Well, i am just new in decorating and is up to one ambitious goal...to personally make my baby's baptismal cookies, cake, and cupcakes...
i found a recipe for RI using real eggwhites, as meringue powder is not locally available here in my place. sadly, when i tried it on my cookies, it is just not shiny and too thick. I followed the instructions for cookies though. and for the flowers, it is too soft. my question might sound stupid, but how can I perfect these...can anyone be so kind to share recipe with real eggwhites or tips on how i could make my work better? thanks a bunch!!! i am really feeling down right now.

This lady has several little you tube videos on royal icing and cookie making, look toward the right of the page under links.

http://signaturesweetshoppe.blogspot.com/

Good Luck with your cookies!

nowi - welcome to CC!

Royal icing does not typically dry shiny, it dries with more of a matte finish.

As for thickness, I use meringue powder in mine, but I thin it with water or corn syrup (which helps it look slightly shiny) until it is the right consistency for outlining and flooding.

As far as "perfecting", the best way is to read the advice on here in the cookie forum and to practice, practice, practice!! Here are a few threads to get you started...

icing tips/info
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-588155.html


outlining tricks & tips
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-581262.html

Antonia74s article
http://www.cakecentral.com/article54-How-To-Bake--Decorate-Cookies.html


have fun!

thanks everyone for the replies. i have watched some of the videos and read some of those in the links. they are all very good. i learn a lot from them. i also received pm's which are very helpful. will inform you on how my project turned out.
again thanks everyone!!!! really appreciate it!