Episode #29 Josh Wortham This Guy Can Do Anything!
Thank you so much Josh for being on the podcast and sharing your story with us. You're an incredibly talented young man with a love to help others and I can't wait to see how you use your amazing gifts to make this world a better place! 
Don't miss a thing because you can follow Josh on his amazing journey. Follow him now on Facebook at Peaceful Pastries and Sweets.
Bear hugs,

Summer's Sweet Shoppe Cookie Academy Podcast



Thank you so much Summer for being our guest on the podcast today. Click here if you're looking for Summer's Top Tips for Baking Cookies with Kids at Any Age. No need to look any farther because you can find Summer at the links below. 
Summer’s Sweet Shoppe

Summer's Sweet Shoppe
The Cookie Academy
Instagram
Facebook

Now let's learn all we can about decorating cookies so we can go out there and change the world one cookie at a time!
Bear hugs,

Episode #27 How Do I Keep My Sugar Cookies from Spreading?





Supplies That Help Keep My Sugar Cookies from Spreading:
(contains affiliate links)



Food Scale- I don't see the exact food scale I have. I bought it a few years back and I'm sure the design has changed, but I did find one at Walmart and one on Amazon that looks a lot like mine. They'd work great for weighing your baking supplies. The one at Walmart is under $20 and the one on Amazon is under $30. Like I said in the podcast, I don't want you to use these links to buy them unless you want to. I wanted to use the links so you'll have an idea of what I use. My suggestion is to find a food scale that's affordable, measures in grams, kilograms, ounces, and pounds and looks like it would be easy to clean because we all know how flour and powder sugar can make your kitchen surfaces look as if it snowed indoors.
Food Scale at Walmart- This looks almost identical to the food scale I use except the top piece of glass on this one is round and mine is square. Food Scale at Amazon
Flexible Cutting Mats
Fondant Smoother
Oven Thermometer



FAQ
Do you have questions about sugar cookies spreading? Let me see if I can help a little.
There's nothing worse than making cookie dough, cutting out your cute little shapes, placing them on a cookie sheet and sticking them in the oven only to remove a baking sheet full of cookies that have spread so much you can’t tell what shapes you baked in the first place. It’s like your heart kind of sinks and melts like those cookies did while they were in the oven.
I have a few tips that might help you prevent that from happening. Here are some questions I get asked a lot.

How do I keep my sugar cookies from spreading when they bake?
Good question! There are several things that can cause your cookies to spread and we’ll cover as many as we can today.


When I first started baking I had an issue with baking powder. It made my cookies spread to almost twice the size of the cutter that was used. Remember when I said I’m a heavy-handed scooper of flour? I guess I have an issue with teaspoons as well. I decided to cut the amount in my recipe in half and it worked. Sometimes I don’t use baking powder at all and that works as well. If you need a recipe you might want to try my Sugar Cookie Recipe. It only calls for 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder because I already cut the amount in half for you. See if that helps keep you cookies stay closer to the size of the cookie cutter you used to cut them out.



Don’t over mix your cookie dough when you make it. Cream the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients. Over mixing the dough will add air into it and cause the dough to collapse and get air bubbles when it bakes. Just mix the dough as long as you need to get the ingredients mixed.



The amount of flour you add to your cookie dough when you’re making it will determine how your cookies turn out. It's easy to add too much flour if you’re a heavy-handed scooper like me. A great way to handle this is by using a food scale because it will help you use the correct amount of flour and sugar. We’ll talk more about this later because this is one tool I truly need as a baker. I measure my flour, sugar, and powdered sugar and it really helps me get the results I’m looking for! 



If you sprinkle a lot of flour on the surface where you roll out your cookie dough, the dough will pick up that flour and it can cause your cookies to become dry and crumbly. That’s why I love using the Flexible Plastic Cutting Board Mats because they don’t require a lot of flour.



Is your oven temperature correct?

Are you ready for a great podcast? I hope so because we're going to Bake at 350 today with Bridget Edwards!






I'm so excited to share this podcast with you guys. Bridget Edwards is one of the sweetest people I've ever met. As you're listening to the podcast you'll hear about the first time I saw her in person. She was sweet, graceful, elegant and extremely beautiful. I was scared to death to meet her, but when I did, she was kind and friendly. It's something I'll never forget.

A few years ago Karen Summers asked me to be an instructor at Cookie Con. I asked a few blogger and cookie decorators for a photo of the first cookies they made and a photo of a cookie they'd recently made. This "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries" was the recent photo that Bridget shared with me. It's one of my favorite cookies ever. The yellow and red look amazing and the cherries she's piped look perfect. They look real. It looks like you could reach into the photo, pick up a cookie, and eat it! These are an awesome set of cookies and I'm very grateful she shared the photos with everyone at Cookie Con.

If you want to see the photo of the first cookies she made, you can see them on YouTube in the 'Bearfoot Basics Sugar Cookies 101 Part 3' video. It's a long video so if you want to skip to the part that shows Bridget's cookies, move the video slider to 35:39 minutes to see them. It's hard to believe they're her first because of the pretty writing on them.

When looking on the internet I see decorators using several things that Bridget taught us. The one I use most often is her coffee filter tip, If you haven't seen it you can find it here at her Coffee Filter tutorial she made back in 2008. It's a priceless decorating tip!

If you search her blog at Bake at 350, you'll find lots of great tips and tricks that will help you decorate cookies. Bridget also shares wonderful recipes and Trader Joe's tips. I think you need to head on over and search her site and look at her social media links below. You'll see amazing cookies, delicious recipes, and tips you'll use every time you decorate cookies. Did I mention she's amazing? Well, she is!
Bake at 350 with Bridget Edwards
Bake at 350
Facebook

Instagram
Twitter 


Want to see Bake at 350 on The Pioneer Woman Site? You're in luck! 

Bake at 350's posts for The Pioneer Woman Food & Friends

I have never been to Trader Joe's, but reading Bridget's reviews makes me feel like I'm a weekly shopper. You should check out her reviews because I know you'll love them.
Trader Joe's reviews

Do you have Bridget's books? If you want to check them out, click here Books Decorating Cookies Party and Decorating Cookies.

I know you all know where to find Bridget already, but I wanted to give you the links so you can get there fast! So what are you waiting for? Click those links and give her some love today!  I know she'll love seeing you!

Bear hugs,

Episode #25 Sweet Dani B Life is Sweet with Dani Fiori



 




(Photo Courtesy of The Martha Stewart Show)
What a happy photo with Dani, Martha and the adorable decorated sugar cookies. I love the candy and sprinkles Dani uses to make them. The display with the jars is a very smart way to display holiday cookies, The only problem I have with this display is that everyone will eat the cookies before the holiday arrives. I think I'll take the snowman and gingerbread man with the tree or Santa and the reindeer. I have an idea, let's all share all the cookies!

(Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living)
Here it is! The Martha Stewart Holiday Cutters is a fun set of cookie cutters. I love how Dani decorated them. Look at that cute little Santa cookie with his friends the deer, snowman, and partridge in a pear tree. This set of cookies is adorable! I love the way Dani decorated them. When you look at each cookie you can tell they're decorated by Sweet Dani B. The way she adds sprinkles and candy to each cookie is her signature design.

It's hard to find these cookie cutters but if you want the Santa, Dani has decorated one that's similar. You can find Santa with Bag Cookie Cutter at Copper Gifts. She also has a Mrs. Clause Cookie Cutter. She has a lot of cookie cutters she's designed at CopperGifts.com. I purchased her Yeti cutter back in September and I'm looking forward to decorating him soon.



There he is! That little Santa Cookie-The One That Started it All for me. I remember watching The Martha Stewart Show and seeing Dani decorate those cute little Santa Cookies with those magic little decorating bottles. I had never seen the decorating bottles and I was amazed. As I watched how Dani added each color of royal icing to the cookie and then added sprinkles I was hooked! Dani and Santa touched my heart and changed my career. Thank you, Dani, for showing me how to decorate cookies and start my own cookie journey. Making cookies is a great way to share happiness and cookie love.



Dani Fiori started Sweet Dani B Cookie Kitchen and Petite Party Studio about 2 years ago. I've enjoyed watching her in her shop online and how she teaches adult and kid workshops to show others how to decorate. Dani knows how to share the cookie love to everyone. Looking at the photos you can see the love Dani puts into her cookies and her shop. She's made it feel warm and welcoming and a place I'd want to visit every day. The only thing stopping me is the shop is in New York and I'm in East Tennessee. Maybe one day I'll get to visit, decorate, and share a chocolate chip cookie with her.

Oh yeah, did I mention Dani is an Emmy Winner? This girl has serious skills!



Here is Dani with her husband Keith at the ribbon cutting ceremony at Sweet Dani B Cookie Kitchen and Petite Party Studio. In the podcast, Dani mentioned that Keith painted and made things for the shop. He painted "Life is Sweet" on the cafe wall and it's beautiful. What a sweet couple!

Dani talked about working as a waitress and at Ralph Lauren during the podcast. That must have been super exciting. I'm glad her career changed and brought her into the cookie world. Her cookies are cute and well designed and full of love. She gave me the tips on how to start decorating which led to The Bearfoot Baker Blog, 100 Animal Cookies Book, The Power of a Cookie, and The Cookie Network. Seeing her on The Martha Stewart Show changed my life and I'm very grateful.
Share the Cookie Love with Sweet Dani B.
Here are a few places you can find her and her adorable cookies:
Instagram: SweetDaniB.
Facebook: Sweet Dani B Cookie Kitchen & Petite Party Studio
Sweet Dani B Cookie Expert Bottle Kit and Tools
Sweet Dani B Cookie Gallery

Have you seen The Cookie Architect Rebecca Weld's cookies? She's an amazing cookie decorator. I love looking at the different designs she creates. The colors she chooses are perfect for each set of cookies. They're truly works of art. She's creative, artistic, and intelligent and it shows in each cookies she decorates.

When you wonder where the name Cookie Architect comes from well, it's simple. She's an architect with her own firm. Think about it, she designs building and that talent over flows on her cookies. They're beautiful and one of a kind. I get lost in the fabulous designs and colors.

Rebecca is also a mother to two boys and makes cookies to give to friends and family. Even though she's running her own architect firm and makes cookies for friends and family, sometimes she finds herself making cookies to help raise money for charity. She talks about that in the podcast so you don't want to miss it.

I'll be honest, her puzzle cookies make my heart happy. When you look at all those puzzle pieces it's incredible how the beautiful pieces fit together. After you look at it you don't want to eat it because it's a work of art. All of her cookies look like art pieces.
Episode #24 The Cookie Architect with Rebecca Weld:
I know you'll want to follow The Cookie Architect with Rebecca Weld and see her beautiful creations so I've listed a few links below so you can follow her cookie art. I know you're going to love the every cookie she makes with the gorgeous designs and colors.

The Cookie Architect
Facebook: The Cookie Architect
Instagram: thecookiearchitect

Remember in the podcast when we talked about the first cookies The Cookie Architect made? Here is a picture of her snowflake cookies. I don't know about you but I'm having a hard time believing these are the first cookies she ever made. WOW! They're so pretty.



Thanks for listening to The Power of a Cookie. I'm so happy Rebecca was a guest and told us about her cookies. I hope you'll join me and spend some time looking at her cookie photos and get lost in her designs. I know most of you all ready follow her, but if you don't you should totally check out her website. When you see her cookies you'll know they're works of art!

Bear hugs,

  Episode #23 I've Got This with Melissa Blake





I have to admit, I haven't met Melissa in person. As a matter of fact, I didn't know who she was until she sent me an email encouraging me after I had my brain tumor removed. She sent me the sweetest email and she told me of her recovery story. I couldn't stop reading the email. As soon as I read it I sent her an email thanking her and asked if she would be a guest on The Power of a Cookie Podcast.

As I read how Melissa had been battling cancer and heard about the surgery and treatment she'd gone through, I was encouraged because her story was guiding me through the things she described. I learned so much from her in that email and knew I had to ask her into sharing her story with everyone. I think I shocked her a little, but she agreed. While you're listening to the podcast you'll feel the warmth and love that I felt when I read her email. She's an amazing person.

Melissa was sweet and sent us some pictures of her beautiful children and a few cookies she's made. I'm inspired after seeing these. The love you see in the photos with her kids and the joy you see in her sweet cookies will make your heart happy. I hope I get to see her in person one day just like all of you who have encouraged me and shared your love with families like Melissa's and mine. You are a blessing to us.

Enjoy Mellissa's photos and get inspired when you listen to the podcast.
Episode #23 I've Got This with Melissa Blake


Look at this gorgeous photo! It's is breathtaking just like the ladies!



This is Melissa's last chemo treatment! You go girl! Your smile says it all!



Look at this picture of Melissa with her handsome boy. I bet he helped make that fun cat cake!



Oh my goodness what a beautiful baby girl! You're both gorgeous!



Melissa made some happy Waffle Cookies were inspired by Nina Marie Sweet Designs. Look at that perfect royal icing. I love the little heart cheeks!



Did you know Santa was a star? Melissa did when she made these fun Santa Cookies. I like the little nonpareils on the hat and look at the fuzzy ball on top! So fun!



What do you see when you look at these cookies? I see strong people with love, hope, and strength who touch us all with their kindness and huge hearts. Thank you, Melissa, for reaching out to me and lifting me up with your love and kindness. You're forever in my heart because of your kindness and love!



Check out these Christmas Cookies that were inspired by Slupr Patisserie. Look at that white royal icing. I think they're adorable. Just think, finding power in a cookie that helps you judge how far you are in your recovery. WOW! That's a powerful cookie and a powerful cookie decorator!

I thought the title of this podcast "I've Got This" was perfect after hearing Melissa's story. She's got this and so do so many other people going through different health treatments. The strength they have is amazing and inspiring. It's encouraging and I'm thankful for their stories.

Thank you, Melissa, for encouraging me and teaching me to have patience with myself. Your story is helping me with recovery.

You all can follow Melissa Blake on Instagram. Find her by clicking this link: Melissa on Instagram.

Bear hugs,

Episode #22 Bouncer the Big Brain Tumor:





Episode #22 Bouncer the Big Brain Tumor:

Okay, the podcast will tell you several things about how I ended up having brain surgery to have a massive tumor the size of a tennis ball removed from my brain. Let's just say the last two years I've been pretty sick. I did visit my doctor but I ended up leaving his office with prescriptions that I never filled because whatever they were I knew they wouldn't help.

Well, I didn't see my mom or my mother-in-law on Christmas because I was too sick to sit in the car and ride there. I had been losing weight and couldn't eat anything. The last week of February I was so sick I thought I was going to die. I'm not joking. I was on the couch and praying Alan would come home from work and help me. When he arrived God gave me the strength to sit up to talk to him. I told him we had to find someone to help me because there was something very, very wrong with me. He immediately got online and called a doctor some people told him about and her staff scheduled me for an appointment on March 4th. They also said we needed to plan on spending an hour with her because she was going to examine me and talk to me about my issues. I honestly have never had a doctor spend an hour with me so I'll be honest, I didn't believe it. Guess what? She spent one hour and fifteen minutes with me. I was shocked! And blessed because she asked the questions I wanted to talk about so she could figure out what my body was going through.

I have a thyroid issue and I thought that could be the problem but boy was I wrong! My new doctor ordered lab work to check my levels but she also told me she wanted to order an MRI. I'm claustrophobic but I didn't care. I needed the MRI so her office was going to arrange all the details and call us to let us know when the appointment was. They called and told me that Monday, March 11th at 11: oo I needed to go to Knoxville for the appointment. Perfect. I was finally going to find out why I was so sick.

During the MRI the medical team that was running it saw something so they stopped the procedure and told me they needed to add contrast. When the contrast is injected into the body it improves the quality of the MRI images. The contrast is called gadolinium and some people are allergic so I requested they get Alan because I wanted to speak to him before that happened. They found Alan in the lobby and brought him to my room so I could see him. No big deal. I just wanted to see him in case I had a reaction to the contrast so we continued the MRI. I did it! I got through it without having a meltdown. We went home and I got sick again. UGH!

Then my new doctor called and told me the results of my lab work. It wasn't awful but it wasn't great either. She adjusted my prescription for my thyroid issue and she prescribed vitamins and informed me I needed to start them soon. Alan and I went to a local pharmacy and got them. Thank goodness I felt good enough to go. It was like going to a resort because it had been so long since I'd been out of the house. We found the vitamins and they buy one get one free. That was a nice bonus!

Next, the big phone call came. I was in the living room on the couch sick and couldn't get up so Alan answered my phone. I could tell he was focused on what he was saying and I could tell the other person on the phone shared that focus. It was the day after my MRI and my doctor called to tell us I had a massive tumor and needed to see the neurosurgeon immediately. We needed to be at the office in one hour and we lived an hour and fifteen minutes away.

Once we got to the office I met the nicest doctor, staff, and nurses ever. They explained how I needed surgery and it needed to happen Tuesday. I finally knew what was wrong with me. It felt good to know that there was something and people w...

Have you ever had a wonderful moment when you wished you had a camera and a microphone? That happened to me over Thanksgiving. My grandkids Tripp & Brooke wanted to work with me and make a podcast. Brooke called it a "compost" and Tripp and I told her it was a podcast. I don't know if it's because they're my grandkids, but I really had fun making this #21 Marry Christmas from Tripp & Brooke Podcast.





#21 Merry Christmas from Tripp & Brooke

In this episode, you're going to hear:

Who won the KitchenAid Mixer from The Cookie Network Royal Icing Recipe and KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway.
How many cookies Tripp & Brooke are going to leave for Santa.
What kind of milk Santa's going to get.
What kind of cookies are they leaving the big guy?
Do snakes really have a purpose at Christmas? Brooke will fill us in on her side of the story.
Tripp will tell us the what Santa has to do with Christmas.

Did I mention I love the kids in this episode!



Here are the cookies Tripp wants to leave for Santa. Simple Reindeer Cookies.



Here is a tutorial for some Fun Reindeer Food for those poor little deer that are flying all over the world pulling that heavy sleigh. Poor little deer! Make them some food to help them with their long trip.

Now that you know all about Tripp & Brooke it's time to find out who won the KitchenAid Mixer from The Cookie Network Royal Icing Recipe and KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway. Are you ready?
#21 Merry Christmas from Tripp & Brooke
The winner of the KitchenAid Mixer is:

The winner of the Kitchen Stand Mixer is:
Teresa - Candy Apple Red, please
I've sent you an email on how to claim the KitchenAid Mixer so check your email and reply within 24 hours! Congrats!

Bear hugs,

#20 Mama Mayer Bakery with Diane Mayer




#20 Mama Mayer Bakery with Diane Mayer
I met Diane at Cookie Con and we formed an instant friendship. It started off by having breakfast together and inviting someone we didn't know to sit with us. It was a great breakfast and an even better friendship that started that day. We don't talk often because of busy lives, but when we do, we know why we're friends. The power of a cookie brought us together and will help us stay friends for years to come. This is why this podcast is so important to me. You can take a little sugar, butter, and eggs and turn it into cookies that form friendships that will last a lifetime.

Diane has lived in different states and has made cookies along the way. She donates them to fundraisers, gives cookie gifts to people she meets, and to those who volunteer their time and efforts to something they're passionate about. This is what The Power of a Cookie is about. Diane makes everyone she knows feel as if they are the most important people in the world one cookie at a time. She fills the cookie box with love and cookies made just for them. She's a beautiful person on the inside and out and she makes a difference one cookie at a time.

This podcast is full of inspiration and how to come up with cute ideas on cookies to make. Mama Mayer Bakery will share how she comes up with the cookie puns and ideas. It makes me want to go into the kitchen now and begin baking something like Diane does with cookies and a lot of love.

If you want to know where to find Mama Mayer Bakery just follow the links below. I promise you'll love her cookies and you won't forget them!

Mama Mayer Bakery
Instagram- Mamamayerbakery

Bear hugs,

#19 Sugar Mama with Ashley Beebout





Ashley Beebout is a self-taught decorator and through her cookie journey, she's taken a few classes from Arty McGoo and Butterwinks. She has an incredible eye for design and adding texture to her cookies and I think she can make just about anything you could think of. Ashley and I met at Cookie Con so when I started thing of doing a podcast I knew I wanted her to be a guest. If you've met her you'll know how sweet she is and if you've seen her cookies you know what she can do with sugar!

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month is this November and you can help raise awareness. Ashley is heading up a Cookie Campaign and you can purchase a Pancreatic Cancer Awareness cookie cutter from BobbisCookiesCutters and a matching stencil from 2T's Stencils, Partial proceeds for this cutter (or cutter/stencil combo) will be donated to PanCan. Follow her on Instagram for more information, On November 15, 2018, post your cookies to your social media to help raise awareness.

Things we talked about:
The Cookie Room- The name of Ashley's studio
The Lost Cutters- Guess where she found them.

Where can you find Ashley? I'm glad you asked.
#19 Sugar Mama with Ashley Beebout
Sugar Mama on Facebook
ashley_sugarmama- on Instagram
Ashley will be on McGoo U in February 2019.

You'll learn all kinds of things when you listen to the podcast so be sure to listen now and show Ashley some love.

Bear hugs,

#18 Clough'D 9 Cookies with Amy Clough




#18 Clough'D 9 Cookies with Amy Clough
Are you ready for a fun podcast? I hope so because today we're bringing you Amy Clough from Clough'D 9 Cookies. She has a bachelors degree in biology, a master's degree in education, and taught middle school science for 15 years before she decided to become a full-time cookie decorator. Her mother taught her how to decorate cakes and her grandfather was a classically trained pastry chef so you could say that baking runs in her family, but Amy didn't always want to be a cookie decorator.

So does the question, "How did she become a cookie decorator?" cross your mind? It did mine. Her mom would give her cookie cutters as a gift and Amy would say thank you and then wonder why someone would spend that kind of time decorating them. She learned that adding a little icing and a few sprinkles are not the same as decorating them with royal icing. One day she was bitten by the decorating bug and now look at her. A full-time decorator that clearly understands how to decorated cookies as much as she does biology. Of course, a trip to Cookie Con back in 2012 may have given her a little push in the icing direction.

So what's a girl to do when she's a teacher and wants to decorate full-time? Well, if she's like Amy and married to Mike, she'll quit her teaching position, build a commercial kitchen in the backyard, purchase some office and storage equipment, get all the approvals she needs to sell cookies, and decorate some of the cutest cookies you've ever seen. It worked for Amy. She has a place in the backyard that holds her cookie dreams and she makes magic there.

Now I can continue to tell you all about Clough'D 9 Cookies because it's a great story, but I want you to listen to Amy's podcast. She'll tell you that she's now a cookie decorator (she's very good), loves cookies and making people happy by sharing the cookies she's created for them! What she describes in the podcast is exactly what The Power of a Cookie is. Seriously, you need to hear it from someone with a masters degree in education because you know she'll tell you the truth just as I've been telling. Flour, sugar, butter, and love can make a person feel really special and I'm so glad the cookie community has people like Amy to help spread the love across the globe!

So, what are you waiting for? Go listen to the podcast and then go tell Amy how much we love her. Where can you find Clough'D 9 Cookies and Amy Clough? I'm glad you asked!
#18 Clough'D 9 Cookies with Amy Clough
Clough'D 9 Cookies
Facebook CloughD9CookiesSweets
Instagram: amy_cloughd9cookies

Thank you, Amy, for sharing your story with us. You're one of the sweetest people I've ever met. You're inspiring, and one cookie decorator that deserves an A+! Thank you for sharing The Power of a Cookie and your talents and kindness with the world!
Bear hugs,

#17 What's New on The Bearfoot Baker





Hi guys! I hope you're ready to hear about something that I've been working on for quite some time. Alan and I've have been working on a few things on the blog and now it's time to add The Cookie Network! Are you excited? I know I am.

If you've listened to the podcast I'm sure you heard about the wonderful people I've found that help me create The Bearfoot Baker and I want to tell you about them. First of all, they're kind and know how to make things happen. I don't know about you, but that's huge to me. They're extremely professional, make things look great, and everything works the way it's should. Talk about huge! Most of all they make you excited about the things you're doing and encourage you to do it by providing the "blog tools" you need. Did I mention I love these people?

Are you ready to meet them and get the resource links that helped me tremendously with my blog? Here we go.

Purr Design- Lindsay and Taylor designed my blog and I love it! I had ideas in my head and they brought them to life. If you looking for a blog designer, branding, or graphic design you should talk to them. They have a blog, own a small business, and know what we need to make things work. Check out their site and see what they offer. I know you'll be glad you did.
Melissa Rose Design & Branding - Melissa is an amazing designer and she can talk my lingo. I don't know what all the "behind the blog things" are called or I'm not always sure how to communicate these things to her, but somehow she gets in my head and gets things better than I could have imagined! Check out her site about blogging & branding, sign up for her foundation workbook, and join her Design Clubhouse where you can connect with other food and DIY bloggers. I promise you'll learn and grow confidence like I did.
Once Coupled -  Lauren is the founder and developer of Once Coupled. She's a very talented woman who knows how to code and make your blog work perfectly! I don't know how she does it, but she does. She takes my ideas and asks me the right questions to find out what I want and then she explains how it will work. I don't know about you, but this is very helpful in making the right decisions so my blog will be beautiful and efficient.

#17 What's New on The Bearfoot Baker
All of these companies are professional and organized and they see how to help us make our blog designs come to life. They work hard and make sure things are the way you want them. So if you're considering having work done to your blog I strongly recommend you contact these talented companies to see the many ways the can help you and your blog. They're unstoppable and I'm forever grateful to them for allowing me to work with you and share cookies and desserts that make us happy.

Thank you so much for helping me and giving me a blog that works!

Bear hugs,

#16 Sue Sparks Munchkin Munchies, I know you've heard Munchkin Munchies several times and I'm sure if you make cookies she's left a comment telling you what she loves about them. Sue is full of kindness, love, and shares her sweet treats with all of us on her social media. Sue compliments the world with cookies and makes us all feel loved with her precious treats and comments.

I had the privilege of talking with her during this interview and she filled my heart with her love and kindness.





#16 Sue Sparks Munchkin Munchies:

Where can you find the fabulous Sue Sparks? Munchkin Munchies blog of course! If you visit her blog you will see all kinds of cookies from cute monkeys, gingerbread men, ice cream cone and all kinds of different cookies. Spend some time showing her some of the love she's shared with us.

Munchkin Munchies Facebook
Find Sue on Instagram
Suzanne Sparks (Munchkin Munchies) Pinterest

Sue is one talented cookie decorator and I love seeing all of her work, but do you know what I love the most about her? I love seeing all the encouraging words, sweet compliments, and joy she shared with our community. When you think of The Power of a Cookie you probably think of people who are making hundreds of cookies and selling them for a charity they care about. That's a great way to show what you can do to use cookies to help those in need, but you don't have to spend all day every day in the kitchen baking. Sue uses the love we all share to encourage us and that helps us build confidence. When we have confidence we can use cookies to change the world and make life better. 
Life changing cookies are a powerful way to make the world better and Sue does that with every compliment, every internet smile and every single drop of icing she puts on her cookies. Sue's cookies make me happy because they show what a sweet person she is. I can see the love that went into making them and I hope I can learn from her. 

It's time we share some cookie love today. Head over to one of Sue's cookie pictures and tell her how much you appreciate her words and kindness. Let's give her some of the love she's shared with all of us.

Thank you, Sue! You make our lives better!

Bear hugs,

#15 Lila Loa with Georganne Bell - I can't tell you how excited I am about this podcast. Georganne is full of energy, has a ton of creative ideas, she's an author, blogger, mother, teacher and the list goes on and on. Sit back, grab some coffee, tea, or juice and enjoy hanging out with our guest #15 Lila Loa with Georganne Bell.




#15 Lila Loa with Georganne Bell
Today we get a chance to hang out whit the wonderful Georganne from Lila Loa. I have known her for years and finally got a chance to meet her in person a few years back when she invited a few of us Cookie Con gals to her house. She made us the best homemade pizza for lunch and introduced us to her children. Hanging out with everyone was one of the best Cookie Con memories ever. Not only that, it was the best homemade pizza I've ever had! Seriously good! And her kids, don't get me started on how adorable they are or we'll be here all day.

Listening to this podcast makes me happy. Like really happy! Georganne shares some decorating tips on how to make pretty cookies, what she's working on right now, and tells us a lot of fun ways to make our cookies really special. If you want to laugh, learn cookie stuff, and have fun talking cookies, you need to push play right now. I promise you'll want more of Georganne and if that's true, you'll want to find out where she'll be teaching classes. You can find that info under the Classes Tab on her blog.

Where can you find Georganne? That's not hard. Let me help you:
(may contain affiliate links)


Lila Loa
Facebook LilaLoaCookies
Lila_Loa Cookies on Instagram
YouTube

Where can you get Georganne's Book?
The Cookie Companion

Bear hugs,

#14 The Decorated Cookie with Meaghan Mountford





#14 The Decorated Cookie with Meaghan Mountford
Meaghan Mountford is a talented decorator that encourages us all to make fun, cute and happy things. Her creativity is something that will inspire you to the point you will want to add icing to everything you own, even marshmallows! Have you seen her blog The Decorated Cookie? You should totally check it out and see all of the cookies, cakes, fudge, marshmallows, cotton candy, S'More's, pretzels to mention only a few things you'll find on her site.

She's an author and has been featured on many different sites and you can find some of them below. You can also find her books and follow her on social media. Here's your warning, you are going to spend some time with her so get comfortable, listen to the podcast, and try to guess how many cats she has. Listen to the podcast and you'll know.

Books:
Sugarlicious
Cookie Sensations

Where can you find Meaghan Mountford?

The Decorated Cookie
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram

Meaghan Mountford has worked with companies like:

Wilton
Tablespoon
Celebrations
Kix Cereal

Her cookies have appeared in:


Brides
The Washington Post
The New York Times

Meaghan's work has also appeared in hundreds maybe thousands of websites including:

the Huffington Post
Bon Appetit
iVillage
Saveur
Buzzfeed
the kitchen
yahoo and many more.

Thank you for hanging out with me and Meaghan. We enjoyed spending time with and hopefully, we'll get to spend more time with you soon in cookie-land.

If you like decorated cookies, marshmallows, and other sweets, you should spend some time on Meaghan's blog. You'll find all kinds of treasures and inspiration on her site. Don't be surprised if you end up trying to decorate anything and everything you can get your hands on.

Bear hugs,

Episode # 13 Anne York with The Flour Box Bakery:





Talking to Anne is one of those things you'll remember for the rest of your life! She's a baker, blogger, owns The Flour Box Bakery, teaches Craftsy classes (getting ready to add her third class SOON), mother of two, and an amazing person in general. Her creativity and talent will make you feel like your someone special because of the love and care she puts into her work.

Anne is also getting ready to release an ebook called How to Host A Cookie Decorating Class and I can't wait to buy it. She shares how to host a cookie party or how to teach a class with all things you need to make it successful. These aren't the things you need to do the night before the class. She prepares you to make a plan two weeks before so your ready for any situation. With her tips, you'll be the best teacher because ever.

She's thought of things that we may encounter and has a plan to help us prepare for them. This sounds like a book we all need!  Think about it, if you hosting a holiday cookie party, decorate your own cookie birthday party, or teaching a Halloween or Christmas cookie class, wouldn't it be nice to have Anne right there beside you? That is the plan I want to follow. Thanks, Anne for making this ebook and helping us be successful! You can purchase it from www.flourboxbakery.com in mid-June.

I bet you can't wait to hear this podcast, but before you start, you need to know where to find Anne and all her amazing cookies. There are a few links below that will help you see all the love she pours into her decorating. You'll also find links to cookies she made for a movie star along with the movie star sharing them for social media! Did I mention Anne is awesome!
# 13 Anne York with The Flour Box Bakery

FlourBoxBakery on Facebook 
Instagram flourboxbakery
YouTube Flour Box Bakery
Craftsy Smart Cookies - www.craftsy.com/cake-decorating/classes/smart-cookies-better-faster-more-efficient-decorating/457807
Craftsy Celebrate with Cookies – www.craftsy.com/cake-decorating/classes/celebrate-with-cookies-19-favorite-designs/46540
Anne has a 3rd class coming soon. We will add a link here when it's available. It's called Cookie Decorating Season by Season and I'll update you as soon as it's ready. 

The Flour Box Bakery page links:


Supplies 
Tutorials 
Blog

Check out some of the amazing work Anne York has created. This is true Cookie Art and will make you fall in love with her and her cookies if you haven't already!


Christmas Cookie Village Cookies with Anne York

Thanksgiving Dinner, Flour Box Bakery Style
Cookie Animation, Happy New Year

Cookies for Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory:

Making Cookies for Jim Parsons of the Big Bang Theory
Big Bang Theory Cookies

I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did. Be sure to stop in and say hi to Anne and show her some love! And check out her

Bear hugs,

Welcome to Podcast 12 The Hungry Hippopotamus with Stephanie Kappel! I'm sure you've heard of Stephanie because she sure knows how to decorate cookies. She's an artist turned cookie decorator that has left an impression on our hearts with royal icing and sugar. I can't wait for you to listen to this podcast and find out how she became the incredible decorator that she is now. Do you know what she did before she started making cookies? Hit play and find out!


 

12 The Hungry Hippopotamus with Stephanie Kappel:
The Hungry Hippopotamus with Stephanie Kappel
Facebook The Hungry Hippopotamus
Instagram The Hungry Hippopotamus
Youtube Stephanie Kappel
Craftsy Class


Better Basics for Exceptional Cookies
Let's Decorate: Gingerbread House

Stephanie has taught at:
Cookie’s Cool
Cookie Con
Her work has been featured on ABC Action News
American Cake Decorating
Edible Artists Network
Southern Living Magazines

Her clients include: 
Disney
Williams-Sonoma
Nomadic Agency

Stephanie is also a Craftsy instructor, contributing educator for SugarEd Productions Sugar Art School, and proud baker for Icing Smiles. Seriously, this girl does it all and you'll enjoy every minute of her podcast. She smart, talented and will be instructing an Add-On Workshop at the 2018 Cookie Con in Indiana. The classes are Better Basics for Exceptional Cookies, Intro to Character Cookies, and Halloween Portrait Master Class. Wouldn't you love to take them all? I know I would!
I hope you take the time to visit The Hungry Hippopotamus with Stephanie Kappel on her social media sites. Once you see all her work, you'll be glad you did. Oh yeah, don't forget to listen to her podcast!

Bear hugs,

Say hello to The Cookie Cowgirl Monica Holbert!





When I was talking to Monica about the podcast she asked if she could give away one of her classes at Cookie Con 2018. I knew how much y'all would love it so I jumped at the chance! Below you will find a description of what she's giving away.

The Cookie Cowgirl Cookie Con 2018 Pre-Class Giveaway!
Not so basic cookie design:
Mixing it up before you roll it out.
Learn tips and tricks to unlock your hidden creative potential and navigate cookie orders of all types like a pro.
Hold onto your cookies cutters because this is going to be good. This class is going to be an interactive journey on what to do before you cut out your first cookie or warm your first stick of butter.
We’ll talk about multiple theme tips, when to do characters vs. non-characters, sketching for success, recipes, and how to be creative when you don’t feel artistic. I’m going to give you the tools I use to get the most out of every order by planning ahead and not wasting so much precious time, energy, and materials trying to figure it out on the fly.
Use your cookie brain for good and learn to see designs out of a variety of shapes they were not originally intended for.
Create charismatic characters with little to no effort that are easy to adapt to a variety of purposes. Have FUN.
There will be some exclusive items for students only and you’ll be the first to get your hand on some super secret Cookie Cowgirl swag.
Hope to see y’all there!
All you have to do to ENTER is read the rules below and leave a comment on this podcast. Monica and I will pick a winner on March 11, 2018, and announce it here on the podcast and email you the details on how to claim your prize. That's it! Just leave a comment on this podcast and you'll be entered!

Monica also told me that you'll get a SWAG BAG and she will SKYPE with you personally! What a great contest!



Have you met The Cookie Cowgirl? She's one of those people that can decorate any kind of cookie any way you want! If you want fancy, she'll give you fancy. Are you looking for fun, she'll give you fun. If you want something perfect, guess what? She can do that too! Since you're here today, why don't you go over to her social media pages and take a look at all her decorated cookies? You're going to love looking at all that cookie art. CookieCowgirl.com, Facebook.com/CookieCowgirl, and Instagram.com/CookieCowgirl.



When you were listening to the podcast did you hear someone singing "Davy Crockett?" It was Monica's son Burt! He's the cutest little guy and hearing him sing makes me want to hang out with him all the time. Such a sweet kid with a great voice!



This is the cookie Monica made for Cookie Con 2017. If you don't do anything else all day just stop for a minute. Look at the cookie. Really look at it. Yes, that's a cookie and Monica made it! It's incredible!

Look at the characters and the octopus...WOW! It's a work of art!



The Cookie Cowgirl seems to be the perfect name for Monica! LOL, I'm afraid to say anything because I don't want to wear pink royal icing. Are you feeling brave? Don't say anything unless your feeling very brave!

I didn't want this podcast to end but I guess we need to talk about the GIVEAWAY! Are you ready for the Cookie Con 2018 Pre-Class GIVEAWAY?



 
****CONTEST CLOSED****
The winner of the Cookie Cowgirl Cookie Con 2018 Pre-Class GIVEAWAY with Monica Holbert is...
Jana Gilkeson-Amazing opportunity!  Good luck to everyone!❤

Congrats Jana!! I'll email you with all the details! ;)

**************************************************************************************************...

Happy Holidays everyone! I wanted to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas so I invited Santa and Mrs Claus to join me. We hope you and your family have a year full of laughter, love, peace, and joy!





Thank you so much for inviting me into your home and allowing us to share our love of cookies together. I honestly don't know if you will ever know how special you are to me. Seeing how you use your kindness, your love, and your willingness to make the world better is one of the greatest gifts I've seen. Thank you for using your talents to make the world better.

Santa and Mrs Claus worked out the time in their busy schedule so they could stop by to announce the winner of the KitchenAid Mixer contest. Do you know who won?
Santa and Mrs Claus, it's time to tell us who won the KitchenAid Mixer!
I know you all want to know who won the KitchenAid Mixer so let's get to it!

THE WINNER IS
Louanne Bertrand - What a generous give-away! I’d love to win a mixer in ice.

Congratulations Louanne! I hope you bake up a lot of love with it! Santa is so busy working with the elves to finish making all the toys and carefully packing them in his sleigh, so Mrs. Claus and I asked the postal service to deliver it to you so you'd get it before Christmas. We know how important it is to have a good mixer for the holidays. Especially one in the Ice color you chose! It's so pretty!

Thanks everyone for entering and I'll be back in 2018 with more chances to win cookie things!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Bear hugs,