Create-Celebrate-Explore

A Build-A-Bear Party

We went to a Build-a-Bear Workshop birthday party recently for a special little friend.  It's such a fantastic spot for a party, I highly recommend it, and all of the kids had a wonderful time.

Unfortunately I forgot my camera that day, but here is an Instagram photo of the cake I made for the party.

One moment that touched me, was each of the birthday guests were asked to choose 2 hearts for a bear.  The first one they placed into their own bear.  The second heart each child placed into the birthday girls bear.  What a beautiful sentiment.  It's the special touches like these that make a party so special.

 

Pumpkin Cake Pops

I've been wanting to try my hand at making cake pops for the longest time but had no idea how to even begin.  Coincidentally I was sent a copy of Crazy for Cake Pops recently to have a look at.

So I made these.

I think they turned out pretty cute, for my first try.  A couple of them developed cracks.  I'll have to master the art of how to prevent this.  The instructions in the book were so easy to follow though, and I think I may become slightly addicted to making these now that I know how.  I need to try a few more from the book though before I venture out on my own and come up with some new styles.

Title: Crazy for Cake Pops

By: Molly Bakes

Publisher: Ulysses Press

RRP: $14.95 (Amazon)

 

Disclosure: I received a copy of Crazy for Cake Pops from Ulysses Press

Halloween Monster Cakes

I have quite a thing for adorable monsters this Halloween.

I made these two cakes for the bake sale and cake walk at the twins Halloween school carnival.  I made cake pops too and will share those shortly.

These cakes are very simple.  Anyone can make them, as long as you have patience and a DVR'd program (or two) to watch.

Instructions to make one of these fun monster cakes:

Bake 2 6x2" round cakes (or any size you want if you want larger cakes) - I made chocolate fudge cakes.

Once cooled, put icing in between them and stack them on top of each other.

Cover the entire cake with icing, it doesn't matter if you get crumbs in the icing because it will be covered up by the 'fur' anyway.

Using black and white fondant, cut out the eyes and mouth and put them straight onto the icing.  Tip: if you mix just a teeny bit of fondant with water, it will make a 'glue' to attach the pupil to the white of the eye.

Mix some Wilton dye into plain white icing to make the color of your choice for your monster.  Then using the multi-opening decorating tip pipe 'fur' onto your monsters. 

A Red and White Celebration

In honor of Smart & Final's 140th Birthday I threw together a little celebration.  I'm honored to be one of the #sfsmarties and love Smart & Final, particularly for when I'm hosting parties.  You can view some of the items we purchased for this party table on ThisMoment.

On The Party Table:

Red Velvet Cake - filled with freshly whipped cream and topped with sifted powdered sugar

Twizzlers

Milk (First Street) - Red Straws (First Street) and Party Cups

Yogurt covered raisins

Starlight Peppermints (First Street)

Red Velvet Cookies

Apple and Cheese Danish Bites

Strawberries

Kettle Corn

TIPS:

To decorate I hung a rope above the table and lay folded napkins over the top to form a banner and placed a matching table cloth on the table.  These were from the twins 3rd birthday party.

Glass hurricane candle holders are fabulous for holding party snacks such as fruit and kettle corn.

Small trays can be turned into an instant cake stand by placing it on top of a candlestick holder.

Silicone baking cups are perfect for holding small snacks such as yogurt covered raisins.

When using a boxed cake mix, use apple sauce in place of oil - This tip is from Martha Stewart.

 

Disclosure: This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #cbias #SmartFinal140th 

Tea Party Tableware

I don't think it's any secret that I am a huge fan of Marshalls.  I shop there frequently.  I always seem to find great bargains, especially items for the house.

A while ago I found some very pretty tableware, however there were only 4 small plates, 4 cups and 1 dinner plate left.  I wandered around the store picking up other bits and pieces while debating whether I should grab this too.  It was just too pretty to leave behind though and I spent less than $10 for it.  Who can possibly pass up a pretty bargain.

I decided in the store that I would turn the larger plate into a cake stand and then this set would make lovely tea party tableware for when I have girlfriends over to visit.

This project of course had flitted to the back of my mind recently, you know, with moving house and my office/craft room being in a right royal mess still.   Then, whilst staring starry eyed at Pinterest the other day I came across this.  It seems that Brenda of Cozy Little House has the same tableware, she has found some lovely co-ordinating items too.  It jogged my mind that I still hadn't done anything with my lovely set.  So I dug it out of one of the boxes in my office, then headed to a local thrift store where I found two lovely candle sticks for $1.99/set - I now have a spare for the next lovely plate I find to build on my dessert plate obsession.

You are going to need some seriously strong glue to hold this together, but isn't it lovely.

Such a pretty pattern.  In the words of Miss M: "I like flowers".

I like cake too.

This would also make a lovely dessert stand, don't you think?

Now who is going to come over and enjoy cake and tea with me?

A Flag Cake

Between Memorial Day and the 4th of July, TASTE OF HOME have partnered with the USO to raise money for the troops overseas to call their loved ones back home.  For every unique visitor to the Taste of Home Flag Cake Recipe, 10 cents will be donated.

Being a military wife, and a lover of cake, I had to get on board to get the word out about this fantastic campaign.  And yes, of course I just had to make the cake. Here are a few tidbits of information.

• Taste of Home will be donating 10¢ per (unique) click, which equals 2 minutes of talk time for service members
• Every $1 raised will provide 20 minutes of talk time for service members and their families
• Taste of Home will be donating up to $100,000 to the USO for this initiative
• The initiative will run through July 4^th, Independence Day

Now head on over to TASTE OF HOME and view their Flag Cake recipe.  Every click helps.

A housewarming cake

Have I told you our big news?  No!

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! And in honor of such an occasion I made a little cake to celebrate.

Of course I have a couple of cake decorating tips for you:

Tip 1:

I made this cake using First Street Moist Chocolate Cake Mix - which you may not know but I used this same cake mix to bake the twins Teddy Bear Picnic cake for their birthday last year.  I love it because there is enough mix to make a sheet cake.  Remember Martha's golden rule though when making cakes: substitute the oil for apple sauce.  Trust me, it makes the cake taste so much better.

Tip 2:

Use vinyl disposable gloves when mixing fondant colors.  You can wash them in between mixing the different colors.

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As you are probably aware by now, I am one of the Smart & Final #sfsmarties and so I would like to let you know that Smart & Final are currently holding a contest where 20 winners will each receive a VIP bag of First Street products valued at $50, plus a $50 gift card. 

5 winners will be selected each week over 4 weeks.

I have received this VIP bag of goodies and trust me, you will love it so I encourage everyone to head on over to the Smart & Final Facebook Page to enter.

 

ALSO check out this great promotion that Smart & Final are running until May 10.

 

Disclosure: As one of the #sfsmarties I was compensated for this post on behalf of Collective Bias and did receive a VIP bag of First Street products. #FirstStreetVIP

A Rainbow Cake

St. Patrick's Day is nearing.  Not that I need a reason to bake, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to make a rainbow cake for the kids.  Of course it will be well and truly eaten by St. Patrick's Day.

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X-ACTO is running a contest right now called X-ACTO 365, and they are looking for 365 creative uses for X-ACTO knives. You could win cash prizes!  http://www.xacto.com/365contest/

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias and #gluenglitter

A Thomas the Tank Birthday Party

This is the cake I made for the party.  Made complete with the Happy Birthday Thomas and Box Car set.

And I have to show you this fabulous idea that my friend had for snacks on the table.  And such a simple idea too.  A Thomas the Tank engine leads the takeaway container carriages filled with treats.

This party was held at My Museum which is a fantastic indoor play space for children in Monterey.

AS SEEN ON:

Do It Yourself Parties Blog

 

Raspberry Vanilla Swirl Cake

My sister decided to throw a last-minute dinner for my nephews birthday.  His 6th birthday isn't until the end of the month, but with us being in Australia for only a few more days we needed to throw an early celebration.

Of course I volunteered to make the cake.  Although not one of my more elaborate creations, my nephew loves raspberries so I decided to make a simple Raspberry Vanilla Swirl cake and then fill the center with lots of freshly whipped cream and fresh raspberries.  Then I placed a wooden number six on top of the cake and sifted icing sugar all over.  When I took off the wooden letter a perfect number 6 was left behind.

I only wish I had taken a photograph of the lovely raspberry swirls inside the cake.

How to add a raspberry swirl to your cake:  Prepare your normal Vanilla cake mix leaving a couple of tablespoons aside in a bowl.  Pour the rest into a cake pan.  Crush some raspberries and combine with the remaining cake mix.  Drop small spoonfulls on top of the cake mix in the pan, then using a knife swirl it around in a pattern.

Cream filling: Combine 1 medium-sized container of heavy whipping cream with a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.  Whip until thick.