DRUMROLL...And the winner is...

Kanga

(Sandra)

 

Congratulations Sandra!

Your name was drawn randomly in our 800 Likes Celebration Giveaway!

Please send me a message and I'll arrange to get your prize to you!

Thanks to everyone who participated and for continuing to support Sweet Ivy Confections!

We'll do another giveaway soon!

Hugs and love to all!

Melody

Pink Power...

These were just a couple flowers I played with.

Had some extra cookies and button rosettes in the freezer so I tried some new things.

Nothing fancy or special...but anything pink is A-OK in my book!

National Girls Ministries of the Assemblies of God...

A couple weeks ago, I did a post on some cookies I made for the Royal Rangers (a program through our church similar to boy scouts).

This week, a friend asked me to make some (Missionettes) Girls Ministries cookies (our girls program).

The rose emblem is for the "Girls Only" club...the oldest group.

The butterfly emblem is for the "Friends" club.

These are for the "Stars" club.

These are the "Prims" club cookies.

These are for the younger girls "Daisies".

And last but not least...the youngest group..."Rainbows" club.

This was the first time I ever shipped cookies to anyone.

I was terrified!

I studied half a dozen packaging/shipping tutorials from all the top "cookiers" in the business!

I did everything they said!

I bubble wrapped, I used packing peanuts, I used newspaper, I double-boxed...

I did it all.

Thankfully...

None of the cookies broke!

However...

There was an issue with the royal icing.

There was a little chip in one area of the white and then the blue piping on the daisies didn't set too well my friend informed me.

I don't know if it was bumped around too much or if weather affected it?

This was an experiment, I tell ya.

Now I know.

SHIPPING IS SCARY!

LOL!

My friend was happy and said the ladies loved them.

So that made me happy.

However...

The stress of worrying if they'd arrive in one piece, and then hearing the icing didn't "enjoy" the ride, makes me think twice about shipping more in the future.

And it is very pricey to do so as well.

Something to think about...

Bunny Cookie Cupcake Toppers And Springtime Cupcakes!

I volunteered to make cupcakes for my youngest son's yearly Fun Night (school carnival) this year as I always do.

A lot of people just run to the grocery store and pick up a box of "fluffy" decorated cupcakes.

And although I'm very grateful that they donate...I don't like taking the easy way out.

I'm always up for a challenge...because we all know I have so much time on my hands...NOT!

I decided to make the famous SugarBelle's Bunny Cookie Cupcake Toppers.

They were a lot of fun to create.

And although mine didn't turn out quite like hers...I still think they turned out pretty cute.

What really made my night...was that both platters of mine...

WERE THE FIRST TWO TO BE PICKED IN THE CAKE WALK GAME!

Woot woot!

Out of hundreds of platters of cupcakes...the first two winners of the game actually grabbed my bunnies first!

How cool was that!

I guess they were a hit with the kids!

I only needed to take twelve cupcakes (two platters of six) to the Fun Night...

So I had extra cupcakes leftover.

So I just swirled some buttercream icing on them and added four different shades of sprinkles in springtime colors!

The fam is always happy to take care of my leftovers.

As are the little kiddos I watch...

Who doesn't enjoy cupcakes for snack?

Tomorrow is the first day of spring!

What baking projects do you have on the agenda for spring/Easter?

Royal Ranger Cookies...

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what Royal Rangers are...

It is a wonderful boys program through our denomination (Assemblies of God) at church very similar to scouting.

The earn merit badges, go on campouts, all kinds of things.

Except with Royal Rangers...there is also a spiritual emphasis as well.

My boys have grown and matured so much since being in the program.

My oldest has gone to three of the state-wide campouts (Pow Wow) with Rangers from all over the state.

This year, he will go to the national Camp-A-Rama...with boys from all over our country...including a couple other countries!

They both have shirts and vests filled with merit badges!

They do Pinewood Derby just like in scouting.

But most of all, I'm so blessed by how they've grown in their relationship with the Lord.

We have an amazing program at our church.

We have dedicated leaders that are there every week.

They go through all the training.

And volunteer so many hours with our boys.

Our Senior Commanders (the leaders in charge of our whole Outpost at our church) are amazing and we love them so much!

So I decided to make a little thank-you basket for them.

And what better way to say thank-you, than with cookies!

I won't lie...the Royal Ranger emblem was tricky.

But for freehand...I was VERY impressed with how they turned out.

And so to you Wayne and Barb...we say THANK-YOU from the very bottom of our heart!

You bless our boys and we appreciate your dedication and leadership all these years!

God bless you!

Kiss Me...I'm Irish!

These were just a few simple shamrocks I did for the month of March.

I had some leftover cookie dough and icing, so I just popped these out really quick.

I'm hoping to get some "fancier" ones done later in the month before the holiday.

Just wanted to share these for now.

Enjoy!

"Musgo"...

When my sister and I were growing up, we always HATED leftovers for dinner.

Any time my mom said the "dreaded words"...LEFTOVERS...we cringed.

Finally...mom came up with her own terminology for leftovers.

One day, when she was planning to serve leftovers...my sister and I asked the question all moms dread love hearing, "What's for dinner mom?"

Mom came up with a brilliant new word.

She turned and said to us, "We are having 'Musgo' for dinner."

MUSGO?

My sister and I were baffled.

We wondered what it could be!

A new recipe?
A casserole perhaps?

Turns out, mom wasn't saying 'Musgo' at all.

She was saying, "MUST-GO".

When we asked her what she was talking about, she said...

"Everything in the frig MUST GO!"

This was her new way of telling us we were having leftovers and cleaning out the frig.

Oh yay...NOT.

LOL!

And that is what I have titled these cookies.

These are my "MUST-GO" cookies.

I had quite a few containers of leftover royal icing from other projects that I needed to use up.

I had leftover cookies in the freezer from other orders.

Therefore...

EVERYTHING MUST GO!

LOL!

They are nothing special.

I was just playing around really.

Maybe instead of the boring old "Must-Go" title that my sister and I will ever hate...I should give them a prettier name.

Perhaps..."Bold & Bright"?

Well, whatever you wanna call them...

I used up all the "leftovers" and they made for a tasty dessert.  Ha!

800 "Likes" Thank-You Giveaway Celebration!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Well we did it folks!

800+ "Likes" on Facebook!

As promised, I am ready to do another giveaway!

This is actually not a Facebook "Likes" giveaway...but more of a THANK-YOU CELEBRATION from me to you.

If it weren't for all of you wonderful moms, dads, kids, and fellow bakers encouraging me...I would have probably given up on baking and decorating, like so many other hobbies I've started.  But thanks to all of your encouraging comments, support, love, AND ORDERS...I've continued my journey and am still seeking to learn more every day!

So I want to say, TO EACH OF YOU...

THANK-YOU from the very bottom of my heart!

And to celebrate, I want to give you the chance to win a little something.

This is just a simple giveaway...just a few things I've been picking up to say thanks and possibly make someone's day a little brighter.  I know giveaways ALWAYS make my day brighter...no matter WHAT I win!  So without further ado...here goes!

First item in the bundle...

A Wilton Candy/Cookie Mold.

I had never seen these.

This mold is for covering your favorite cookie in a candy melt, making a cute candy dipped cookie treat!  How cool is that?  Perfect for parties, showers, celebrations, or just a special treat for your kids!

Next up is...

An Easter Pretzel Mold from Wilton.

I just LOVE the sweet/salty taste of coated pretzels!

I've always dipped my own pretzels, but how cute is this?

EASTER pretzels!

What kid (or adult) won't go ga-ga for this!

Well, we've covered the candy melt/mold area...

Now let's move on to cookie making!

Next in the bundle is two Easter cookie cutters.

One egg...one cross.

Ya gotta have sugar cookies for Easter!

The next item isn't really a baking item...

Although, you might need them "after" you get done eating to wipe your hands on!

This is a purse size package of Easter "naps".

The package says "hankies"...so when I first picked them up, I thought they were purse sized tissues.  But after further examining them, they look quite thick...more like a napkin...which is why I've been calling them "naps".

I say use them or call them whatever you want.

It never hurts to have extra napkins and/or tissues in your purse for emergencies...and these are so dang cute!

Next up...

Two spools of Easter ribbon!

Perfect for tying up all your Easter goodie bags full of cookies and treats!

I have to appologize for my poor quality photos.

I wish these hadn't turned out so poorly.

This is where you can all leave messages all over my baking page BEGGING my husband to buy me a new camera!  Hahaha!

And last of all...

One package of jellybean cupcake liners!

Perfect for doing all your Easter baking in.

Well...that wraps up this giveaway!

I hope you like all the goodies!

The great thing is...you have MORE THAN ONE way to enter!

Read on for all your opportunities!

1.  REQUIRED ENTRY:  Leave a comment here on my blog telling me your very favorite dessert.  Be specific.  Is it something you make?  A family recipe?  Or something you always get at your favorite restaurant?  Is it a cookie, cupcake, cheesecake, candy?  Let me hear it!

2. ADDITIONAL ENTRY #2:  Follow my blog!  You can sign up right here through Google or you can sign up on Facebook through the Networked Blogs application.  If you already follow me, just let me know!

3.  ADDITIONAL ENTRY #3:  "Like" my Facebook page!  If you already do, just let me know you do!

4.  ADDITIONAL ENTRY #4:  Follow me on Twitter at:  Sweet_Ivy_Conf
If you already follow me on Twitter, just let me know!

5.  ADDITIONAL ENTRY #5:  "Share" this giveaway on the social network of your choice and let me know which one you shared on (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

6.  ADDITIONAL ENTRY #6:  Bring some friends!  If you can get TWO friends to do one of the following, you can have ONE additional entry!  If they "Like" my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or subscribe to my blog...YOU get a 6th entry.  Just leave a comment with their names in the comment section here.

There you have it!

YOU CAN HAVE UP TO SIX ENTRIES!

Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN CONTACT YOU!

Only comments that appear here on the blog will count.

Deadline to enter March 29 midnight EST.

Winner will be announced March 30.

***Easter basket in photo not included.

***And I think I'm requred to say...that this giveaway is not sponsored by anyone...all items were purchased by me because I APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! :)