"They misunderestimated me!"

President George W. Bush
(2001-2009)

I recently participated in a President's Day Cookie Collaboration, and by the luck of the draw, I got assigned President William Taft (#27).  I was very excited because I already knew what I wanted to do for President Taft. (To check out my Taft cookies, read "Help! I am stuck in the Bathtub!")



I then proceeded to request President George W. Bush (#43) as well.  "What were you thinking?!?" you might ask.  Honestly, I wanted an excuse to purchase a Texas-shaped cookie cutter.  I figured a baseball would be easy.  I even thought that it would be kinda fun to poke some fun at President Bush's many "Bushisms." (One of the more famous of which were "They misunderestimated me.")

However, I grossly "misunderestimated" how difficult it would be to paint an image of a modern president.  (Not to mention one that I personally liked, but most political cartoonists were not kind to...)  Here are all of my practice cookies... (one of them looked like Howdy Doody and another like Grandpa Munster! ;^))

I also "misunderestimated" how hard it would be for me to cookie W's Presidential career.  I thought about a chalkboard cookie that said "No Child Left Behind" or a playing card cookie with Osama Bin Laddin's photo on it, but when it was all said and done, for me, the defining moment of his career was 9-11.

This cookie was created respectfully to honor those who lost their lives or loved ones on 9-11-2001.  

This image was inspired by artist Jason Pruett and his illustration of President George W. Bush, in his book Fingerprint Presidents of the United States of America.  This talented artist did an excellent job with this great book!  Thank you, Jason!

2013 President's Day Cookie Collaboration

AND a huge "Thank You" to Anne Yorks of The Flour Box Bakery for organizing this fun and educational cookie collaboration!  Be sure to visit her blog where she has links to all the cookies and their artists AND interesting tidbits on each of the presidents!

To see a full list of the cookie bakers involved read my post "Hail to the Chief..."

Happy President's Day!
Sarah

Help! I am stuck in the bathtub...

President William Taft 

(1909-1913)

Rub-a-Dub-Dub...
Four workers posing for picture
after installing President Taft's new tub.  

I recently participated in a President's Day Cookie Collaboration, and by the luck of the draw, I got assigned President William Taft.  (I got President George W. Bush too, but that is a different story.)  I was very excited because I already knew what I wanted to do for President Taft, a bathtub cookie!

However, the more I researched the more I felt compelled to do more than pick on President Taft for his large size (he weighed more than 350 lbs.) and the fact that he once got stuck in the bathtub at the White House.

President Taft followed President Teddy Roosevelt into office.  There was a joke at the time that TAFT stood for "Take Advice From Teddy."  But once in office, President Taft held his own. 

Although my daughter and I agree that he looks a bit like the Monopoly man... Taft was actually very anti-monopoly, signing over 80 anti-trust suits while in office.  

He was an avid horseman and rode his horse everyday.

  

He also enjoyed watching baseball.  He was the one who started the tradition of the "First Pitch" and the "Seventh Inning Stretch."

(This image is used with permission from a very talented Artist Jason Pruett and copied from his book Fingerprint Presidents of the United States of America.  Please read below for more details.)

Following his presidency, he taught Law at his alma mater, Yale University. (Yes, he looks a little like their mascot too...)

But, most notably,  he served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1921-1930.  He is the only person in our country's history to have ever served as the head of two branches of our government.

Unfortunately, all we can remember is that bathtub! ;^)

As I mentioned, I had a great time working on this project.  All of these cookies are hand-painted with food coloring.  The image of Taft and the Seventh Inning Stretch is used with permission from artist Jason Pruett and copied from his book 

Fingerprint Presidents of the United States of America.  It includes a fun image and a short poem about each president which is helpful in remembering who they are and what their contributions were.    It also comes in a 13 X 19 poster, which would be a great gift for a teacher!  Thank you Jason!

(I re-purposed his head for my bathtub cookie.  I couldn't help myself, it was perfect!  It is amazing how yawning and screaming look so much alike!)

2013 President's Day Cookie Collaboration

AND a huge "Thank You" to Anne Yorks of The Flour Box Bakery for organizing this fun and educational cookie collaboration!  Be sure to visit her blog where she has links to all the cookies and their artists AND interesting tidbits on each of the presidents!

To see a full list of the cookie bakers involved read my post "Hail to the Chief..."

Happy President's Day!
Sarah

Go Royals!

Happy Opening Day!

Thank goodness that I have my Facebook friends to share what is going on in the world,
or I would have totally missed this opportunity to share my baseball cookies!

In fact, I was walking through the HyVee this morning and saw these awful looking blue hamburger buns... and wondered briefly what possessed the usually very good bakery department to create such atrocities...
I knew I should have taken a photo.

The truth is... ever since George Brett and the 1985 World Series, I have been a Royals fan.
(But really only a hometown-pride, go-if-the-tickets-are-free or you-get-to-sit-in-the-press-box, 

and stay-until-the-7th-inning-stretch type of fan.)

We did live in St. Louis for three years after we were first married, so I am a closet Cardinals fan too. 

(But really only the when-they-are-about-to-win-the-World-Series kind.)

But to all you REAL fans out there... 

Happy Blue Buns Day!

Cheers!

Sarah

Fall Break...

Sarah's Sweet Shoppe is now closed for FALL BREAK. 
We will be open again on Tuesday, November 1 and will return all messages at that time.

Go Cardinals! 

Happy Homemaker Bakes Some Love

I had a "ball" making these sports cookies!

I am so excited to share my love of cookies with you.  I like to say that "I bake the special homemade treats for when you don't have time to..."  I specialize in frosted sugar cookies, but can also bake cakes, make cupcakes, and other yummy goodies.

Sarah's Sweet Shoppe is a home-based bakery.  I do all of my baking in my family kitchen.  My cookies are delicious sugar cookies with a fluffy frosting.  Until this webpage is up and running, you can see examples of some of my work on my facebook page under "photos." 

I think the cookies are most special when they reflect the personality of the person being celebrated... so I am happy to brainstorm ideas with you or take your idea and run with it! 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 913-709-1992 or e-mail me at sarahlrose@everestkc.net.