Things have been pretty hectic IRL for us here at GeekyCookies. But since it is spring, it is time for rebirth. For some of us that means the yearly spring cleaning. For others, it means new perspectives and outlooks. For some it might mean some “outdoor fun.”

For us it means that we are making some changes and will be bringing you more yummy goodness. And to celebrate, we are kicking it off with a cool discount code you can use today only for 15% off your entire order at GeekyCookies.com.

Use the code: FIRSTOFMAY at checkout to apply the discount.

With that said, we look forward to supplying you with awesome nomz and seeing you in the near future. We plan to be at a couple of events this year so we’ll keep you posted on that. In the meantime, enjoy our favorite song about the First of May written by the awesome Jonathan Coulton. Warning: Not suitable for work or tiny children’s ears.

First of May – Jonathan Coulton

{Every holiday season we at GeekyCookies post this story to remind everyone to be kind to your fellow geek all the time, not just this time of year. So please enjoy the nomz based on this story, and remember: even Pirates and Ninjas can look past their differences and get along.}

In an old ninja village, a young ninja apprentice baker was honing his skills in the ninja bakery. He decided to craft a cookie in honor of his master, in appreciation for teaching him both the ways of the sword, and of the spatula. He shaped the cookie in his master’s image and decorated it to wear the traditional garb of their clan. And as the young apprentice placed the eyes on the cookie, it sprang up and shouted:

Run, run as fast as you can!
You’ll never catch me…
*Poof*

And with a well timed smoke bomb, The Ninjabread Man vanished.

The Ninjabread Man was never captured and his skills matched those of the ninja baker that crafted him. Over the course of his travels, he encountered many creatures and beings, leaving many defeated in his path. And those he could not defeat he would out-guile with his wit and trademark-smoke bomb-vanishing-catchphrase. He had a knack for smoke bombs.

—–

One cold, December’s day, The Ninjabread Man happened upon a harbor town, and ventured across a group of pirates ready to weigh anchor. The tiny cookie ninja had never actually encountered a pirate until this very day, although he had heard tales of their existence as he roamed the lands. I have to see what these people are like, he thought to himself, and quickly stowed away on the vessel before it left the dock.

What The Ninjabread Man didn’t realize was that these were no ordinary pirates. Nor was this an ordinary boat. The ship belonged to the fabled Pirate Cap’n “Saint” Nick.

The ship was no further than a couple miles away from land when it magically hoisted itself above the sea and started to slowly ascend higher and higher into the night sky. The Ninjabread Man trembled with fright as he watched himself soar into the clouds. He looked around the ship and saw that no one was at the helm… let alone on deck!

Just then a large, white-bearded man had kicked open the cabin door and let out a loud, jovial laugh. He wore a large black pirate hat and wore a patch on his left eye. Following behind him were a dozen much smaller crewmen, all of them dragging out a large sack, seemingly bottomless, with stuffed animals and toy swords and the like.

While his gaze was set in wonderment of the large sack, The Ninjabread Man was spotted by one of the crewmen, who then alerted the others.

“Cap’n Nick! Ninja on deck!”

The Ninjabread Man jumped out of the shadows and readied himself for battle. Cap’n Nick barked what seemed to be orders to his crew, but their rally cries drowned out his bellowing. Try as they may, the tiny pirates fell injured, one by one to the swift movements of the cookie ninja. The Pirate Cap’n drew his sword.

“I did not want it to come to this, but I am running terribly late,” the fat man said worriedly as he stood battle ready.

The Ninjabread Man stood to face the Pirate Cap’n and a ferocious sword fight took place. Cap’n Nick seemed too skilled, even for the cookie ninja, proving to be a master swordsman with every swing of his blade. The Ninjabread Man knew this and leapt away from his enemy and exclaimed:

Run, run as fast as you can!
You’ll never catch me…
*Poof*

But the smoke bomb didn’t work. Cap’n Nick laughed with glee.

“Your smoke bombs don’t work on my ship, tiny ninja! We’re in the air and there’s nowhere to hide!”

The Ninjabread Man felt his demise was imminent. He lay down his sword in front of him and sat, cross-legged, ready to accept his fate. Cap’n Nick approached slowly, each step heavier than the last as he closed in. But rather than giving his foe the final blow, The Cap’n lay his sword down next to the ninja’s and offered only his hand.

“Rise, little one. There is nothing to be afraid of.”

Hesitantly, The Ninjabread Man looked into the pirate’s un-patched eye and saw a calming sincerity that he had never felt before.

“I am the Pirate Cap’n Nick. My crew calls me ‘Saint.’ You are not in danger. I tried to stop my crew, but I wasn’t fast enough. I apologize for the confusion.”

The Ninjabread man, ran up the bearded pirate’s arm and perched himself on his shoulder as he continued to speak.

“You seem to be lost little one. Do you know of this ship?”

The tiny ninja shook his head.

“You have stumbled upon The Sleigh, my lad. On this day every year I leave my cove in the White North with my crew and we bring gifts to all the good pirate children of the world.”

Just then, The Sleigh’s crew let out a pained “Arr!”

“But I don’t see how I can do that tonight, with you having incapacitated my crew and all! I steer The Sleigh over the rooftops, and my tiny crew ropes down and delivers the gifts from that sack to the dwellings below. But now in my crew’s haste to defend the ship, we are left in a… predicament, to say the least.”

The Sleigh began to hover over a pirate cove. The Ninjabread Man noticed this and made his way to the sack of gifts. He pulled one out and to the surprise of the captain, he leapt off the ship. Before Cap’n Nick could run to see where he had gone, the cookie ninja returned almost immediately and repeated his gift dive.

The speed of this amazed Cap’n Nick and his eyes lit up. The ninja was delivering his presents for him! He ran to the helm and without saying any other words to each other, they flew all over the world delivering presents to all the pirate children. Eventually they had run out of pirate homes, yet the sack still lay full.

“I wish to give presents to those of my kind,” said The Ninjabread Man to the Cap’n.

The jolly man smiled and simply nodded.

—–

They made their way to The Ninjabread Man’s village and he began to deliver gifts to all the ninja children. The ninja’s took notice and stormed the ship, ready to pounce the captain and the recovering crew when The Ninjabread Man stood firm between them and yelled in the biggest voice his tiny cookie body could muster:

“STOP!”

Of the ninjas, the young ninja baker’s apprentice emerged, recognizing his creation. He stared at the cookie ninja and saw he had drawn his sword, ready to defend the pirate crew. He asked of him:

“Come now, tiny one. These are pirates. You do not belong here,” offering his hand.

The Ninjabread Man only stood resolute. He refused. The ninja baker’s apprentice drew his sword.

“Can’t you see,” said Cap’n Nick. “He’s helping us.”

The look in the ninja baker apprentice’s eyes changed as he sheathed his sword. He sighed knowingly, staring at both the Cap’n and the cookie ninja, then turned to his clan and motioned to the never-ending sack of presents. The ninjas understood and they began grabbing the gifts and delivering them.

Cap’n Nick saw this and smiled. The Ninjabread Man, along with The Sleigh’s crew joined in. After they made deliveries to the whole ninja village, they moved right on to the next one, and the next one. The sack seemed to stay full. They even continued to the other villages filled with townsfolk and delivered presents to them, together.

After a long night, their work was done. For the first time in history, pirates and ninjas worked together to spread goodwill to the world. Both sides lay their swords down for one night, and it was all thanks to The Ninjabread Man and the Pirate Cap’n “Saint” Nick. A calm took over the ship as they headed back to the ninja village. And for a while, they were able to coexist peacefully.

As the ninjas returned to their respective homes, The Ninjabread Man vowed to help Cap’n Nick next year. The Cap’n smiled and told him to spread word of their deed so that the world can see their example.

The Ninjabread Man joins the Cap’n every year. And for at least one night, there is peace.

3rd Annual Craft Lake city

I got word that GeekyCookies was selected to participate in CLC about a week and a half before the event, which meant: CRUNCH TIME! The following day I’m scrambling to get ready for a local TV shoot and promoting the event! They were showcasing five out of the one hundred eighty artists and crafters that were going to be at the event.  We each got a chance to plug our craft and had to do a quick demonstration. I’ve never done TV before so it was extra nerve-wracking, but the whole thing was over before I knew it. Although I think the interviewer called me Ian instead of Leo during the second segment… hmm.

Here’s a video about Craft Lake City. This isn’t the segment that I did but you get to see a PowerUp Mushroom and a Star Trek Science Uniform on TV! (And someone made a sweeeet chain mail tie… business casual battle attire? Love it.)

If I can find my actual segment I might post it… if it isn’t too embarrassing. But the above clip is still pretty cool.

My wife and I spent the entirety of the remaining week with cookies on the brain. I was focused on making the large amount of cookies I planned on making while she was busting her ass on the displays and branding.

A small cabinet that my wife turned into a Mario Brick!

Mushrooms getting decorated. Just a fraction of what I had baked.

The day of the event finally came and the few hours just before we arrived turned out to be one crazy and hectic blur.  We were packing, working on signage and trying really hard not to forget anything.  After frantically searching for anything that we had the slightest possible need for, we took off for the Gallivan Center, which was the outdoor venue where they were going to hold the event.

Unloaded the car and ready to set up! Drawer of cookies, anyone?

Starting to lay out the table with our displays.

Set up was pretty smooth, aside from battling the sun and fighting with the signing. For first timers, I think we did pretty well. We had about an hour after we finished setting up to really let it all sink in.

Open and ready for business! (Photo Credit: City Weekly)

When Craft Lake City officially started, the flood gates pretty much opened. It was crazy! Apart from selling the nomz, it was great to see people’s reactions once they saw our table. Even better to hear their reactions after tasting them!  Young and old they all had the same smiles on their faces after leaving the table.

I got some GREAT feedback on my prototype Browncoat Brownies. I plan on releasing multiple brownies, based off of characters from the beloved Firefly series. The field test on the Cap’n Mal got some great results. I will start shipping tests pretty soon to see if they are good to sell online.

Field testing the Cap'n Mal Browncoat Brownie. Nothing in the 'verse could stop them from selling out.

We didn’t have any time really to take pictures when it all started. We met tons of awesome people and had loads of fun! It was a great experience and hopefully you will be seeing more of GeekyCookies.com at more events in the future!

Check out more set up pics on flickr!