Tonight a cookie friend texted me and asked, "Do you ever struggle with the feeling of inadequacy with your cookies?"  I thought on that question for a quick second and immediately answered, "NO!" Trust me, it isn't because I feel like my cookies are SO amazing, not at all!  Two years ago, I was finding myself patrolling social media looking at all the amazing cookie pictures and then criticizing my own cookies.  I was stuck in a perpetual cycle of comparison.  Sadly, rather than it improving my techniques or my quality...it stole my joy.  I was comparing everything about my cookies to others and I suddenly forgot why I loved doing cookies.  I let comparison steal my joy.

Do you do that?  It took me a while to realize that I was even doing it!  Then, I went through a phase of not following my fellow cookiers.  I needed to focus on ME.  I needed to find who I was as a cookier rather than trying to be anyone else.  It's amazing the transformation that occurred.  I stopped searching on Pinterest for "cookie" ideas.  I stopped looking on social media at other cookie posts and I started working on me.  I even started sketching my sets out and brainstorming for myself.  I had to experiment and play with icing.  I needed to tweak and alter my dough flavorings.  I started trying different methods and finding what works for me.  I began a journey of staying in my own lane.   I realized a very important lesson, "Don't allow comparison to steal your joy. "

When I grow up (not literally because I'm pushing the big 4-0),  I know what I want to be in my cookie life.

Lets back up a little bit first.  This past weekend I flew to Salt Lake City to attend my second Cookie Con!  It is the very best convention that focuses on the Cookie Artist (more about that to come).  I was just a girl from Kansas, headed to spend five days with five hundred amazing people.  It is a tad overwhelming and everything fabulous.

We dedicated days to learning, celebrating, and educating ourselves about a cookie!  Yep, a cookie. From first light to well past my normal "mom" bedtime, we talked cookie.  It sounds ludicrous to people who don't "get it", but that doesn't matter when you are at Cookie Con.  THESE people understand, my tribe!

Friday was class day, from 9 am until 6 pm, we spent the day soaking in tidbits from some amazing artists.  And this brings me to what I want to be when I grow up.  It was getting to be the end of my class day, I was dragging a little bit.  I hadn't had my normal doses of coffee or shut eye, so I was starting to waver a little.  I sat down hopeful that I could keep my eyes open.  4:00 hour struck and BAM, the teacher began.  She was AMAZING.  Her knowledge of cookie techniques, her knowledge of art, her knowledge of teaching, it was ALL inspiring.  But, what captured my attention was her love of cookies.  She LOVES to create beautiful cookies.  She doesn't just do cookies like everyone else does them.  She finds new ways to create texture and she experiments with different tools.  The excitement she exuded was like nothing I've seen before. THAT type of passion for cookies is what I want to have.  Sure, I have that excitement and trust me, I have the love of cookies (I wouldn't spend all these hours and backaches, if I didn't love it).  But, what I want to be is someone who stands before a crowd and inspires.  A cookie artist who pushes others to do better, create differently, and get excited!  THAT is what I want to be when I grow up.

A genuine thank you to Amy Clough of Clough'D 9 Cookies for being that special instructor.

Cookie Con!  Its a thing!  I tell people I am heading to a con in Salt Lake City and they look at me completely baffled!  I am loading up to head out in the next hour for my second Cookie Con!  I am beyond excited.  Its where online friendships collide into reality.  Where fellow cookiers speak your love language.  Its where you can totally nerd out on cookies and nobody thinks its odd!

My very first Cookie Con was a tad overwhelming.  Meeting people face to face for the first time was hard!  There were personalities that wasn't what I expected, people who were way more amazing than I thought and a ton of fun mixed in.  If you are heading out to your first cookie con, I have words of wisdom for YOU! Do as much as you can!  I was a little overwhelmed last time and completely skipped open decorating.  What a huge regret!  Some cookiers are intimidating, but don't let that stop you from meeting them!  I had the joy to meet a few cookie gals that are really inspiring to me, I even took photos with them and I was thrilled I did.  Funny thing is, I remain friends with several of them today.  The photo below is with Georganne Bell of Lilaloa at the Cookie Tasting! If you are not a very social person, force yourself to meet someone new and do things together!  Put yourself out there and I guarantee you, you will not be sorry!

If you can't make it to Cookie Con 2017, be prepared for a ton of photos on social media by a ton of cookie people!  Enjoy the photos and make plans to join the next one!  If you see me in Salt Lake City, come say hi!

Do you ever start a cookie set with no plan in mind?  You bake shapes and mix icing but have no idea what you will do?  I am a "type A" organized planner.  I rarely don't have a plan.  But, every once in a while, I like to change things up.  I like to sit at my desk and see where the icing bag takes me.  There are times that I have created some of the ugliest cookies in the world this way.  Other times, a set without a plan and direction, turns out pretty great.

For this "type a" decorator, its not something I do very often.  I typically have a pencil in hand and sketch out designs.  I normally know what will go on each and every cookie.  But, winging it, it pushes you.  It keeps you on your toes.  You have to commit to each cookie and go with it!  If you've never tried the "wing it" method...give it a try.  If it produces ugly cookies....EAT them!  But, if you design gorgeous cookies...its worth it!

Here I am, minding my own business and getting things done.  And then, out of the blue, an email from a local News Anchor.  She has been following me on Instagram and invited me to appear on the morning news show.  Say, what?  I paused.  I panicked a little.  I asked my logical husband what I should do.  He responded, "do it".  Um....that wasn't supposed to be his answer! So, without thinking too hard, I immediately answered, "YES!"

One week.  I had one week to prep and plan and compose myself.  Did I mention it was Valentine's Week?  Yes, not the most brilliant move on my part! But, I was committed.  Oh wait....my youngest woke up vomiting.  Followed by my oldest waking up vomiting.  Influenza A.  Oh goody! I CAN do this.  I can handle all of this.  Honestly though, I can't handle vomit.  Its awful.

So, I learned that the flu is time consuming.  Its all consuming actually.  Between holding hair, fetching drinks and disinfecting my entire home multiple times...it was all consuming. Okay, back to cookies.  Five days of sickness and I had to curb all cookie baking or decorating until we got an "all clear".  That means, I had 24 hours to design, bake, and decorate for my two news segments.  Sure.  Why not? I wanted to cancel and back out....I truly did.  But, wise friends who are always encouraging made me stick with it.

I tightened up my apron strings and went for it.  I survived.  Actually survived.  The two news segments were a success.  And I might have had a little fun in the process! What I really didn't consider was the aftermath.  Lots of inquiries and social media activity kind of aftermath!  All on Valentines Week. And, it may sound like I'm complaining...but I really am not! IF you are ever approached about doing anything in your community, I will mimic my husbands words ad say "DO IT!"  What a great way to get noticed locally, build new customers and have a great story to tell.  I know, I know...you just read through a nightmare of a story for a little cookie pep talk.  Put yourself out there, even if you don't want to.  You just never know who is following your cookie journey!