When my children were young, I made treats for their school functions and created brown bag lunches that they would say were anything but ordinary. They loved eating my creations, and I loved making them. Then, my children became parents themselves, and my love for baking took on a whole new meaning.
Though I baked often, I lacked the confidence (and skill) to decorate cupcakes and cookies like those found in bake shops or on some of the wonderful baking blogs that are floating around the Internet. Two years ago, I decided that I wanted to to take my skills beyond the buttercream frosting and sprinkles that usually adorned my baked treats. I scoured the Internet for tutorials and YouTube videos, and was quickly amazed at the amount of free knowledge that is available to those of us who want to learn something new. From the moment I clicked play on the first video I found, I was hooked!
What I learned from this process is that access to great tutorials and a desire to hone one’s skills are only half of the equation. It did not take me long to figure out that while it is doable to learn this way, it takes perseverance, patience and and a willingness to abandon any fear of failure. The best part of doing this at my age, is that I really had nothing to lose (kids will eat anything you call a cookie, right?). There is no such thing as a bad cookie, even the birds enjoy those that have been burnt to a crisp. It was a win-win situation.
You will see cookies here that are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve always felt that perfection is overrated! Even when I didn’t think my baking skills were up to snuff, the kids still loved my creations – burnt edges and all.
My children and grandchildren are among my greatest joys. I love nothing more than surprising them (and sometimes their friends) with sweet, home-baked treats. It was with their encouragement that I began this adventure into the world of blogging. I am glad you have joined me on this journey, I hope you have some fun along the way!