/ MY STORY
Hi! I’m Larissa...Owner, Operator, and Chief Cookie Artist at The Finicky Cookie! I live in Omaha, Nebraska where I have two fantastic boys and a busy career. That’s not always been the case. I was born and raised on an island in southeast Alaska in the town of Sitka. In this coastal, seaboard village, it was very normal to hand-make many of things we needed, for day-to-day life. From a very young age I would forage seashells and make jewelry or hair accessories and sell them to the hundreds of tourists awaiting to re-board their ship.
Although Sitka had a few modern amenities, they were very limited, and a primary part of our culture was to hunt, gather, and create our own goods and food. The people who thrive in this culture also brought in an eclectic community of arts. From world class musicians and performances, to local artists celebrating the history of Sitka, I was exposed to many things that are not as common these days in our modern, busy lives.
I've always been very artistic and detail oriented which comes from both sides of my family. At a young age I won numerous awards for my art creations and spent several summers attending a fine arts camp that was hosted each year in Sitka. I was able to explore different media types from woodworking, to drawing, painting, ceramics, metalworking, you name it. I was truly blessed to have the exposure and experiences that I did growing up. Fast forward a few decades later and I have a successful long-time career in the financial and payments world. My creative side is always nagging at me and as I've grown older, I’ve had a need to express that as an outlet.
In the fall of 2018, I stepped back into a sales position after a successful but exhausting 4-year stint in management. I started making cookies as thank you gifts for new clients…it was fun, and rewarding. At Christmas time that year, an opportunity presented itself to start selling them. I quickly came up with a company name and began spending my nights watching hundreds of hours of YouTube tutorials on Royal Icing techniques and tips. This came with countless hours of practicing and perfecting my new craft. Before I knew it, I had a business, and orders were rolling in! My vast experience and training in art has allowed me to create exclusive and one of a kind designs, pushing the boundaries of color theory and incorporating a true designers eye for detail. My perfectionism brings in the tiny details that are hand drawn or hand painted on each cookie I create. It’s extremely time consuming but overwhelmingly fulfilling when I can bring true joy to someone by creating a unique collection for a very special occasion or event.
I believe we can create our own happiness if we have passion, perseverance, and heart...thank you for supporting me in this venture!
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