weekend cakes...& another TV3 appearance...

this weekend was pretty busy with cakes...first up was a Candyland adventure...

Stephanie always goes all out for her kiddos' bday parties...check out this decor!

she wanted a cake that depicted the game, only in tiers...she just asked that i include a few of the stops they'd have at the party (snowflake lake, lollipop wood, candycane forest, gingerbread tree, gumdrop pass)...& that there be no candy used - only fondant & buttercream...this is what i came up with...

it was rainbow cake inside...iced in buttercream, then decorated in fondant...the candy castle up top was rice krispies, decorated in fondant

next came some Tangled cupcakes...

yellow cupcakes, iced in buttercream & topped with fondant braids & mirrors

then came a very special cake...this was for Mason, who's a precious angel shining down on his mommy & daddy now...

his parents call him their little peanut, so an elephant with angel wings is most appropriate...his big sis Maciebug is also sitting up in Heaven with him...

it was yellow cake, iced in buttercream & covered in buttercream clouds...Mason & Macie were modeled from fondant

last, came another TV3 Daybreak appearance on Monday!

they asked me to come back again (my 3rd visit)...this time, for a Valentine's themed interview...i made a cake to show off (& then i gave it away on Facebook), plus some goodies to show viewers how to create for the upcoming holiday...

here are the videos of my 2 spots...first, part 1...



and part 2...



i also wanted to share what a customer said yesterday on my FB page...

"My daughter just saw you on the news. 'Oh mom I seen that lady...look, look!' When I told her you make her birthday cake every year, she said 'I knew I liked her!' You have fans of all ages!!!!"

♥ love that!!! ♥

thx for looking!

xoxo,
sharon

RIP Shelly...

a couple of weeks ago, Corinn's hermit crab Shelly passed away...

the kiddos gave her a proper burial...

RIP Shelly...

xoxo,
sharon

happy birthday baby! ♥

we love you SO much!!!

xoxo,

sharon

weekend cakes...

"it's so fluffy, i'm gonna die!"

first up was this fun Despicable Me cake...2 tiers of fudge chip cake, iced in buttercream & decorated with fondant Minions...the unicorn on top is rice krispie treats, decorated in fondant

here's what Alex's mom said about the cake...
"The cake was a big hit with everyone here. She was so excited. She wouldn't let anyone have the unicorn because she wants to eat that all by herself. Thank you so much!"


next up was a Yo Gabba Gabba cake...

Brobee is Kingston's favorite, so mom asked that he be big on top...his body was fudge chip cake & his head was rice krispie treats...

the rest of the characters were there too...created out of fondant & circling the cake...the bottom tier was rainbow cake...

here's what Kingston's mom said...
"Thank you so much for the cake, It was absolutely amazing!! It couldn't have been better, everyone LOVED IT!! The kids couldn't stop going up to the table and staring at it in amazement. Again thank you so much we had a blast and the cake was the main attraction!!!"

as always, both of these cakes were 100% edible...& so much fun to make! thx for looking!!!

xoxo,
sharon

the mysterious box of fun...

right around Christmas, we came home to find a mysterious box on our front porch...inside, was a bunch of goodies for the kiddos...& a note...

it simply said...

To the Skates children:

I am a blog reader & I know this will keep you all busy while your mom makes those cakes. Also, ask mom to post your finished gingerbread house. I will be looking to see how wonderful it comes out! Have a Merry Christmas! Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

God Bless – your blog reader from VA

inside, was a family calendar, little stockings for the kiddos with fun bath gel inside, hats/gloves for all 3 punks, & a gingerbread house kit!

we're still totally puzzled as to who could be the generous blog reader...but we THANK YOU! the kiddos LOVED their cool hats & gloves! (which by the way, shows me this person is a blog reader - the girls stuff was Zhu Zhu pet gear & their gloves are fingerless!) & putting the gingerbread house together was a ton of fun! :0)

Gabby had a friend come stay the night during Christmas break...it seemed like the perfect time to let the kiddos go town on the gingerbread house...

the finished product...

thx again - whoever you are! it feels really good to know that there are folks out there thinking of us...& doing nice things for others...your package definitely brought a smile to all our faces!!!

xoxo,
sharon

Pinewood Derby 2011

Pinewood Derby car Den & Pack races
1/22/11

Curtis is super handy around the house...a killer electrician! but when it comes to wood-working, not so much ;0) i helped Jaden create a derby car last year & he did pretty well...even earned "best craftsmanship" for the Pack

but this year, i enlisted the help of Grandpa (my dad)...he not only helped Jaden carve/sand his car...but also taught him the names of all the tools they used, & how to safely operate them (with adult supervision of course!)...it sounds like it was not only fun for the both of them...but some really great kiddo/grandfather bonding time!

after it was all built & ready to go, i had Jaden give it a paint job at home...of course, it couldn't be any color other than blue! ;0) this year's car was named "the green dragon" & looked super fast!

Jaden won all 3 heats in his Den race...putting him at 1st place for the Webelos! then there was a 5-way tie for 3rd place in the Pack races...Jaden was beat out in the run-off for that - but was still thrilled about his Den win!

i knew you'd help Jaden create a winner, Grandpa...thanks!!!

xoxo,
sharon

ps. Jaden will get a trophy, & we'll find out who won the "best craftsmanship" award at the Blue & Gold banquet next month...we can't wait!

{this moment} snow fun

{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

xoxo,
sharon

catch up cakes...take 2...

a Hello Kitty cake, designed by the birthday girl herself! Juana came by & we drew out her design...she was specific about the colors & shapes...& was thrilled with how the finished product came out...

100% edible...rainbow cake, iced in buttercream...the kitty head is rice krispie treats...everything is decorated/covered in regular & dark chocolate fondant (no black coloring used on this cake!)

the best part was the inside...love the rainbow effect!

i also had some pooh cupcakes to make for a baby shower...

yellow cupcakes, iced in pink buttercream...then topped with fondant pooh faces & bees...

make that 2 baby showers that day...the next was for my cousin's wife...they're expecting a lil girl on Valentine's Day - so went with that whole color scheme...

Aryn's cake & matching cupcakes were all white cake, iced in a light pink icing...

the buttons & bow topper are made from fondant

i recently was honored to donate a cake & cupcakes to a local lady that's battling stage 4 brain cancer...her 28th birthday isn't until April, but her doctors aren't expecting her to make it until then...her best friend threw her a special party to celebrate Rachel's life & asked for a sunflower themed cake & cupcakes...

they were fudge chip & iced in buttercream...accented with fondant sunflowers

i helped a friend surprise her husband on his birthday, which is also their anniversary...he used to drive a derby car, so his wife had me make a replica of it for his cake...it was red velvet cake, iced in buttercream...topped with a rice krispie treat car - meant to look beat up & dirty...

& lastly, came this planes, trains & automobiles cake for 3yo Branson...it's one of my new favs!

the bottom tier was fudge chip & the top tier strawberry...all iced in buttercream...the buildings, & all modes of transportation are handmade from fondant...another 100% edible cake!

here's a message i got from Branson's aunt about how much he loved his cake...

"Branson LOVED his cake! I would pick him up and he'd say I want to go look at my cake...and he'd say airplane, school bus, choo choo! Then, 5 minutes later...I want to go look at my cake! So we just stood there staring at his cake. Then i uploaded the pics and he said THATS MY CAKE! It was precious! Aimee (Branson's mom) said it was the best one you've done yet!"

thx for looking!

xoxo,
sharon

ringing in the New Year...

with my favorite people...the only place i wanna be!