I have no shortage of ideas floating around in my brain at any given time, and most of them are pretty out there. I think a lot about projects I’d like to build, or something I’d like to make, or how I’ll finally find the time to do x, y or z. When I was decorating cookies the other night I remembered a long ago pretend-scape I had related to cookies. It’s a little embarrassing for me to actually write about, but then I thought, why not? Maybe you all have some hidden little fantasy about how you’d really spend your days or find creative fulfillment. So I’ll go first.
Making and decorating cookies is really enjoyable to me – the only part I don’t like about it is the late night time frame that I have to squeeze it into. Pulling out all the ingredients and equipment and supplies at nine o’clock at night can be a bit of a drag, but once everything is going, I’m really in a happy place. When I get there, I start thinking about how I can stay there, and that’s where this idea came from.
I dreamed of opening this charming little storefront somewhere, preferably near a school and a library, and I’d call the place Storybook Cookies. All the cookies in the store would be based on book characters and storybook plots. There would be cozy places to curl up with big picture books and oversized cookies. It would host birthday parties centered around a child’s favorite book, and book authors and illustrators would come in for readings and signings and eat cookies that looked like replicas of their artwork. Kids would come in after school and drink tall glasses of milk and eat cookies related to books they were reading in school while they worked on their homework or took cooking lessons in the back.
I’ve spent many hours thinking through all the details, the shop and the kitchen, the signage, the business cards, the invitations for parties held there. Forget the fact that I can’t even fathom how you’d deal with all the copyright issues, or that I’d likely never have the actual patience or stamina to pull it off. It’s still a favorite little pipe dream – icing dream – of my own, when I’m working at the table, late at night, by myself. Tell me I’m not alone in my thoughts…
Nope, you’re not alone. My pipe dream was/is a food truck that serves pie- sweet & savory hand pies of all sorts. I was quite crushed when, last spring, Pie Oh My in Maplewood branched out into the food truck business, despite the fact that I have no means and little knowhow to actually pursue this dream of mine.
I love hand pies. We used to bring crates of peaches back from our trips to Georgia and my mom would make fried peach pies with some of them. My best friend and I would grab them while they were still too hot to hold, and go for long walks while we ate them.
One of my friends had a pie reception on Pi day for her wedding. It was delicious. I made pie cookies for her rehearsal dinner – if you get your hand pie truck one day, I’ll happily stock the cookie jar on the counter. 🙂
http://www.thirdstoryies.com/2010/03/15/happy-pi-day-or-pie-day-if-you-prefer-sweets-over-numbers/
I think it’s a delightful dream and your cookies would surely be a winner.
Also, why didn’t YOU make and decorate the cookies for Zuzu’s birthday? You have serious talent!
I made them for her first birthday – her rainbow party!
A girl’s gotta dream. I’m still hoping one day to drive the bookmobile.
Please don’t let your dream go. It’s a really good one. And I will hang out there even when my girls are grown.
You will think I’m stalking you tonight, a total stranger commenting on multiple posts. But, I’m just back from vacation and taking some downtime to catch up on blogs (or procrastinating – take your pick!). I just wanted to say that I LOVE your dream. I’d come to your store. My daughter’s second birthday had a “Very Hungry Caterpillar” theme. We served a buffet based on the food the caterpillar ate, and came up with caterpillar and butterfly games and decorations. But, how lovely it would have been to host it at your store and eat your beautiful cookies! It is a wonderful idea!
I know you’re not stalking! I’m taking a quick break from studying to post long overdue vacation photos, so I’m logged in and enjoying the chats.
Two things – right after posting that a friend told me that her friend is opening a bookstore in town, and they are hosting book themed parties. I’m hoping to do a post on it once they open and I have a little more time.
And second – my daughter was the butterfly from VHC when she was two. Here are the photos: http://www.thirdstoryies.com/2013/10/12/book-themed-halloween-costumes-sometimes/