Hand-crafted cookies from your kitchen are the perfect gift and great for any occasion!

Both the occasional holiday home baker and the seasoned pro will delight in Julie Anne Hession's designs and ideas. This fun and creative book features tempting cookie decorating ideas for a wide array of occasions and holidays.

There are 750 color step-by-step photos that will make even the most nervous baker/decorator feel comfortable, and they'll also provide a great source of inspiration when planning for an event. And the concealed wire-o lay flat binding means that the baker can comfortably follow along with the instructions without having to wrangle unwieldy pages or end up with frosting-dipped edges.

All the information about getting started is featured -- from techniques, equipment and ingredients to easy-to-follow instructions on filling and using a pastry bag, rolling/shaping cookies or advice on cookie sheets and rolling pins. And the comprehensive decorator cookie dough section even features gluten-free and vegan options. It includes delectable recipes for Vermont Maple Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies and Julie Anne's Classic Vanilla-Orange Sugar Cookies.

Here's a small but sweet sampling of decorating ideas:

• Holidays
  

• Christmas: Stockings, Holly Leaf Place Cards
• Halloween: Haunted House & Tombstones, Witch and Broom
• Valentine's Day: Message Hearts, Stained Glass Hearts

• Parties
  

• Wedding: "Just Married" Car, Wedding Dress, Tuxedo
• Baby Shower: Baby Blocks, Baby Bottle, Rattle, Teddy Bear

• Seasons (customize for your own event/occasion)
  

• Winter: Snowflakes, Snowman, Mittens, Winter Hat
• Spring: Honey Bee and Hive, Umbrella and Raindrops, Butterfly

• Miscellaneous
  

• Ocean/Water: Starfish, Octopus, Turtle, Lobster, Frog, Whale, Fish
• Sports: Baseball Hat, Ice Skates, Tennis Racquet, Football.

From basic techniques to the elaborately frosted and decorated cookie, this whimsical yet comprehensive cookie decorating book will soon find a cherished place in every baker's heart.