I heart fake food - Felt Sugar Cookie Tutorial

Believe it or not, I still heart fake food.  And, sometimes, felt fruits and veggies just aren't enough.  I crave felt sugar too.

No fake kitchen is complete without a set of sugar cookies.  With this easy to follow tutorial, your little baker will have so much fun whipping up their own batch of felt sugar cookies.

  
Felt sugar cookies are also the perfect accompaniment for any tea party.

To make your own zero calorie sugar cookies, grab the following supplies:

 

To make the your cookie dough and cookie base:

Start by tracing your cookie cutter pattern onto the tan felt/cookie dough.  Trace along the outside of the cookie cutter.  Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut out your cookie shape.   

*Optional.  Felt tends to stretch the more you use it.  To give the felt more durability, I layered another layer of tan felt beneath the layer I cut the cookie shapes out of.  I applied a little bit of glue around the shape outline and pressed it into place onto the solid piece of felt.  Sew around the perimeter of the dough.  Cut the shape out of the solid layer of felt, using the top layer as an outline.  These shapes were not kept intact as I cut them out.

**If you opt to add an extra layer to cookie dough, you may want to cut add a second layer to the cut out cookie shape so it will fit back inside of the dough evenly.

To make the icing.

Select the color icing you want to use.  Again, use the cookie cutter as the pattern, this time tracing from inside the cookie cutter.  Cut out enough to cover all your cookies.

Optional:  To embellish your cookies with 'sprinkles', using a needle and thread, sew beads onto the 'icing'.

If you have extra sprinkles, you can fill up an empty sprinkle container.

Glutton free, calorie free felt sugar cookies.

Package these homemade felt sugar cookies up with a rolling pin, measuring cups, measuring spoons, recipe cards and extra sprinkles and you have a great gift.

A gift that encourages imaginative play.

The inner baker is bound to come out in anyone who plays with these cookies.

Felt sugar cookies...

the perfect addition to any play kitchen.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, make sure to check out more I Heart Fake Food Tutorials by clicking here.

This is Paris.

We were invited to a birthday party for our niece this past weekend. Trying to figure out a thoughtful gift to give, I took into account her parents had their honeymoon in Paris. In a way, it almost seemed like Paris was the start of her own story. With that being said...

We bought the birthday girl, This is Paris, by Miroslav Sasek, a children's travel book.

Each page has a vintage appeal making it seem timeless and classic. You can't help but adore every illustration.

Paris is brought to life right before your eyes with each turn of the page. The quiet and beautiful details depicted in this book are memorizing.

Each page will delight you with something not only charming but interesting.

It's the type of book, that will promote a love of travel in your child and enchant their dreams with the beauty of Paris.

When I stumbled upon this free printable for a paper city of Paris, complete with street lights, Parisians, a patisserie, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Arc D'Triomphe, from Made By Joel, I had to include it along with the book.

Hopefully after the birthday girl reads all about Paris, she can act out a story of her own using Made by Joel's paper version of Paris.

We also exchanged some money for euros and included it in her birthday card with a note that reads: Hoping one day you will see Paris with your own eyes. When you make it there, use these euros to buy yourself something that will remind you of what Paris means to you.

Thank you cards

It's already been established that I love getting mail. I still believe in writing (and mailing) thank you cards. I always attempt to incorporate something visual, in addition to words of gratitude, into my cards. I'd like to think it makes getting a thank you card a bit more interesting.

Personally, I love getting and giving gift cards. When I give a gift card, curiosity usually sets in making me wonder what the recipient decided to buy. So, now when we receive a gift card, in addition to writing, 'thanks for the gift card' (I'll spare you my long diatribe of gratitude I would also insert), I like to send along a picture of what we bought, in case anyone else finds themselves in the same situation as me...curious.

Other personalized options I've included in my thank you cards are...

Including a picture either opening or enjoying the gift. When you buy something for someone, chances are you put some thought into their gift. So, I always like for them to see that their gift was a success. -Thanks Auntie Carrie for the Tinkerbell bike.

Or I like to include a picture of them from the party. It is a way of showing them that not only was I grateful for their gift, I also appreciated them being there.

Interested in the process, read on: Using word, create a text box and insert your image. The images for my gift card were taken from the store website (in this case Old Navy). Simply right click on the image, select copy image and paste it into your text box. For pictures from your computer, in word select insert, picture and locate it in your picture folder. Resize the text box so that your image will fit on your card. Print the image out, using a color printer, onto white paper. Cut the image out and glue it to your card.

Even the stamps you select can add a personalized element. Did you know you could turn your photos into USPS Stamps?

Cute, right? The possibilities are endless. One of my favorite ideas, turning your ultrasound picture into a stamp and use it for your baby shower thank you cards. Regardless the picture, what a great way to add a touch of personalization to your envelope.

Now that your card is written and personalized, drop it in the mail. I'm sure I am not the only one that loves to open the mailbox to find a handwritten card there waiting.