When do you ever decide that you are not a newbie any more? I look at all the beautiful cookies on CC and think that I will NEVER be that good! I am not a full time cookie decorator. I would be if I could be. I teach all day, have two sons active in tennis teams, a wonderful husband to keep happy, two aging parents I am caretaker to, not to mention all the things a mom does (laundry, cook, shop, clean, you get the picture).

I guess I am just feeling sorry for myself and that my talent will never get to the point of the non-newbies here on CC!! Do any other newbies feel this same way or am I just throwing myself a pity party?

I love all the designs of the wonderful cookies here on CC!!!!

Twopeas: Your cookies are beautiful and creative
I'd like to see some of them individually, I know it's hard not to post the bouquet as well, they are so cute put together! You're well on your way. I wouldn't look at your cookies as beginner status. I too have a fulltime job (helps to support my cookie obsession ) and I'm a mom. I am looking forward to this weekend, plan to slow down, take my time and do some creating, force myself out of a cookie funk!
Hang in there! Oh, and I'm getting a crick in my neck, turn them pic around (Said with love)

You know, I think everyone feels like that. There is always someone whose work you're in awe of. There are plenty of people here who are so much better than me, sometimes I wonder whether I'm good enough to sell. But I also know that I'm better than some people who do sell their stuff (I've seen some websites that make me cringe (not CCers, though!)). It's an attitude thing. Fake it till you make it!

Your cookies are great already, and the more you practice, the better you'll get.

i don't know...i guess i don't feel like a newbie anymore. i've been doing this for 3 years. i also have a part time job, 5 kids and a house that's falling apart. i miss being a newbie. i loved making cookies just to make cookies. once in awhile i'll get an order that i can't wait to do...sometimes i feel like i'm going order to order. so, i guess there's nothing wrong with being a newbie. it's still fun and exciting trying new things. i'll get excited again when i can get my own kitchen, and quit my job and just work on MY business! gosh looks like the pity party's at my place now...lol

Oh, big hugs all around!!!! (Darn! No emoticon for that one!)

Twopeasinapod - I can say with all honesty that your work is not that of a newbie in the least. Your lines are wonderful, your flooding is smooth and your ideas are great! And I don't know what really constitutes a 'newbie' anyway. I would think someone who is really just starting out with question of "What is flooding? How do I pipe RI? What do I use for coloring?" Okay, that is a newbie and we all try to help her along.

I never thought of the term 'newbie' until I joined CC and was given that title. Hey, if someone like Nancy of Nancy's Fancy Cookies was new to CC and joined right now, heavens, she'd be a 'newbie' too. But it can't be the title you are speaking of as I see that you are now a Junior Member (oh, I was so excited when I got that 'rank'. No really, I was!).

All that aside, I fully respect newbies. Lots of fresh ideas and so appreciative of help along the way. One of my favorite designs was done by a certain someone when she was a newbie (okay, that would be you, Shiney!) and I looked at that and thought, "She has a great eye and great potential." And she indeed does.

As for you, Twopeasinaod, I am sorry to tell you, but you left 'newbie' a while ago. Just step back and look at the quality of your work from another eye and you will see it also.

Shiney - Fingers crossed you get your groove again soon! I have complete faith in you! You know that! Your creativity has always impressed me. Also, let's see... hmm... why is your signature phrase "Take a picture. Eat the cookie." Hmm.. that would be because your cookies are so cute... people don't want to eat them! You will get your groove back! You and your new oven just need to comes to terms and you will get back in step in no time.

TubbsCookies - Not good enough to sell? Are you kidding? I just peeked at your profile and see a whole bunch of cookies I flipped over when they were first posted and your quality and ideas are MUCH better than other sites I have seen that sell cookies. I wouldn't even think twice about it... at all! Your cookies are MOST CERTAINLY good enough to sell! On another note, I think we all look at someone else and think, "Oh, I am not as good as they are" or "Why can't I design like them?" I sure do.

Which leads me to Kneadacookie, you are one of those people I look at and think "Why can't I design like her?" You just nail, I mean nail the concept without overdoing it. I seem to always overdo it and wish to anything I could design more like you or bakinccc or... the list goes on. I think it takes a true talent to design like you do - to be able to just get it perfectly without overdoing it. If I could do that, I could get a lot more cookies done and be better off from the financial aspect.

So you not only do incredible cookies, you also have a part time job and... five kids. Hats off to you and I hope that it is sooner than later when you can devote full time to your wonderful talent.

Well, I am now even more behind on designs I am already behind on, but I couldn't let this one go by. Good grief, it is so long I am bolding everyone's names in hopes that they will see it.

I am not sure my opinion carries much weight, but I think you all are wonderful cookie-ers! Have faith in what you do as each of you is really talented! Hugs from VA!

Wow, thanks! I needed all these good vibes. Maybe it's the wind here in the Texas Panhandle but everything today seemed off all day. I have a fresh batch of cookies and RI waiting for me at home and I am watching the clock! Can't wait until 4 comes and I can go home to try some new ideas I have thought of!

Everyone have a fantastic weekend!!

If I could figure out how to get a dancing emoticon, I would.. Tracy, thanks for pushing me back into my groove!! I'm so flattered!! We all appreciate your recognition for sure! Like being asked to sit at the cool kids' table at lunch!
Twopeas: Woah!!! there's someone else fighting this wind? I'm OK panhandle!
Kneadacookie: Your cookies blow me away! Ditto, Tubbs!

Ok, first of all, I think all of us in the cookie gallery should appoint TracyLH as our designated "speaker/writer" or "The Voice of the Cookie Gallery". Tracy, you come across so well in your writing, and always say "just the right thing"!...and as far as you "not knowing if your opinion carries much weight here".. OMG are you kidding me Your opinion is like gold on this site. So, back to the original reason for this post - Twopeas: You are so not a "newbie" as far as your decorating skills. Your cookies are very creative, and are nice and neat. You will see that you will get better and learn more from each batch that you do. I'm still "new" at this (I've been doing this for 9 months), but I don't consider myself a "newbie" because I've learned so much through this site. I do, however, have so much to learn because I'm just not consistent with my baking and decorating. I, too, have been in a little "cookie funk" lately. My baked cookies aren't turning out as well as I'd like (they're lumpy), but I just cover them with RI and hope the lumps and bumps don't show through. If we all stick together, we can get out of this funk! Twopeas, we appreciate you being here and really appreciate the fact that you are a teacher Keep it up, and I can't wait to see what cookies you come up with next...

You guys are funny! Oh, Shiney - I was so far from sitting at the cool kids' table! SO far!

Tubbscookies - Wow! A compliment from Nancy! How cool is that! Big congrats to you!

Have a great weekend everyone! Looks like some 'groovin' will be back in action!

Well I have never decorated a cookie before, but after seeing all of yall's gorgous cookies I might have to switch from cakes to cookies. Good Work Everyone!

Okay, I just decorated a cookie and both my boys (10 and 13) said, "Wow, cool cookie mom!" That did it, now I feel like I am in a better grove. You know kids are very honest!

OOPS! I don't want to be in a grove. But I am in a better groove!!!

Twopeasinapod - Oh, I do that all the time! I really should hit 'preview', not submit because I always end up editing my typos! Glad to hear cookie-ing went so well. I often look to my 13 year old son to bounce designs off of. He walked in the kitchen the other day, saw my V-day prototype cookies and said, "Those are insane!" It took me a second to realize it was a compliment. Whew! Passed the teenage boy test!

Eeh gads! I just saw the I am now a "Forum Addict". Kind of embarrassing! Luckily, I type fast, but still... Oh. well, at least CC is my one real vice! Have fun cookie-ing!

You know, Tracy, when I don't see post by you for a bit, I'm thinking....yeah, here she comes, she's been bzy working on some new designs....and I anxiously await your gallary pics! I'm sorry to inform you, but yes, my dear, you ARE at the cool cookie table, and whether I'm invited or not, I sneak over from time to time! You're an addict! Aa-hah, I have yet one more thing to aspire towards

OOOh can I sit with you guys at the cool table?!? please please please?!?

i love coming on and seeing everyone else's work! tracy it was you who inspired me to take a second look at my wood painting books. I could have sworn I saw your wicked witch in a book. I love your whimsy!!

i haven't seen nancy on in a long time. her website doesn't even have anything new. she is really truely the cookie queen. i was so flattered to get a personal message from her telling me my cookies were worth way more than what i was charging. what a compliment. now if i can only convince my customers......

Ok... I'll just admit it... I'm most definitely a newbie! I'm ok with that actually. It's been so long since I did cakes, and now suddenly I'm doing cookies too.

I am just in awe of all of you ladies!!

Oh, yes, Kneadacookie pull up a chair! We all sit at the cool table! Awww... I am thrilled I inspired you in any way whatsoever as when I first came to CC, I saw your website and thought, "Wow! She makes cookies and.. sells them. How cool is that!", wishing that someday I could do that!" Well, I do cookies now, but my dear, you do much better than I do per hour! Oh, I didnt see the witch in a book. The basic inspiration for that witch came from a painted wood cutout from Michaels. I see ideas all around, tweak them or create my own (guess that minor in Graphic Design was good for something!). Everything seems to be a cookie to me! My son has the flu and I was brainstorming on cookies for him, but realized the poor kid is too sick to even eat them! Yep, cookies on the brain!

Nancy is truly the Cookie Queen (coudn't resist!) and she is in a league all her own! I actually e-mailed back and forth with her a while ago as I found out that she lived nearby and I hoped to go into the bakery where her cookies were and maybe (dare I say) meet her (a hush falls over the crowd). Alas, she was in the midst of a move, but she was just the nicest, most wonderful person. I see such an incredible future for her!

Oh, Shiney Your chair is already there! You know me too well - - I am like a moth to the flame with CC! Step away from the computer! as it sucks me in to see if there are new pics to ooh and aaww over, if anyone has a question I might be able to help with, and to see what there is new to learn. I learned about imprinting letters on fondant today! Perhaps I will try that someday! Pics will be coming. Just havent had time to load them and am busily finalizing the artwork for the Valentines cookies. Wish to anything I could whip them out and stop being so Type A, but at least I am getting closer! I learned a big lesson with the Christmas cookies as $1/hour just isnt so ideal!

v-starpilot - you may be new, but you are off to a great start! I loved your Valentine's day cookies! Great, smooth icing, nice job on the piping , wondeful whimsy... and you do cakes too??? I don't even go there!

Okay, back to work! Maybe I need to cut power to the computer! Step away, step away...

tracy...last i heard, she was moving to new york. i know i would love to watch her in action.

omg that's so funny about seeing cookies. i think everything is, or could be, a cookie. i was driving on the freeway with my mom one day and started to head in another lane. sorry i told her i was looking at a billboard. cookie she asks. now that's bad!!

well...off to the grocery store. let's see how many "cookies" i can find on the way

bye ladies!!

I'm with you, twopeasinapod, I was just wondering a couple of days ago, how long I have to sit on the newbie bench. I sometimes lie in bed awake because my brain is thinking up a new cake design even when there is no occasion to make a cake for. (I know, I know. Never end a sentence with a preposition) How many cakes does it take to graduate to junior member?

'Till then, I'll be dreaming up cakes on the newbie bench!

twopeas and artsy, your work is awesome!
really you aren't newbies anymore!

I do know how you feel though, I get grumpy too, the cookie queens beat me to a pulp too

try to remember though that most pleople haven't seen CC or Nancy's Fancy or Tracy or Kneadacookie for that matter.
your work is great and you need to keep coming back to be inspired and challenged, but don't get down! (easy to say, hard to do, I know)

happy baking!!!

Okay artsy - I just saw your profile and am absolutely blown away! Newbie, my foot! Sweetie, I would never do a cookie throwdown with you! Those are absolutely incredible cookies, not to mention the cakes!

BTW, the only reason I am not labelled a 'Newbie' anymore is because I yak so much on the forums! Trust me, the CC label has nothing to do with the level of talent as is evidenced by what we see here. You, a "Newbie"? Artsy, us yakers have a lot to learn from you! Actually, I wouldn't even dare to try what you do! It truly is exquisite!

Jen - You are sweet, but you know that you are my cookie idol and have been from the start! And you do cakes too! Geesh! If anyone else is seeing this, did you see her latest cake? Seriously cool! If I did a cake, it would immediately go into the new "Cake Disasters" gallery!

I'm inspired! Tomorrow the forecast is rain so I think it just might have to become a cookie day!

Okay, ladies, I am feeling really guilty. My youngest son is home sick from school today and I am home with him. I have just given him medicine for the fever that I know will make him sleep. All I can think is, "Yeah! I have about 2 full hours to work on cookies!" Now that is pretty sad! I know it is an addiction!

I know, we are SAD! I'm in the shower thinking....Hum, how am I feeling, a little headache? Aw, that's not enough. ...but when you got stacks of naked cookies, It's hard not to want to provide pretty clothing for them babies.

I laid down with my sick son long enough to get him asleep and as we were laying there he said, "Mom, if you work on cookies while I'm asleep, would you make a special one for me!" He knows me all too well to know that I am going to hop up as soon as he is asleep! He is 10 years old but you know when they are sick they still want mom. I think now I'll probably have to make a new batch of cookies for a get well theme. Yeah, more cookies!!!

Twopeas - There you go! Get well cookies! My son has the flu and I thought about doing get well cookies, but now I am not feeling so hot and like Shiney, I have a ton of naked V-day cookies to attack lest I go downhill too. Have fun!

I think all of your cookies are great!

I know I certainly still feel like a newbie. I would love to have more time to spend decorating cookies, and the time to come up with some design ideas. I look to all of you for great designs. ,so thank goodness you're here!