Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween 2011

Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween y'all!!! 

First off I want to take this moment to talk about something that might sound like I'm tooting my horn....and if I wanted to I would...because it's my blog and I can...

Here is last years Halloween cookies:



They're allright...nothing to write home about but good....I was very happy with these when I shipped them off to my old college dorm neighbor :)
Stay with me...I actually have a point.  I used to look at my favorite bloggers and wonder why my stuff didn't look quite like theirs.  I used the same icings, I tried the same techniques, I followed the tutorials, but mine just didn't have the same...sumthin' sumthin'....
I guess I am writing this because I want to emphasize the importance of practice...those Halloween cookies were hundreds of cookies ago.  I mean since then and now I have decorated HUNDREDS of cookies, much to the chagrin of my ever growing carpal tunnel.  
Over time, and practice I feel that now I may have reached a stride...finally after a year and a half I have reached a level where I am content with my abilities.  Not to say that I wont ALWAYS be learning something new, or that I wont ALWAYS be trying to improve myself.  BECAUSE I WILL.....that's the great thing about learning...it never stops.  I love it.  
So if you have a day where you feel like you're just never going to be as good as Jane blogger on the internet, don't give up.  KEEP PRACTICING!  You will find your style, your niche, your stride.
Who knows, one day I will probably look back on this post and say wow....I was crap back then.  
Who knows...

This years Halloween cookies (which I love) may not be the best I see in what I hope is a long love affair with cookies, but a year and hundreds of cookies later I can finally see my growth...and that feels good


11 comments:

SweetSugarBelle said...

It looks as good to me now as the first time I laid eyes on a fave, but I know exactly what you mean!

Unknown said...

Such beautiful work. That dress is absolutely elegant! I'm so glad SweetSugarBelle shared your link on Facebook!

Unknown said...

I hear you - I've experienced the same with my henna art. I don't practice as much as I used to, but there's still been a huge leap from where my skills started and where they are now. I hope I'll be able to say the same about my cooking/baking & blogging skills a year from now.

Lisa Lou said...

Love these cookies!!! They are fabulous!!! Thanks for reminding us that practice makes better cookies!!!

Paula said...

Cookie decorating is an on-going learning process for me and when I see other's fabulous and amazingly decorated cookies I'm only inspired to keep learning, to keep trying. Love your Halloween cookies this year and for the record, last year's were pretty fabulous too!

Christine-SugarCravings said...

Ali, thanks for this post. I'm a new cookier and often feel like I won't ever be as good as all of you "Queens." It's nice to know I'm not the only one who has felt that way and to see the progress you've made in just a year. BTW - your cookies from last year look just as amazing as this year's! :)

Stephanie said...

I didn't post any of my Halloween cookies because I felt this way! Thank you for giving us newer cookiers something to look forward to! :)

Carrie said...

Growth is good for the soul!

faithy said...

Such great post Alison! Glad to know that practice makes perfect and thank you so much for your encouragement! I am always so inspired by all your cookies and designs!

Amanda said...

I was in my kitchen piping on my sugar cookies and I was sooo frustrated with my icing job. I actually stopped to read your blog. Thanks for the encouragement!!

Suz said...

What a great post! I love your cookie designs? Quick question, over time what tools really helped you improve your skills? Did you start using a KopyKake projector? It looks like you may have an airbrush? Sometimes having practice plus tools helps. Any reccomendations? Check out my blog if you have a chance!
www.sweetsbysuz.blogspot.com

 

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