Gender Reveal: Part 1

Hey y'all!!!
I have something different this time!! 
Recap:
Back in January I found out I was pregnant. Now we're getting close (just days away) from finding out if we're having a boy or a girl!!
We are excited!
​
So since cookies are kinda my thing, y'all know I had to do cookies for gender reveal. 
None of my family lives nearby so this was a fun way to get all of our family involved (even though I really really really hate packing cookies LOL)

These did not require a sketch so for once we won't be starting there. 
We'll be starting with the icing. 

The Icing

I realize the majority won't understand the significance of this, but anyone who does cakes or cookies (and also artists) will understand the significance.
This was one of the first sets that I mixed ALL the icing in one bowl one right after the other. It was amazing.
Normally I'd have to start over after each color and it takes A LOT more time. I was able to reduce my time significantly this way. 
It's a color wheel study for sure and I'm excited to try this more in the future. I've heard it creates a more cohesive set of colors. These were pretty basic so I'm not sure on that one but I'm willing to be open minded about it in future sets. 

Aren't they pretty though?
I had to make an extra white and an extra yellow.
I went through A LOT of cookies, which we will talk about shortly.

The Extras + Progress

This part isn't really that special these were just extras I created because there's no way I could send my family cookies that they wouldn't able to eat for a week---are you kidding me!? LOL.
The Dad's and the Grampa's would have felt very ripped off so I decided to make some extras that they could enjoy in the meantime and they were pretty cute.
They're just basic chocolate chip cookies drizzled with the pink and blue icing I made.

I don't know why I keep forgetting that I have a "pro" option on my camera but I wish I would have used it. Pink is hard to capture on camera.
Some of the pictures capture it well and some don't.
​It was a very bright and beautiful pink. 

The Theme

Hubby and I wracked our brains for a LONG time trying to figure out what kind of theme to do that wouldn't be too easy to figure out (as far as which would be the boy and which would be the girl.)
I considered many options... a onesie and a bottle, yin and yang, two onesies-one gold and one silver, basic shapes, 1 and 2.... the list goes on forever.

Eventually we decided on ducks because hubby's Grams has rubber ducks that represent each of her grandchildren and she has been keeping an extra one in hopes that we would have another kid. 
It seemed like a no-brainer once we remembered that. 
Ducks it is!!!
Then I found this cute theme on Pinterest... Nope. It wasn't my idea... 
But "Waddle it Be?" is the cutest thing I've ever heard and the puns speak for themselves.. especially with "quacking" open one of the cookies.. haha.
I love it. 
I did think of that myself, thank you very much LOL.

The Duckies & Boo Boos to Blessings

I only ended up getting pictures of the first set of ducks. 
Things got crazy after that..
Our family is huge y'all (and I only did parents, grandparents and siblings.) They are spread out all over the US so I broke them down into 2 groups to make things a little easier on myself.
I have some that are closer that I could mail off later and others that are further away that I needed to mail sooner.
This was the first set of ducks. 
I was so excited (and nervous) to get started that after I created the first 4 sets I realized I had forgotten to put a very important piece of information in the first 4 sets of ducks.
BLARG.
Yes, I panicked. Then I problem solved. 
I decided to make little envelopes (I learned how to make them while I was Art Journalling) and I just stuck the little information inside the envelope. 
(They are bagged separately so they're not in contact with the cookie)
I wanted everybody to get the same thing in their cookie package so this was a way that I could still make all the cookies come with the same surprises.

As I was looking through my groups in my notes, I realized this was actually a blessing in disguise. Woohoo! I have some groups of people that are together (visiting), some couples, some with kids.
Those are the ones that got envelopes with their cookies. 
That way one person/kid can open the cookie and one can open the envelope.
I actually couldn't have planned it better. 
So there are 4 sets that have envelopes and after that I remembered to fill all the cookies properly. 

As much as I loved those little envelopes as a solution to my mistake, they were time consuming and I did not want to continue making those along with making all the cookies.

As a finishing touch I added "DO NOT OPEN" labels just to make sure everything was crystal clear.

Cookie Count

So how many cookies did I make exactly?
I ended up with 15 sets of ducks. I had one set get lost in the mail so I had to make up for that. I made a set for my son as well and when I was making his set I wasn't paying attention and made 2 sets instead of one on accident. Don't even ask... LOL. Crazy things happen when you're pregnant.
That also turned out to be a blessing because I can use that set for part 2 of my blog. YAY. 

So here we go.

Duck Cookies:
15 sets (one yellow duck and one white duck) = 30
Each duck is actually 3 cookies so 30x3= 90
Total Ducks = 90

Chocolate Chip Cookies:
I didn't have a plan for how many dozen I was going to bake I just wanted to make sure everybody got a few cookies with their sets. 
I made 2 and a half batches of cookies.
The Grampa's, Dad's and Kids got the most in their boxes. 
I ended up with an extra dozen for me, hubby and Jaxon which was useful when I had to send that extra set that was lost in the mail.
Parents: 20
Grandparents: 22
Siblings and their Kiddos: 30
Lost set: 4
Extras for us: 8
Total Chocolate Chip= 84

 Total Cookie Count 174

This was a HUGE undertaking for me, especially while pregnant, but I really enjoyed it and I'm excited for everybody to "quack" open their cookies tomorrow!!!!
Haha. I know, again? Couldn't resist though.
Gotta get the most out of those puns.

Packing & Shipping

Packing and shipping is ALWAYS my very least favorite part but it has to be done! To my surprise and ultimate satisfaction all the cookies arrived in tact and I could not have been happier!! 
Sometimes the hard work is worth it. 

And that's the end of part 1!!
I didn't want to post any kind of spoilers including the contents of the cookies until after they've been opened but there will be a follow up post!
You can expect that one on Saturday or Sunday.
Hope you enjoyed your stay!
See you on the next one!
Much Love
​Amanda