eat your heart out, martha:)

I've always wanted to know how people make those beautiful Christmas cookies. You know...like Martha Stewart's cookies. Cookies that are edible artwork. Cookies that are just too stinkin' pretty to eat.

Well, enough is enough. It's time for me to stop envying and do something about it. I searched the world wide web and finally found THIS WEBSITE. It looks simple enough, so I thought:)

I went to WalMart, spent a small fortune, and purchased everything I needed.

This is meringue powder. Well, laaa-teee-daaaah! It's new to me, but actually a neat product. It replaces egg whites in the icing. I'd hate to give my family food poisioning!

On a little side note about the meringue powder...CONSUMER BEWARE!!! Although the label clearly indicates this container contains only 4oz, I didn't really notice that until I opened the really tall (as in "this-is-a-lot-of-stuff-for-five-bucks") container....

...and got a load of this...

...The really tall container is about half full. Just so you know....

Anyway....

I baked my little sugar cookie Christmas trees and snowmen.

Poor little naked Snowman!!!

Then the fun began! I mixed the meringue powder and water in my pretty white mixing bowl. Then I add the powdered sugar and little at a time. Which took FOREVER. Added a little corn syrup. Added a few drops of Almond extract. The beat the fire out of it until stiff peaks formed. I wasn't sure about the stiff peaks, but I hope this was right...

Oh...I almost forgot! In addition to using my pretty mixing bowl (a wedding shower gift that I thoroughly love!), I also used these beautiful measuring spoons given to me by my good friend Alice...

Don't you just love'em???

TT (on baby duty) sampled the icing. He licked the beater clean and said "it's alright". HA! Little MT was already out like a light. Aren't his little pajamas cute???

About 2 hours later, I had me some Christmas cookies all over the kitchen!!! The icing was still wet, but cookies were decorated- the most important part! I don't know how long it takes for the icing to dry, but I'm pleased with them so far. I'm hoping they dry!

Here's a few of the cookies...

Tomorrow, I'm going to get serious about this and try some....

....drum roll people.....

Blue and White Snowmen!!!!

Whoop! Whoop!

I know you will be checking my blog on the hour every hour to see the pics!!!

Merry Christmas!!!