I'd rather be...making Hibiscus cookies

So I'm really starting to get to spread my cooking decorating skills.  I was asked to make cookies for a 40th anniversary party.  When I started asking Joann what she and her husband liked, she mentioned they really enjoyed visiting Hawaii.  I instantly thought of a Hawaiian themed cookie decorated in bright colors of pink, orange and yellow. 

However once I started looking online for a Hibiscus cookie cutter, I realized it was going to be hard.  It is not a common cookie cutter.  The one I did find was over $12 plus the shipping of $8.  This wouldn't do.  It was too expensive and would eat up all of my profit and then some.  So what were my options?  I had recently read about the benefits of making your own template out of plastic lids.  GREAT!  I told myself I could totally do this.  Little did I know what I was getting myself into....

First I printed off a picture of a Hibiscus.  Then I traced the image onto the clear plastic lid from a small Kool-whip container. 

I thought, "Hey this is easy I don't know why more people don't do this?"-then the fun began ;)

I didn't take into account how quickly sugar cookie dough warms up and how impossible it is to use when it is warm.  And for anyone who is familar with sugar cookie dough knows it needs to be chilled in order to use a cookie cutter.  The thing is it takes 30+ minutes to chill the dough to where you can work with it.  I can't begin to tell you how long the process of cutting these cookies took me.  I made the mistake of only dividing the dough into two large sections.  So I could be maybe cut three or four cookies-talk about a LONG night!  Finally I got 18 cut and then decided to do the rest the next day.

The next day I decided to get moving.  I cut and baked the rest of the cookies and got the first layer of icing on.

So they don't quite look like a Hibiscus yet, but that's the fun part about decorating cookies with royal icing.  I love that as you layer the cookies, the more they develop into what you picture in your mind.  It definitely reminds me of scrapbooking!  Which is my other favorite hobby!

I had to wait until the next day to the final touches as you need to wait several hours between each layer.  Finally three days after I first started (it doesn't normally take this long) on the details.  I outlined each cookie, made a star in the center, added a white stigma/pistil thingy with white nonpareils.  If you can't tell already I'm completely clueless when it comes to flowers and the proper names of their parts ;)



I also added the intials of the couple who celebrated 40 years of marriage!  In today's world 40 years is an amazing accomlishment.  I wonder at what it takes to make it through 40 years of marriage.  It makes me feel like a toddler (on the marriage scale) with the hubby and I being married for 7 years this July.  I wonder what life will have brought the hubby and I when we reach 40 years of marriage....

When all is said and done I'm not sure how often I'll hand-cut my future cookies.  Its worth it when you need an odd shape or don't want to spend the money on specific cutter.  Just be prepared to send the extra time and make sure to divide the dough into smaller, more managable portions.  I'm happy with how the cookies turned out but wish I knew some of this beforehand!