Business is sweet for owner of cookie boutique

Sherry Taylor has discovered that cookies, skewers and flower pots go together quite well.

The Martinez business owner says that when put together in an edible arrangement, the combination can make the perfect sentiment to say thank you, get well, happy holidays, I love you or to observe any other special occasion.

Taylor, the owner and operator of The Taylored Cookie, creates baskets of custom-decorated sugar cookies on skewers arranged in flower pots and wrapped in cellophane.

"This has been real popular with mortgage and real estate companies because there at the closing, the Realtor, attorney or mortgage person will take one (to the new buyers)," Taylor said. Real estate and insurance agents often buy baskets with house-, mailbox- and tree-shape cookies for new homeowners. Taylor, who has been creating the artistic cookies for about five years from her home, moved the hub of her business into The Cake Factory at 248 Bobby Jones Expressway in Martinez.

Taylor said that while working in an office, a co-worker received a delivered cookie basket from a franchise company and Taylor decided she could do the same thing.

"I just did it on the side, out of my house, like a lot of people do," Taylor said. "They start off in their home doing stuff for family and friends. This family member told that friend and that one told somebody."

Taylor said she has done baskets of cookies for just about any occasion including political campaigns - with the politician's sign drawn and photocopied onto the cookies - baby and bridal showers, sporting events and many others.

Taylor said she is willing to try any idea her customers have in mind. She has more than 400 cookie cutters and said she is willing to create one she might not have.

"Personalization is big," said Taylor, who creates single cookies with the school mascot for Evans Middle School employees and students of the month. " I'll give it a whirl. I'll always try."

Baskets range from $12 for three custom-created cookies to $36 for a 15-cookie arrangement.

"It's done well," said Brenda Newell, the owner of The Cake Factory. "It's been good for her and good for us."

All cookies are made from scratch. Taylor said she hand-rolls the dough, which contains no preservatives.

"This is something you can look at for a couple of days and instead of throwing them away (like flowers), you eat them," Taylor said. "Some people don't eat them because they like the way they look."

Taylor also sells individually wrapped cookies, both as custom orders and inside The Cake Factory.

"(I love) doing my own thing and doing something I really like," she said. For information, call The Tay-lored Cookie at 855-7840.