I love patterns.

Ha.....I'm sure you knew that. ;)

There's something about patterned cookies that sends my heart a flutter.

I have trouble making PLAIN ones. :)

It's an illness. I have to FORCE myself to do plain cookies sometimes. hahaha

And I make myself repeat over and over,

"Simple is better.....simple is better....simple is better."

But I must admit.....it doesn't work very well.

I love the challenge of making something "even better".....and that usually means more complex (in my CRAZIE brain).

Silly me.

Complex is not necessarily better.

I see some pretty amazing cookies that are quite simple.

There is an elegance and beauty to them that busy-patterned cookies can't touch.

But I guess I don't live in that elegant beautiful world. lol

I try.....but I keep reminding myself that even though I love other styles....they are not mine.

I've concluded I must stick with what I know and love.

It may not be other cookiers wonderful styles, but it's me.....CookieCrazie. 

(Why is that hard?)

Anyway.....I digress.

Another Valentines Day set....complete with simple mini-heart cookies (gasp.....). :)

I meant to do a step by step tutorial for you on that cute little striped heart......but I failed again.

I get totally absorbed in my decorating that I forget to take pictures. :( 

So I'll do my best to describe the details to you. I promise to try to get better at this.

Use a #2 round tip to outline your heart with the darkest color you want to use.

Also add the lines for the banner across the heart.

 Add your stripe lines with same color and tip.

Let icing dry for 20-30 minutes.

Flood every other stripe with your darker color using a #4 tip.

 Let dry for 30 minutes or more.

(If you are using red for the darkest color.....you might want to let it dry overnight. Red bleeds like crazy.)

Flood the remaining stripes with your lighter color. Let dry for 30 minutes. 

Finally flood the banner with white (or whatever color you choose that will stand out again the stripes.)

Once it is dry......use your imagination.

I added heart outlines and then stitches.

But the sky is the limit here.

You could write a message or put in number of different patterns or flourishes on the banner.

Have fun with it!

Just 12 days until Valentines Day. I still have many more ideas up my sleeve.....so stayed tuned. :)