Really?! Has it been this long...

First, I am so sorry that I have not been blogging lately. I don't have my great camera anymore, and have been using my iphone for pictures. I like to post pictures when I blog. I love reading blogs, especially blogs that have tutorials on creative makings... so I thought I'd better get back on the blog coaster!

I spent a wonderful evening with a group of ladies making cookie bouquets and enjoying the fellowship that Christ has so given to His believers. I am blessed while living at Fort Bliss!

My sweet daughter turned 19 this year and wanted a cake that DID NOT say "Happy Birthday" on it. "They get it already", was what she pretty much said. So we went classic, with a Tiffany Blue Fondant Covered Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate filling.

The White Icing decorations are the new Cricut Cake Icing sheets cut with my Cricut Expressions and applied with water as glue. Stunning choices. She is stunning, so it was a perfect match. I love you Danielle!

I am working on some new projects and painting our quarters (not money, we are US Army) and will try to post pictures and step by step tutorials on some projects. I am really in the Christmas Spirit already, and am hoping to get some crafting done early. LOVE it!

Pink-Black-Green Challenge

The Pink Stamper had a challenge this week: Use the cricut and the colors pink, green and black for your project. I used the Home Decor cartridge for the frames, the "hope" and the backgrounds. Scripture is Zapfina font, the sugar cookies are home baked, as well as the fondant. The black swirls and dots are hand painted. The fondant is lighter in the picture than in person. I used a tin pail purchased at the dollar spot in Target. I am hosting a Chaplain's Wife's Coffee this week and we are creating these to take home.

Cricut Expressions

My sweet man bought me a Cricut Expressions

for our 20th Anniversary. That he even knew what this was, and that I wanted one shows what an awesome man he is. I adore him, truly.

I am thankful for him everyday. So I have been making some "stuff"

with it... Vinyl for my front door

Peeps bags inspired by this post

Strawberry Marshmallows dipped in Chocolates

and so much more.

I can't wait to try rolling fondant on the mat and decorating cakes with the cutouts.

Tutorial: Cheater Petit Fours

Okay, so have you seen this! This super cheater petit four recipe?! Really it is all over the web. here, and here and now I am adding a tutorial as well.

Yes, you start with these:

Your children will squeal!

Trim them into squares, as the family waits for the bits of snacks.

Get your rolled fondant out (recipe here) Okay, so take my word on this...don't use the store bought fondant, make your own. You will love fondant if you make your own, if you use the store bought fondant you will not be happy!

The biggest part of this tip, don't roll the pieces out like I did. By the time you get to the last square it will be to dry to form around your bitty cake piece.

If you wrap your cake and it crack, don't cry. the warmth of your fingers will make it flexible and you will be able to have a smooth edge.

See, if you have a round of rolled fondant, you can form it over the cake much easier.

The bottoms don't have to be perfect...right?!

Color some fondant green for leaves, and pink and yellow for flowers

To get the tiny flowers to adhere to your fondant topped cakes, just use a little drop of water. Place in mini cupcake liners for presentation.

Are you surprised?! Total cheater, huh?! But big bang presentation!

Rolled Fondant Sugar Cookies... REViISiTed

Table Favor Cookies for the Confirmation Students this week.

All it takes is a few ingredients...

Cheap ingredients!

To create rolled fondant!

This seems to be my "springtime" tradition... making these cookies, if you recall here...

Again, take my advice, and don't try to save time by buying the Wilton Brand in the store... you will NOT ever eat fondant again if you try pre-made!

A very dear friend was married and allowed me to create a cake for the celebration dinner... here it stands... after a four hour trip in the back of a SUV!  Congratulations Kimberly! Marriage is such an awesome gift God has given to us while we live on this earth, I am thankful for my husband today and everyday.

( btw, french vanilla with vanilla buttercream, deep double chocolate with mocha butter cream and all dressed in a creamy yellow fondant.  )

Spring Fever, Student Driver and well, what else?! Cupcakes!

I had to add these cookies too! Regular Sugar with Royal Icing and Fondant accents, Spring has sprung!
I just cannot believe that my sweet little girl has my life in the palm of her hands! Gosh how time flies! She is doing a wonderful job, and as usual is an exceptional student...we won't even mention the go-cart incident and how her breaks just didn't work! Really...she means it, really!

Okay, who can remember this awesome icing from your childhood, hmmm, ME! I CAN, I CAN! So I just had to create a chocolate cupcake, filled with hazelnut chocolate cream, and topped with the luscious high childhood favorite, and then, well, it just had to be topped with a coating of ganache to add to the indulgence. Do you think these will make it in Hallowed Grounds? This is what recipe testing is about, I wish you could taste through the computer screen!

The family also tested two separate recipes for the Vanilla Bean Cupcake and Vanilla Bean Buttercream and we were testing the cupcake liners as well. The top left is the one dd and I like. The liner to the top right is traditional and the center bottom is traditional baked outside of the cupcake tin...which one do you prefer? The sugar-rimmed cupcake below is the winning recipe though...the crumb was perfect, the other recipe "shrunk" after baking....cheer us on!


The bakeshop is still under planning stages, we are terrified and excited at the same time...so please keep us in your prayers...God is so wonderfully consistent, I know that HE will hold me dearly in all situations.

Molding Sugar for Easter

This is a simple and inexpensive traditional Easter project that you can do in an afternoon. The WOW effect is certainly big with this project! So, with pictures and instructions, I hope you will give it a try with your family! God Bless this Holy Week for your families!

Molded Sugar Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. meringue powder (optional, hardens end product better, but not required)

Mix the above ingredients and cover while not using.

Pat into a mold (a plastic egg mold would be fine, or any chocolate molds), pressing firmly with your hand. Level the back with an offset spatula and invert onto a sheet tray.

Bake for 20 minutes in a 200 degree oven.

Remove from heat, the outer shell of the sugar will be hard. Using a spoon scrape out the inside of the egg to hollow it out, this sugar will still be soft. (Reuse this for other sugar molding projects by re-wetting) Be careful, the egg can crack! Make extra for breakage and crumble up the broken pieces for re-use.

You may paint some of your dried pieces using food color thinned in clear almond or vanilla flavoring.















I printed out butterflies on edible rice paper with my cake printer, if you do not have a cake printer you may still make these butterflies with rice paper and the coloring as you did with painting your dried pieces of sugar. I think this was demonstrated on Martha's show this week.

To finish the egg, attach with royal icing (see blog about cookies for recipe) and nestle the egg into some Fondant for stability. Decorate with icing flowers and Enjoy!