Back from Blogging Hiatus

You may or may not have known that I posted a poll recently, asking what you'd like to see next. The results came to a tie between sewing and cakes. Since I did a sewing project last, I will share a cake I did recently for a little lady on her first birthday. But before I do, I wanted to point out that I've started a new poll (similar to the last), so if you have a preference, be sure to vote. It is located at the top right side of the blog.

I won't bore you with all the details of my blogging hiatus, but I will say that it did not go without being creative on occasion. That is to say that I still have lots to hopefully inspire you and share. And just as a reminder much of what I do is inspired by others.

I love how President Dieter F. Uchtdorf words it in an October 2008 conference address:

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty."

And this is only a few sentences of the beautiful message he gives us. But if we can "create something of beauty and helpfullness" even if it's not perfect, and it can bring a smile to someone and brighten their day, then I know it is all worth while and the world around and within you is improved.

By request...more cakes

Perhaps one of these could spark an idea for your next cake or celebration. Each cake baking and decorating experience is its own adventure and definitely far from perfect. With every one I have learned something new from. When starting your own cake baking and decorating experience, try to be patient and remember to just have fun - it's just going to get cut into and eaten in the end anyway.

The Race Car Cake is a shaped pan decorated almost entirely with a star tip. You can't see too well in this picture but the tires looked flat. It might have been better just to use Oreo's for the tires. The cupcakes are iced and topped with an Oreo dotted with buttercream to look like tires.

I loved to create the Treasure Chest. I used two loaf pans for the cake shape and decorated one upside down creating the lid of the chest. The base frosting was chocolate buttercream and I ran a fork over it to try to create the wood grain look. The red strips are cut from rolled fondant and the sand is crushed graham crackers. I filled the chest with whatever I could find that looked like treasure and made sure not to place anything too far toward the back of the chest so that the lid could sit in a slightly open position.

The Robot was fun to create from a round cake pan, a square pan, and four glass oven safe prep bowls. I decorated him with Nerds candy, black licorice, and a single Dots candy. I did wish I had a slightly larger cake board at the time for him, as I would have extended his elbows out slightly away from his body. I think he's pretty cute though - don't you?

Kung Fu Panda. It was a delicious cake! Again from my Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakesbook. Yellow cake, with lemon curd filling and a Vanilla Bean Buttercream. It served the large number of party guests well. The design could have done without the pillars, but it was not my cake and was insisted upon.

This one was a basic yellow cake and chocolate frosting. I drizzled some white ganache across the top of the cake before decorating it in a basket weave pattern with a rope border. But I'd have to say that my favorite part was the pile of homemade chocolate dipped truffles on top of the cake. Yummy!

The Raspberry Laced Vanilla Cake was a recipe I had found on the back of the Pillsbury SOFTASILK® Cake Flour box. The batter seamed heavier than I was use to, so I worried about the texture of the cake. But in the end it really had a lovely flavor and texture. And the design was a simple lattice pattern with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

This oval basket weave cake with the birds was a Wilton Class - Course 2 - final cake. During this course I learned so many new and dramatic techniques to enhance the look of a cake. I learned how to use color flow and royal icing. The birds were made from color flow. And all of the many different flowers I learned to make with royal icing.

The flowers on this cake were also done with royal icing. These little drop flowers are a quick and easy way to decorate a cake.

And these roses and flowers I made for a wedding cake from fondant mixed with a little gum paste. I love how the roses turned out. The gum paste allowed me to roll the petals out thinner for a more realistic look, while the fondant allowed me a little more time to work with the flower before setting up.

Cake and Cupcakes

It was a birthday for two little princesses and their dad. The only request I had was for red velvet cake and the rest was up to me. I turned to my Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes book for a recipe and found one. I also decided to use the cream cheese frosting associated with the cake in the book. The cake idea came from Wilton.

I doubled the cake recipe and ended up with so much batter that it made plenty of cupcakes too. The cake and frosting combination tasted really good. Yummy. I'd make it again. I'm yet to be disappointed with the recipes from Martha's book. I must be honest and say that the recipes aren't the easiest - they are more time consuming than the basic cake recipe. And as much as I enjoy baking and decorating, it makes me really appreciate the work that goes into a professional bakery.

The consistency of the frosting was perfect for the cupcakes, but not so much for the princess castle. It was just a little too soft, and I struggled a little with the construction. I'm not really sure how I could avoid this in the future. Although in the end, all turned out well. Maybe more than well. You can only imagine the smile and excitement of a little girl at her very own princess castle cake.

The cupcakes were were really easy and lots of fun. The dots design was done with rolled fondant which I colored and cut into 3 different sizes. I thought it was a fun alternative to the traditional birthday cake.

Let Them Eat Cake

And if you haven't had enough of my cakes this summer, then here's just one more for you. The design is from a Wilton Cake Decorating class booklet. The cake itself came from Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes book that I have tried several recipes from now, and have really enjoyed.

It is a Coconut Cake with a Coconut Buttercream filling and covered in Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I love this buttercream for its silky smooth texture. I made the daisies with royal icing and used Wilton Cake Sparkles to give the yellow centers their texture. The cake was served on top some spooned Coconut Creme Anglaise. The Anglaise was so delicious and added so much to the taste, texture, and presentation of the serving.

There is some sort of accomplishment being able to create a cake like this from scratch. But the best part is that it was so much fun to do and then share with everyone.

How difficult can it be?

Why is it that I find this blogging thing so intimidating? Everyone else can do it, and I always think that I can do just about anything or at least try to. So here I go...how difficult can it be?

Please leave lots of comments and suggestions, as I most certainly will need and appreciate them, and would also love to hear how you are doing.

This blog will serve as a place for me to share all the creative things that I am involved with. Perhaps I will even inspire you, or better yet we could plan a time when we could do some together.

This summer has been extremely busy, but not without tons of fun and even exercising some creativity. Most recently I've done several baby bracelets and hair accessories, a wood sign, and a few cakes. Here is a cake that I just did for my aunt and uncle's 25th wedding anniversary celebration. (It was a replica of their original wedding cake - with a little creative license).