Today I would like to introduce you to my friend Loren. I actually "met" Loren by accident. It all started when another one of my favorite cookiers, Ali Bee, made the most stunning set of cookies I had EVER seen. What thrilled me the most were the tiny perfect little roses on them. Of course, I had to know how she made them, and that led me to Loren.

I have tried for two years to make the perfect rose, and I never quite came up with a winner. Luckily, someone else figured it out for me. I have to say, I think Loren's roses are the prettiest royal icing roses I have ever seen.

When I think of Loren, I consider her a cake decorator gone "cookie". This is because she often uses gorgeous {but tricky} piping techniques that I tend to shy away from. The result is BEAUTIFUL cookies unlike any other.

The more I get to know Loren, I have also learned that even though we have different styles, we have a LOT in common. We are both detail-oriented perfectionists, with an insane hobby, who like to shop at the dollar store =)

A few more fun factoids about Loren...
First of all, she is PUBLISHED! Three of her creations were selected for the fabulous new book “1000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes”, which was released in 2010.

She started baking in 6th grade after borrowing a “Little House on the Prairie Pioneer Cookbook” from the library. After that, she was HOOKED!

Before her baking career, she worked for 15 years in sales and marketing at a large technology company. Now, in addition to baking, she is a stay-at-home mom to her 4 1/2 year old son Ryan.

She is best known for her “Old Fashioned Coffee Cake” that she makes at least once a week. However, her recipe is "top secret" and she's not tellin' =)

*and this will make you jealous*


She just moved to a North Shore Long Island dream house where her hubby is currently renovating space for a secondary kitchen just for her cookie & cake decorating addiction!


*See, I told you you'd be jealous*


So, let me turn this over to Loren, so she can teach us how roses are done =)

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Hello Everyone! 

Loren from The Baking Sheet here wishing you greetings from Long Island, NY!


  We are currently buried under several inches of snow and having temps in the teens, so what better thing to do than stay inside, have some hot cocoa and DECORATE COOKIES! 

When Callye invited me to create a guest-post for "Sweet Sugar Belle" I nearly wet myself, I was thrilled!!  Her cookies are works of art and nothing I have ever created has even come close to being the slightest bit as fabulous as hers.  I often describe her as a "Picasso", while I'm a "Paint-by-Number Artist".  As you can see I'm immensely in-awe of her talent!  She's my #1 cookie-idol!  

Anyway, I've been stressing out about what I could possibly add to her already amazing blog without boring her followers to death and I thought about some little ribbon roses that I created a while ago.  They gained a lot of attention on my blog and I received many inquiries about them.  Take a look at some of my cookies...

 
 


  
Notice those little ribbon roses?  They are made of royal icing and very simple to make! 

Here's how I did it....

You will need: 

Royal Icing (I use this recipe)
A flower nail (I use Wilton #9)
A pastry bag fitted with a small petal tip (I use Wilton #101)
1"x1" squares of waxed paper


Sometimes using a video demo is easier to explain....You can view me making ribbon roses in this video.  (My apologies in-advance for my horrendous New York accent and also the poor video quality!)



Once the roses have dried (after a few hours), you can peel off the waxed paper and store them in Tupperware containers for up to a year!

I bought these cute little guys at my local dollar store!


Here are some cute Valentine's Day cookies I made using the ribbon roses!

"A Dozen Roses"
I made these for Mother's Day...

By the way, I used a "shooting star" cutter to make these cookies!

So get creative!  Stop by my blog and show me what you made...
I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Hope you enjoyed my tutorial!  Thanks Callye!!

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Thank YOU Loren! I cannot wait to go try out a simplified version of your bouquet cookie! And I have to say, using the Wilton star was genius! That's my favorite subject you know!

If you want to so see more of Loren, you can visit her blog, The Baking Sheet, or like her Facebook page!

Thanks again Loren, I am off to work on some ribbon roses! Have a good day everyone, and happy decorating!




I have mentioned several times that by some crazy twist of fate, I joined Flickr at the beginning of my cookie journey.  It was there that I met some of the most talented, kind, giving, AMAZINGLY gifted people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, so, for my last post of the year, I thought there would be no better way to end it, than introduce others to the amazing talent that I have had the privelege of learning from and with over the past two years.  These artisans are truly among the best!

*To VIEW MORE from my friends, click on their photos and it will take you directly to their sites*


This was probably my favorite cookie of the year...the design, the piping...HUMBLING!




There aren't even words to describe Kylie's creativity.  This is just the tip of the iceberg!




I want to be like Ali when I grow up... 



And Glory, is in a league of her own!


Landa taught me all of my favorite tricks, and is FEARLESS about trying difficult designs.  I love these deceptively simple flowers.  They are not forgiving when it comes to goofs...this is GOOD work! 




Bea makes beautiful cookies with limited access to supplies.  I LOVE this set SOOOOO much!


Everything Hani makes is like fine art and her pictures are GORGEOUS. 




Holly is an ARTIST in more ways than one...more on that later!





My friend Asya does not spend a lot of time making cookies, but when she does, she makes things like this...totally impressive!





And Jody, the maker of one of my favorite chocolate cookies, AND the woman who thinks like I do.  We are often a day or two off on design ideas, LOL! 





Bren is talent through and through.  This is my all time favorite Christmas cookie duo!



Don't tell me you can't get details with glaze...Dawn stomps that theory right into the ground!



 Perfection and a great eye for design, all in one package!  EVERYTHING she makes is like this!




Scott is the guy who knocked my socks off this year with one single cookie.  I have a goal to convert him to a full time cookier by 2012 =)



I could write a book on my favorites from Pam...BUT I chose this photo because it illustrates how she can take an ordinary cookie and use creativity to make it EXTRAORDINARY!




I wish Nancy would give me her "less is more" magic touch...She knows just what needs to be done.  I tend to over-do, LOL!




Y'all have already met Daniela!  I love her eye for design, AND how perfect all of her cookies are!!!





Sweet and talented Beka...beautiful cookies and a heart of gold!




Andrea just opened a bakery!  It's gorgeous just like her cookies.  I love this cookie idea, and I envy her perfect piping!




Laura is a veteran.  She has probably done this longer than any of us, and is really a "big deal" in the cookie world...and she ships too!




Lisa has a talent for coming up with the most unique cookie designs and making them happen.  I love her individual cookies AND her collections!





Kim makes one of my favorite cookies to eat, and makes miracles with her top-secret icing (Don't ask, she won't tell, I've tried, LOL).  I love her talent for creative interpretations of themes.




 Okay, Johnna has been making cookies like this for two years without a Kitchen-aid OR a KopyKake!  I might be a little (or a lot) envious of that =) *she finally got a Kitchen-aid, though*




It's no secret that Maryann is my IDOL, hands down.  We will definitely be seeing more of her in 2011!



This woman is talented and has the best heart...and she builds cookie sculptures...WOW!




These were another beautiful cookie collection I could not get out of my head!  Cuteness!




And my second idol, Myri!  I love how her her cookies really reflect her Mexican heritage.  She is the creator of two of my all time favorite cookies, this being one of them!!!


Now off to work on some funny NYD cookies, in a funny shape and theme...I hope they make you giggle!  See everyone next year!