Good Things by David

Easter is all about eggs.  Colored eggs to hide for egg hunts, eggs to decorate one's home with, whether nested inside a compote or hung from a tree and, of course, plastic eggs filled with jelly beans, chocolates and other candies for Easter baskets are all a part of this holiday.  Last, but not least, are colorful egg cookies decorated with royal icing and sanding sugars meant for gift giving. These eggs are just as fun to create as dyed eggs, yet the rewards are many times sweeter because one gets to eat them.  I recently decorated a batch of colorful Easter Egg Cookies that I gave away to a few lucky individuals, and although they are just the thing for the Easter holiday, these charming incredible edible eggs will undoubtedly be welcomed at any springtime celebration. Working with several unusually-shaped egg cookie cutters, I set out to to make a few flavors of cookies using my tried and true recipes.  As I was getting ready to ice them I thought about my...

The cookie cutter giveaway contest is officially over and I must say that I was so pleased with the enthusiastic responses from all of you.  Thank You!!  I wish I could give each of you a set of my wonderful cutters, but alas, I must pick a winner.   Please email me with your information, Murphyboysmom5 ! ❁ Bees & Hives are the perfect symbols of spring.  When I conceptualized cookie cutters for my blog over a year ago, a lot of thought went into their design.  I immediately knew I wanted a Bee & Hive set, because I realized that they were quickly becoming threatened.  This has been the case for many years now and I truly believe we all have to do our part to ensure that these wondrous creatures remain for centuries to come.  They are vital to our very existence. Shop Here Made in the tradition of my collectible Martha by Mail cookie cutters, each piece is meticulously constructed from brushed copper.  The ha...

Spring is the perfect time to bake cookies for a celebration.  I had the good fortune of creating a small batch of festive treats for my dear niece’s fifth birthday this past weekend that I’d like to share with you, because they’re very appropriate not only for a birthday party, but for a spring lunch, dinner, wedding shower, anniversary or family gathering.  The best part about these cookies is that I kept the designs quite simple in order to make the baking project fun for all of you. While going through my collection of cookie cutters I thought about what my niece would appreciate and adore.  From two sets of spring-themed cutters I created a flock of lilliputian bunnies, chicks, eggs and butterflies that bespeak the season.  I have a good feeling she’s going to like them.  In fact, cookies from my kitchen are the first thing she requests whenever I ask what she wants for her  birthday.  It's a sweet thing to be sure! After making two s...

As I was getting ready to bake a large batch of cookies a few days ago, I reached into my pantry for some vanilla sugar and noticed that it was lacking in fragrance.  A very faint aroma of vanilla was still present, but it wasn't what it should have been.  Since I was already planning on adding a vanilla bean into one of my cookie doughs, I thought it would be best to replenish the existing vanilla sugar that I keep in one of my antique Ball jars.  It's so simple to do this and worth the few minutes it takes to make a perfect vanilla sugar. Vanilla sugar enhances so many desserts, cookie doughs, teas and even coffees.  I absolutely feel it's a must-have pantry item for all bakers. For most recipes that call for vanilla extract I generally use my extra-infused vanilla essence (this is vanilla extract with a plump vanilla bean in the container), but if I want to make the recipe even more special, I boost the flavor by adding vanilla sugar in place of the regul...

Spring is officially here and I would like to mark the start of it by giving away a set of my wonderful copper cookie cutters to one lucky individual!  The time is right to begin celebrating everything spring and what sweeter way to usher in the season than with some freshly baked and iced cookies made with my Bee & Hive cookie cutters?   This is my way of saying Thank You for the great feedback & support I constantly get from readers of the blog.  My creating & sharing on the blog, maintaining & organizing it, wouldn't be as fun and as rewarding if I didn't get the response that I get from so many of you. Again, Thank You !     I'm so proud of the cutters that I designed and had made last year, because they truly are high-quality heirloom cutters that will help anyone make sweet memories for generations to come.  I've used them many times to bake up large cookies for gift-giving to family  members.  When they're not in...

I just wanted to let you know that my online store, Heritage Home , has moved to a different venue!  We are now selling a mix of vintage and contemporary items on Etsy, where shopping for unique and collectible products couldn’t be easier.  It was time to give way to new opportunities on this website and I’m so glad I did.  With so many artists, artisans and vintage dealers on Etsy, my  Heritage Home   items seemed to be a perfect fit for this platform.    A simple shopping cart and check out process will make acquiring the best of the best as simple as 1-2-3.   I had been meaning to make this transition for quite some time and now that it’s a sure thing, I hope you take the time to visit Heritage Home by David .  My love for the antique and vintage will never wane, so by offering a few pieces of kitchenwares and other housewares from yesteryear, you too will be able to mix & match your existing collections with some of thes...

I love using my Wedgwood on a weekly basis and I take great care in cleaning and storing it in my home. If you’re like me and like to mix and match your china patterns for table settings, then you probably have a good idea of what a ‘collector’ goes through when displaying and using what one has.  When I say collector, I mean it in the lightest sense.  Although I do have a good amount of certain items, like china & silverware, I wouldn’t say that I’m a devoted collector of one thing.   The several dozen pieces of Wedgwood that I do own are among my favorite types of china patterns.  When it comes to this china I make sure to keep it protected at all times whether it’s being used for a no-fuss lunch or a gussied up dinner, or being stored in a cabinet.  My love affair with Wedgwood china stems from its inherent beauty in the clean lines of each piece and its practical virtues.  I am always on the lookout to add to my existing collection.  J...