Blog

Meet Lana Blackmore, the creative force behind Norty Nom Noms, where vibrant edible image cookies come to life. Lana's entrepreneurial journey ignited during the pandemic, providing her with the perfect creative outlet while working from home. Despite initial self-doubt and pricing challenges, Lana's determination to improve with each order has been her driving force, transforming her venture into a personal triumph.

1. Can you tell us about the moment you first realised you wanted to start your own cookie business?

I started Norty Nom Noms during covid as I was stuck working at home like a lot of others & I needed a creative outlet to stop myself going mad. I had been toying with the idea for a while & decided to take the leap & give it a go!

2. Starting and running a business can be a wild ride! What challenges have you faced while building your business and how have you overcome them?

Self doubt is always a big one! It's hard starting out & being confident in your abilities! I find today that I am still learning as I am going & improving slightly with each order. Another challenge is pricing & feeling confident with your prices & backing yourself. You need to realise that your product may not always suit every customer & their budget, but that's ok.

3. What has starting and running your own business meant for you personally?

I love that I can sit back & say.... "I did this!" I made this!" The support I have received from my family & friends has been absolutely incredible & it's amazing to see how they also want to see me succeed.

4. Can you explain the advantages of incorporating edible images into your cookies?

Being able to use edible images on my cookies & having the ability to print them in house has opened up so many doors for me! There are so many amazing advantages:

- They have allowed me to offer corporate logo cookies without ordering a custom cookie embosser that might only get used once.

- They are great for when there is a lot of text needed on a cookie. You are able to size the text appropriately to fit. You also have the option to use an image & text together.

- They are great for last minute orders when you don't have time to order a cookie cutter.

- I use my printer to make my own water activated edible paint palettes for my Paint Your Own cookie packs.

- They are great if I get a theme that it's hard to find cookie cutters for.

- It's much more cost effective to print in house!

.    

5. We're curious, what design gets your creative juices flowing and why is it your favourite to work on?

I love a challenge & creating a design to fit a brief. One example was to create a design for Dietitan's week where I used images of fruit & custom text to create a design the client loved.

6. What are some of the latest and greatest trends in the world of edible images you're seeing?

Layering! Where people are using an edible image base & adding fondant embellishments on top to create depth.

7. Have you received any wild or wacky image requests that still make you smile? Do tell!

Not yet, but hopefully one day!

8. Can you share some of your pro tips for printing and applying edible images effectively?

I try to stay away from water! I use a craft punch to cut the images to size & I had a custom cookie cutter made to the same size. I roll my fondant slightly thicker, apply the cut images & then lightly roll over them again to "stick" them to the fondant. I then cut the fondant with the cookie cutter & apply the whole thing to a cookie as per normal.

9. Self-care is crucial! How do you ensure that you're taking care of yourself while also running your business?

I try to have a plan! I look at my orders at the start of each week & work out how many cookies & how much dough I need to make then plan the week accordingly. I try to ensure I schedule in an arvo off here & there & do something just for me, even if it's just watching TV!

10. What career achievement are you most proud of and why does it hold a special place in your heart?

Having repeat customers! It's such an amazing feeling having local customers that come back time & time again. I love seeing a request for a birthday that I know I have done repeatedly over the past few years.

11. Are there any other EIS products that you love using in your work?

I purchased a complete printer package & I love it! I ordered all my inks from EIS too!