4.06.2009

fresh from the Makery: homage to Mother's Cookies

More felt, more embroidery, more stationery.


This week's project - a set of two 3 1/2 by 5 inch folded note-cards with matching envelopes - is a sort of homage to Oakland-based Mother's Cookies, which I learned a couple of weeks ago went out of business last fall, meaning their frosted Circus Animal cookies are no more (except on eBay, of course).


For now at least. Shortly after learning that the company went out of business I came across a few more articles that explained how Kellogg's, I believe it is, bought up the rights and recipes and plans to resume making the popular - and addictive - little cookies sometime this year. The closest thing I've found are Keebler's "animals cookies frosted" (that's what it says on the bag, just like that, in that order), which are okay but not nearly as good as Mother's. Even the color of the frosting is kind of dull and there are very few sprinkles (or jimmies, if you're on the east coast). Too bad for Mother's (not to mention all the folks who worked there) but probably not so bad for my diet.

So I wanted to do something to celebrate these little cookies. I knew I wanted to use some of the pink felt left over from that re-purposed Valentine's Day gift bag I've gotten quite a bit of life out of, but I wasn't sure what. I've got a lot of paper products on hand so, as they say, when all else fails, make stationery (actually, no one says that, but that's what I did).


I cut out shapes from the felt scraps that vaguely resemble rhino and lion blobs and created the sprinkles by embroidering French knots in white, blue, red, and yellow (which, oddly, is loads of fun...I'm trying to think of what I can do next with this little trick...crafty pointillism perhaps?). The French knots do double duty to adhere the animals to the white cards below. I mounted those to blue paper that matches the color of the envelopes, and then attached the whole thing to a folded note that matches the pink felt.


I even have little plastic sleeves and a matching blue ribbon to protect and nicely package this stationery duo. Want a diet-friendly alternative to Mother's addictive little cookies? Have a fellow Mother's Cookies enthusiast with whom you'd like to correspond? If so, leave me a comment on this post and these little notes could be yours by the end of the week.

9 comments:

Rain said...

ZOMG! I love these. And I LOVED those cookies, too. I was so sad when I learned the company had folded. I just hope the "remakes" are as good as the originals...

java diva said...

I have tears in my eyes! LOL Those are sooooo cute!! Those were MY cookies growing up. ;) And you did an amazing job replicating the cookie! I love those cards! Send them to ME!!!!! LOL
Oh, and I know someone who was INSANE for Mother's cookies and someone found them for her and sent the case.

Becky G. said...

Hey, thanks! Glad you both like them. Consider yourselves officially entered into the drawing. They were really fun to make - LOVE the embroidery knot. Believe you me, that little trick will make another appearance in a future Makery project.

I'm tempted to buy a bag (or case) of the real deal on eBay but I think I'll wait and see how Kellogg's version is first...

Auntie Kay said...

Those are soooo cute!!! Just love what you do with items around the house. I would love to have my name put in the drawing. Love ya Auntie K

the oakland samps said...

Please put me in the drawing too. I also was so sad that Mother's went out of business. Although this was perhaps the third or fourth business to close that I have not patronized in years. Loving a business from afar is not very effective it seems.

Jolina said...

Those are cute, cute, cute. I will say no to the drawing. Since I've already won, I will let someone else get a chance at your one of a kind pieces of art! I wouldn't have the heart to actually use them.

java diva said...

Rebecca, about other brands of circus animals, I like the Keebler ones! There is nothing like the smell of the bag when you open it. Too bad you can't get that into your cards! ;)

I am Katy, said...

I came across your animal cookie cards while searching to see if anyone has made toy animal cookies out of felt before. I plan to make some to go with my daughter's pretend kitchen. I was going to use seed beads to make the sprinkles, but was concerned about how secure they'd actually be. What a great idea to do French knots instead! Thanks.

Becky G. said...

Cool! I now sell the cards in my Etsy shop. I love the French knot! Glad this was useful - I'd love to see the toy cookies when you're finished!