Cake Decorating and County Fair

September 17, 2010

Beverly showed me some more cake decorating tips and techniques today.

stars, lines, zigzags:

writing:

shells:

leaves, vines, star flowers, twisted flowers:

sweet peas (which weren't so attractive), rosebuds (which were):

chrysanthemums, and the beginning of roses:

We also did clowns, as you can see, and it is super easy to make them!

At night we went to the Garland County Fair with Erin and Josh, and, oh, boy, was the demolition derby fun! Josh was nice to treat us. We found the second heat the most interesting when a station wagon got stuck on top of another car, one flipped, and several were smoking.

But you certainly saw some interesting people there...

We also enjoyed cotton candy and corn dogs and dill pickles, and we looked at the lights and animals. Carnival food is the best! I can't wait until the State Fair so we can see the bunnies this time. :)

I'm now a Southern Cake Lady

May 30, 2010

LOOK AT WHAT I MADE!!

Josh planned a surprise birthday party for Erin and his friend Nathan, and Beverly asked me to help her make the cakes for them. I jumped at the opportunity to learn a bit more, especially since she's taken all the Hobby Lobby courses and surpassed them!

This is Erin and Nathan blowing out their "unity candle." (We didn't use candles on the cake because it would ruin them!)

She began by showing me how make the daisies and leaves out of gum paste, so on Friday and Saturday I made little daisies and medium daisies and all the leaves.

Then Saturday after Beverly baked the cakes, she showed me how to make the buttercream icing and color it and thin it and cover the cakes with a "crumb coat" and then ice them, all the while smoothing it out. (It is a PAIN to ice a daisy-shaped cake! :)

Sunday morning I got up before church and edged the cake with alternating daisies and make the bunch of flowers in the middle as the flower center and wrote "Happy Birthday Erin!" and piped the star edging.
I can't believe I wrote her name so prettily and neatly in cursive! AND I LOVED adding the little daisy and leaf on her name. It just makes me so happy.

I had no idea that I was going to end up being the sole decorator of Erin's cake! It wasn't perfect by any means, but I am very proud of my first "professional" cake. :)

Happy (early) birthday, Erin! I hope you liked your daisy cake. :)

For Nathan's cake, I iced the chocolate cake in white icing, and Beverly piped on a black mesh cage on the sides and placed a fondant fight glove on top. (Nathan is really into the UFC game. I learned sooo much designing this cake!) Finally, I added the words. I think he was impressed, too.

Zach is sooo impressed with my mad cake-making skills. He thought my daisies were purchased at the grocery store and said it was beautiful. Many people at the party said it was too pretty to eat!!

It's so much fun to make silly faces with my husby. This was my favorite of the night!