Gingerbread Dimensions-Cookie Builders

December 23, 2011
Creepy Cookies by Candlelight

Here is a cookie Phantom Manor by Linda in the Slovak Republic. Looks great by candle light!

December 14, 2011
Christmas in Australia

I'm not kidding when I say Haunted Dimensioneers from around the world inspire me!

Robyn writes, "I wanted to do something a bit out of the ordinary and when I saw your website I couldn't resist! My boyfriend Marty and I spent two full days working on this Christmas-ified version of the Phantom Manor (the grass and sunbather are because we live in Australia and for us Christmas happens in the summer)."

A CHRISTMAS CANDY SUNBATHER! HOW BRILLIANT IS THAT?!

December 13, 2011
Christmas Spirits

Johan, who lives in Sweden, sent me a photo of his Phantom Manor cookie house. He says, "I made the house fairly big and with a Christmas touch, even though there is actually a Ghost family living there." So along with a man on a ladder decorating his tree, and a cat in a rear window, you will find several Christmas Spirits wandering around.

Beautiful!

October 15, 2011
Phantom Manor Cookie House - 2011

This is only the second time I ever built my own Phantom Manor cookie house. The first one being the one I built for Gingerbread Dimensions! Due to time this one is much more basic than the first but I'm very happy with it! You can see some "making of" photos on my Haunted Dimensions Facebook page, HERE .

I also created cool little cemetery cupcakes to accompany the Manor. Everything is store bought. "Cameo" Creme Sandwich Cookies by Nabisco, make awesome New England tombstones! I scribbled black icing on cookies and stuck them in store bought cupcakes along with some autumn leaf sprinkles (from Michael's Crafts), and a candy pumpkin on each grave.

November 24, 2010
From Paris!
Magnifique, Alice!

November 10, 2010
From Estonia!
I received this photo from Olga, who lives in Harjumaa, Estonia. Really spectacular!
Thanks for the donation also, Olga!

November 3, 2010
"So shines a good deed in a weary world"
Two years ago I received an email from April who lives in Toronto. April told me how she built the Phantom Manor Cookie House (based on my free pattern available at Haunted Dimensions), and donated it to a United Way raffle. It was a HUGE success, and raised lots of money! Her story touched me deeply and added a new dimension to my models and projects!
Well, April is back!
"The house was again used as a bucket raffle item and apparently there was quite a war between two of the lawyers here, both of whom were buying a lot of tickets in an attempt to win the house. The lawyer who won the house had originally intended to take it home to her three children but decided instead to donate it to Ronald McDonald House (http://www.rmhtoronto.org/). It was a double win for your karma this year!"

April was forwarded an email from the Toronto Ronald MacDonald House, along with photos of the kids enjoying her creation! The email said that the cookie house was a huge hit at the Halloween party held for the families and children staying at the house. It was displayed, then happily eaten! The photos, which I am not at liberty to share, brought tears to my eyes. Seeing families and kids who are going through unspeakable trauma, yet smiling and happily exploring a gingerbread house, was overwhelming!

It is a wonderful example of a good deed being handed down from one person to the next, brightening the lives of many.

Thank you so much, April!
"So shines a good deed in a weary world"~ Shakespeare & Willy Wonka

Jean-Michele from Bursa, Turkey writes:
"We really had fun with daughter on cooking and decorating the haunted house! Magical moments. We gave the house to my children school an we have a little problem as they want us to make more!"

Trisha in Oklahoma City writes:
"Thank you again for the pattern, it helped me win a 1st place ribbon at the Oklahoma State Fair."
AWESOME, TRISHA!!! Congrats!

Jennifer writes:
"My 5-year old daughter and I just completed our "spooky house" using the Phantom Manor pattern on your website. We had a lot of fun doing it (and my daughter had fun sampling everything)"

Laura in Temecula, CA writes:
" I used a battery operated set of 18 twinkle lights to light the inside of my house, so the sugar glass windows appear to flicker. I made my ghosts, tree, and graveyard accessories out of fondant. With the lights, I discovered that lining the inside walls with aluminum foil improved the glow immensely."

Erin writes:
"Thanks so much for posting your directions. There is no way we would have been able to do it without them."

Sharon writes:
"Thanks a million for the template! I had a lot of fun making this as a decoration for the food table at my Halloween party. It was a huge hit!"

Savannah from Providence, RI writes:
"Hello, Ray! I've been working on a haunted manor of my own and would like to share a few pics with you! 100% edible and made from gingerbread coated in royal icing!"

And Debbie writes:
"My boys and I had lots of fun making the haunted gingerbread house! Thanks so much for sharing your plans!"

October 10, 2010

Michael B. sent a photo of their first attempt at a cookie house. It is nothing short of spectacular!

Next, MaryKay, Karen and Kathyrn, who live in Beijing, China, have created several Cookie Manors over the last few years. Here there most recent.
MaryKay writes,
"Since my daughter (now ten years old) always wants to do something different each year, we took your template and made a few tweaks: flipped the porch to the right side; put a gabled addition on the left front; added a second portico-tower on the right side, above the porch. We also raised the roof pieces by 1.5 inches, to make the house taller. For three years your template has been the foundation and inspiration for our family's new tradition of creating a gingerbread haunted mansion. Thank you so much! "

As usual, MaryKay, you and your crew have outdone yourselves!

December 14, 2009
A Phantasmagoric Christmas
Melissa writes,
"Thought I would share the final product of our gingerbread house using your Haunted Dimension Pattern, Thanks for posting the pattern for people to enjoy. It took my daughter and I about a week and a half to complete"
Melissa, I love the addition of the gazebo, pond and fire pit!

An Award Winner!
Socorro Meredith is the Baking Supervisor for the kitchens of Utah Valley Regional Hospital. She has become know for her wonderful baked creations which get displayed in the hospital cafeteria and which she then donates! Two of her recent houses were modifications of my Phantom Manor cookie house pattern.
Socorro writes,
"I am from Mexico but I moved to Provo Utah 8 years ago.
The Chirismas house was for the Gingerbread House Festival 2009 in Lehi Utah. I won two awards, the Foundation Choice and PTA UTAH choice!"

Socorro, you are a gift! Thank you!

Two From My Home State!
Jenn and Kira, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, each created a cookie manor.
Jenn writes,
"My friend and I were looking for a gingerbread template and stumbled across the haunted manor. It looked perfect, so we decided to try it. We never made a gingerbread house before, let alone one this large and involved. It took us a solid 22 hours to complete. We had a good time making them, and the fabulous mess of my whole house :-). It was a great project and I am thankful you posted the template and recipes for everyone to try.
You have some amazing houses on here. Endless inspiration for us novices."

Thank you, Jenn! You and Kira did beautiful work!

Here is one from Christine in Victoria, Australia

From helena who lives in Sweden

November 8, 2009
From Birmingham, UK
Georgina writes "I live in Birmingham in the UK. I have always loved creating edible artworks and when I saw your Haunted Cookie Mansion I had to try something similar. I wanted to thank you for posting the template, it was a great starting point for my creation. I made this for my nephew, Daniel, who is 9 years old. I just gave it to him today and he loves it, especially the way the light changes colour inside. We are going to put it in the window of the house so all the trick or treaters can enjoy it too."

I love the modifications you made to your house! The pumpkin patch and cemetery are very cute and the coffins are awesome! You are a wonderful Aunt!

From Mill Creek, WA
Crystal writes "Thought I'd send you some photos of my house, I brought it to a Disney fan Halloween function and it was a hit! Thank you for allowing us to use the templates. :) "

I am glad everyone was impressed! It's beautiful!

From Julia
Julia writes "Hi! I found your site and made the house for Halloween! Thanks for the great directions!"

It looks like a photo from Martha Stewart!

Beijing Baking!
MaryKay, from Beijing, China writes,
"This is the second year in a row that we have used your haunted manor gingerbread
template. Thank you so much! My nine-year-old daughter always wants to do
something different, and had REALLY wanted to do the blob house on your site. We
were disappointed to learn you didn't have a template for that, but appreciate you
responding to our e-mail. I don't have the skills (or time) to make my own template
for something like that. So we added a tower (the extent of my free-hand
gingerbread skills) to the haunted manor to make it "different."

MaryKay, you and Karen created a BEAUTIFULLY modified Phantom Manor Cookie House!
The addition of the tower and the internal lights look awesome!