Okay, please excuse the enthusiasm, but I am not of the computer generation, but my dear CC friend, JenWhitlock, is and after noticing that I had no clue how to resize a photo do an avatar, kindly offered to help me. Quickly and astutely realizing I was still clueless , she then offered to resize it for me. I then enlisted the help of my 13 year old to load it (as the way I tried failed miserably) and viola, I now have an avatar!

I realize I should not bother you all by posting this, but this is a perfect example of how we all help one another. Be it with tips on how to get smooth icing, drawing inspiration from one another or reaching out to someone who had no clue what she was doing as Jen did.

Thankyou, Jen and thanks to every single one of us who readily and kindly help another! This is what makes CC a community. One where we offer support and develop friendships with people we actually never even met, but know that we would immediately feel at home were we ever fortunate to ever be able to meet them face-to-face.

Thanks again, Jen! I bow not only to your cookie and cake decorating skills, but also to your computer saavy-ness! And thanks to everyone else who takes the time to keep CC a positive and supportive community!

What an uplifting post! It gave me a lift just reading about you two working together. Thanks

You said it so perfectly. Thank you for putting into words what so many of us feel. Recently there have been some threads that got pretty rough. I didn't participate in them, as I feel about CC, the same as you, and those threads disappointed me. What you said is what CC is all about. And who knows, maybe CC will one day have a convention and we will all meet face-to-face. Wouldn't that be cool?

p.s. Don't feel bad. I don't know how to resize photos for an Avatar either

Well Said Tracy!! As well, you are so uplifting to so many of us. You and so many other CC'ers are so humble, so inspirational and are the reason so many of us keep plugging along as cookie-ators
I never figured out how to resize a pic for an avitar, after many attempts to do so, I just found one on the web. But you are not one to give up, are you, Tracy?

Hmmm... what was the name of that site that shrinks photos? Was it something like www.shrinkphoto.com? I can't remember exactly, but there is a FREE website out there that all you do is put in the size you need and it shrinks your photo for you. You save it on your computer and then upload it to your profile.

Anyone know the name? The one above may be correct. Then again, it may not be.


Lisa

Tracy I looked at your photo's of you cookies and they are great, do you mind sharing where you get your cutters from, and I do the the site for you to resize your photo is batchphoto.com. that is what I used.

You say it so well Tracy. I love cc and all the great artists here. It's nice to connect with everyone any given time or day. Plus I sometimes just laugh so hard at the comments and threads. CC just makes me feel good! I love your new avatar. It is so perfect.

Thanks, McMama! You know I love your cookies!

IcedTea4me - it was recommended to me to try www.shrinkpictures.com. Apparently, a lot have great success with it. I opened it and realized that for me it was a big project on a day when I was just exhausted and that is when Jen kindly stepped in and saved my day. But, I guess it works as many have used it! It looks like Uniqueask knows of one too!

Uniqueask - I make my own cutters based on my designs or I make templates out of plastic templating material you can get in the quilting section at Joanne's (use the lighter of the two weights and use an fine tip Exact-O blade to cut your chilled dough). KHalstead has a great tutorial here on CC called "How to Make Cookie Cutters", if you need ideas on how to make cutters. After much research on foodsafe metal, I decided on using 26 guage stainless steel that I get from Joe at Speedy Metals (866-938-6061). Here is a link to a posting I did about it with more info, if you are interested:

www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=607066&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

Thanks for the info on the other shrinking site!

Oops! I accidentally did a double-post when I tried to edit and I don't know how to delete this one completely! See, I told you computers aren't my thing!

What a great thread! Oh and Tracy, what a beautiful avatar it is to!

Tracy..................I still want to know how you did that cookie in your Avatar? It looks PERFECT, it amazes me how some of you do this stuff. I work with cookies some but mine sure don't look like that. Thanks for any tips, who's icing recipe do you use?

Yes, Tracy, I am in awe of how you manage to flood in an outline so perfectly where it looks as though it would run over or outside the outline, but it doesn't. I know antonia's RI helps, but there's skill involved that some of us just don't have

Debster - I use Antonia74's RI and I swear by it! As for tips, I usually put little notes on the different cookies when I post them if I try something new and I found it worked. Offhand, I would recommend trying tip #45 for your flooding of large areas as that speeded things up for me. Let icing sit overnight to deepen. Lots of practice. Not sure that helps much, but the #45 is a good thing! Oh, and for small tips (like a PME 0 or 00) run your icing through a new, clean kneehigh stocking to get all of the little clumps out that clog fine tips. That idea was passed on to me and it has been just the greatest!

Shiney - I have been at it a while! Time and practice is all it is. Oh, and my Type A tendencies don't hurt!

Tracy,
I love your avatar, as that is probably my favorite "Tracy cookie" so far. But then again, I say that about each and every cookie you crank out I saw the post where Jen mentioned shrinkpictures.com and thought I'd give it a whirl. Well, as you can see - IT WORKED Thanks, Jen It was relatively easy, and if anyone is going to give it a try, the only advice I have is that in step 2, when you select new maximum image dimension choose "custom" and put 110 pixels since that is the maximum size that will work. I'm not computer savvy enough to give any other advice, but I hope that little tip helps someone trying to get an avatar.
I appreciate all of the information, positive comments, and company of everyone here on this forum. It's a nice place to visit Happy Valentine's Day!
Tricia (Pebbles13)

Tracy, I second what everyone else has said about your eloquent words.....Your cookies are fabulous....I have yet to try cookies...they look so complicated.....like your avatar cookie......did you use a stencil for the letters?

Anyway, I am so grateful to all the members who selflessly share their tips and tricks with the rest of us. We're a big happy family and I for one love that!!!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!
LuAnn

I agree.

I have learned so much here, and am always learning something new.

I also got that website from someone on here. I'm not very computer savy either.

Tracy, what can I say, you rock! I love all your cookie designs! They are, works of art!!! Did you take any classes or are you self taught.

I "LOVE" your avatar!

Ladij - Thanks! Nope, no stencil, but the design was inspired by a stencil Cookiemookie used on one of her cookies. I just changed it around a bit to come up with my version.

Cookiemookie - Self taught, like all of my buddies here! I just play around and experiment a lot. Trying to find my little niche, as it were. I will say, I love your cookies! I still smile when I think of your baby faces. Just the cutest I have ever seen! You have also inspired me to give stencils a whirl as you do such an amazing job with them!

Tracy, your cookies are gorgeous. Will you share with us what cookie recipe you use? Thanks. I am looking for a sturdy cookie for decorating that doesn't taste like cardboard. Oh and thanks for the avatar info. If I have time this week I may try to shrink some pictures to post for an avatar and to fill up my cake gallery.

Awww - Tracy, I always wondered why your beautiful creations wasnt on your Avatar! Well, good for you now! And its AWESOME!

Yes Tracy - its ppl like YOURSELF who make me come back day after day - I could have just kept stalking the forums and galleries, but seeing the helpfulness and encouraging words ya'll had for each other made me want to be a part - to bring just another, however small piece, I can contribute - to add to this community .. So I thank you and the so many others who've always had some encouraging or helpful advice to share with each other .. I feel blessed to be a part!

NOW - if "I" could just figure out HOW to resize my uploaded photos, then "I" will have joined you in the computer savvy-ness you have achieved!!

Gaye...............go to www.shrinkpictures.com and it walks you through shrinking pictures and making avatars. I haven't made an avatar yet , but resizing pictures is easy at that site. Have fun!!!!!!!

Hmmmmmm Gaye, I go there and click the 600 pixel thing then resize then do you save the new size and try to upload that? You have to save the new size. Then when you uplaod to CC click the one that's been resized. HTH

That's all I do and it works.

Yep - thats what I do - and on MY pc it shows the correct size when I bring it up in my pic editor - but just wont upload correctly here thanks anyways debster! I WILL have success ... eventually!

shrinkpictures.com has a special site just for making avatars. (I think it's www.shrinkpictures.com/create-avatar).

Tracy, I was thrilled to see your gorgeous avatar!

Thanks, Gemini! It's all thanks to Jen! (Ah, those young, computer savvy kiddos!) Glad to see you back! I've been thinking of you!