little Lizzy turns one...

I have successfuly made my first cake for someone else, as in, to show off at a family gathering. For Bree's cake it was for many many people I'd met before but for Little Lizzy, it was a different story.

Lizzy's Mom Megan and I went to college together! We were even roommates for a while. A few months back Megan and I had met up for a walk and lunch in downtown and were talking about Lizzy's first birthday. I said I would be honored if she'd let me make the cake and she agreed to it! Lizzy's favorite book is about farm animals so Megan had a farm animal themed birthday party. I googled a bunch of different cakes about farms and emailed them to Megan. She and her husband Bill decided they wanted the bottom tier to be a fence/pasture and the top tier to be a cow pattern. They also wanted a 'smash cake' that Lizzy could eat and so they decided on the form of a pig cupcake.

It was very interesting making something for someone else. Asking them what they wanted flavor wise, hue wise (bright, light, pastel, etc) but it was such a fun experience and Megan and Bill seemed very greatful. Now...on to the pictures!!!

WOW. Messy kitchen!!! Eek!

Pink Pig cupcake.

from the top.

from the side.

My first clients! Megan, Lizzy, and myself :)

Robyn & Annie picnic. 2010 edition...

I have this friend. She is great. Years ago before cars, college, weddings, boyfriends, and cell phones we started a tradition of going on a picnic. My friends name is Robyn. You've seen her in many other posts, probably because she is fun to have around!

It all started in 1998 and we've only missed two summer's since. One was 2008 when we climbed Mt. St. Helen's in place of the picnic. Okay, I should clarify. Robyn and Joe climbed it. Jason and I didn't make it, we ran out of water! Ooops! The other was 2009 when we were both busy getting MARRIED!!! Just 2 weeks apart at that! We always meet at Robyn's old elementary school which, when we were in high school we used to walk to and pack our own lunches. Then when we were in high school we drove to Bruchi's and got sandwiches. This time around Robyn made the food, all of which I tried and most of which I liked, and I made the desserts :) Perfect pair!!!

Here are a few pictures from our 2010 adventure.

The lunch Robyn put together. Cheese and bread. Fruits. Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil salad. Figs wrapped in some kind of meat...

Chocolate cupcake with fresh strawberry butter creme. All homemade by me!

The take home box for Robyn to bring to Joe. We also ate one of each there!

Robyn looking at picutres I brought from picnic's past.

2010. Who knows what will happen between this year and next :)

homemade gifts...

...for my Mom.

This year for my Mom's birthday I made her some homemade gifts!!! I was happy with how they turned out and she seemed happy to recieve them. She's really been the one over the years who's taken the time, money, and patients to teach me how to cook and sew. Thanks mom, I love you!!!

Making the "cheater" cake. PS. This ice cream scoop is THE best way to scoop cupcakes!! Try it!

cooling cupcakes.

German Chocolate Cake with the frosting. My Mom's favorite for her birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

the apron i made for my mom.

Now that it is summer I really am going to try to motivate myself to do more around the house and more things for "me time." One of these things will hopefully be sewing. I have a few projects worth of fabric in my room and am determined to do those projects before I buy anything else...we'll see how that goes! One project was to make a few more reusable bags...here is one. I LOVE this yellow and green fabric with the white. Very summer but not too loud/bright. I think the blue handle was the right choice!

The bag. It is pretty big...

Inside the bag.

I tried a new "stich". I need to work on it. I tried to do this in one continual motion but that meant sometimes I had to dew backyard for one (or two) of the sides...but for the first time I'd say it looks okay. Definitely something I want to perfect (eventually)...

I have at least two more bags I'm going to make out of this fabric...maybe I'll send one to you ;-)

voltuneer tea with cupcakes...

I did do a little bit of cake decorating this month. After the hit of my last batch of mini cupcakes it was requested I make more for the Volunteer Tea my school puts on for all the volunteer parents. I happily obliged...with delicious and pretty results. Though next time I know not to put the fresh strawberries on top of white frosting too early...lesson learned. Also, this recipe was MUCH better than the batch I made for my own birthday. I'm sorry Martha but your recipe did not cut it. I got a recipe off OnDemand of the Sprinkles Capcakes show. It was AMAZING!!!

Mini Strawberry Cupcakes with chocolate and cream cheese frosting with fresh strawberries on top. I did cheat at use store bought frosting...next time I won't!!! I was in a time crunch!

One of the two trays. They were a huge hit. They've been requested again...

attack of the minis (cake version)...

Last week I made a good luck/good-bye cake for our two student teachers Katie & Kristin.

Here are the pictures :)

this is what a KitchenAid looks like with a double batch of icing!!!

this is what my husband does with the cake scraps!

a couple dozen mini cupcakes!

a mini 6 inch cake. covered in fondant and bordered with fondant circles.

the spread :)

cake and a peak at the cupcakes :)

mini goodness!

(first) stackable cake...

Last week I made a cake for the end of secretaries week for our awesome secretaries Margaret and Michelle. It happened to coinside with my last lesson of this cake course...so I killed to birds with one stone. Well really, satisfied to needs with one cake :) I made my first homemade chocolate cake using Martha's One Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe. While I am not a fan of chocolate cake...it was a HUGE hit. I filled it with starwberry filling. Here are the pictures!

new way of frosting. just pipe it on!!! so easy and even.

crumb coat.

homemade fondant. yummy and pretty! and really easy to work with *surprisingly

both tiers covered. found out the next day I shouldn't have put them in the freezer...

stacked. the long dowel was to keep it from falling over in the car...

since I am not good at freehand artwork...i traced :)

paw print on. now to cover up the cracks...look at the where the red icing is...

decorating in class :)

fully decorated. simple yet fun.

it is totally leaning to the left...whoops!

@ work setting up.

helping to decorate the table.

every friday a different team is in charge of snacks. it is great!!!