Wedding Cookies

S'More Bombs

2011-12-29T09:42:00.000-05:00

Food Arts Magazine provides demos by some of the great chefs, some have recipes you might enjoy for your wedding, rehersal dinner or other special pre-wedding occasion. For photos see Ben Roche at an Buick Discovery + Wine Event. To read more about Ben Roche and his restaurant Moto go here. He and his partner are one of the top trendy restaurants using chemistry instead of the food you think you're eating. They're basically food chemists.

Awhile ago I came across a "I Can't Resist This!" dessert. It brought together my childhood camp memories of s'mores around the campfire sans mosquitoes with my adult gourmet palate (oh yeah, I'm soooo adult now, and such a gourmet, which is why I adore s'mores ya know?)

One of my favorites (partially because I can actually replicate it at home) is S'More Bombs made by executive pastry chef at Chicago's Moto. Roche liquefies the milk, graham crackers, dark brown sugar and salt and finds a way (genius that he is) to form them into tiny bombs of flavor by using a 2 part ice cube tray that make spheres (for me this was the hard part--I'm a mess in the kitchen!) Then he melts the chocolate and cocoa butter and uses lollipop sticks to dip the balls into the chocolate. You make wicks from cellophane noodles that are deep fat fried--GENIUS! I'll put the exact directions as published in Food Arts for you to use because you don't want to depend on my 'cook by the seat of your pants' cooking directions!

Recipe From Food Arts Magazine from Executive Chef, Ben Roche

S'MORE BOMBS
50 Servings

Graham cracker puree:
2 packs (240g) graham crackers
3 cups (700 ml) WHOLE milk
2 T (30 g) dark brown sugar
salt

Graham Cracker Puree:

1. Place all the above into high speed blender, blend 1-2 min. until puree becomes warm so the fat from the graham crackers can emulsify with the milk.
2. Chill puree in an ice bath or covered in the refrigerator.
3. Pour into ice cube trays, preferably a 2 part ice cube tray that makes spheres for the 'bomb' like look. Freeze overnight.
4. Remove frozen graham spheres from trays.
5. Reserve in freezer.

Chocolate Covering:

6 1/2 T (100 g) cocoa butter

17 1/2 oz (500 g) dark chocolate

1. Heat cocoa butter and chocolate together in your microwave to approximately 100 degrees F or until completely melted (stir occasionally so cocoa butter doesn't separate from the chocolate.)

2. Press a wooden skewer (I used lollipop sticks but a pointed skewer would probably work better) into each frozen graham cracker ball.

3. Dip in chocolate coating. Tap each ball a few times to remover chocolate and get a thinner and crisper chocolate shell.

4. Place on a plate or try lined with plastic or a non-stick baking mat.

5. Remover skewer when chocolate has set. (a few seconds). Make sure to leave a hole for the 'wick.'

6. Reserve in refrigerator a minimum of three hours for the frozen graham crackers to melt back into a liquid state.

Marshmallow "wicks:"

12 Dried cellophane noodles (thicker varieties work best)

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium low heat to 350-400 degrees.

2. Deep fry cellophane noodles until the pull and crisp up (about 10 seconds); remover from oil.

3. Set on paper towels to drain and dry.

4. Break into 1 1/2 to 2 inch long 'wicks' by hand; reserve in a dry place.

Assembly:

1. Insert wick in ball.

2. Plate a single ball on each plate

3. Light the wick; once it burns out eat the bomb and wick all in one bite!

Lily Pulitzer, Weddings and Cookies

2011-12-10T11:15:00.000-05:00

OK, I know, Lily P, weddings and baking... an odd combo. But if you stop and think about it, Lily is all about great design and so are designing your cookies and planning your wedding. These cookies, courtesy of The Sweet Adventure of SugarBelle will knock the socks off your guests. Perfect for your sweet table or to give as favors, your guests will remember these cookies.

The design for these cookies is based on Lily Pulitzer's 2011 Optical Confusion design in navy and pink. Lily weddings are perfect for the preppy bride looking for some bright colors and an up to date look for her wedding.

Ombre Cookies - Easy For The Home Baker

2011-12-10T10:58:00.000-05:00

Are you a bride who is loving the ombre look for your wedding day? These ombre cookies, from The Sweet Adventure of SugarBelle one of my go to blogs for great cookie ideas, has a tutorial to show you just how easy it is to make these great looking cookies.

Sugarbelle's site shows you the easy way to 'airbrush' the cookies using Wilton's Color Mist. Wilton Master Color Mist Food Color Spray Kit give you a choice of eight different colors. One is sure to fit your palette. It's a super tutorial and I highly recommend heading over to see the ombre cookie tutorial as well as her other great how-to posts, must reads for the serious, and not so serious cookie baker.

Gold Thread Cookies

2011-12-05T14:37:00.000-05:00

Amber Spiegel strikes again! And I don't mean strikes out! If you liked her campy Twilight cookies, these gold thread Orange Vanilla Spice Cookies iced in muted colors with "embroidered" royal Icing flowers will blow you away! The cookies are painted with gold pearl dust that's actually edible! Cookies measure about 3-1/2" in diameter. This set of lacy cookies contains 2 dusty blue, 2 pink and 2 light brown cookies.

Each cookie has zest of orange, cardamom, and vanilla bean with vanilla flavored Royal Icing topping each cookie. Enjoy this unique flavor combination.

Cookies are wrapped individually and heat sealed for freshness in a cellophane. Cookies will be shipped to you in a beautifully packaged gift box and your cookies will stay fresh for up to three weeks. Order today! These are a little bit pricey but well worth it when you hear all those oohs and ahs from your guests!

Keep an eye on SweetAmbs for more great cookies for weddings and other special occasions. If you love the design on these cookies she currently has some with a leaf design as well. Other designs include monograms, crowns, hearts, cameos, teapots, apples and hearts.

Cookies For Twi-Hards

2011-12-05T14:03:00.000-05:00

Twi-hards will love these cookies by Amber Spiegel. Amber sells these through her store on Etsy.com Sweet Ambs. Twilight theme weddings are all the rage so Amber wisely chose to cash in on it by creating her own Twilight design cookies.

Whether you're Team Edward or Team Jacob these cookies have something for everyone.

Choose the iconic chess pieces or the apples, both are equally represented in her collection. Serve these at your Twilight theme wedding, its so good that the movies have all been spread out, giving fans a chance to become addicted to the brand and to gain the type of following that legends are made of. So have a Twilight wedding. Just lend Grandma the book first or you'll spend all night explaining why you're serving hearts dripping with blood at your wedding!

Madeleine Topiary Sculpture

2011-11-01T10:13:00.002-04:00

Love this photo of madeleines sculpted into the shape of a pineapple (or is it an artichoke? Choose your own interpretation of which it is!) This is actually meant to be a pineapple (noted symbol of friendship). The structure of the pineapple was made by covering a foam shape in rolled fondant.

I know when I first started baking I thought these tiny tender cakes baked in the special shell shaped pan were cookies, but they are actually buttery spongy cakes. The first time I tried them I had some wonderful almond flavored madeleines, but later found they also come flavored in lemon or orange.

The tiny cakes are later attached to the fondant covered form with thin wooden skewers. (I buy mine in the grocery store, if you can't find them just ask, they tend to be in 'odd places' in the grocery store. Last time I bought mine they were with the shoelaces and shoe polish--go figure!)

This gorgeous fondant and madeleine topiary makes a great accent on your sweet table. I like my madeleines 'natural' colors but I've seen this project done in greens or pink, just add some food coloring to your batter. If you're coloring your batter I'd color my fondant the same color. Enjoy creating these beautiful cakes and wow your guests with this great presentation. Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings.

'They Look Just Like You' Cookies

2011-10-24T23:06:00.000-04:00

A great idea for personalizing cookies for your wedding! Parker's Crazy Cookies makes you wedding cookies that look just like you and your groom. So cool! Great for a wedding favor or for a fun addition to your sweet table. I admit, I've never seen these before, hope you enjoy.

These are pretty basic cookies. They’re just plain old sugar cookies. No glitz, no glitter, no frosting, no sprinkles. In fact they look like giant animal crackers (or in your case, bride and groom crackers). These cookies are true art--they capture your smallest unique features in cookie form.

You need a photo of the bride and groom, an email account and you must order 150 You Cookies. Once the owner gets your photos he'll start designing your caricature in dough.

In two or three weeks you'll have a small army of cookies made in your image (how scary is that?) They'll arrive divided into regiments of six. Your job, divide them into pairs of bride and groom.

Wedding Cookies -- With The Look of Stained Glass

2011-10-02T14:38:00.000-04:00

Martha Stewart Weddings posted this great recipe for Stained Glass Cookies. Not only are these stained glass cookies visually appealing and perfect to give as wedding favors or display on your sweet table, they aren't hard to make. You will need a candy thermometer for the 'stained glass' part so keep that in mind before you get involved in the project and have to run out in the middle of your project to grab one.

Decorate Your Cookies With Fresh Flowers

2011-07-14T09:31:00.001-04:00

Martha Stewart Weddings shows these pretty cookies perfect for a sweet table or for wedding favors. Head to her site to find out how to make these cookies that look like your baker or caterer made them but that you can make at home. But where do you get the edible flowers? Try Sid Wainer and Son. They have mixed pansies and mixed blossoms to let you choose which you prefer. You can also add these blooms to your salads or use them to garnish your plates. I love a plate that when it's served is a feast for my eyes and my palate.

The Perfect Cookies for Your Beach Wedding

2011-07-11T08:45:00.000-04:00

Diamonds for Dessert has a great recipe for these DIY sand dollar cookies. What would be a better choice of cookies to serve guests at your beach wedding than these light and crispy sand dollars? Visit Diamonds for Dessert for the recipe for these great cookies as well as other great recipes to add to your recipe box of recipes to make again and again. What's the secret ingredient in these cookies? Two actually--coconut milk and tapioca starch--head to Diamonds for Dessert blog for where to find the starch for these incredible cookies.

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-29T13:09:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to wish all my readers a Happy Memorial Day! Enjoy your cookouts or beach trips or the day at the pool. See you tomorrow! Nancy&Bill

Black and White Floral Cookies

2011-03-27T06:33:00.004-04:00

Black & White Floral Wafer Paper lets you make fancy wedding cookies without piping a lot of icing! To decorate cookies, simply trace the shape of the cookie you wish to decorate with a cookie cutter. These edible, sugar free printed wafer paper designs come in a variety of designs many of which are wedding appropriate. Add a 3 dimensional effect by using small sugar pearls, dragees, sugar decorations and/or edible glitter. Adhere using a small dot of clear piping gel. Voila! Perfect wedding favors or cookies for a your sweet table.

Biscuits You Can't Wait to Bite Into

2011-03-11T10:58:00.000-05:00

Pretty cookies from the UK

With everyone around the world looking forward to a royal wedding in Great Britain The Bicuiteers

have created some wedding cookies that will knock your socks off! Enjoy these beautiful cookies for your wedding day as well (and consider serving them with a nice cuppa tea!)

Idle Hand Bars

2011-01-30T06:01:00.001-05:00

Recipe and Photo courtesy of Eliazbeth at http://guiltykitchen.com/

Now that you've fallen in love with the photo, here's the easy to follow recipe for these to die for bar desserts. Perfect for your sweet table or to give as favors for your guests. To quote Elizabeth at Guilty Kitchen as to why they are called Idle Hands Bars "idle hands are the Devil’s playground and the Devil definitely made me make these, because they are sinful. Eat your boring, chocolate heart out, Devil’s Food Cake!" So chocolate and peanut butter lovers you owe Elizabeth a huge debt of gratitude for your new favorite dessert!

Idle Hand Bars

Base Layer

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

5 Tbsp. Cocoa

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup coarsely crushed pretzels

1. In double boiler (or a bowl resting over a pot of lightly simmering water), melt the first three ingredients.

2. While still over water, add egg and beat to combine (will thicken quite a bit here). Remove from heat and add crumbs and pretzels.

3. Press into an 8 x 8 cake pan. Set aside.

Middle Layer

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly.

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter (no salt added, reduce salt accordingly if using salted)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1. Add peanut butter and butter together in small bowl.

2. Mix in sugar, salt and vanilla to form a thick paste.

3. Dump onto base layer and smooth over, patting down to make a flat, even layer.

Top (final) Layer

5 oz. Semi Sweet Choclate chips (or other fine chocolate)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Pink Himalayan salt (or other fine sea salt)

1. In double boiler (or microwave), melt butter and chocolate chips together. Stir until complete dissolved and smooth.

2. Pour over peanut butter layer and spread out evenly.

3. Cool in fridge for about 5 minutes (should still be slightly soft on top but not warm).

4. Sprinkle, lightly, with Himalayan salt. Return to fridge (or freezer, if you’re in a hurry like I was), and let cool completely to become hard.

5. Cut into small squares and don’t say I didn’t warn you….these things are addictive.

You can freeze these too, might make them last longer and would let your make them ahead of time for a wedding.

Considering DIY, Read This

2011-01-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

I was browsing bridal sites thinking "of course I CAN DO something myself" when I can across a blog post on Indie Bride (http://offbeatbride.com/2010/10/diy-fail) where the editor details her attempts at making cake pops (which btw, don't LOOK that hard!) Her pics detail just WHY I don't do it MYSELF, because I am just plain BAD at it. Anything I did would come out looking like a project the local nursery school kids made. So don't beat yourself up if you just aren't a DIY'er, some of us have other talents. But just to prove it, I'm going to try to make those cake pops just to see if it's as bad as it sounds, I have a feeling it will be, but at least if I'm only doing it as an experiment failure won't mean a ruined wedding! For those of your brave enough to try the dreaded cake pops by Bakerella, post and let me know how you do, it's always good to have feedback!

Love Is In The Air -- And On Cookies

2011-01-25T06:52:00.000-05:00

Photos from: From BeesKneesCreative on Etsy.com

Bees Knees Creative on Etsy.com offers you ways to say "I love you" with cookies. They make these conversation heart cookies in a variety of colors and messages. Available in their favorite sugar cookie recipe.

These conversation pops are also from Bees Knees Creative. Flavors available: double fudge brownie, vanilla cream, red velvet cake, cookies and cream, strawberry delight, double peanut butter, carrot cake and cream cheese, egg-free chocolate chip, and banana chocolate chip. These cookies are fun for your sweetheart on Valentines Day or to use as wedding or shower favors.

Bees Knees offers an assortment of cookies for every occasion.

7-Layer Italian Cookies--Perfect for Showers and Wedding Sweet Tables

2010-11-30T07:32:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of: http://myitaliangrandmother.blogspot.com/

What Italian wedding or shower would be complete without these beautiful cookies? Although they take some time to make, the patience is well worth it in the end. This recipe is from a fellow blogger, Michele at her great blog, My Italian Grandmother, where she shares great recipes with you. Take the time to browse her blog for other great food ideas.

Rosemarie's 7-Layer Cookies

1 ¼ cup flour
3 eggs (large)
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons almond extract
2 sticks (melted butter)
1 jar apricot butter or preserves or seedless raspberry preserves
6 oz. bag of semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon of oil
Red and green food coloring

3 pans 11x7x1 ½ or approximate size

Mix in bowl with electric mixer (if desired), flour, sugar, almond extract,
eggs, melted butter. Separate into 3 bowls evenly. After which you leave one bowl plain, in 2nd bowl add 8 drops of red and the last bowl add 8 drops of green coloring. Then in greased pans (or parchment lined pans) pour mixture so it covers all of the pan evenly. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Remove from oven, on wax paper on foil, first turn over green layer, coat lightly with apricot, then white layer over that and coat with preserve. Last red layer melt chocolate in pot with 1 tablespoon of oil. Coat one layer with chocolate, refrigerate until hard then turn over wax paper or foil. Coat second layer, let it get hard then cut and slice.

Enjoy! Share with your friends and family!

Nirvana Attained!

2010-10-10T23:15:00.000-04:00

NIRVANA!

All photos and linked recipe courtesy of Colette at My Computer is My Canvas on Blogspot.com

These look soooo good right? And hidden inside these chocolate nuggets of goodness is raw chocolate chip cookie dough! My personal idea of HEAVEN! I can't take credit for these, but found them while I was looking for a project for my daughter's nursery school class.

Colette of "My Computer is My Canvas," on Blogspot.com has taste tested the best of all the Raw Cookie Dough recipes she could find with her sister, Lisa of Lisa's Recipe Cards (also on Blogspot), and the results are on Collette's blog at http://mycomputerismycanvas.blogspot.com/.

Not only that, she has ingeniously dipped them in chocolate turning them into a treat for the most discriminating of guests! For your wedding, think of adding some icing flowers in colors to accent you color scheme or make them into cookie dough pops if you are feeling extra crafty! For any bride who is a DIY'r her blog is full of great projects that could be adapted for use in your wedding. I guess you could say I'm a fan, with a capital 'F'! Head over to her blog for further ideas for these wonderful melt in mouth wonders and more ideas for your wedding.

Italian Weddings Overflow With Cookies!

2010-10-02T23:08:00.001-04:00

Iced Italian Wedding Cookies (Photo via The Happy Wanderer Blog)

Lady Locks (Photo via www.cookieevents.com)

Photo by Ross Mantle via The New York Times

Do It Yourself Fortune Cookies -- Recipe Included

2010-10-02T22:11:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of: http://www.favorideas.com/

Not interested in paying a wedding favor company for fortune cookies, or just want to control the fortunes in the cookies? Why not make your own? The reciple below makes a dozen great fortune cookies that you can either serve plain or with some sherbret. Cookies can also be dipped in chocoloate! Yum!

Fortune Cookie Recipe

Makes one dozen cookies.

Ingredients
1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a cookie sheet. Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.

Mix the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar and blend into the egg white mixture.

Place teaspoonfuls of the batter at least 4 inches apart on one of the prepared cookie sheets. Tilt the sheet to move the batter into round shapes about 3 inches in diameter. Be careful to make batter as round and even as possible. Do not make too many, because the cookie have to be really hot to form them and once they cool it is too late. Start with 2 or 3 to a sheet and see how many you can do.

Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale. While one sheet is baking, prepare the other.

Remove from oven and quickly move cookie with a wide spatula and place upside down on a wooden board. Quickly place the fortune on the cookie, close to the middle and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a measuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton to hold their shape until firm.
(Recipe courtesy of: Allrecipes.com)

Photo courtesy of: http://www.favorideas.com/

All You Need is LOVE for Your Wedding Cookies

2010-10-02T21:55:00.000-04:00

LOVE Cookie Cutter from FancyFlours.com

This tin cookie cutter with sturdy tin handle comes with a colorful recipe card. Each card includes a recipe for cookies and frosting. The cookie cutter is S 4"H and shaped in beautiful, durable solid tin.
Get this and other unique cookie cutters at FancyFlours.com. Fancy Flours is a unique, retail on-line baking supply business that specializes in high quality, difficult to find ingredients and delightful, edible sugar decorations and cookie cutters.
Fancy Flours offers over 800 collector's copper and easy-to-use tin cookie cutters, 100 different types of hard-to-find oils, extracts and flavorings, premium vanillas, muffin cups in every color you could ever dream of, more then 500 sugar whimsies, stunning cake jewels, intricate wafer paper designs and much, much more! Fancyflours.com will bring out your aristic, whimsical, imaginative, and even magical side.

Browse their selction of chocolate transfer sheets and culinary stencils, the perfect touch to party treats and desserts. Need to add a bit of color to your cupcakes? Try one of our brilliantly colored food sprays or icing writers, a darling cupcake pick, or shimmering edible pearls.

Fancyflours.com also provides you with mouthwatering recipes, valuable tips and how-to's, as well as a current blog featuring the latest in baking trends.

So no matter what baking project you are planning on attempting, Fancy Flours is your one stop shop for everything you need to produce professional looking and tasting projects.

Rainbow Color Cookie and Candy Buffet

2010-09-25T08:42:00.001-04:00

Photo and Paper Designs by TomKatstudio at Etsy.com

These colorful and eye-catching sandwich cookies are dipped in brightly colored melted chocolate. Yum! Add to your candy/sweet buffet! Add some pretzel sticks dipped in white chocolate and rolled in multi-colored jimmies and some lollipops in rainbow colors as well. The paper goods are by TomKatstudios on Etsy.com. Be sure an visit their blog and get the signs to go with your table. They have all sorts of professionally executed designs that will change you party from ho-hum to WOW!

Carmella's Ameretti Cookies Recipe from Recchiuti's San Francisco

2010-08-15T22:52:00.001-04:00

Photo and recipe from: http://www.recchiuti.com

CARMELLA’S AMERETTI COOKIES

Recchiuti's web site says "As a teenager I worked at my dad’s grocery market and one of my jobs was restockingshelves. That’s how I was first introduced the delicate ameretti cookies wrapped in bright wrappers and packed into colorful tins. Legend has it that they were invented by a young Italian baker in the 18th century for the Cardinal of Milan. I learned how to make them from a woman named Carmella while I was working at her son’s pizzeria on South Street in Philadelphia. They go great with a shot of espresso, a scoop of gelato or even an afternoon tea." So for all you Philly brides, these should be a taste of the old neighborhood!

Makes About 36 Cookies

1 1/8 cups whole almonds, blanched
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered cane sugar
2 extra-large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line the bottoms of two 12-by-18 inch sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Combine half of the almonds with the half of the cornstarch in a food processor and pulse to grind into a fine, dry meal. Repeat with the remaining almonds and cornstarch. Doing this step in two batches helps prevent the release of oil and the formation of paste or nut butter. Purchased almond meal may also be used here as a substitute
• Combine the almond meal and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Stir to mix and set aside.
• Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Beat on medium speed until they start to froth and then add about half of the sugar. When they start to become stiff, increase the speed to high and add the rest of the sugar and the almond extract. Beat until the whites start to lose their shine but still look wet. ey will hang in stiff peaks when the whip is lifted from the
bowl.
• Fold about half of the almond mixture into the whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in the rest of the almond mixture just until no white streaks of egg whites remain.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a #1 tip, pipe 1-inch mounds of the batter onto the prepared pans, spacing them about 1 inch apart. You may also drop the batter by tablespoonfuls rather than piping.
• Bake on the middle shelves of the oven, rotating the pans 180 degrees halfway through the baking time, 35 to 40 minutes. After 30 minutes remove one of the cookies and check the bottom. If it is moist, cook for an additional 10 minutes. If it is smooth and dry, cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• After the initial baking time, turn off the oven and crack the door slightly. Allow the
cookies to dry in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pans on wire racks.
• Store in an airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Wedding Cookies From Lady Fortune

2010-05-29T19:47:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that these delectable cookies are edible because they look so beautiful...but they are!!! Lady Fortune's web site http://www.ladyfortunes.com/ has lots of choices for cookie favors so head on over and take a look.

All Photos Courtesy of: http://www.ladyfortunes.com

More Macaroons

2010-05-01T07:15:00.000-04:00

Macaroons are the perfect way to finish your wedding day. The delicate white and peach beauties above were snapped by Sunday Suppers and by Karen Mordechai.

Below are some assorted colors in macaroons courtesy of: http://www.kristiblunt.com