Blake's Transportation Party

My friend Lindy from like a decade ago--we graduated from high school almost a decade ago...yikes/yippee--celebrated her Blakey's birthday with a block party where sweet munchkins took to the streets on wheels. At her request I mimicked a Hello Naomi car cake for the hoopla.

I wish I could say I made those gorgeous cupcakes. I wish more that I had one in my mouth right now and another in my hand to put in my mouth. Vanilla on vanilla...my favorite. So there you have it, the recipe for a happy boy: friends, wheels, and treats.

A Few Recent Cakes

 

Rainbow rosette cake for a quinceanera with the theme "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." 

 

This cake was for a stunning redhead and her vintage wedding. I have to throw in redhead because I'm married to one and might be obsessed with them. This image is from Amy Dixon Photography.

Dr. Seuss baby shower! Such a fun cake to make.

Kjell's Train Cake and Party

When you make your children have "Black & White" and "French" themed parties before they have any say-so, and when they're old enough to care they stick diligently to "train party" for months before their 3rd birthday despite your strong nudges toward "Volcano Party", I'd say you had it coming.

Does anyone not love ice-cream cake? I decided to make one for this event and since an ice-cream cake can't sit out for an hour whilst it's decorated, I knew it was time to pull out my candle-making skills from my college job in the basement of a lovely South African family with three of my best friends in our swimsuits. But I digress.

Candy trains, cardboard trains, and conductor hats were all super inexpensive elements of the party (more to come on the possibilities of cardboard).

I liked the idea of having the kids bring the tickets they received in the mail and My Buddy thoroughly enjoyed punching and stamping them. These beauties were created by Pink Piggy Design. Megan, I loved how they turned out!

last 2 images by yan photo

Clara's Woodland Fairy Cake and Party

My niece Clara had a very sweet woodland fairy tea party complete with birdhouse making, Irish dancing,wands, ribbons, sparkles...lots of magic. The cake was layered and frosted in a strawberry buttercream. I don't doubt woodland fairies do their share of downing strawberries. And mushrooms, but you can see my reasons for going full-on with the strawberries. Clara twirled like a good fairy should. Is there any doubt she was on mushroom cloud nine?

Rilo's Birthday Cake and Party

Such a sweet party for the even sweeter Rilo. Her mama, Bri planned an adorable library themed gala for the big girl. The invites are so clever and original but I could just stare at that book page wreath all the live-long day! I love this first image of Rilo. It's like she's feeling honored and surprised. Perhaps overwhelmed. Any number of emotions are washing over her one-year-old self. Also, maybe hunger.

images by Jessica Peterson except invitations, bookshelf and cake.

Fondant Quilling Cake

I take up new hobbies like ugly on a stick. I also misuse a lot of idioms. I would have been an excellent candidate for a Jane Austen novel (is she accepting applications?) because I could easily spend my life learning one useless "skill" after another. Playing the piano for no one in particular, painting for no one in particular, singing for no one in particular, quilling...I wonder why paper quilling is never depicted in the Jane Austen films since it was an excellent waste of time in the 18th century.
ANYWAY
I've been wanting an excuse to do a fondant quilled cake and the family get-together this weekend was the perfect excuse. Now I just need a bride to let me go ape on an entire wedding cake. Any takers?

Nola's Birthday Cake

Today I'm running around prepping for my baby girl's first bday party. Everyone discounts first birthday parties because, "they won't remember it," but aren't babies so deserving? I'm excited to see my little nugget (who suffers a milk allergy and has only known Oreos and Jelly Bellys) eat. some. cake.

Along those lines, let me share with you some images from my friend Kelsey of her Muffin's birthday and a little cake I made for her.  Isn't Nola sweet?

Kites

I love flying kites. I love flying kites on the beach even more...but that's another post (it's not really).  Seeing a kite in the sky and holding the other end of the string is a magical feeling! I'm wiping away magical tears right now. We live near and dear to a windy park and it seems like any day of the week we could get our fly on.

an innocent bystander in magical awe

Maybe you've seen some of the kitey celebrations circulating Blogland, but here are two of my faves.

what tops homemade kites?

 

Tracy Lau

 Ashley Rose via Green Wedding Shoes

Tutorial: Pie Pops

I guest posted on my girl Sierra's blog So Samson today with the Pie Pop tutorial. You're not going to believe how easy they are. Or maybe you will. You tell me.

Noah's Hoedown

My nephew had an Autumn Harvest birthday extravaganza I wanted to share with you lovely celebraters. His mother had all manner of sweet farming, hoedown happiness happening. Everywhere you looked there was farm fun, which is perfect since they live in a beautiful rural bubble in the middle of the normal world. And If you can't tell, we had a blast.

I supplied some pumpkin pie-pops. Stay tuned this week for a pie-pop tutorial!

I don't believe you've met My Buddy

The hilarious birthday boy

My farm-loving family