There are few things in life more gratifying to Julia than making special gifts for others and watching the smiles that ensue when those labors of love are shared. Here, you’ll find Julia’s how-tos for everything from cookie projects and decorating techniques to paper and other inedible crafts.
I’ve got vintage postcards for every major holiday. Often, I just tuck them into tabletop vignettes to help convey the seasonal party theme. But some cards are so gorgeous, they deserve a more prominent place atop a special place card
I’ve just begun to play with dough-wrapping to create cool 3-D cookie effects – and I love it! But what the heck is dough-wrapping, you might ask?! Good question! It’s basically the art of creating contoured cookie pieces by baking
Wafer-papering is relatively new to cookie decorating and involves nothing more than a simple cut-and-paste technique. For the uninitiated, wafer papers are thin, translucent sheets of dehydrated potato starch, water, and vegetable oil, which come both plain and pre-printed with
A cookie decorating technique after my own heart, stenciling doesn’t require that you be a born-again Van Gogh. With a pretty stencil, the right consistency of Royal Icing, and some practice, anyone can make gorgeous stenciled works of art. Read on
Marbling is responsible for the wonderfully intricate, Italian watermark-like patterns on the various cookies, pictured right. While marbling gives the appearance of being complex, it’s actually one of the quickest and most forgiving cookie decorating techniques around. The technique looks
When a box of Russell Stover’s no longer registers appreciative oohs and ahs, offer this Valentine’s project as a token of your undying love. It says something special, pun intended. What you’ll need for 1 box:(See accoutrements, second photo from
Oh, there’s nothing better than a project that lets me share my treasures and keep them too! Last year, I rescued a stack of blank vintage bistro menus from a dusty corner of a nearby antiques store. Rather than write
Another interpretation of cookie “love letters” – and a much more literal interpretation at that! The envelopes here are iced gingerbread cookies (yes, you heard me right!) and the carrying container is a dolled up papier mâché mailbox!What you’ll need
Put everyone in high spirits with these whimsical Valentine’s Day cotton candy displays. In addition to the candy, two other parts are edible! What you’ll need for 1 display: Cylindrical glass vase (choose a size that best fits your overall
Cut to the chase! Quickly filter Julia’s blog content by selecting the most relevant category.
Never miss one of Julia’s posts! Click here for the computer-readable web feed of Julia’s blog.
Join Julia’s mailing list for event announcements, news, and special offers.
© 2022 Julia M. Usher, LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Be the first to hear about my latest events, tutorials, and product announcements by subscribing to my newsletter!
Schedule willing, I release one each month, roughly mid-month. And, guess what else?! Once you subscribe, you’ll receive a special one-time coupon code for 20% off my online tutorials. The code will be delivered in your subscription confirmation email, so keep your eyes peeled (as it cannot be resent). Thanks in advance for subscribing!
Live sweetly, Julia
