graduation cookies

last friday i was asked to make 2 dozen graduation cookies by a friend for her daughter's upcoming graduation.   she sent me this inspiration image:

i felt pretty good having a week's notice to get them done.  my first task was to find cookie cutters.  then while waiting for them to be delivered i made the dough and sketched out the design.  i decided on 6 cutters, 4 cookies each.

* graduation hat with tassel
* graduation gown
* plaque with corner hat (learned how to "frankenstein" 2 cutters together to make this shape)
* plaques for name and "class of 2021"
* diploma

of course, i made 1 extra of each shape just in case, which is a good thing since i ended up breaking a gown in half taking if off the cookie sheet and i also broke off a tassel and botched the icing on one of the plaques.  but those are just he cookies i get to snack on....

nothing left now but to start icing!

i think they turned out pretty close to the original plan.  i realized it is so much easier to have a pattern to follow than just winging it....

i am most proud of myself for nailing the green color and for finally getting some good-looking stencil work done on the "UNT" - the key is thick icing!!!  i used an icing with corn syrup and was finally able to get a shiny dried result.