A little Valentine’s Day sugar cookie inspiration from Lori Garcia Studios.

I grew up calling hearts Valentine’s. I’m not sure why, but this is what my cute, southern-mama Linda called them. So even though I labeled this post “Hearts & Roses Sugar Cookies,” in my head I’m calling them “Valentines & Roses Sugar Cookies.”

These are this year’s sugar cookies I made my family for Valentine’s Day, designing these cookies to look like the heart-shaped chocolate boxes I remember from my childhood.

I’ve been working on making my own cookie cutters — after last year’s fail — and I have some promising results. In fact, the rose cookies I made this year, are actually from cookie cutters I made myself! If you told me it would work out after last year’s fail, I don’t think I would believe you…but as the old adage goes, “If you first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Mama Linda was right, hard work does payoff!