Ghost Cookies!

Yes, I attempted cookies again.  But hey, practice is supposed to make better right?  I think I'll need much more practice, but I do know that I'm getting a little better at it?  A little more patient, perhaps?

So, at work we have the perfect birthday schedule.  Annie's birthday is today, Jen's birthday is tomorrow, and my birthday is Saturday! Sooooo I decided to make some cookies for them.  I made a runner for Annie because she's crazy marathon lady, and a dancer for Jen because she's a ballerina. :)  I made pumpkins and ghosts out of the extra dough to bring to work also, plainly because it's October. The greatest month ever.










Now, I didn't get a picture of the people cookies, because 1. they suck and 2. I was rushing.  I was a little more proud of my outlining this time.  I tried to make the texture pattern with the pumpkins but my icing was too runny the first pumpkin around.  I tried adding some powdered sugar to make it a little thicker, and it SORT of worked. You can see it pretty well in the picture!  I don't think I chose the best ghost to take a picture of, as you can tell from the bottom... it is also a bit dark, but whatever.  Keeeeeeeeeeeeeep on practicing...

Caramel Apples

I'm absolutely in love with Fall, and I cannot tell you how much I was looking forward to Fall festivities.  :)  First, I love the weather; although this Indian Summer's getting to be a bit much for me.  It's nice and all, but I want my low 60s sunny weather back please.  Thanks.  But anyhow, I love everything about fall, the weather, the food, the holidays. I cannot tell you how much I look forward to pumpkins, candy, turkey and all.  But the thing I look MOST forward to, is caramel apples.  I wait for the day the Walgreens by my house has them right in front of the register, that's when I know the best time of year is approaching. :)

Now, I tried making caramel apples one time, but with caramel candies that I just melted and dipped.  Also, I tried washing some peanuts (because I can't EVER find any that are not salted) and crushing them, then rolling the apples around in the peanuts, but I never really seemed successful.  Well.  Today, I had the boyfriend, Damien, look up a recipe on his iPhone for a good caramel sauce, while I was cleaning the kitchen.  Haha, yes he does help me.  He claims he hates it, but I secretly think he's intrigued beyond control. Anyhow.  I think I dipped the apples too soon, because they were sliding a bit in the beginning but then really started to adhere when I came around to the last few.   You can see for yourself in the pictures!  Regardless, they were delicious!

Toddlers and Tiaras

 My cousin asked for two dozen red velvet cupcakes with.... TIARAS.

 

Now, I originally wanted to make the tiaras all elaborate looking with chocolate, then piping them in the design that I wanted.  But I had no chocolate and I haven't really done that before.  I tried with royal icing, and I just suck at working with royal icing.  I made it pink and piped it, and then formed it around a wine glass, so that it could dry with the curve, but I didn't want them to look so.... handmade, for lack of a better description, and they looked to delicate to remove.  I put a lot of thought and research into it and finally concluded that I should just stick with what I know for now and make the tiaras, which are more crowns than anything, out of fondant.  I just used a star cutter to cut out points and then added pearls at the tips.  Then those looked pretty boring and lonesome.  

So I decided to add wands. :) I was most proud of this part.  I cut out 2 stars for each cupcake and dusted them with gold pearl dust.  Then, I used a piece of SPAGHETTI to attach the stars to. :) That may not be original, but I thought I was pretty smart for coming up with that without influence.

To go along with this little princess, tiara, wand looking-thing, theme, I found my prince charming frog cupcake liners.  They went perfect. :D

So I made the cupcakes with EXTRA filling, because I'm sick of my cupcakes sliding around in the boxes.  I need to start doing this all the time because it definitely makes my life easier and puts transportation at ease.  I let the crowns and wands dry for a day and made the cupcakes, frosted, and assembled, the day of pick up.

After I baked them, I realized I had to put the cupcakes in the box before I frosted.  I've learned that I am terrible at handling them and carefully putting them in the box after frosting, I always end up with frosting on my fingers, which isn't always a terrible thing, but messy.  I hate messy. :(

She asked for 24, so there you go!

Thanks and enjoy!

Featuring My New Stickers

Just some pool party cupcakes I did today featuring my new stickers.  My boxes come in Monday, so keep an eye out for a new post!

 

Using Vista Print, I got my business cards and stickers: (only sticker shown)

More Red Velvet Cupcakes

So, I swear this is the last time I'm going to used boxed Red Velvet.  I was in a hurry to make them today for my boyfriend's mom (her birthday's tomorrow).

SOOOOOO, I decided that in the case I own a shop, my red velvet cupcakes will come with the traditional cream cheese frosting, with chocolate sprinkles around the bottom rim of the frosting, and a fondant heart, or fondant whatever your little heart would desire.  With that being said:

So, they would look like these except the chocolate sprinkles would be around the rim of the bottom layer of frosting.  'Tis all. :)

Baby Shower & Birthday Cupcakes

This time, with a larger order, I was smart enough to plan my time accordingly.  I made 6 dozen cupcakes for this baby shower, 1 of those dozen as birthday cupcakes.  I thought they were cute. :) I used the same concepts and ideas from the previous baby shower that I did with a few minor modifications.  I also used the extra for cupcakes for our block party tomorrow! See for yourself!

My whole week dedicated to these:

Teddy bears on top of smore cupcakes, pacifiers on top of chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes, and blocks and happy birthday on top of red velvet cupcakes. :)

Red Carpet Cupcakes

 Sultan Ghahtani: www.photosultan.com

My friend's daughter's 9th birthday is today and she asked me if I could create cupcakes with a Red Carpet Theme.  Cute as a button. :)  They're red velvet and vanilla.  I tried to be creative with the sunglasses, stars and the red carpet, but I think I just had a ton of trouble getting the fondant red enough.  The sunglasses were pretty tough as well.  Always difficult to do 3D anything with fondant, but I tried.