praja's a{dora}ble birthday

Praja's mom asked me to make a Dora birthday cake for her 5th birthday party today.  I was a little nervous because it was my first attempt at making a character cake that people are supposed to recognize and I know from other art projects that these things usually go one of two ways... they're a huge hit or a major flop.  Just google "Dora birthday cake" like I did for inspiration and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about!

Praja's cake is a strawberry 10" cake (yum) with white buttercream filling and icing.  All of the decorations are in gumpaste and fondant.

My favorite part is the fact that it imitates Dora's actual logo.  I like the little Nick Jr. logo turned into "She's 5!".

I had so much fun making it and am really excited about how it turned out!  Happy birthday miss Praja.  You are loved!

anika grace's {baptism}

I got to make a fun little chocolate cake for the beautiful Anika Grace's baptism last weekend.  It was just a simple 9" round butter cream cake.  Joelle (mama extraordinaire) requested chocolate and that it would say "Anika Grace, child of God".  Precious.

 I used a really simple technique for this cake.  After I frosted it in the white buttercream, I got out some flower cookie cutters and gently pressed them into the icing where I wanted the large and small flowers.  I had a tiny cutter I used to outline the centers.  I then outlined the flowers and centers with a small circle tip and filled the flowers in with a star tip.  I used the same star tip for the edging on the bottom of the cake.

Pretty cute, huh?

And I just had to include some photos of the darling little one.... we got to photograph her when she was just a week or so old in the living room with mom and dad.  Beautiful.

 

 

cozy mittens {for a cause}

My friend Elaine is selling these WONDERFUL warm, adorable, and cozy mittens to raise money for her family's upcoming {adoption}.

 

 

They are handmade from {recycled} wool sweaters.  Each pair is lined with fleece and is 100% machine washable.  They come in kids ($15) and adult sizes ($25), as well as a "long" adult size.

 

 

  

If you are interested in any of the mittens please email Elaine at eandeolson@cox.net.  Your fingers will be happy for a cause all winter long!

o {happy} birthday

I made this cake for a friend of a friend a few weeks ago.  It's just a simple 9" butter cream chocolate cake.

 

 

Happy.  :)

when life gives you {cake} crumbs...

...you make cake balls!  Kudos to my cousin for the idea!

Chocolate and chocolate mint.