"Heart's Desire" Cookie Decorating Class with Julia M. Usher

Early Bird registration closes on January 31 (5 pm CT)! If you purchase before this time, you'll get 15% off either ticket type, General Admission or VIP. The discount is automatically applied during the Early Bird period, so no special code is required.

• Roll Call: 8:45 am CT (central time); please be prompt!
• Class: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm CT (6:30 pm for VIPs); 30-minute break included
  Note: If you can't make the live hands-on class, no worries. Every second of it will be recorded, and you'll get forever-access to that video as long as you've paid for the class.
  

Get prepared to find all your heart desires in this one-day, hands-on Zoom class! Together with Julia, you’ll decorate three of her most popular heart cookies that she's only ever taught in person before. Now anyone anywhere in the world can make these three beauties, learn upwards of 12 cookie decorating techniques, and take advantage of this unique learning opportunity rich in personalized feedback from Julia.

But that's not the end of Julia's class goodies. All students get discounts (anywhere from 10% to 15%) on select cookie cutters, stencils, airbrush systems, and other tools used in class (see more details below); 10% off a future one-on-one mentoring session with Julia; and also the chance to win one of four in-class giveaways (~$260 total value). Plus, VIP registrants get an extra hour-long breakout session with Julia at the end of the day where they'll cover two more decorating techniques, culminating in another ultra-textured and dimensional heart cookie design (pictured below). In addition, VIPs will receive a FREE one-hour private video session with Julia to be redeemed after class. In this session, VIPs can get personal cookie coaching on whatever topics they like. Last but not least, if you move fast and sign up by January 31 (5 pm central time), you'll get 15%-off Early Bird pricing.

Upon class sign-up, you’ll receive a 15% discount code to apply to airbrush systems, Stencil Genies (stencil frames), and ALL other products on . This awesome discount starts the moment you register and stays available until April 30, 2025. Likewise, you'll get a 10% discount code from Julia's partner Confection Couture Stencils that can be applied to all of the heart cookie cutters and stencils used in class, as well as to airbrush systems and related tools. This code can be used as many times as you like between now and March 8, 2025, so if you forget something before class, you can go back and grab it at the same discount. And that's not all, you'll get two other discount codes listed under "What All Students Get" below.

Don’t delay in signing up! Class size is limited so Julia can give everyone her utmost attention! And remember, as noted earlier, the course will be recorded so you can access it long after the live event is over.

All levels. Though tailored specially to beginners and intermediate decorators because it covers a wide range of repertoire-building techniques, the class will also expose seasoned decorators to more advanced wafer paper and embossed, stenciled, and contoured royal icing transfer techniques. Some experience with royal icing and airbrushing is recommended, though not necessary.

• Stenciling with royal icing
• Stenciling with airbrushing, including simple layered stencil designs
• Rubber-stamping
• Royal icing roses
• Rubber-stamped fondant appliqués
• Airbrushed-stenciled fondant appliqués
• Airbrushed-stenciled and shaped wafer paper ruffles
• Dusting
• Piped beadwork
• Modeling chocolate ribbons and bows
• Spraying and airbrush shading
• Simple 3-D sandwiched (or stacked) assembly
• Embossed royal icing transfers (for VIPs only)
• Embossed, stenciled, and contoured royal icing transfers (for VIPs only)
  

As soon as payment is confirmed: An email from Julia via Eventbrite with a link to her "online event page", where you’ll find:

• Link to Julia's (31-page!) class handout with advance prep and supply lists, recipe links, class outline, extensive technique tips, and inspiration images (Note: The handout is mostly tips and images!)
• Exclusive class coupon codes for 15% off all Genie's Products' items and 10% off select JULIA-brand stencils, heart cutters, and airbrushing tools on Confection Couture Stencils' site
• 10%-off coupon code on all SugarVeil® products (a couple of their mats are used in the VIP session)
• 20%-off coupon code on all of Julia's online tutorials (not needed for class; just an extra perk from Julia to thank you for signing up for class)
• Instructions for using Zoom
• Link to fun virtual Zoom backgrounds to use during class!
• Zoom link (to access class on February 8)

Again, be on the lookout for this email; it will come immediately after you register in your registration confirmation email from Eventbrite. Important: All written materials and photos are copyrighted by Julia M. Usher. Access to and use of them and all other class links are restricted to paid registrants only.

During class:

• Lots of learning (~12+ techniques) and excitement!
• Chance to win one of four giveaways (total value $260)

After class:

• Access to class video recording
• An official graduation certificate!
• Coupon code for 10% discount on one-hour private video session with Julia (on her Superpeer platform), coupon to be applied prior to April 8, 2025
  

For an additional $35, VIP registrants will get:

• Additional one-hour breakout session at the end of class focused on embossed, stenciled, and contoured royal icing transfer techniques (and 1 or 2 extra heart cookie designs)
• FREE one-hour private video session with Julia (on her Superpeer platform), coupon to be applied prior to April 8, 2025 ($100 value)
  

Important: Students must supply their own tools and cookies if they want to follow along with Julia. (Of course, if you just want to sit back, relax, and watch Julia decorate, that's fine too!) For the entirety of supplies needed, as well as all cookie quantities and dimensions, icing colors, and airbrush colorings, please carefully review the class handout, downloadable on the "online event page" that you’ll receive after registering for class. (Again, a link to this page will come in your registration confirmation email from Eventbrite.) Most items are ones you will already have (if you’re an established cookie decorator) or can easily find, with the possible exception of the following. Julia also encourages cutter, stencil, and stamp substitutions if easier and more cost-effective for you. Again, the class handout will provide more details and links to all of these items:

• Laptop, tablet, or cell phone with strong internet connection, for accessing Zoom
• Assorted heart cookie cutters, ranging in size from about 2 3/4 to 5 1/2 inches across (again, Julia's graduated heart cutter set is available at 10% off on confectioncouurestencils.com; alternatively, you can subsitute other cutter shapes of similar size)
• About 4 medium to large iced heart cookies (to be made in advance; 5 to 6 for VIPs)
• Assorted royal icing colors and consistencies (small amounts of about 6 colors, to be made in advance)
• Semisweet modeling chocolate (recipe provided, to be made in advance)
• White modeling chocolate (optional; recipe provided, to be made in advance)
• Airbrush system and stencil frame (again, available at 15% off on geniesproducts.com or 10% off on confectioncouurestencils.com)
• Julia’s Quatrefoil background stencil, In Bloom and/or Chrysanthemum message/frame stencil sets, and Forget Me Not Dynamic Duos™ background stencil set; and Designer Stencils' Turn of the Century Medallion stencil to span the largest (5 1/2-inch) tan heart cookie shown below (of course, other stencils can be substituted if you're okay with your cookies looking different than those Julia makes in class)
• Assorted airbrush colorings (about 7, including light green, darker green, pink, maroon, brown, sky blue, and bronze)
• PME Edible Bronze Lustre Spray (optional)
• White rolled fondant
• Wafer paper (1 sheet or less)
• Assorted rubber stamps (Julia used 5 on the cookies below - a large floral with bird, a large floral without bird, a small bird's nest, a tiny butterfly, and lettering - but you can substitute any others that you already have, or use fewer stamps and still get fabulous results)
• Assorted petal dusts or compressed petal dust palette
• SugarVeil® silicone mat (or any other brand used for making edible lace; for VIPs only)
  

If you purchase before the close of Early Bird registration (January 31, 5 pm CT), you'll automatically get 15% off the regular class prices listed below.

• General Admission: $115
• VIP Admission: $150

Again, supplies are not included, but as noted above, discounts will be available on airbrush systems, airbrushing tools, cookie cutters, and stencils. Students also have the chance to win one of four in-class giveaways, valued at $260 in total!

Due to limited class capacity and the online nature of this course, no refunds will be given if you can’t attend class. (Remember: Class will be recorded in its entirety, and all registered students will get access to that recording.) Registration can be transferred, but you must notify Julia first (at least 48 hours prior to class) and provide her with the name and contact information (email and phone) of the person to whom you're transferring. She will then relay all class materials and links to that person. Important: Again, all class materials and links are restricted to paid registrants only. If Julia should need to cancel for some unforeseen reason, refunds will be issued to those who cannot attend the rescheduled class.

HUGE thanks to Genie's Products (formerly Creative Cookier), Julia's stencil partner Confection Couture Stencils, and SugarVeil® for providing the product coupon codes noted above.

Below are photos of the cookie styles that will be made in class. However, please note that students' cookies may look different if they opt to use different tools (i.e., cutters, stencils, and/or rubber stamps) than Julia used here. (It's most important that students walk away from class with an understanding of the techniques used; it's less important that they replicate Julia's exact designs.) Also, Julia's multi-piece Dynamic Duos™ stencil sets can be arranged in myriad ways, leading to very different designs each time, as Julia will demo in class. (For instance, the cookies in the sixth and seventh images below were both made with Julia's Forget Me Not Dynamic Duos™ sets, yet they look quite different.) For VIPs only: The cookie shown in the last two images demonstrates a possible design made with embossed and embossed-contoured royal icing transfers that will be demonstrated in the VIP session. But, again, VIP students will be encouraged to change up their designs once they gain an understanding of these techniques.

Event Venue

Online