Valentines themes and ideas

My whole idea with going into this biscuit thing was to be able to make and create exactly what YOU want, custom cookie creations per se, BUT this seems to be kinda difficult.
It usually involves endless amounts of to and fro in email form which i'm sure is tiresome and just ANNOYING to me everyone involved.
I have been doing my usual trawling of all the US cookie blogs, they have some great ideas with packs made up ready to order as standard. I am thinking this may be the way to go? I have been playing around with an email order form site, trying to see if I can customise it, in a way that would work for me and the customer, just to simplify things a it.... ahhh, it all takes time.

Anyway, here are some more Valentines things I have been playing with.

lingerie hearts...cute huh?

Hugs and Kisses...

and there is more too...still to come...

Don't forget to enter the Vday comp, here, to win $25 worth of Valentines biscuits.

Back to my original musings...What do YOU think? do you think the idea of offering a set pack of biscuits at a set price is a good one? like 6 or 12 (up to 24) biscuits in pack, one theme and 2-3 designs per pack?
please let me know..
Thanks!

Hmmm..getting a bit slack with this!

Yes, it has been over a week since I last posted. oh well, I'm making the effort now, that has to count for something, right?
I am gleefully collecting orders, every time some one emails me, I am happily shocked that they want MY biscuits! I have quite a few lined up for October, some in November and even another 2 now in December.
Jman has been very helpful in downloading and installing zen cart for me to use as my shopping cart, but he then gave me the links and said "there you go, run with it!" Sooo, the last few weeks have seen me, struggling to understand how to navigate the thing, data input and the like, I have had a bit of a break for a few days, it was giving me too many headaches!
During all this set up, I came up with the idea of holding a promotional event to coincide with the opening of said shopping cart, seeing as it would hopefully  be finished sometime in October, I decided to link it in with fundraising for The National Breast Cancer Foundation. I had already signed up to host a "girls night in" so I shot off an email to the NBCF with my idea, they approved it. Next I had to speak to Father in laws partner about hosting it at her restaurant/cafe, She was up for it, so far, so good!
I did a shout out on FB to see if any of my friends would like to donate products/services from their businesses, I have had quite a good response!
Received today my pink ribbon cookie cutters, so have been busy mixing, baking and decorating. I have been having so much fun with pink things for decorating!

mmm pink sprinkles.

pink with silver cachous

It's 5am

and I'm thinking about baking already!
Had to be up early this morning as the Jman left VERY early for his flight to Sydney.
Jbaby is also awake, otherwise I think I would actually prefer to be in a blissful state of slumber. There was far too much excitement going on for him to go back to sleep, so planning and designing it is!
I now have myself a sketch book, in which I have been jotting down ideas and designs for biscuits, flavours I want to try and icing designs I'd like to do.
It is amazing the amount of beautiful photos on the web, I love looking at other baking blogs and seeing what ideas others have come up with.
I have also been doing a bit of research into packaging. I originally planned on doing something like 1-3 biscuits in a bag, tied up with ribbon, simple, looks great.
Cookie Bouquets is another thing I'm about to have a go at, which will involve quite a bit more packaging and wrapping, ie; individual wrap for each biscuit, pot/basket/mug or box for them to stick into, then cello wrap the lot and finish with bows or ribbons.

So, for today I think I need to get down to the shops, stock up on some essentials, then get baking! I really want to give the melting moments recipe a try, I will drop some off with the cornflake cookies, see if they sell.
I also want to do some more iced biscuits so I can get more photos up, Im not particularly proud of what I have up at the moment, I know I can do better!

I'm Baking!

Cookies, that is! Making up cornflake cookies for my only real order so far. My kitchen smells absolutely devine right now!
My Mum has asked me to make a "biscuit bouquet" for her work collegue's upcoming birthday, I will be having ALOT of fun with that! Still trying to source some small clear cellophane bags for things like this, I suppose I can just wrap them in clear cello then tie with ribbon, but I think the bags will look more professional.
Also need to find a small coloured box to stick them into, will probably have a look around the shops this week, see if I can find something suitable.
I have mums group tomorrow, was planning on making up some cornflake cookies and some melting moments to take, for all the girls to sample, don't know if I will be able to do it now though.
The Jman is off to Sydney for work, so I have to go pick up his suits in the city tomorrow morning, won't really leave me enough time...

Staying Positive!

On Sat night my little family went down to my mum and dads place for dinner, celebration for Fathers Day as on the Sun we were having lunch with Jmans Dad.
My friend was there that had wanted the baby shower biscuits, I asked him if he had decided how many etc, to my utter dismay he said he didn't want them anymore.
Ah well, what can you do, I am really trying not to take it personally and to be positive about it. It's HARD though. I was really looking forward to making and decorating them and having lots more pic's to share on here.
Good new is that on Sunday, I managed to have a chat to the Father in laws partner, she has ordered 24 cornflake cookies for this week! Hopefully that will be a weekly thing.

I have my fingers crossed that today my new gel food colourings get delivered, I'm especially excited about getting the BLACK one! I have a heap of as yet, faceless Hello Kitty cookies waiting for it.
It is a special little girls Birthday today and I am planning on making her a platter of biscuits up for her "sleepover" this weekend. Can't wait to see how the Kitty ones will turn out.

Having looked back through some of my photos of my first biscuit decorating attempts, I'm almost embarrassed, I also have them posted on my business page on FB, I may have to tag them as examples of how much better I am now! It's amazing what learning the correct techniques can do for presentation.

FaceBook...

I have started a page on FB, the Jman has challenged me to get more orders, if I can do this he is willing to support my creative attempt at this! He will help me out with subsidising packaging and website designing etc.
I want to get little stickers to put on cello bags, tied up with satin ribbon, or maybe a pretty cardboard box type thing with a clear front (so you can see the designs of the biscuits) tied up with a bow and sticker on the front.
ehhhhh...I will get there! Positive thinking first, right?
I need to take some more pictures of my latest creations, but my camera batteries are flat, it is pouring down with rain at the moment (including thunder and lightning!) and Jbaby is asleep all of which conspire to make going to the shops pretty impossible at this point in time...

My first REAL order!

A friend of mine has just given me an order for 36 of the ginger bread babies, for a baby shower, next sunday!
This time I can use all sorts of pinks, as the shower is for a baby girl.
Just now going through all my recipes and breaking down costs, I have no idea what to charge! EEEK!! I really hate maths too, even really, stupidly simple maths, like this is.
Im thinking it may be a good idea to do this for all my bicky recipes, then I have it on hand if I ever need it...
My friend is calling me back later this week to confirm the design and if he wants them individually wrapped or no, if so, then I need to add more on for that...
Wooooo, this is exciting!!

I have NEW cookie cutters!

I think this is becoming an obsession, I dare not count the number of cookie cutters I now posses.
On Monday I received my much awaited for "Hello Kitty" head shape cookie cutter with template for the face, was very excited to find that on Ebay, I adore all things Hello Kitty! I have cookie dough in the fridge right now just begging for me to make some kitty biscuits.
Last Thursday I met my parents at Ikea for breakfast (gross out powdered eggs, apart from that was ok for the price!) I then moseyed over to Harbour town for a nosey, I walked out of that place with a bag full of new cookie cutters. I bought a container full of ABC's and 123's (well, the whole alphabet and numbers etc.) some really cute retro tins full of plain round cutters going from 2cm up to 15 cm, and another of the same but with fluted edges. Also a dragon fly, a foot, some more stars in different sizes.
Today, Jman, Jbaby and I went for a trip to Gaganis Bros warehouse, where I picked up a big plastic tub of 50 assorted animal shapes for quite a good price, I'm so excited, I just want to make one of each and go crazy with decorating!! I'm sure many, many pic's will follow!

Looks like I have a job!

Jmans Dads Partner owns a hotel/motel, we were there for tea last night and the lady in question asked me to make her some cornflake cookies. (not that I was selfpromoting or anything! LOL!!)
Today I did that, have just come back from dropping off some samples for her, there would have been more but as always Jbaby REALLY seems to like my baking and took off with a few for himself...
They were a success, YAY, so now I need to work out my costings/price etc and start baking some more!