Cake Flags

I finished my cake flags and I decided to use glitter tape for extra sparkle.

 xoxo,

b

Tiny Cakes!

Have you seen these?

This image is all up in my Pinterest.

How can you not see these?  They're all over the pin boards.  I fell in love with tiny cake. Then I looked at the recipe and thought maybe not.  They are pretty and sparkly though so I decided to practice cake decorating on tiny cakes.  Some results were less than fabulous, but...

Made with supplies on hand, yeah, I know, everyone has edible glitter, pompoms, and confetti hanging around.

 It finally worked!  This is not the recipe used on the website however, just a white cake.  I also do not own a mini cheesecake pan like the directions say to use, but I have a set of biscuit cutters.

It took a lot of cake to get this far.

 

Fun Fact: the topper was made from metallic tissue sheets cut into strips and wrapped on a pompom maker. Just add washi tape to finish.

These will definitely be my birthday cake next weekend.  I'm going to use a vegan strawberry cake though and a variation of pourable fondant.  I did print the Celebrate Magazine freebies today and I might use those too.  They're nice, but I might have to do some embossing to add extra sparkle.

So there you go, something as seen on Pinterest actually did turn out.

xoxo,

b

The Cutest Cupcakes Ever

First of all, I apologize; it's dusty in here.  I should pay more attention to how long I'm gone.

The not so little lady.

 The no longer little lady pictured above turned 12 on October 10th.  We used to decorate cupcakes for her birthday because it was easier to do that together than to make a cake.  In recent years, I've started letting her decide what kind of dessert item she would like for her day.  This year she decided it should be pumpkin spice latte cupcakes. Not only would that be a great flavor, they would look really cute  because they can be made like little drinks, right?

This all sounded incredibly difficult and sort of overwhelming.  I did some research and found the recipe linked above.  I also found various incarnations of the little lattes.  So I started gathering my supplies.  I worked at this place called Starbucks in my early 20's and I know a few tricks, like if you go in and ask for something, they just might give it to you.  So I did.  I was on a mom-mission to make the best cupcakes ever so they had to be authentic and this meant I needed little cups.  It took two stores, but I was able to gather enough sample cups for my cupcakes (At the first store I was denied so I drove to the next one and asked for less quantity.).

The recipe turned out to be really simple; you just make additions to a box mix.  I was baking for 12 year old ladies so I opted to make the cake just a bit sweeter and add some vanilla.  Then the birthday lady opted for whipped cream in lieu of icing.  She enjoyed making the swirls from the can.  It was good.  Then they were all sprinkled with cinnamon.

Oh, the cuteness!

Then we had a photo shoot with the cupcakes.  The birthday lady approved.

xoxo,

b

10.11.12

Mini Miss turned 11 on the 10th so we took a trip. 

xoxo,

B

It's the final count down.

The last round of bits are finished.

This is it.  I'm finally tired of wedding blogs and done with Bridezillas marathons. The decorations are as done as they can be before being loaded up and put in place.  The food has been started and all the confirmations have been made.  Other than some meringues that just wouldn't work out, I'm done for a few days.  (I do plan to climb back on my stand mixer tonight and show those meringues who's who.)

  This part is kind of weird.  This part is waiting... I think.  We still need to clean the house for the birthday/ thank you for helping grill party, but that doesn't seem like much.  The house is little and only half of it actually needs to be clean for our at home pre-wedding bit. What to do?

Vegan dark chocolate sorbet, nom.

Maybe go on a baking binge?  I found this recipe for sorbet and I've already made it twice.  I've been substituting coconut milk for the water.  It's very rich and very chocolatey, but it keeps disappearing so it must be good.  Also, zombie musicals are good.

X's and O's,

BMerry

What Saturday looked like...

Vicky T

Miss Victoria turned 13 and hosted a DJ'd party.  She also had cake smashed in her face.  She looks pissed.

Gymnasium

A gym, a DJ, lots of chips, M&M's, and balloons, no dancing though.

Giant cake

It was quite possibly the most awkard event I've been to in a long time.

xoxo,

B

Oddly Practical

I promised an update and I know there are 2 of you who might care...

 I added to my NYE decorations for my birthday party and I focused on the living room/dining room area.  I capped it off by setting up hot food and dishes in the kitchen and having a very clean house.  I felt that "Happy New Year" still applied since it was a new year of life.  This was sort of a trial run of what I'm doing for our wedding.  I got to see how space my streamers actually covered, how much tape it takes to hang things, and how long the helium in those balloons really lasts.  My friends refer to me as "oddly practical"; I think that was the word they paired with practical.  I'm not practical apparently because I spent a solid week of long hours on DIY decorations, but I'm not impractical because I used things from around the house.  I was told that straight up practical would be inviting your friends over.  Oddly practical is creating interactive experience out of items in the recycling bin and inviting your friends over.  I'm good with it.

Four types of cake; cookie, bundt, vegan, and cheese.

I lit those sparklers and I made some fabulous vegan red velvet cupcakes and my best vegan icing so far.

I also had party hats and pizza box numbers.  I did a lot of waiting for people to show up and then I sent them texted profanity.

There's a secret about this though...  something that I don't think my party goers considered...  and it doesn't mean that I love them any less, but...

The party was an excuse for the decorations.  I had a party because I wanted a reason to turn my house (at least a portion of it) into some sort of paper crafted experience, but then ya' know, I had to have someone to show it to.  I did learn a lot for my wedding installation and this experience did help me to further develop and refine some ideas.  I also had a great time.