Giorgio Armani Make Up Cookies for Neiman Marcus Charlotte

I had the honor of designing cookies for a Giorgio Armani event 

that was taking place at Neiman Marcus Charlotte...

Seriously...how awesome is that?!

Personalized Anchor Cookies

Anchors were the first cookies I ever sold on Etsy...

I sure have learned a lot since then...

Last year's motto ended up being "fly by the seat of your pants"...

I didn't set out to choose this...

it just kind of happened...

This year as I'm trying to be more intentional & focused...

(DEFINITELY a work in progress...two steps forward...one step back)

I'm ready to become better...

Last year was hurry up and get it done...

This year I'm trying to really do my best when I decorate...

I want to get back to learning new techniques...

That went by the wayside...

I want to improve upon what I already know how to do...

I don't want to become stagnant...

As Ina Garten says "I'm going to turn up the volume"...

God blessed me with a talent and I need to use it to bring glory to him...

Slow & steady AND progress not perfection!

Have a great day!

Crab Cookies

I made these for a Lemon & Lime Event baby shower...

They are amazing event planners in the Maryland area...

and I always love to see their eyecandy...

It's funny when I hear people say that social media sites like Facebook & Instagram 

are toxic, full of drama & fake...

They must follow the wrong people!

I'm inspired daily, in all areas of life, whenever I visit those sites...

I get to interact and collaborate with like minded people...

It challenges me...not because I feel like I have to keep up with them...

but because I want to be better than I was yesterday...

I learn from people, see ideas, ways of doing things that I hadn't thought of 

and just good ole fashion life...

What's wrong with that?

It's how I met Katey from Lemon & Lime Events!

I'm blessed to have inspiration galore at the tip of my fingers!

Happy Tuesday!

The New Year and Martini Cocktail Cookies

Well hello 2014!

How did you get here so fast?

I haven't even had time to sit down and do my Goal Setting 2014 with Lara Casey...

I do know my word that I will be focusing on this year...

Intention...

I'm so tired of just surviving and flying by the seat of my pants...

I don't operate well that way...

The teacher in me likes to have lesson plans 

detailing all the events that need to be covered...

having all the copies made, cut out, etc.

I've realized it's the same thing with a business...

You don't have to be crazy all the time...

It definitely takes work to make those lesson plans...

But once their done, the week goes so much smoother...

You actually end up having more time because you're not scrambling...

It's all a work in progress...

But remember changing or tweaking what you don't want/like requires action...

not talking about it...not thinking about it...not praying about it...

it requires doing...just start somewhere!

Cheers to 2014 and doing things with intention!

NEW! Sweet Goosie Girl Cookie Gift Box

Have you ever wanted to give someone a little gift...

maybe for their birthday...to wish them luck...to say "hope you feel better" or thank you...

that was unique, personalized and inexpensive?

Yeah...me too!

Well...after much thought and many attempts of different ideas...

I have come up with a perfectly packaged cookie gift box...

4 pretty & delicious Sweet Goosie Girl cookies...

all wrapped up and ready to give...

It couldn't be any easier...

or sweeter!

This set is actually being mailed to a reporter for the lovely article she wrote

about Sweet Goosie Girl being in the Emmys Swag Bag...

Since we are approaching Thanksgiving...

I included 2 pink pumpkins with gold stems and 2 "Thankful"

with a note letting her know that I was truly thankful for her writing such a nice article.

Did I mention that they can be shipped straight to the recipient?

What a nice surprise that they can enjoy...

for whatever reason!

Order yours today!

Emmy Awards - Part 3 - The Finished Product

There are no words to express how glad I am that these little pretties are done...

I knew it was going to be a big job but that was an understatement...

800 of these little guys decorated & packaged in 6 days...

Never again...

I'm serious...it about did me in...

It started off easy...just decorating some cookies...but...

they.didn't.ever.end.

they were like the Energizer Bunny...they kept going and going...

While I decorated...

my family (husband, daughter, mother, father, sister & 2 year old niece) packaged...

Putting together boxes...cutting stickers...cutting ribbon...heat sealing...adhering stickers...shred...tying bows...

We piled them on card & sofa tables...

Monday was the last day of decorating...

Tuesday was the last day of packaging...

Wednesday...they went to FedEx...

No fancy Fragile stickers on these...

They just needed to go...

I hope Hoda shares them with Kathie Lee on Wednesday...

do you think she will?

Tomorrow I'm going to share what I learned during all this...

Stay tuned...

Emmy Awards Details Part 2 - Chugging Along

I finally finished up my existing orders for the week...

and have been able to start on The Emmy cookies...

(Thanks to my parents who are my bakers)

I posted a question to instagram...

asking what colors I should use...

All said Sweet Goosie Girl colors...

So pink and blue it is...

I'm keeping it simple (you know that's my motto)

with the words "The Emmys" in navy with a pink beaded border (I will post pics soon)...

I really like how they are turning out...

When you are only doing one design...

it's amazing how fast you can crank them out...

Today (in addition to cookies) I need to work on my marketing materials...

and call the various media outlets...

So far so good (except for the fact that my arm is already tired)...

Thanks again for everyone's support and well wishes!

Emmy Awards Details - Part 1

First off, let me start by saying thank you SO much for all your cheers and congratulations!

It truly has meant a lot!

I'm letting you know, right off, that this might be quite a lengthy post...

I truly think this is a blessing tied in with a test from God...

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me...right?!

With 800 cookies having to be made within a week in a half...

I definitely can't do this on my own...

When I first received the email from Val Wilson, Producer of the Emmys...

I was sitting in the car waiting to pick Goosie Girl up from the bus stop...

I read it and thought...okay... I definitely need to reread that again...

News & Documentary?  What it that?

That just means...Diane Sawyer...Barbara Walters...Hoda Kotb...

It ended up being the real deal...
insert heart racing...

Of course I responded but then didn't hear back for over a week 

so I thought it was a dead deal...
insert a touch of relief but excited to be asked...

Then I heard back and they truly did say they wanted Sweet Goosie Girl to be amongst the 30 businesses that will be in the Swag bags...

Honor, excitement, surreal are just a few words that came to mind...

As exciting as it was, it would have been a whole lot easier to say no...

it's quite scary to leave your comfort zone...

After much prayer, God gave me clear clarification that I needed to obey...

not just think and pray about it...

that I needed to get out of my comfort zone...

that I needed to do it...

His words were scary clear through Bible verses I was reading...

to Instagram...

and to Facebook...

WOW!  God... I always said I needed the burning bush and you gave it to me...

(God is everywhere...I just didn't know He was on Instagram and Pinterest)...

I don't know what all this is going to bring...

but I'm trusting God because he created me for great things...

It sure is scary to to not be in control but God's plan is so much better than mine...

So here we go on my journey...

top image via Etsy

Big Exciting News - Emmy Awards

Exciting things are happening over here at Sweet Goosie Girl...

Like this... 

Details tomorrow...

Balance - A Work In Progress Learn From Your Mistakes Kind Of Thing

We've all had those weeks where we have so much to do and so little time to do it...

That was me last week...and the week before...

And not only was I overbooked...

I had orders that didn't fire me up...

So here I was rushing because I had too much on my plate...

(due to no one's fault but my own)

and my results were sub par...

bogies at best...

I missed many shots that week...

and in many ways...

Have you ever noticed when you rush, you make many more mistakes?

Because I was just trying to get the cookies done...

they really weren't my best...

I wasn't exactly happy to serve my family...probably quite the opposite...

annoyed at having to take care of them...

I didn't like some of the orders I had taken (meaning the designs)...

so I did them, grudgingly, with no passion...

That's just a FEW of the shots I missed...

Finding balance is definitely a work in progress...learn from your mistakes kind of thing...

It all comes down to tweaking and finding what works & what doesn't...

I am not the type of person who likes to have an array of different cookies...

I like to have a handful of designs that I do exceptionally well...

Does that mean I don't enjoy custom orders?  Not by a long shot...

Some of my best designs have been from custom orders...

But I know what I do well and when I knowingly deviate...that's when I tend to fall short...

When I try to do things my way instead of God's way...roadblocks pop up...

So during my morning bible time (as I was frustrated and SO unmotivated)...

I was praying for God to show me his way and this verse popped up...

Romans 5:3...to rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance...perseverance, character...and character, hope.

My suffering was taking on too much willingly...

and not doing everything for the glory of God...

A standard of grace not perfection (per Emily Ley)...

All I can do is work to make it better...

And I have a much better attitude today...

Live & learn!

Your Worth

I hear and read a lot from my favorite, inspirational bloggers

about charging what you're worth...
I've taken it in but haven't really thought to much about it until now...

I truly love my job...
I'm a baker, an artist, a designer all wrapped into one...

And for some reason God has laid it on my heart 

to revisit the idea of charging what you're worth...

As much as I adore what I do, it is no longer just a hobby...

but a job that provides income to help pay the bills for my family...

And as I was working yesterday for 7 hours straight with no break...

giving each sweet treat my full attention & detail...

I started thinking how I might not exactly be charging what I'm worth...

Pretty much all my cookies range from $2.75 - $3.00 a cookie...

Some of you are already saying OMG!  For a cookie?  That's outrageous!

But the attention to detail on each one takes much time...

From making the dough, to rolling it out & baking...

To the icing...coming up with each exact color & correct consistency once the icing is made...

Finally getting to the designing/decorating...

Then once it's dry...it's packaging time...

heat sealing it in a cello bag...adding ribbon if it is to be a favor...

wrapping it in bubble wrap to ensure safety...

nestling it in shred in the box...taking it to the post office...

See...it's way more than making a cookie...

I take great pride in the process of each one...

And then when I think you can go to a grocery store and get cookies that are not in the same league as mine and are charged way more...it gets me thinking...

Please don't get me wrong...I'm very grateful for my customers & orders...

And I am certainly not trying to be greedy...

I am just trying to think like a business owner (which is a new experience for me)...

Doing what matters...

I'm working to live not living to work...

Do you charge what you're worth?

images via
Whitney English
Emily Ley

Logo Cookies - Pitchfork Prep

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

Goosie Girl and the Hub went to the Florida/LSU game...

which left me and the Spooky dog home to play with my new edible printer...

I had made these logo cookies about a week ago for a business launching party...

Pitchfork Prep...

These were the fun & festive favors that were sent home with the guests...

Here's to a week filled with productivity & inspiration!

Quality > Quantity

I know it has been quiet lately on the Sweet Goosie Girl blogging scene...

It seems that there has not been enough time in the day lately...

However, I am working on changing that...

Blogging is one of the things that I love most!

I was going to post a recipe today...

However, as you will see, something has been catching my eye and weighing on my mind...

Rather than trying to do it all...

I want to set my standards high...

and do the things that matter, that I love and that I'm good at...

I had grandeur images of working at home...

Of course baking/designing cookies...

but also creative computer time...perhaps at Starbucks...

a perfectly straightened house...wash all caught up...

having everything done by the time Goosie Girl gets home from school...

and what I'm finding is none of the above is happening...

So rather than complaining...

I'm working on how I can improve...

The world tells me that busier is better...

Bigger is better...

But I know differently...

Who says I have do what everyone else is doing?

I want boutique...

Selective and sought after (borrowed from the wonderful Emily Ley)...

Who says I can't be that?

Quality over quantity...

It's all a work in progress isn't it?!

Cheers to a Monday filled with being mindful!

Books - EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

Yes...

Another book...

EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey...

This one too was on my reading list and I received it with Amy Atlas's...

You know reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body...

(You can totally tell I'm a reading teacher with that statement...lol)

but it's true...I've been trying to soak up as much information as I can

as I get ready to start Sweet Goosie Girl full time...

Why wouldn't I?  

It's important to fill your mind with the right kind of knowledge...

and to ponder on those things that can motivate you internally as well as externally...

And I'm loving how this book is biblically based...

So what is on your reading list?  Do share!