A tribute to the woman who started us on our cookie cutter path.

Tammy Hughes • July 22, 2022

A tribute to Nancy Hughes- 1940-2022

When we meet new people and they ask what we do for a living, the second question they always ask is “How did you get into selling cookie cutters?” Our short answer is that Joel’s mom got us started.

My husband’s mother passed away on June 21, 2022. Her name was Nancy and she was an entrepreneur. She had five kids and was a stay-at-home Mom for their entire growing-up lives. Yes, she was a stay-at-home Mom, but she always found ways to help supplement her family income in so many fun and creative ways! Just a few of her business adventures included selling Christmas trees out of their backyard, creating and selling pine cone wreaths, and selling night crawlers. There are many other ventures that she took on, too many to name. She was always crafting, making scrapbooks for the kids, and was quite a cook and baker!

In 1980, she opened a country gift and candy shop called Memory Lane. This was located next to Mamie Eisenhower’s birthplace in Boone, IA. There she sold fabric, buttons, many unique applique patterns, and country decor wall hangings. She then also added to her resume as a successful pattern designer with the name Down Memory Lane. Oh, she also sold miniature cookie cutters! Can you see where this is going?

Yes, Nancy was the person who suggested we start our mail order business selling cookie cutters. You see, the time was 1993, and mail order was king. This was years ago before Amazon, Walmart.com, and before everyone owned a computer. If you wanted to buy something out of a magazine, you sent a check in the mail with the order form torn out of the magazine. Then you waited until it came to you in the mail. What a different time of life that was!

Nancy encouraged us, gave us some start-up money, and was always there to advise us on all the new challenges we would face going into business on our own.

We would not be where we are today without her influence and encouragement.

She loved thumbing through magazines and finding creative ways to use cookie cutters for more than just baking. When she found some good ideas, she would tear out the article and pop it in the mail to us.

In those early years, we had so much fun traveling to Quilt Markets with her and Larry. Most of those trips included Nancy’s sister Donna, who owns a pattern business Caught Up In Stitches.

The picture you see is her last visit to our warehouse with her husband, one of her daughters, and her oldest son, Mr. Cookiecutter.

Nancy will be missed greatly! She loved and cared deeply for all those around her.

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Oh Baby!

By Tammy Hughes • February 2, 2023

What's cuter than baby shower cookies?

Cookie Cutter Crafts and Projects

By Tammy • June 30, 2021

Dear Cookie Friends: Hello! I hope everyone is staying warm, especially if you are experiencing the winter weather as we are here in the Midwest. As December speeds along, that usually means the school aged children will soon be out of school for a few weeks. Trapped inside the warm comforts of your house without any signs of homework means lots and lots of, "Mom, I'm bored!" To avoid hearing this statement from your children, it is nice to come up with some activities to keep those kiddos preoccupied. At least that is what happened at our house during those years that now seem so far away! That sounds like a song, doesn't it? Hand Print or Designer Potholder This first activity would work great for pre-school through elementary school aged children. If you are needing a quick sentimental gift for someone, this fits the bill perfectly! Our church made these adorable potholders this December to give all the preschool families. The best part was, it was the kind of gift that will forever have a memory attached to it, since each preschooler individually crafted them with their own precious fingerprints! As a mom, I have always loved those kinds of gifts! And to finish it off, the pre-school teachers then attached a snowflake cookie cutter to the potholder. Here are the supplies you will need: 1. Potholder (Dollar Store) 2. Acrylic paints, as many colors as you want to use (craft store) 3. Slick puff paint if you want to write a name at top of potholder (craft store) 4. Small foam brush (craft store) 5. Fingers or the whole hand to make print (your house) 6. Newspaper to put down on the table as you work on the project 7. Baby wipes for hands or feet after done with each print Directions: 1. First, if your potholder has a little loop on it, be sure to put it on the top in case the person who receives the gift wants to hang it. Paint the hand (or foot) using the foam brush, then press on the pot holder. You will use less paint, get the paint on evenly, and experience less of a mess by doing it this way. If you are quick, you can get a couple of prints done before you should wipe off the paint. Cleaning the is not too bad as long as you don't leave it on for too long. After paint is on the hand, take the hand, press down nice and firm, then lift straight up. Let that dry just a bit and then you can go back and write the name and age, or whatever you like. Be sure to leave the pot holder flat to dry. A cute, personal and inexpensive gift to give grandma! You can even attach a cookie cutter to finish it off! Find the snowflakes here.

Cookiecutter.com heads to New York!

By Tammy • June 6, 2018

Martha Stewart. An icon! A baker, business woman, gardener, publisher, model, author, and the list goes on. At the end of October of 2017, a producer from the PBS show called Martha Bakes called us up to ask if we would be interested in going to visit her farm in New York. Season 9 of Martha Bakes!

Cookiecutter.com Ramblings