Santa can be elusive. After all, how many Christmas Eves have your kids stayed up hoping to meet him, only to fall asleep long before he materialized? (Or did he?) Anywho, Julia made sure Santa escaped no one’s view in
These luxe layered still life cookies are yet another application of Julia’s rubber-stamped fondant appliqué technique. Here, the flower vases and butterflies were stamped on fondant, cut out, and then allowed to dry before being dusted and attached to the
Wow! This zoomed-in version of Julia’s layered still life cookie truly reveals the thought and work involved. Just look at all the precision cuts! To trim out the fondant so cleanly and nicely, Julia relies on a thin-bladed paring knife
What a darling baby shower set! It’s a relatively easy one too, as its rich detail relies on the speedy stenciling and rubber-stamping techniques. For an in-depth video tutorial showing how these cookies were made, check out Julia’s YouTube channel,
The crocuses in Julia’s garden may be long gone, but she’s still celebrating crocuses (and springtime in general!) in her March 2022 Dynamic Duos™ stencil release. Called Vintage Bulbs, it features a progression of emerging crocus bulbs and two showy
Another view of Julia’s March 2022 Vintage Bulbs Dynamic Duos™ stencil release! Here, the center cookie was made with Julia’s Genie Plaque cutter and both sets in the release: the background set with the butterflies and crocuses, and the complementary
In 2021, Julia had the good fortune to be among the first instructors selected worldwide for the premiere of The Bake Fest, now the world’s largest virtual baking and decorating event. She taught a one-hour advanced cookie decorating class where
Here’s another stunning grouping of cookies that Julia made for The Bake Fest, which premiered online in 2021. Julia’s teaching focus at this event was on layering and adding texture to impart dimensional interest to 2-D cookies.
The fifth flower in Julia’s botanical series, these dimensional poppies are so darn realistic. Every element was made with royal icing of a particular consistency – as hard as that may be to believe! To learn all of Julia’s tips
Julia grows six or seven different varieties of clematis in her Missouri yard, so you might say she’s crazy about this flower. So crazy, in fact, that she chose it as a source of cookie inspiration. In this set, she
More oh-so-lifelike flowers in Julia’s botanical series! Though crafted entirely from royal icing using the piecework technique, these delightful dogwood easily pass for the real thing! To see Julia’s step-by-step instructional video, check out her YouTube channel.
Here’s a slightly closer view of Julia’s dogwood cookies, just so you can better appreciate the very realistic details. From the shading on the petals (all airbrushed) to the plump buds (made with royal icing putty) on their gnarled branches,
Julia has a soft spot for snowdrops. Her mom loves them too, and planted them to bloom with profusion throughout Julia’s childhood yard. Each year, this graceful flower signaled the start of spring, and, to this day, Julia associates it
Okay, this closer view should give you a better appreciation for the artistry and patience involved in creating these dimensional snowdrop cookies. Each flower petal, stem, and leaf was individually piped and airbrushed before being assembled into a snowdrop masterpiece.
More dimensional floral cookies in Julia’s botanical series! These tropical hibiscus use Julia’s trademark piecework technique where every flower part is piped and airbrushed separately and then ultimately pieced together, either off or on the cookie. Aren’t they just heavenly?!
One of the pluses of Julia’s piecework technique is that the various royal icing parts (in this case, the flowers, buds, leaves, and stems) can be shuffled around cookies of any shape to make so many spectacular designs. This tropical
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.
Copyright © 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
