This is the 3rd class I have taken. I baked the cookies on Thursday, using my new Bosch Universal Plus mixer to make the dough. I used my 7 qt mixer to make the icing on Friday night then colored the red, white & blue icing. Saturday morning, I checked the colors and added a little bit more to each. I use the Chefmaster gels, and they are so easy. I also pulled the frozen leftover white icing and extra icing from my Easter cookies to thaw out.
Following Grace's directions, I thinned the icing to thick flood. I made a large and small bag of each color: red, white & blue. A major mistake I made was cutting the large white bag too large, and I wasted a lot of the white icing. Thankfully, I have a lot of extra because I pulled my previous batch out of the freezer. I followed Grace's video to do the first batch, but I more or less did the second with only minor use of the video. The first batch was rough with lots of over-flooding, but the end batch was a lot nicer looking. I still have a ways to go to become a better cookier!
My recommendation is watch Grace decorate the cookies before you try to do it with her.
I have so much icing left, I am probably going to bake off a recipe of the beginner hearts and use the red, white & blue icing to decorate them instead of pink, purple & white.
[Note: I also make sourdough, which is why I bought the Bosch. I have my late mother's 30+ year old 7-qt lift KitchenAid, but sourdough is really hard on the motor.]