Luau Birthday

I was so excited to work on one of last week's projects.  I made a cutting cake and coordinating cupcakes for a 7th birthday for a little girl named Mikayla.

There have been TONS of ideas floating around my head for a luau theme, so I FREAKED out when I finally had the opportunity.  Although, once I put pen to paper to sketch my rough design, I found that the small 6 inch cutting cake was going to eliminate lots of those ideas.  It was just too small to convey what I wanted....So I played with it, pondered it, and came up with something I was very happy with in the end.  Also, I really liked making the cupcake toppers for this one.  I don't always feel that way about cupcake toppers, but this week I did.

Aloha....and Mahalo!

Flour Girl

Oh Louie....

Louis Vuitton and Chanel brands are popular topics amongst us girls....aren't they?

This was a birthday cake I made last week for a gal who loves her Louis Vuitton collection.  To add servings and switch up the design, I added a bottom tier gift box cake with a big gold ribbon and bow to add a little glam.  The Chanel lipstick and compact were specifically requested to represent the birthday girl's favorite makeup.

I also made Louis Vuitton wallet and keychain cookie favors.  Now all the guests could have a little Louie in their lives too.

Thanks for checking in....

Flour Girl

Happy Birthday to my Big Sis...

So, today is my favorite sister's birthday.  She also happens to be my only sister....but that is irrelevant, of course.  To celebrate her birthday, I made her a small cake for our family dinner yesterday.

Ya see, she is a bit of a country girl at heart.  She loves her country music, has attended the rodeo, and has been known to go to the races...that's of the NASCAR variety...not the ponies....

So, in honor of some of her favorite things I made her a chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream with a chocolate cookie cowgirl hat topper, chocolate fondant belt and "T" initial buckle with a hot pink bandanna to girlie it up. 

Happy birthday T...it's gonna be a big year, a good year...I'm banking on it.


Flour Girl

FORE!!!!!!

Last weekend I had the distinct pleasure of creating cookie favors for the wonderful people participating in the golf tournament benefiting Casa de Amparo.  The event was called "FORE - the Casa Kids Golf Tournament" and was held at the beautiful Rancho Bernardo Inn.

As you may recall, I am lucky enough to have recently struck up a relationship with these wonderful people that I told you all about here.  For this important event, I donated 150 cookie favors to include in the goodie bags of the participants of the fundraiser.  They also held a silent auction to raise funds for their very important cause.

The design was inspired by the fabulous Sweet Sugarbelle.  She is definitely one of my cookie idols.  Check her blog out.  She always has beautiful photos of her impeccable work, and she is always so generous with tips and tutorials for anyone interested in learning.

I hope they raised a boat load of cash for those sweet, deserving kids!

Thanks for stopping by...

Flour Girl

A Cake for a Worthy Cause

You may remember the ladybug cake I did for Kylie via the Icing Smiles Foundation that I showed you here.

After that experience, I realized I had been bit by the bug.  No pun intended....

I loved having the opportunity to create something special for someone who really deserved it.  Someone who may not have the opportunity, means, or even the inclination to obtain a custom cake to celebrate an important occasion.

I learned that I had a valuable opportunity to give something that was unique and really very special to both the recipient and me personally.

In looking at what I do, I realize that from the outside it may only seem like...well...a cake.  You sing happy birthday, for he's a jolly good fellow, etc, you cut it up and it's dessert.  But, since I have been in this world of creative confections, I have come to intimately understand how personal this is.  When you create a custom cake, cookies, cupcakes, etc, you are creating a centerpiece for a gathering, event, or occasion that will be remembered for years to come.  Not only is it in the all too important candle blowing photos, many times custom cakes serve as the main focal point to the entire decor, a talking point for mingling, and really is an opportunity to reflect the recipient's personal interests, personality and favorite things.

This alone is special combined with the fact that so much effort, time, and personal investment goes into each project on my part, that I truly feel that I am an important part of their important day.  Even when I am not....invited :o)
This leads me to today's post.  After the experience with Icing Smiles, I wanted more opportunities to contribute in this way.  But the question was how....

I remembered that there was a children's shelter located in the area for children in circumstances of abuse and neglect.  Children who have been removed from their families for one reason or another for their own safety and well being.  This was my cause.  This was the perfect fit.

I contacted the people over at Casa de Amparo to see about donating birthday cakes for the participants of their organization.  Kids I knew probably never really had special birthday cakes.  It took several weeks to set up this new relationship, but boy was I ever super excited.

This week I made my very first birthday cake for the folks over at Casa de Amparo.  There were 5 birthdays this month, so I incorporated all the names on the top tier. 

See!... more polka dots as promised.  This time with randomly set colors.  I liked the look.  What do you think?

And a crazy loopy bow to top it off!

Looking at it in retrospect...it sorta looks like a baby shower cake.  Oops!  But I really liked the overall look.  I love the mod dots, and the colors are summery and fit for a boy or a girl without being too girly.  Boys are always tricky, and this cake was for 4 guys and 1 gal.

Thanks for stopping by!

Flour Girl

Polka Dots

A while back I was asked to make a cake for a little girl's birthday party to be held at Chuck E. Cheese's.  The ultimate design was up to me, as long as I used the signature Chuck E. Cheese colors of electric green and purple, and incorporated a "cute mouse" in the design.

I love when I can choose the design...but it also drives me CA-RA-ZEEEEEE.

You see, in general, I have about a bazillion ideas floating around my head.  Things I'd love to try.  So, when I am told to do whatever I want to do...I get super excited, but then a little exasperated and coo-coo as I try to plan the design.  What of those bazillion things can I make work for this occasion?  Do I like that color scheme with it though?  Can I make a flowery cake for a teenage boy and it not be weird????

So, for this cake I finally settled on modern dots, a big bow, and a mouse...but not just any mouse, THE mouse....Chuck E Cheese on top.

For this mod, polka dot scheme, I wanted it to be very structured, very planned, very...even.  I stuck to a color pattern.  I loved it.

Then when I was done, I sat Chuck right on top.  Perfect for the occasion, I thought, and he helped tie all the colors together and make it all make sense. 

I threw in some small flowers to girly it up a bit too.  This is one of my faves....I hope you like it too.

I have another polka dot cake to share tomorrow.....

Flour Girl

Cherry Blossoms

It's August!  Can you believe it?

With wedding season still in full swing, I thought I'd share one of my favorite wedding designs. 

Cherry Blossoms!

Cherry blossom designs are a beautiful, feminine, classic design for weddings any time of the year.  Decor, stationary, cake, floral design....I love it all.  Such a popular choice for brides all over the world.  Cherry blossom weddings and decor ideas can be found all over the internet.  Chances are that everyone has either attended or seen photos of a cherry blossom themed wedding.  There is a reason it is so widely popular.  Cherry blossoms are beautiful.  Simple, but beautiful. 

This particular design, actually, was not for a wedding but rather a graduation party.  The design was inspired by the party invitations.  Before adding the topper, this was THE quintessential cherry blossom wedding cake.  I loved the overall look.

Three tiers, round, white with coordinating fondant ribbon trim and hand made fondant branches, leaves and cherry blossoms.  The second tier was an extended tier which just over 6 inches tall to add a bit of height and interest to the overall proportions of this cake.  I wanted it to be clean and simple, yet just a little more interesting.  Every cake designer has at least one version of a cherry blossom cake....so, this was mine.  If you haven't noticed, I love extended tiers.  They are so much more impressive.  In my humble opinion that is.  Not to mention that guests receive a more generous slice of cake.

Here is the cake with the handmade topper for the final look.

See...totally a graduation cake!

Thanks for stopping by!

Flour Girl