Cookie Bouquet

Hello all,

I know, it's been a long time between postings, but I have been very busy.

I finally finished work on the cookies rose bouquet for the market. 

So here it is!!!

I will have them for sale at the Maitland Markets this Saturday as an order only item for $40.00. I think I will eventually have them wrapped in cellophane and sell them on the day, but not this markets! I have so many other things to do!

Hope you all enjoy. I have also been meaning to take photos of the mini cupcakes bouquets that have been doing so well, but I keep forgetting. 

New Dummy Cake for the Bridal Expo

Here is my new cake for the expo. Just started on my next one, so I'll post that in a couple days.

Finally getting settled in back home...

Hey there everyone,

I'm getting set up back in Australia. I did one of the markets and had a really great time selling my treats. I spoke to a number of brides and drummed up some interest. 

I have my first bridal consultation on this Thursday, and I'm pleased that it is someone in the the bridal industry. 

I have been working on wedding favors lately, and am starting to have a real range of cookies etc to use as favors for parties and weddings alike. I already have my next cookie crush; the newest edition to my range should be up and going soon. 

Australians have been loving my flavours and American influence, and so I think it will all go swimmingly. 

To all my American supporters, sorry that the cake and cookies are over, but Portland has plenty of sweet treat places to go round without me!!!!

Ness

Turtle Cake

This is my masterpiece! It is the Sea Turtle cake for Hunter's class tomorrow. I can't wait for her to see it in the morning!
No other cake has made me this proud. All hand carved and hand painted turtle, with sand to boot.
Hope you all love it too!

Are these good enough for Maitland Market?

Here are my new cupcakes that I made today. I think they will go really well at the markets. They are very pretty and shabby, and I am really proud of them. They are probably going to be the only round cuppies that I am going to do, so I should be working on my square ones in the next few weeks.
Hope everyone likes them as much as I do!

The Royal Sisters Cookies

These are my version of my sister's dolls. Please see them on etsy or their blog www.theroyalsisters.blogspot.com
They are my honey cookies hand cut to look like the dolls. I really need a cutter custom made. That would make them go faster. I also think i should follow Jon's advice and paint the outline black instead of using a food marker. I just need a tiny brush.
They still need some work, but I think they have real potential.

Watermelon Cookies for etsy

Here are my newest cookies, just in time for the American Summer. I am listing them on etsy tonight. I think they turned out really great, and I hope you think so too.

The Damask in Lime

I had a request by a client to do the damask in Lime green and black. I wasn't too sure about it, but the results are wonderful! They thought they were absolutely perfect. I guess the damask looks good any way you do it.

Rose Honey Cookies

Here are the Rose cookies I made that were a huge hit for Mother's Day. They are all hand-piped, and that's not an easy feat!
I think it is worth it though, because they look so pretty and girly.

Some cakes I made

Here are some pictures of cakes I have made in the past.

There is the Pooh Cake I made for my daughter, Sydney's first birthday in December. Everyone loved it! It was over 30cm tall (1 foot). It feed about 50 people, and it tasted great too. The other cake is a small cake I made for the girls who both love Kipper! It only feed about 10-12 people, but it was more just to look at, and have the girls tear into. I think they think everyone gets cake all the time.

Cherry Blossom Cupcakes

Here are some cupcakes I made to test out my ideas. I am suddenly inspired to do cupcakes! These were really fun, and I am keen to do more. There are so many great cupcakes out there. I love the work of Kylie from Le Cupcake in Australia, especially her signature embossed fondant ones.
Personally, I like to use poured fondant, and am currently adapting some of my cake recipes to cupcakes. I am hoping to get started on a range of square cupcakes, or petite fours wrapped up like cupcakes. It was a great idea of my husbands, and I think it's a winner. Now I just have to get baking again!
These next few weeks are going to be quite busy, doing cakes and cookies for my daughter, Hunter's, class at school. I will be making a sea turtle cake and a mud cake for the parents, and then somehow I just decided to add turtle cookies into the mix! I must be mad.
I will upload some photos of them when they are done.

The Original Damask

Here is the one that started it all, my black and white damask. I love this cookie, and I actually hope to have this be one of my signature items in my new business - Sugar Rush.
I love how simple and elegant it is, and how it goes with so many occasions, elegant birthday, for a special friend, or a wedding. They have been a big hit so far, and I hope it only gets better from here.

The Damask in Raspberry/ Black

Well, here is my signature cookie on etsy. I usually make it in white/ black, but this is for a custom order in a couple of weeks. I use my favorite honey cookie recipe, and royal icing, and just pipe away! All free-hand, you can't trace on cookies, shame about that! I love these cookies, but they sure make my hands go dead after a while. I have been doing more of these than any other design combined. Luckily I never tire of seeing the finished product.
Can't wait to get back to Newcastle, Australia to start doing these full-time.

Watch out Newie, you're about to be Sugar Rushed!!!!

Welcome to Sugar Rush!

This is the first post for the Sugar Rush blog. 

My name is Vanessa, and I am getting ready to start the Cake and Cookie shop - Sugar Rush, in Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

I will be officially opening in July, and am very busy in the meantime getting last minute supplies in Oregon, USA. Once we make the move back to Newcastle I will setting up shop and creating the best cookies, and cakes in the area. At least I hope so!!!

I'm currently on etsy.com under the user name jvhanderson. I sell cookies, cake toppers and gumpaste flowers.