look under the posts labled "livestrong." You'll find the recipe I use the most.

amanda...let's see: disposable pastry bags, toothpicks, squeeze bottles, parchment paper, kitchen aid mixer...
BetsyMay 8, 2009 at 7:44 AM
I could never post my FIRST cookies....they were terrible!
TracyMay 8, 2009 at 7:45 AM
Oh my gosh, I WISH my cookies would turn out like that, LOL! The ones I attempted a couple months ago were immediately eaten, never to be seen by anybody. ;-)
MichaelaMay 8, 2009 at 7:48 AM
I think they are GREAT :) I need to attempt cookie art sometime!!
MonteeMay 8, 2009 at 8:31 AM
Bridget,
My first decorated cookies were not very good at all. When I started baking for people, I was more interested in doing lemon bars, mini cheesecakes, wedding cookies, things like that. Most of my orders ended up being for decorated cookies. Not good. The cookies were okay and customers seemed satisfied, but that was not my specialty and I am a perfectionist. I have become a much better decorator the last couple of years. Thank you for blogging all of your tips because those have helped so much.
MollyMay 8, 2009 at 10:37 AM
These are great! I remember these! Glad you posted them!
SophMay 10, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Bridget,
They are gorgeous!
Your blog is like a MAGIC WAND OF HELP AND INSPIRATION!!!
Regards
Sophie
AnonymousJune 13, 2011 at 12:05 PM
These make feel so much better! I'm not sure if you see new comments on these old posts, but I'm new to your blog and I've been in heaven looking at your beautiful creations and dreaming.

I finally took your advice to "just do it" and my cookies weren't bad, but I'm not sure I want anybody else to see them.

Thanks for sharing.
Erin
Jenn MarieDecember 17, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Thank you for posting these. They are adorable. I'm so excited to put all of your advice to work when I make cookies with my daughter after Christmas.