.mario cupcakes.

 

Okay. These have got to be the coolest cupcakes ever made... or at least the coolest ones I've ever made! Ha, ha! I have seen this idea done before, and thought I would give it a whirl! I used fondant to create all the designs by hand. It was a long process (3.5 hours!), but I love the end result!

I am quite impressed with my Mario especially. I was worried no one would know who it was supposed to be, but I think he is recognizable and delicious! My one regret: using a new recipe for the cupcakes. They turned out tasting more like muffins to me... Oh, well. At least they look mah-velous!

.digi-scraping challenges.

 As often as I scrapbook (which is not often at all), I digi-scrapbook about 10 times less. In fact, I am kind of just experimenting in the world of digi-scrapping. I found a fun site that not only has some free kits to download, but has challenges that you can try... usually with some reward attached for meeting the requirements. The site is called Crafty Scraps. All you do is click the challenges link and a whole list of digi-scrapbooking contests. I say contests, but most of them that I've seen do not have a clear "winner."

It's also a fun place to get ideas. Below I posted the pages I threw together last night for a couple of challenges. As my "prize," the site owner sent me a full digi-scrapping set via email. The pages I made were pretty simple, but it was fun. Plus, it gave me something to do in the late hours of the night last night when I couldn't sleep. :o)

.sunflowers in january.

I made these cupcakes for a girl who works with my sister-in-law. It was her birthday and said sister-in-law wanted to take a cake or cupcakes to work for her. I had been dying to try these little sunflower cupcakes out, so I jumped at the opportunity! I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I think they turned out rather well, don't you? ^_^

 

.the dora/robot/strawberry shortcake... er... cake.

My sister-in-law asked if I would make a cake for my cute little niece, Milli's, third birthday. Of course, being the self-taught cake student I am, I jumped at the chance to "practice" some more. Milli wanted a Dora/Robot/Strawberry Shortcake cake so I made this quirky little creation:

It was quite delectable (chocolate cake with cherry filling) and was super fun to make!

.firefighter birthday cake.

For my dad's 46th birthday, I decided to make him a "3-D" firefighter helmet cake since he's, you guessed it, a firefighter! This one posed some interesting challenges, but it turned out pretty well. At any rate, it was tasty which is the most important thing when it comes to cakes, right?

Happy Birthday, Ladybug! (Part 2)

For Ladybug's first birthday party, I planned a "Ladybug Luncheon." Of course I had to have a ladybug cake and I thought, "Why buy when I can create?" So, I set about my planning to make not one, but two ladybug cakes: one to share and one for Ladybug to destroy, of course.

I ended up making a 12 inch, triple layer, hand-carved, fondant covered cake for all of our birthday guests and a little ladybug cake with non-dairy frosting for Ladybug to enjoy all by herself. It took a long time (especially coloring and kneading the fondant), but it was so worth it! Check 'em out!

.itty bitty candy bars.

Not too much to say on this one. Just wanted to show off some cute personalized candy bars I made as favors for Ladybug's birthday party.  So... here they are! These have to be some of the cutest chocolates I've seen! ^_^

Happy Birthday, Ladybug!

Today is our daughter's very first birthday! I can't believe a year has come and gone so quickly! Being a mommy has been such a great adventure. It has been a million times better than I thought it could be. Our little Ladybug has been such a blessing in our lives and what better way to celebrate the anniversary of her arrival into our family than, you guessed it, cake!

I posted on here a while ago that I was trying a master the art of fondant so I could make Ladybug's cake myself. Over the past couple of months, I have made a few trial cakes, tried different icing recipes, and purchased a few cake decorating do-dads. I think all the practice paid off quite nicely. I may not have mastered the art of fondant (yet... practice makes perfect), but the result was pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself!

Happy Birthday, Ladybug!