I really love houses - so much so one of my hobbies is to build gingerbread houses as a family activity. There is so much fun to be had while making a complete mess of your kitchen for days and weeks on end. Not to mention to overall sugar high you live on with Royal Frosting around. The kitchen table has not had any room for anything else during construction. Meals had to be eaten in the living room. Yesterday I delivered "Cottage on Snowflake Lane" to Strawbery Banke here in Portsmouth where they hold an annual gingerbread house exhibit and competition. This is our second year of creating a piece for the competition with my neice Clara and her mother Carolyn. Snowflake Lane is a modified Cape with family room addition sporting a blue licorice tiled roof, traditional fire pond in front, stone walkway, and ice cream cone pine tree landscaping.
Last year the "Cottage on Cookie Blvd." was done primarily with Girl Scout cookies. From a thin mint roof to a samoa fence it was an ode to the Girl Scout. We were thrilled to receive 2nd Place in the Family Category out of 25 entries.
Here is a sneak preview of this year's contestants and their amazing sugar creations.
Gloria Berry is a first time Adult Category entry. She reported having to bring out a card table to serve meals on. Her husband helped with the shingling.
The kids at Nature's Wonders built this barn with edibles for the birds for the Youth Groups category. Don't you just love the windmill!
Girl Scouts put these together with a creative pretzel fence and glittery snow I was just in awe of. Most houses need to be touched up after delivery. Every year I have to install my street sign because it is too delicate to travel.
This fantasy tree house was also being constructed on site. I can't wait to see the finished product. I always am intrigued by the ones that light up!
This family is putting on the finishing touces to ther Family Chalet. Santa, Polar Bears and the Snowmen are really delightful on this one.
Check out the Blue Jello Pond!
Stop by Sherburne House at Strawbery Banke during the Candlelight Stroll to vote for your favorites. Vote for your favorite in each category - Adult, Professional, Youth Groups and Family. Snowflake Lane is at the top of the stairs to the left for your consideration in the family category. Michelle Moon, Director of Education, is expecting up to 60 entries. Candlelight Stroll is held the first three weekends of December from 4 to 9 pm.
Shannon Aldrich, Keller Williams Coastal Realty Market Portsmouth NH
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