I am from the South and when we have a death in the family (or anyone else's family) we send food. When you are greiving, the last thing you want to do is prepare food. A cookie bouqet sounds like a great idea. We've even been known to take a few pizzas to families with kids. I have also taken food storage bags and containers because people sometimes don't have a lot to store all the food they receive in. Years ago, my mother and I owned a popcorn/balloon/candy store. We had a 90 something year old lady come in and order dozens of balloons and popcorn to be delivered to her own funeral. She didn't want people to just sit around crying. She wanted them to celebrate her life and the fact that she was going to meet her lord and savior. And she said all her grandkids would need something to snack on. I personally would have never thought to send balloons to a funeral, but it was hers and she thought they would be great.
Send those cookies... they will be appreciated.
I've posted the picture of some of the cookies we'll be including in the cookie bouquet/fruit basket. I wish I hadn't felt so rushed to get them finished last night, but they needed to sit for a bit before bagging. I hope to get everything put together tonight, then I'll post a final picture here.
Thanks to everyone for their comments and inputs. I don't have that feeling of doubt anymore that this isn't the right thing to do. I hope they like the finished product (me too!)
Those cookies are beautiful and appropriate for a sympathy basket. I'm sure your bosses family will enjoy them very much and appreciate the fact that you took the time to make them.
They are perfect for the occasion. You did a wonderful job, they are going to love them.
A few months ago, we had a death in our extended family, and I immediately made up a couple of dozen cupcakes, decorated them with flowers & brought them to the family. They were such a hit, that I ended up making 6 dozen of them for after the funeral! They loved them and are still talking about them. Your beautiful cookies will be welcomed with open arms, I'm sure! They will certainly bring a smile to the face of the many who people who are bound to enjoy them, at a time when a smile is so rare.
Gem~ OMG those are so amazing! Those are simply going to light up the room! I can just see them surrounded by fresh fruit, what a loving and considerate gift. That secretary will be eating her words!! (And wishing it was one of your cookies!) Hehehe. I know she wasn't being mean, just wanted to make sure it was appropriate. 
You did an amazing job.
ETA: I forgot to ask... do you have a cutter for that or are those handcut? I adore that pattern!
Gem~ OMG those are so amazing! Those are simply going to light up the room! I can just see them surrounded by fresh fruit, what a loving and considerate gift. That secretary will be eating her words!! (And wishing it was one of your cookies!) Hehehe. I know she wasn't being mean, just wanted to make sure it was appropriate.
You did an amazing job.ETA: I forgot to ask... do you have a cutter for that or are those handcut? I adore that pattern!
You'll appreciate this. I was at a local craft store when I saw a whole bin of these thick plastic...thingees. Turns out, they are plastic sun catchers that you paint yourself to look like stained glass. I snipped off the top circle where you're supposed to hang it in the window, and used it as a template. Worked great!
And for the record, our secretary really is a sweetheart. She'd give you the shirt off her back if you asked. As you said, she just wanted it to be appropriate, and hadn't seen anything like what I was proposing. But she's fully behind the idea now!
I have totally see those exact ones!! Hurray for you thinking outside the box. I LOVE that. Of course you knew that. 
I figured the secretary was a nice person and I felt bad for kind of coming down hard on her. I know sometimes I (we?) kind of jump on the defensive and suggest slapping people into their senses when actually they are nice people who had one misguided line of thinking. 
It seemed to me by the way you were talking that you actually liked this person and just had a different opinion than she did. And like you said, she totally came around to the idea, which means she recognizes a good thing when she sees it!
I have totally see those exact ones!! Hurray for you thinking outside the box. I LOVE that. Of course you knew that.
I figured the secretary was a nice person and I felt bad for kind of coming down hard on her. I know sometimes I (we?) kind of jump on the defensive and suggest slapping people into their senses when actually they are nice people who had one misguided line of thinking.
It seemed to me by the way you were talking that you actually liked this person and just had a different opinion than she did. And like you said, she totally came around to the idea, which means she recognizes a good thing when she sees it!
I could tell from your comments that you weren't dumping on her. And I'm glad you know what "plastic thingees" I was talking about! If anyone from Omaha is wondering about the store where I purchased the sun catcher, it was Mangelsen's.
They are lovely cookies and I'm sure the family will appreciate the time and sentiment that went into them.
Here's a photo of the finished basket. Please keep in mind that I've never arranged anything like this, so be kind!
On a "shake-the-head-moment", I was given $20 to buy a basket and the fruit and a card. Whatever was left over, I was to keep as a thank-you for doing the cookies. I spent $26, and skipped the card. So if any of my co-workers accuses me of doing the cookies as a way to get out of contributing actual cash, I will smack them!
Your cookie basket will be the one that the family remembers. Flowers for sympathy all start to look the same after a while and in a few days they go into the garbage. I remember when my dad passed and believe me - it the food that people brought that we all remember.
I think is great. I would have loved to get something like that for my family when my son passed away last july. We did have some plants given to us, and I only have 1 of them left. I also have a black thumb when it comes to indoor plants.
My dds went out and bought some of Bob's favorite snacks to put in the kitchen for everyone to snack on during his vistation[little debbie swiss cake rolls and reeses cups, along with Dr Pepper] Plus we had several people brought casseroles and some fried chicken[ a store deli donated a bucket when my dds went to buy them]
When my cousin was killed a few years ago I baked a big box of cupcakes and brought them. There were a lot of kids at that one. They loved them.
My sympathies to all who have lost a loved one.
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