Moonlight Cookie Art - Getting Bigger

While it has been about a year since I posted on this blog, I can say that it has been due to the growth not only of the cookie shop, but also in my fine art studio.

The unique cookies have gained a following and while it is exciting, it also means learning to manage time better.

The cookie store closed for the summer to focus on my artwork which needed new directions. I have reopened the store last week and was so swamped with orders that I had to put it on vacation mode just to have enough time to process orders and still meet other event commitments.

November 1 is when Moonlight cookie art store will reopen and here is a preview of the holiday cookie listings. I will advise to book orders early because this year I am going to close for a few days when the orders book completely. Last year I waited a bit too long and was so swamped I had to have help packing - it got pretty crazy busy.

Did I say that the cookies have been featured in Caster, Dogster and maybe Crate and Barrel this fall. They bought the Sugar Skull Cookies and used them for a photo shoot. They said maybe they will use them for their fall catalog.
Meanwhile, here and now I better get on those orders as well as in the studio for commissions later this week. How I wish the work were more spaced out in the year and that is an issue I am working to resolve. To have a more steady trickle of work rather than the tsunami of holiday orders and commissions.

Sugar Skull Cookies

Fall Pumpkin and Leaves

Santa Moonlight

Crafty Chica Cruise!

Working on the order for the Crafty Chica Cruise SWAG .  I wanted to push myself to see how fast I could be and get a production method down to be more efficient.
 Crafty Chica Kathy Murillo is savvy with marketing and I have been reading her blog for a few years. There is usually a nugget of information - especially on branding.

The cookies appeal to many and stand out in the cookie world because they are not the royal icing type usually found in the stores. They are very unique and labor intensive due to the technique.

Doing this large order was good practice on packaging and production. Did it produce any orders? Not One. Did I learn some valuable marketing tips regarding give-aways? Absolutely :)

Easter Cookie Mail

Super busy getting the orders out in time for Easter. Big lessons learned on US mail - always do Priority Flat Rate.  Found pretty packing paper at the discount store and used it on on the mailings.

Getting faster at the production and have the large promo order for a SWAG bag for a cruise thru Crafty Chica coming up fast so I will start the cookies this week. Blossoms and few feature cookies. Forty blossoms and 2 feature cookies.

Helloooo!

Sound like an echo? Well it is! Jeez I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted because so much has happened. I need to find balance between all the stuff I'm trying to do and post to FB plus blog, plus everything else.

"Life expands or contracts according to one's courage." Anis Nin. This quote has helped make me brave enough to jump and open MoonLight Cookie Art store on Etsy.
Every year after baking dozens of holiday cookies, thank you cookies, birthday cookie gifts my mom would mention a cookie store or something and I have been making these cookies since the 80's.

More next time with more pics as I knuckle down to Just Do It.  Meanwhile... The new cookie venture has consumed most of my time for the last 2 months and I have barely painted or mosaiced as I work to get it off and running.

MoonLight Cookie Art

Quick post here to show my little flyer. I am working on the official site which will be the .com site that will be moonlightcookieart.com. I will add the word art because the moonlightcookies.com title was already taken and cookie art best describes what I do. So it all worked out for the best.
I just have to get some software. My illustrator died - for some reason it will not launch or reload. So I am forced to look on Craigslist for a used version. I will get an older version of CS Design Suite. The new CS5 Adobe Design Suite is around 1600.00 - no can do. So I will ask for advice from a couple of designers and probably get a CS2 version someone is selling on Craigslist.
Can make awkward things on Word, but it will only save in PDF versions with text. Really clunky.
And since blogger will only load jpeg. this is the flyer version with No Words. The PDF version will not load on this site!

Opening Night

Tonight I have officially opened my online MoonLight Cookies Etsy store.

No fan fare, no corks popping.
 Just me and Risa, my sweet companion. There are certainly a few things I still need to work on to get my store to link to my blog nicely and although I like Etsy, I might go for my own separate site where I have my name and a .com. 

Meanwhile, my cookies are out in cyber space and I love that! 

Oh, I like the way my green lion turned out! He is adorable and so are the dogs. Purchased some new baking sheets and a nice cooling rack and shared some cookies with a neighbor across the street who already ordered 2 for their grand kids. Meanwhile I am fading fast here so Yippee and hooray to me! I can't wait to post on FB tomorrow :~)

Purple Panda's

Today was a Bear kind of day. The little reading bear was done for the upcoming Book Festival on March 10 - 11. A huge event that I look forward to and spend as much time as I can going from one author lecture to another most of the two days. Meeting my favorite authors and new ones is wonderful! There is usually so much going on at the same time that the days are packed with people, tents, vendors, more lectures - lots of the energy I like - every thing that has to do with books and reading - YaY!!
Someday I will be on the other side, doing the vending and promoting for my Own work!
I have a few ideas and will find out the price of a booth for the event.

As I work to get my Etsy shop ready for opening I have just about finished the photos and was going to make my banner when my Illustrator software has decided to quite for no Reason. Just refuses to launch!! Of course it's because I am at the 12th hour  putting the shop together.  So I will have to ask for help from someone who has the software or A.Inline to put something together. Time is short and I also have a mosaic installation this weekend.
I hope there will be someone out there who will trade an hour of their graphic time for cookies!