Sugar Cookie: Part 3 - Cookie Con

The Story of ArmStina's Cookies

It’s Friday, March 7th, 2025, and nostalgia has taken me by surprise. I just took a trip down memory lane, scrolling through ArmStina’s Cookies Instagram and YouTube. Watching the CookieCon vlog Armando put together, a tidal wave of emotions crashed over me—grief, joy, hope, and excitement. Grief for a life that feels like it belonged to someone else. It was as if I were peering through a telescope at a world I once lived in, distant, unfamiliar, light-years away from the present. I saw the hope I once had for the future before it was abruptly stolen by the pandemic, like a feast laid out before me only to vanish before the first bite. It reminds me of something Andy says in the finale of The Office: "I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them." Now, I understand exactly what he meant.

But let’s rewind for a moment and go back to where I left off. It was February 2020, and we were on our way to our next adventure—CookieCon.¹

Our Valentine’s Day cookie preorders were done, and now it was time to finish prepping for CookieCon. We had been planning for this event for months. We were bursting with excitement like a shaken soda bottle finally uncapped. We ordered pins and stickers with our logo to trade with other cookiers, printed cookie cutters to hand out, and I even ordered a personalized tote bag for myself. With just two weeks until the convention, my focus turned to making cookies for trading and preparing my Sugar Show entry piece.

The Sugar Show was the undeniable highlight of the convention, a prestigious competition where cookie artists showcased their creativity and skill through intricately decorated cookies based on themed categories. Many of my cookie designs were inspired by Funko Pops, and I wanted my entry piece to reflect both my artistic style and our business. After brainstorming with Armando, we loved the idea of me recreating Dante’s Inferno Room from Beetlejuice. It took an entire week to complete, but when I finally finished, I was incredibly proud of what I had created. Like a painter stepping back from the canvas, finally seeing the masterpiece come to life.

The next two weeks were a whirlwind of baking, decorating, and packing. At last, the day arrived, and we were off to CookieCon. We opted to drive since it was in Louisville, Kentucky, just a six-hour drive from Chicago. When we arrived at the hotel, we checked in and headed straight to registration. There, we received our schedule for classes and our swag bag. It was a cookie lover's paradise, brimming with sweet surprises.

We returned to our hotel room to drop off the swag bags and hung out until the vendor hall opened. When the time came, we made our way back to the convention and joined the growing line. Women surrounded me, their voices rising in an excited hum, buzzing like bees about to enter a garden overflowing with flowers.

I tried to match their energy, but my chest felt tight, my palms clammy. The line inched forward, and I shifted my weight from foot to foot, clutching my phone just to have something to do with my hands. Did I belong here? Everyone else seemed so sure, chatting easily with friends and exchanging pins, their laughter bubbling up like it belonged. I swallowed hard, forcing a smile, hoping no one could see the nervous energy pulsing beneath my skin. Thank God Armando was here, I didn’t have to endure this alone.

After a few minutes, we entered the vendor hall, which was lined with so many vendors—some we were familiar with, and others we had never heard of. A swarm of women rushed to the back of the room, which meant one thing: The Sugar Art’s booth and the owner of Borderland’s Bakery were back there. The Sugar Art was a small company specializing in different mediums of food coloring. They were the hottest ticket in town, with everyone scrambling to get a piece of the action. Without a second thought, I found my feet moving along with them, carried by the current, as the sound of eager voices grew louder ahead. I browsed their products and stood in line to purchase a few items.

I then made my way to the table where Lisa from Borderland’s Bakery was doing live demonstrations. She was one of the first people I followed on Instagram when I started my cookie journey, so my excitement to meet her outweighed my nerves. I found myself waiting in line to talk to her. While I waited, I watched her demonstration. With a steady hand, she dipped the fine-tipped brush into the jar of rose gold luster dust, picking up delicate golden hues. She brushed soft, straight lines across the cookie’s surface, each stroke bringing the design to life. She held a conversation while concentrating on her movements effortlessly, the brush creating a beautiful pattern that seemed to glow against the white backdrop of the icing.

A few minutes passed, and it was my turn. I introduced myself and Armando, telling her how much I admired her work and all of her wonderful contributions to the cookie community. I was quick, as I didn’t want to take up too much of her time. We snuck in a photo and were on our way.

Overwhelmed by all the vendors, Armando and I decided to browse the vendor hall without a plan of attack. As we walked, a couple of ladies stopped us to ask if we had any questions. They then sarcastically told us we were ‘colorful.’ In the moment, we smiled and laughed, as if it were a funny joke. It wasn’t, but I wasn’t going to let one rude comment ruin my entire cookie con experience. We brushed it off and continued about our day.

After a couple of hours exploring the convention center, trading pins and stickers with other bakers and taking pictures with a few people I admire, it was time to submit my Sugar Show cookie.

As I stepped into the Sugar Show gallery, my breath caught in my throat. The room was a kaleidoscope of colors and textures, each piece of cookie art more stunning than the last. My eyes widened as I took in the intricate details and vibrant hues that seemed to dance off each cookie. A lump formed in my throat, my heart swelling with a mix of awe and admiration.

Luckily, Armando was holding my submission, because with the way my hands buzzed with nervous energy, I probably would have dropped it. I stood frozen, as if my feet had been glued to the floor. A woman who worked at the convention made her way toward me.

“Are you submitting a piece for the contest?” she asked.

Her voice snapped me out of my haze. I smiled and answered, “YES!”

She nodded warmly and led me to the display area before walking off to greet other participants. I carefully removed the cookies from the Tupperware, peeled away the layers of bubble wrap, and lifted the massive cookie onto the easel. Adjusting it until it sat securely in place, I stepped back, releasing a slow breath. My lips curled into a smile, and warmth spread through my chest as I took in my creation. I turned to Armando, eyes shining, knowing that my hard work and dedication had paid off. I was now officially part of the 2020 CookieCon Sugar Show.

With my Tupperware gathered, I immediately started browsing the other submissions. Armando followed with his camera in hand, capturing the incredible designs. Everywhere I looked, there was something new to discover—the vibrant geometric abstract animal head, the three-piece display showcasing girls as superheroes, the realistic frame portraying the world of Alice in Wonderland, the Disney World cookie featuring Cinderella’s Castle, a cookie that looked like an actual teddy bear, and even a miniature Iron Throne from Game of Thrones.

My senses were overwhelmed, my mind struggling to process the sheer magnificence of it all. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, emotion surging within me. Armando and I continued browsing, capturing as many photos and videos as we could. After a while, we decided to take a break and step out of the gallery. With a couple of hours of free time before the keynote speech, we wandered around downtown, grabbing dinner at a nearby restaurant. After dinner, we headed back to our hotel room and relaxed until it was time to head down for the keynote speech. When the time came, we gathered our things and made our way to the elevator to head down to the convention center.

The elevator door chimed softly as it opened, and we stepped out into the hotel’s bustling lobby. We weren’t the only ones heading out—dozens of other bakers, their lanyards filled with pins, moved in the same direction. Some walked in pairs, others alone, but all seemed to have the same purpose: getting to the convention center. Armando and I exchanged a smile and intertwined our fingers as we joined the stream of bakers making their way down to the ballroom.

As I stepped into the ballroom, the air buzzed with energy. Conversations rushed around me, quick and eager, as people shifted from foot to foot, checking phones and scanning the crowd, all waiting for the speeches to begin. Moments later, the lights dimmed, and everyone took their seats. Georganne Bell delivered the keynote, and she was amazing—motivational and fun. Afterward, we grabbed a beer at the hotel bar before heading back to the room. My feet dragged with each step, and once in bed, I kicked off my shoes and let out a long sigh, the cool sheets welcoming me. Day 1 was over.

After a restful night, Day 2 of CookieCon arrived with a renewed sense of energy. We headed to the convention center lobby, where we had breakfast and coffee to fuel us for the day ahead. Today was all about the classes; learning new techniques, tips, and tricks from some of the best in the cookie world.

After finishing breakfast, we followed the crowd to the conference rooms. Our first class was on photography, focusing on ways to capture better shots of our cookies for websites and social media, or so I thought. Instead, it leaned heavily into the technical side of cameras and how to use specific models.

Armando was already familiar with this, but I was not. While the information was helpful, I wished the class had covered more on how to take great photos with any device, whether a camera or a phone, and how to effectively use those images on websites and social media.

Overall, the class was fine, but I would have preferred a broader overview of photography rather than such a narrow focus on camera mechanics.

Next, we headed to a hands-on class on using different icing consistencies to create depth and texture in cookie designs. The first cookie we decorated was a moon crater-style design. The lesson focused on adding texture to mimic the uneven surface of the moon, and as we layered on icing, our cookies began to take shape.

Armando had never decorated cookies before, so watching him pipe his first design was both entertaining and endearing. He held the piping bag, squeezing out an uneven line. He tried again but still couldn’t get a straight one.

“How are you controlling how the icing falls?” he asked. “You make it look so easy, but I can’t figure out the mind-muscle connection for this.”

A small furrow of concentration formed on his brow as he tried several more times before finally managing to pipe a smooth line onto the cookie.

Next, we moved on to decorating a snow globe-shaped lightbulb cookie, using sanding sugar to create the snow effect. By then, Armando had a better handle on the icing, and his cookie turned out surprisingly well.

As we left the class, a woman approached us. “Hi, are you ArmStina’s Cookies?” she asked.

“Yes,” I stammered.

“I’m Jolee from JoJo’s Cookie Dough. I follow you guys on Instagram. You’re awesome,” she said with a smile.

“Aww, thank you,” I replied.

“Do you mind if we take a picture?” she asked.

“Of course not. Let’s do it,” I said.

Armando took the picture, and then we left the class as the next group of students began to walk in. We attended a few more classes before breaking for lunch at a cozy brewpub. After a great meal, we headed back for the afternoon sessions, eager to learn more. The rest of the day flew by. Each class was both informative and inspiring. By the end, my mind was buzzing with ideas on how to improve my decorating skills and take our business to the next level once we got back home.

After the last class, we headed back to our hotel room to relax and plan dinner. I was messaging Leah from Cookie Bear Baking throughout the past couple days. Leah and I had connected on Instagram, and when we found out we were both attending CookieCon, we casually discussed meeting up at some point.

Armando and I aren’t exactly social butterflies, so we hadn’t reached out to anyone about dinner or plans to meet up. Leah was so kind and invited us to join her for dinner. We decided to step outside our comfort zone and join her and a few other bakers. The dinner was lovely, and everyone was so welcoming. We ate great food and chatted about all things cookies, it was definitely a night to remember.

After dinner, we went back to the hotel room but decided to venture out and participate in some of the social events offered. We played a few fun games, took silly pictures, and just enjoyed the night. And just like that, Day 2 of CookieCon was over. Only one more day left.

The morning of Day 3 arrived faster than I expected. The past two days had been a whirlwind of learning, meeting new people, and stepping out of my comfort zone. As I stretched in bed, I felt both exhausted and exhilarated. Today was the final day of CookieCon, and I wanted to make the most of every moment.

We got ready, grabbed breakfast, and headed to our only class of the day.

This was another hands-on class, focused on creating flowers with icing and using different piping tips to achieve various petal shapes. I had never been great at making flower petals, so this class helped me better understand the process. I got plenty of practice and one-on-one coaching, which boosted my confidence.

The class flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for the tasting event. This was a fun and laid-back experience where we got to sample a variety of cookie flavors. Several bakers volunteered to share their favorite recipes, baking fresh samples for all the attendees to try. Best of all, the recipes were made available to us as well. There was no competition, just a chance to discover new flavors and appreciate the creativity of fellow bakers. We tried everything from classic favorites like brown butter chocolate chip and snickerdoodle to more adventurous flavors like strawberry lemon and chocolate espresso. Each bite was a surprise, and I loved hearing Armando’s reactions as he discovered new flavor combinations. After enjoying the cookies, we headed to the Open Decorating Hall to decorate our mystery shape cookies and submit them for the Mystery Shape Cookie Sugar Show category.

The open decorating hall was a playground for cookiers, where creativity ran wild and sweet possibilities filled every table. As I stepped into the expansive hall, the first thing that caught my eye was the array of round tables neatly arranged in the center. Each table was a hub of creativity, where bakers meticulously decorated cookies, their hands moving with practiced precision. The room buzzed with activity and the soft hum of conversation.

To one side, stations were set up with trays of undecorated cookies. Some were simple circles, while others were mystery shapes, all waiting to be transformed into edible works of art. Nearby, a vibrant icing station stood out, equipped with everything needed to mix and color icing in every shade imaginable. The air was filled with the sweet scent of sugar and vanilla.

In various corners of the hall, experienced bakers conducted demonstrations, eagerly sharing their techniques with onlookers. These demo areas were lively, with groups gathered around, watching intently and asking questions. Scattered throughout the room were specialized stations with tools like airbrushes, stencils, projectors, and dehydrators. Each one showcased the art and science of cookie decorating. The atmosphere was filled with collaboration and inspiration, where every baker, beginner or expert, could hone their craft and share their passion for beautifully decorated cookies.

We made our way to the undecorated cookie table and grabbed a couple of mystery-shaped ones. As we headed to the icing station, we brainstormed designs while waiting for a spot to clear up so we could make our icing. I decided to create a jellyfish, and Armando wanted to make Judy Jetson. Once our turn came, we mixed our icing and found an empty table to start decorating. We chatted and decorated our cookies with no stress, just pure fun.

Armando iced the base layer of his cookie white, and then we headed to the dehydrator station to let it dry. Once it was set, we moved to the projector station and used an edible marker to sketch our designs. After adding the final details, we returned our cookies to the dehydrator for a few more minutes before submitting them to the Sugar Show contest. With our entries in, we spent the rest of our time wandering the open decorating hall, watching demonstrations, and browsing tools I wasn’t familiar with. It was a lovely, relaxing experience, completely immersed in all things cookie. It was truly a dream.

There was one last event I wanted to attend before the awards banquet: the book signing in the vendor hall. The first book I bought when I started my cookie journey was The Cookie Companion by none other than Georganne Bell. She was one of the featured authors at the signing, and I had made sure to bring my copy to get it signed.

After lunch, we browsed the vendor hall one last time, picked up a few more items, and then I got in line to meet Georganne. When it was my turn, we chatted for a couple of minutes as she signed my book. She was so kind and encouraging, an inspiration to bakers everywhere. With my signed book in hand, I felt like the book signing was the perfect finale to our daytime adventures. Now, all that was left was to celebrate at the awards banquet and enjoy one last night of fun at CookieCon.

We headed back to our hotel room, packed up, and changed for dinner before making our way to the banquet hall. As we waited in line to enter, appetizers and drinks were served, adding to the anticipation. When the doors finally opened, we found two empty seats near the front of the stage.

As dinner was served, the awards ceremony began. Winners for each Sugar Show category were announced, volunteers were recognized, and heartfelt thanks were given to everyone who helped make CookieCon such a success. I didn’t win any awards, but my prize was simply being able to attend this event. I learned so much and left feeling deeply inspired.

The night ended with karaoke, which was so much fun. Armando and I didn’t go up to sing, but we cheered along from our seats. At one point, I even got up to dance for a few minutes. It was a celebration, one I would always remember.

After karaoke, we made our way back to our hotel room and went straight to sleep. We had an early morning and a long drive ahead of us. As I packed up the last of my things, I felt a bittersweet mix of emotions. CookieCon had been a whirlwind of creativity and community, and I was sad to see it end. Yet, I was also excited to return home and put my newfound inspiration to work. It felt like closing the final chapter of a beloved book, eager to start writing the next one.

Reflecting on my CookieCon experience, I realized just how much this event had impacted me. I met so many like-minded, kind, and creative people and learned countless new things. Some I would incorporate into my business, others taught me about the value of community.

The next morning, we quickly checked out of the hotel and immediately headed back to Chicago. We picked up our son Nicholas and our dogs and settled back into our routine. It felt like a return to normal life, but something in me had shifted. CookieCon had filled me with inspiration, new skills, and a sense of community that I was eager to nurture. I was ready to take everything I had learned and apply it to my business, excited for what the future held.

But what I didn’t realize was that the world as we knew it was about to change. Just weeks later, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country, turning life upside down. Suddenly, my focus shifted from growing my business to simply keeping it afloat. Parenting took on a new layer of complexity as I found myself navigating remote learning for a preschooler while trying to manage a business in an uncertain economy. The days blurred together in a cycle of virtual lessons, baking orders, and constant adjustments to a reality none of us were prepared for.

As I unpacked my CookieCon memories, I had no idea that they would soon feel like a distant dream—a moment frozen in time before everything changed.

Thanks for reading! Part four will be available soon. Be sure to follow along to see what happened next.

As I mentioned at the start, Armando put together a vlog capturing the excitement, creativity, and unforgettable moments of our time at CookieCon 2020. Watch the video below for a glimpse into the magic we felt that weekend.

1. Cookie Con was a convention dedicated to cookie decorators, bakers, and sugar artists, featuring workshops, competitions, and industry vendors.