A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What a wonderful time we had baking 2011 Christmas! Grand total of cookies baked was 54 dozen. I LOVED having my sister and neice here to help...Thanks to them the Charlotte market is continuing to expand. These photos show just a fraction of the cookies we completed. We had several new designs this year, including Mr. Reindeer - who lots of customers just loved! I want to thank all of my Sixes elementary school customers and my co-workers who ordered more this year than ever before. I am already looking forward to Valentines cookies!!!!!

Christmas is coming!!!

Thankful doesn't even begin to say it! Thanksgiving was a huge success for Joyful Creations and I can not express how thankful I am for it! I love that my sister, niece and family are always willing to step in and help in a crunch. I am very excited about Christmas orders. Don't wait - if you are interested, order early!! HUGS TO ALL MY CUSTOMERS!!!

Halloween 2011 Preview

My sister and I baked like CRAZY this past weekend in Charlotte. I tried my hand at a new color scheme and new designs for the fall season - Hope you all like it as much as we do!!

Getting Ready for Fall Holidays....

Science Cookies

These were a fun batch for a new customer - a 9 year old's birthday who requested a science theme. Did you notice the hazmat spill on the orange beaker above? HA HA!! Get your protective goggles!

Back to School Cookies 2011

BACK TO SCHOOL - need I say more? I would like to thank all of my new customers in 2011 for their back to school orders! You all are the BEST!!

Golf Cookies

GOLF Cookies - finally! I have been wanting to do these forever and now just got the chance. I heard that all of the ladies at Lake Arrowhead just loved them.

Cherry Blossom Cookies

These were made as a thank you gift to the hospice that my niece's husband was at when he passed. She said it was the best decision she could have made to take him there - because it was so peaceful that he rested, she rested, the children rested - and we all know that in the hospital NOBODY gets any rest....

BMW Boys

These cookies were made for the Service Department at Macon BMW. Sadly - my niece's husband, Tony - who worked at BMW, has passed away. These cookies were made as a sincere thank you to all of the men and women of BMW who sat at his bedside, came to his house to finish building a shed, came to his funeral and have given so freely of what they have for Sherry and her family. Those BMW boys are just the best!

Fleur De Lis

These are samples for a repeat customer. She was trying to decide about what type of cookie to use for wedding rehearsal favor. This morning, after much consideration, she has finally chosen the large black and white circles. I am so glad to have her business and this is my 2nd wedding order of the season. Hooray!!!

Animal Cookies

These are my very first animal cookies - I donated them to the Relay for Life Event. I liked them and they were a HUGE hit. Especially the monkeys. Apparently monkeys are all the rage with teenage girls. You should have seen them squealing and jumping up and down.

Playing Card Cookies

These are my first attempt at playing card cookies. I was very pleased, because I used a new technique called "royal icing transfer" which worked pretty well - except for the colors bled a little bit. Naturally Red and Black bleed more than most other colors!

The rest of Easter

There are so many more photos to share, but since I am so behind in updating this blog I am only posting the basics. My sister LISA and my daughter and niece and I baked TONS of Easter cookies. The chocolate eggs above are the girls' artisitic works!! There was almost no room to sit in her car going back to Charlotte because she had so many orders!!! We had such a good time. I was tired afterwords but so thankful for the MOST successful holiday yet.

Easter Preivew

St. Patricks Day Cookies

I had said that I wasn't going to bake any St. Patricks Day cookies... RIIIIGGGHHHHTTT! I couldn't stand it. I made the most colorful batch for a big meeting here at our hospital. I know hearts don't really go with St. Patricks day, but it was for our Cardiac Cath Lab, so I threw a few in. It was great fun and I am looking forward to Easter!

Gift Shop Bouquets

Joyful Creations is officially in the Gift Shop at our hospital!!

Red Hat Society Cookies

These cookies were made for one of my best customers. Sadly her grandmother passed away at the ROCKIN' age of 104. Yes - you read correctly: 104!! She was a RED-HATTER and wore it proudly every day!! I was hoping for a picture of her to post on the blog, but have not received one yet. These were given as thank you gifts to her caregivers. May we all rock it out like her well into the golden years!

Easter Shopping Madness

Crazy Shopping Spree in Charlotte! I met my super awesome sister LISA at the Hobby Lobby in Charlotte last weekend and we shopped all day! We also hit Michael's, the Dollar Store, and various Goodwills. Every time I went to buy something she would grab it and run away - or take stuff out of my cart when I wasn't looking and pay for it. I just love her! Okay - the lizard and the Frisbee are definitely not in the Easter category - but I had to have them!! Talk about running it out - we were RUNNING!!

Groovy Cookies

WOW - how groovy!! This is an order from a lady in Charlotte that works with my fabulous sister LISA! I think these came out really well. I hope I get more fun orders like these.