'Tis the new year and it's time for a few updates around here. Please check the FAQ page for some 2017 updates. 

You can find all my recent cookie pictures on my Kooking in Kate's Kitchen facebook page. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what creations the new year brings.  

Cheers to my 6th year of cookieing!

 Hi there cookie friends!

It's been a long time since I wrote an actual blog post on this cookie blog of mine, but I've been getting a lot of random emails and felt the need to address a few cookie topics.  

Cookies continue to be a side hobby of mine. For 5 years, I've used the term side hobby, but what I really mean is side hobby-second job style. Because I pour my heart into each set I do, I continue to take limited orders. Unfortunately, each order is still time consuming and leaves me working on cookies for usually 2-5 hours each evening after my full time job. I also devote most of my weekends to cookies. Luckily, my husband has a job where he works every other weekend, which means at least two of my weekends each month, I'm in full on cookie mode. As you can imagine, this doesn't leave much time for other hobbies.  

Last month my husband and I moved into a new to us house in a brand new area of town. Our house happens to be two houses down from our almost three year old niece and one year old nephew. Because we moved to be close to them, I'm currently trying to find enough hours in my day to squeeze my real job and cookies and time with the kids. And it's hard.  

The first summer of cookie-ing, I had practically no orders. The second summer I took almost a month off for a trip to Europe. The third summer I took some time off for my niece's birth and a trip to the beach. The fourth summer was another month off for a second trip to Europe. Last summer I took a little break for my nephew's birth and to squeeze in a trip to the beach and up to Niagara Falls.  This summer, it's looking like July will be my month off.  A new house has a bunch of projects that seem to never end. I'm dying to spend some time in the yard and discover all the new plants the original owner had planted. I want to spend my summer evenings going on walks around the neighborhood with the kiddos and then catch some lightening bugs. I want to go to baseball games. I want to plan an impromptu trip with our other niece and nephew.  Basically, I want to savor each and every moment of this summer and our new house and I can't do that if I'm stuck behind a cookie table. If you're already on my schedule for any time this summer, then I will honor my commitment. 

I've recently gotten a lot of last minute requests for cookies and it absolutely breaks my heart to have to turn people down. I LOVE making and decorating cookies. Because of the full time job and my devotion to family and other aspects of life, I'm learning the hard way to say no. I've always had a two week minimum notice for orders…three if the order needs to be shipped. I have also always, always tried to squeeze last minute requests in, but I have been getting more numerous cookie requests, which means my schedule books up a lot quicker. 

If you're thinking about getting cookies from me, please remember that I take a limited amount of orders to begin with and consequently, I get booked up pretty fast. I will happily put you on the books months in advance. 

There will also be one other noticeable change around here. I have not increased my cookie prices in three years. Believe it or not, my cookies have always been ridiculously way underpriced. I have tried my hardest to keep my cookies affordable to everyone, but with the amount of time each cookie takes to make and the rising cost of ingredients, it's time for a little price change. Starting in August, my cookies will go to $3.00/cookie and character/logo cookies will go to $3.50/cookie. 

My heart is definitely still in the cookie game, but I am striving for a more well-rounded and balanced work/hobby/home/spiritual/family balance and cookies just can't be my one focus anymore.  

I am so grateful for everyone who's been on this cookie journey with me. Without cookie supporters, there'd be no reason for me to keep baking and creating.  You shouldn't really notice many of the changes. Please remember to give me plenty of cookie notice…this means you'll get cookies and my heart won't be broken by having to say no!  

Ya'll.  I posted three times in 2015.

Whoops.

I almost made it quarterly and I'll blame my end of the year wrap up happening in a new year on the fact that I was going through some pretty major personal stuff and in four different states during the month December.

Thank you to everyone who supported my little side hobby in 2015!