Amy Knapp, the local artisan known as “Gingerbread Amy” for her creative gingerbread houses, has been recognized by Surebonder as its “Maker of the Month” for July 2022.
Surebonder, a manufacturer of high-quality adhesives, fasteners, glue guns, and related accessories, features a different maker on its website each month in celebration of its customers’ creativity and inspiration.
“I have an ongoing joke with the company that they could make millions with a Gingerbread Amy Hot Glue Gun,” says Knapp. “Why? Because everyone knows you’re not supposed to use hot glue on gingerbread houses, and it’s funny that I do it so publicly. Like many, I believed for years that using hot glue was a sin, but gingerbread houses are decorations. It just makes sense to use hot glue, if only to keep the gingerbread families safe from disaster.”
While it’s true that royal icing is regarded as the preferred adhesive—and necessary when entering contests—Knapp’s focus isn’t on competition. “I don’t make the prettiest houses,” she says. “I just have the most fun and share the secrets.”
Gingerbread Amy comes by her position naturally: her mother was born on Christmas Day. For more than two decades, Knapp has been working with gingerbread, offering workshops, interacting with her dedicated followers on social media, and even publishing a book, The Tao of Gingerbread House Design + Construction. In 2021, she traveled all over for workshops and demos, with highlights including the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH; the Punderson Manor Lodge in Newbury, OH; and the Harmony Coffee House in Wolfeboro. She also hosted the fifth annual Gingerbread House Jubilee during the Christmas holiday season.
“I love visiting parties, offices, private homes, conferences, and family reunions,” says Knapp. “I show people the happy, joyful, peaceful way to craft a gingerbread cottage from scratch. Most people try it once, the house falls apart, and they never give it another shot. I love showing them there’s an easier and more enjoyable way to create them.”
To book Gingerbread Amy, visit GingerbreadAmy.com or send her an email at [email protected] (put “GINGERBREAD” in the subject line). She asks that customers send in their requests and terms, and tour dates for this year will be finalized by November 1, 2022.
