Cookies from an Aging Superhero

I've been working on cookies for the past day or so... my painted cookies. They take awhile. It dawned on me yesterday that this is the 25th year I've made them. What started as a lark in college... a new surface to try to paint on, a new way to impress a particular boy, has stuck with me through my life.

There were many years when I used them to supplement my income. During these years, I'd literally crank out hundreds. It became an assembly line of production, even the painting part... paint the rough on all cookies, paint the sky, do the shadows, paint the red, paint the green... etc, etc, etc, until I got to the very end and put the "dimensional snow" on the ones that called for it. One job I had during my younger years was hand-coloring engravings... this was good prep for the cookies. I came to hate the process of hand-coloring engravings... there were also times I hated these cookies, and yet I had to make them. I was always too happy once the snow dots went on and I saw penguins and snowmen smiling back at me.

After the lamblets appeared, I stopped cranking out mass quantities, but would do a few dozen for special things. When the lamblets were old enough, this included making enough to send to school with them. At times I would cringe, but would then hear wails of "But Mommmmmmmm!!! You're the only person who can do this! NO ONE ELSE CAN! Pleeeeeeze!" And I'd make them...

When they were very young, I was perfect in their eyes. I could do anything, know anything, be anything. As they mature, the cracks in my superhero suit have appeared with increasing speed. One day, no doubt, the entire suit will crumble and fall to the floor, revealing the mere human who's been there all along. It's right, it's the way it should be... but I'm not ready to give it all up yet... as far as they believe, no other human or machine can make my cookies... and so I make them again...

As the holiday activities increase, blogging will most likely slow down or stop altogether. Here's wishing everyone a wonderful whatever it is they celebrate... life is good.

Comments

[zombie rotten mcdonald]

too good to eat.

[herr doktor bimler]

One day, no doubt, the entire suit will crumble and fall to the floor
Not armour, but icing.

I am sure that somewhere in the bOING bOING archives there will be a design for a cookie printer, with little icing dispensers scanning back and forth. However, research reveals that feeding a cookie through an ink-jet printer is not a good idea. In the meantime, keep the cookies and eat the handpainted etchings.

[Kathleen (in Oakland)]

you *are* the only person who can do those!!!
until fish steals them, of course.

best wishes to you + family too, Sir Jen

[Brando]

Freaking amazing job on these, and they clearly reflect the class and refinement that can only be achieved with pure white sugar.

You should preserve them with shellac.

A very Happy Holidays to you, Grizzled, and the Lamblets.

[fish]

No other person can make Bill O'Rilley xxxmas cookies.

[fish]

Or maybe that is "would"

[Jennifer]

Thanks ZRM.

hdb- blech... no... I will not be eating any 2D Pinnated Grouse, but I appreciate the sentiment.

K! Same to you!!! What a big Christmas for your family!!! Enjoy every second of it.

Brando nails me with the sugar and the shellac... what next? Driving with a garbage can in the passenger seat? :) I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday as well!!!

fish- I'm taking that would as a compliment...

[herr doktor bimler]

Here's wishing everyone a wonderful whatever it is they celebrate... life is good.

The same in return from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Jakob_Jordaens_001.jpg>everyone here at Maison d'Etre.

[Jennifer]

Maison d'Etre :)

And which one would be herr doktor??

[fish]

I'm taking that would as a compliment...

As it was meant to be.

[blue girl]

Jennifer, have a confession...

I *still* have two of your cookies from a few years ago in the bread box. I can't throw them away! And I couldn't eat them, they were too pretty. So, there they've been for what? Two years? Still look great!

Merry Christmas to you, Grizzled, the Eldest Lamblet and the Youngest Lamblet. Happiness, health, peace and prosperity in the New Year!

[ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©]

Those look wonderful!

Happy, Happy, Jennifer!
~

[Substance McGravitas]

Those are cool.

I'll bet you'd get to keep more if you painted little poison bottles on them.

[herr doktor bimler]

Or little spiders.

[Jennifer]

BG- it's been 3 years!!! :)

Thanks Thunder and SMcG.

See, that's the good thing about giving them to kids... they see a cookie and go, "Snarf, snarf, snarf!!!"

And I'm guessing they would even if I painted spiders on them, which I never would...

[Von]

These are so beautiful!! Too pretty to eat!! You are sehr talented!! I'm sure they all have nuts in them, don't they?

[Dan Leo]

Too pretty to eat, but -- what the hell, let's chow down!

[zombie rotten mcdonald]

Too pretty to eat, but -- what the hell, let's chow down!

let me know how that line works with your lady friends, Dan.

[Dan Leo]

Heh heh -- let's keep it clean now!

[scribbler50]

And a merry Christmas to you, Jennifer, the cookies look de-lish. All the best!

[almostinfamous]

wish you a very merry Christmas, Jennifer! May the holidays be snack and cookie filled - and may the armour last for another few years at least!

[herr doktor bimler]

Heh heh -- let's keep it clean now!

let me know how that line works with your lady friends, Dan.

[Another Kiwi]

What cooool cookies, Jennifer. Hope you and teh fambly have a good time.If you are in the area drop by the Riddled office on Christmas eve for the Christmas party. we have a spider Piñata filled with spiders. Heh heh whack that you bastards!

[Scott Michaels]

You have always been a super hero in my life. Your cookies are just the icing on the cookies.

[Jennifer]

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all of you guys as well!

Kiwi- I'll pass on the pinata. I know it's going to be filled with those damn jumping spiders...

Scott- you've obviously been drinking again... Lahve you too! :)