So says Anne L. Watson, whose earlier books helped spark a cookie molds revival. As Anne has discovered, cookie dough and polymer clay have a lot in common, and a mold made for one will work brilliantly with the other. The mold does the main work of shaping the clay, making you look like an expert every time! And many cookie molds are "bakeable," so that figures come out of the mold perfectly formed and already hardened.

Besides that, contemporary cookie molds come in shapes, patterns, and themes that will appeal to polymer clay and mixed media crafters as well as cookie bakers. So, while bakers will find a new use for their molds, crafters will discover countless new designs to grace their projects.

"Crafting with Cookie Molds" includes everything you need to get started: basic tips and techniques, plus over thirty of Anne's own decorative projects, from beginning to advanced, illustrated with over 170 photos. You'll find Christmas tree ornaments, boxes, baskets, shelf standers, wreaths, gingerbread houses, and more. And if you want to use the very same cookie molds as Anne, they're identified by maker, with notes on where to find them.

Welcome to the exciting new world of polymer clay and cookie molds!

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Anne L. Watson is the author of "Baking with Cookie Molds" and "Cookie Molds Around the Year," which helped launch the modern revival of interest in cookie molds. She has also written popular books on soapmaking and housekeeping, as well as many novels and children's books. In a previous career, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne lives with her husband and photographer, Aaron Shepard, in Bellingham, Washington.

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"Charming . . . Watson offers a thorough introduction to a clever new craft . . . A comprehensive, organized, and deliciously readable manual that provides instruction with enthusiasm and ease." -- Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2024

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CONTENTS

PART 1 -- BASICS

Basic Tools

Basic Supplies

Basic Directions

PART 2 -- PROJECTS

Baskets

Boxes and Canisters

Table Decorations

Shelf and Counter Decorations

Wall and Door Decorations

Other Room Decorations

Christmas Projects

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SAMPLE

"Too pretty to eat!"

If you make molded cookies, you've heard that one over and over. And if you're like me, you don't know what to say. It's a compliment, but it can also feel frustrating.

If all your work and skill gives you cookies that can't be eaten, what are you supposed to do with them? Make decorations? Hang them on the wall? Display them on a shelf?

Well, yes, that's exactly what you can do -- if you make molded "cookies" out of polymer clay.

"Cookies" like that can decorate a holiday tree or a wreath. They can adorn a box, a basket, a canister, a candlestick, or any number of other gifts, prized possessions, or common household items. They can even stand on their own, as when made into a planter box or a gingerbread house.

Of course, not everyone reading this book has ever made a molded cookie. Maybe instead you're experienced in mixed media or polymer clay, and you're looking for new directions for your craft. Or maybe, as a beginner, you love that a cookie mold could do the hardest part of shaping clay, leaving you to reap the rewards!

Whichever side you're coming from -- cookie molds or crafts -- this book will get you off to a good start combining them.