A Day for Moms

Ask us moms. We don't really want presents on Mother's Day. It's all about the kids. And the fact that we have been blessed to have them in our lives. 

This year is especially meaningful for me. I am going to be a Gramma for the first time. Yes, my partner in this cookie adventure is preggers! I am beyond excited. I love my grand-dogs more than I knew I could, and talk about them incessantly to my patient co-workers. But this? This is new, and I am thinking I am about to be elevated to a whole new plateau of love and fulfillment!  So stay tuned ~ October is going to be an over-the-top month for us. I suppose she can always decorate between contractions. . (yes, my kids are THAT talented.)

We are again donating to the Nipomo High School Boosters' Silent Auction. It just so happens that the auction is tonight, and Mom's Day is tomorrow. We thought we could help out those last minute folks who wanted to acknowledge their moms by gifting them a box of decorated Mom cookies. Not your typical spring colors; we were going for Titan colors.

Good luck to the Titan Boosters.  And congrats on your recent Girls' Softball League Championship!

We are thinking of the moms in our lives today, especially.  

Happy Mom's Day to my Mom and Kimi's Gramma Grace. Missing You. . .

And to my mom by marriage and Kimi's Gramma Joycie. . . 

And to my friend and Kimi's mom by marriage, Dianne.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in our lives!

So much of me is made from what I learned from you;

you'll be with me like a handprint on my heart.

~ from Wicked

A California Christmas!

Christmas in February?  Um.... ya.  We're a bit late in this post.  But, to be fair, it IS leap day. The extra day given to us this year should give us a free pass for late posts.  As long as I finish it before midnight, I think we're okay.  Actually, on TIME even!   By the way, I'm using Pacific Coast Time - might as well take advantage of everything I can.

A Coastal couple was heading east to visit family for Christmas.  They wanted to bring a touch of our salty air to the celebration.   The order: cake pops, starfish, penguins, polar bears, trees and wine bottles.  (SLO County is wine country after all!)

We did our best to bring these creations to life -  remember, we do talk to these guys as we're decorating them!   They were SO adorable, and we really had some fun on this project.  These rockin' California starfish were the hit of the order for us.  Because everyone knows, all starfish don sunglasses in the California waters.  Yes they do.

Inspired by a greeting card, these penguins served as reminders that our own Christmas lights were not yet hung.   Seems to be an ongoing problem around here during the holidays!

Were they funny, or what?

Polar bears on parade!  After all the detail on the penguins, the red and white polar bears were a nice contrast.  If you look closely, you might see the detail on their scarves.  X's and O's of course!

Some snow covered cake pops made the trip, too!  Darn. I wish I had one right now. The perfect Leap Day treat would taste pretty good right now!

And these were our California wine bottle cookies, complete with poinsettia flower accents and glowing 'foil' tops.  We added the tags for another element of detail.

All packaged up in our holiday boxes and ready for their holiday trip!  

Thank you Jen and Theresa, for your order!  We had so much fun preparing these.  We'd wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, but I think playing the Leap Day card only goes so far.  We CAN wish you a wonderful 2012, filled with many happy play days with your new puppy, Remy.

XOXO

Busy Months Call for Busy Bakers

It HAS been a busy month for the XOXO kitchen and we've had some fun experimenting with new recipes, new designs, and new techniques.   Here are some shots from the last few weeks!

We put together a combination of favorite recipes to come up this cupcake, affectionately named "The Six Dollar Cupcake" by Kimi's hub.  This dark chocolate cake with its chocolate filling and whipped cream with Kahlua frosting has become a favorite for many of us!  

It was Big/Little Sister week at the University, and one sorority member bought gift boxes of these cookies for her little sisses.  

 

She wanted the Kappa Alpha Theta letters and we made templates for the sorority logo, this cute kite.  

We couldn't wait for Halloween to work on some pumpkins, so we started early in the month and came up with these variegated styles.  The reds, oranges and yellows melded together to make some beautiful highlights on these treats for local lighthouse docents.  

The pumpkin pops were a nice compliment to the pumpkin cookies and were also guests at Kimi's monthly book club meeting!  What a festive table setting at Jaimie's house!

And then there were more owls!  Lots more owls!  They just look cute wherever they perch!

XOXO Cookies wishes everyone a healthy November as we head into the busy holiday season.   

October is here

and witches are near! 

Our Halloween witch, Matilda, seems to have left her garb behind. 

These pumpkins are modeled after the pumpkins in Kimi's garden.  

The only difference is, there is no gopher munching on them!

These spice and cream cheese flavored pumpkin pops were fun to make.  I always thought of myself as a  'summer type of gal' but lately, I've been getting more excited about all the colors and aromas of fall.  I just HAD to have a pumpkin, and I wasn't about to wait for it!

I am officially in the October mood!  (More of these to come soon!)

Hmmm.... How did Matilda get anywhere without her broom and hat?!

Her potion does look mysteriously enticing though.   

Happy haunting to all our friendly ghouls and goblins, witches and wizards.

XOXO Cookies!