{this moment} date night...

{this moment}

"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual

allergic to what?!

about a week ago, Gabby was helping me in the kitchen...i was baking carrot cake, so i put her to work grating...she finished up & i sent her on her way - told her to wash the orange off her hands, then come back & help measure...well, she must have rubbed her eye before she got a chance to wash em...because when she returned, she had a batch of hives all around her eye - like almost immediately! of course, i posted a pic to Twitter & Facebook right away...& i was surprised to learn that there are plenty folks allergic to carrots...something i'd never even heard of!

i've talked to her pediatrician & have scheduled an appointment with an allergist...luckily, she's almost 8yrs old - meaning, she's probably consumed most everything by now & we'd know if there are other things that she's allergic to...Gab has always complained that carrots made her mouth itch, but i thought it was just a ploy to get out of eating them...luckily, i've never forced em on her! i feel so bad for not believing her to begin with! she also says the same thing about kiwi, so i won't be giving her any of that either

from what i understand, the reaction can get worse each time they come into contact with the food that they're allergic to...so it's important that we go ahead & get an epi-pen to have on hand if she was ever to have a severe reaction...at least carrots aren't a common ingredient that might be in foods you wouldn't expect...& so far, we think that she may be ok with cooked carrots...she's eaten them many times & hasn't had a reaction

i know one thing...i won't just quickly write off my kiddos' excuses any more...they might actually be telling the truth sometimes ;0)

wordless Wednesday...Homecoming parade & Fall Festival...

local TV appearance...

a lot has happened while i was gone...the biggest being a TV appearance i made on our local station here in the valley...WHSV TV3 contacted me about appearing on their Daybreak broadcast...they wanted to showcase some valley talent - proving that u don't have to go to NYC or Baltimore for a specialty cake ;0)

it was so insane! i was the most nervous i have EVER been...not sure what they'd ask me or how i'd fit my little "how-to's" into 2 minutes each (i went on twice, for 2 minutes each)...the show is on at the crack of dawn tho, so i kept telling myself that not many folks would be watching (even tho, i'd announced it the day before to my 1100+ Facebook fans ~lol~)...but the crew there is AWESOME! so fun & laid back - they really did help calm my nerves

i came in & set up as they were already broadcasting live...Sarah (1 of the news reporters) whispered for me to come in, & chatted with me a bit until they went to commercial...as soon as they did, i got such a warm welcome! they all got really excited about the cake i'd brought in...& immediately got their iPhones out to snap pics :0)

they insisted we take one together too...

after just a few minutes, they jumped back into position...Yuna & Tom at the main anchor desk (& the super cool camera man at his spot...i think his name was Andy)...

& Sarah at her station right by me...

i got busy setting up my cupcakes - getting them ready to go on the air...i went on first at 5:50am...i showed how to make cupcakes a little extra special for fall...



the best part was talking to the kiddos on the phone in between the 2 different spots...Curtis had gotten them up just in time...the girls mostly giggled & told me they liked the cake (i made it while they were asleep, so they were seeing it for the 1st time on TV)...Jaden said, "i think i must be dreaming!" ~lol~ they were so cute! Curtis said they even clapped when my segment finished & we went to commercial...awww, i love those punks! :0)

about 10 minutes before i was to go on again, i got back in position & began icing my little cake - getting ready for my next demo...i had a clear view of everything from my spot - & everyone could see me...it was cool to be in the center of it all as they were on the air...Sarah whispered to me again - commenting on how fast/well i iced the cake...& i noticed that Malorie does the weather in her flip flops ~lol~

the 2nd time i went on, it was about 6:20am...i showed how to smooth a cake using just a paper towel...



it really was a lot of fun...& the crew couldn't have been friendlier! i was super tired when i left...but went straight into the office afterward...i signed onto Facebook & found out that Yuna had already been busy posting photos...not only the ones of my cake & us together...but more that they set up & shot after i had left & they went off the air...i was so thrilled!

they've asked me to come back again...the next time at Christmas - i've already got lots of ideas about what to show them...then maybe even again during wedding season...i can't wait! :0)

catch-up cakes...

whew - i needed that break...did u miss me? ;0)

here are some cakes that i've done while i was gone...there's still one really important cake missing...more to come on that tomorrow!

first, was a wedding cake that traveled 2 hours away...i drove to Petersburg WVa to set it up - what a beautiful drive too!

it was 5 tiers of alternating carrot cake & wedding white cake...all filled & iced in my cream cheese buttercream...i added a diamond shaped embossing on the sides of the tiers, & accented them with edible fondant pearls...the ribbon border & fresh flowers were not edible


then came a special birthday cake for 3 year old Kadin...i've been making cakes for Kadin & his parents since before he was born (his mama's baby shower cake, their wedding cake, etc)...he LOVES trains - especially Thomas! so this year, he got a Thomas cake for his train party

it was 3 tiers of fudge chip cake, filled with chocolate fudge ganache & iced in buttercream...i made Thomas from rice krispie treats & fondant...all the other decorations are fondant too...100% edible!

& Kadin loved his cake too! here's a note i got from his mom, Heather...
"I don't know if I have ever seen Kadin as happy as he was today when he saw his cake!!! Thank you so much it was amazing!"

i also made some cupcakes for a special birthday girl this past weekend...my customer's mother was turning 60 & she wanted to get her cupcakes that showed her 3 main loves...wine, reading & the beach :0)

i made white & fudge chip cupcakes, all iced in buttercream...then i topped them with fondant wine bottles, books & seashells (with a little brown sugar sand)


& lastly, this yummy cake that went to my inlaws yesterday...Curt's mom & aunt are 2 of my biggest fans...so i always have to show up with cake when we visit ;0) it was 2 layers of wedding white cake - filled with a layer of chocolate fudge ganache, then a layer of red raspberry buttercream...all iced in my original buttercream & topped with chocolate jimmies...YUM! if i do say so myself ;0)

thx for looking!

blogging break...

well guys, i think i need to unplug for a bit...i'm running out of things to talk about here lately, & i just can't seem to find the time to take pics, or write posts...plus, i have a pretty epic cake week coming up...i will be posting a special announcement about that, so stay tuned

but, i'm going to go ahead & take a blogging break for the next week or so...hopefully, i'll be able to recharge, & come back with some fun stuff to share!

until then...here's a little something i'm dancing to today - hope it makes u smile...

wordless Wednesday...mama said knock you out!

(something Gabby worked on in the car the other day...click to enlarge)

swingset fun...

i looked out the window this past weekend, & spotted the girls doing some kind of routine on the swingset...so i grabbed my camera to go check it out...they're too cute!

weekend cakes...

this weekend, i had 2 groom's cakes...& 2 wedding cakes!

1st up was this racecar...from what i understand, #11 is Denny Hamlin...i don't know anything about Nascar, but the mother of the groom was thrilled with the cake that i made for her son! ;0) it was fudge chip, iced in buttercream, then covered in dark chocolate fondant (tastes like Tootsie Rolls)...i hand painted the car with food coloring gels

the 2nd groom's cake was for an avid hunter...his cake was red velvet, iced in cream cheese buttercream...i made everything on top out of fondant/gumpaste...the tree is a sugar cone, with icing leaves

both of the weddings i had were Fall themed...the 1st was decorated in realistic fall decor - pumpkins, gourds, indian corn, acorns, pine cones & of course, leaves...everything is 100% edible!

the cake was alternating tiers of white chocolate almond cake, filled with raspberry buttercream...and german chocolate cake, with the traditional coconut & pecan filling...all iced in buttercream...i made all the decor from fondant/gumpaste & hand painted it with food coloring gels...the bride also made sure to include a little surprise for her groom...a fondant figure of their beloved boxer, Shatzi ;0)

the 2nd Fall themed wedding cake was a little more modern...the bride had found a similar design online & asked that i create something comparable...

this cake was all fudge cake, filled with chocolate ganache & iced in buttercream...i then covered each tier in ivory fondant...the tree branch is dark chocolate fondant & i made the leaves & border ribbon from fondant/gumpaste

here's a comment i received from the bride:

"Thank you sooooo incredibly much for our cake. I feel like we can't thank you enough. That cake was beautiful and delicious! My Husband says "Best cake I've ever eaten!" :) Thank you again!!!! Sooooo many comments on how beautiful our wedding cake was and we definitely agree!!! LOVE IT! :)"


thx for looking!

{this moment} best buds

{this moment}

"Photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

inspired by SouleMama - a Friday ritual