Recently, I've really had to focus on my time management skills.  I've always been able to pride myself on those skills (ask my Mom and she may tell you otherwise).  I know my tasks and I set timelines and I  accomplish what needs to be done. 

The farther into this cookie obsession I go, the more those skills have been slipping.  Mostly, this is due to my poor decision making skills when it comes to creative options.  I hem and haw over making a creative choice.  I was finding when I allowed myself a certain amount of time to decorate cookies (i.e. good time management skills), I spent most of my time trying to figure out how to decorate a cookie and my timeline was shot to you know what.  (I feel this has been a running theme on this blog.) 

So, I made some time the other night, knowing what a busy week I was about to have, and got some paper, a pencil, and my colored pencils.  I sat down and went to work.  I traced the cookie cutters I used onto the paper.  This allowed me to have the correct proportion size for my design.  Throwing away a piece of paper and resketching is so much easier than scraping icing off a cookie and beginning the icing process all over again. 

I've tried having my design concepts in mind before, but actually sketching it out, I had never done.  I saved so much time during my allotted decorating time.  I was actually able to get some decorating finished!  In fact, I was able to finish 20 cookies in 2 days (from scratch to delivered), 30 cookies in 5 days (from scratch to delivered), and 15 cookies in 4 days (from scratch to packaged).  I was impressed with this time frame and it helped me realize how all those professional cookiers I admire so much are able to get cookies completed in such a short amount of time.  Atleast, it seems like they have a brand new cookie design daily. 



Not only does sketching out the designs beforehand help with time management, it also helps with spacing issues while you're decorating.  I can look at the sketch and know exactly where (or where not) to begin writing a word or starting a design.

If you ever try decorating cookies, take my advice and do a little planning and a little sketching.