Let's Make a Cake!

So it's my turn to write something & I am feeling a little anxious as Jules has proclaimed me the better more creative writer.  Truth be told she is only saying that because I use to help her write some papers in high school & really that is where my writing career started & ended.  However I am determined to do this.  I will probably start off slow & I can guarantee that I will break most of the rules of grammar but I am going to try my bestest! (<See, told ya)

I have been out of commission the last few weeks after I crushed my finger to bits saving my daughter from a falling boulder.  That sounds so very dramatic, I realize.  I can only imagine how much more dramatic its going to sound through the years as I retell it adding more & more gory details about the dramatic rescue.  That is one of the joys of being a mother isn't it?? acquiring stories to one day use to guilt your children..or is that just me. (I'm sure you are quickly seeing who the better mommy is on the Sassy Mama blog)

Now I can post some gnarly pics of my mangled finger, however since this is supposed to be a Blog sharing all the crafty stuff we do I guess I will share my first project since the stitches came out.

I was asked to make a 40th Birthday cake...I was sent some inspiration cake pictures showing shoes, purses,make up & flowers & a request for the color purple...So here is what I came up with using that criteria:

Now at the risk of destroying the illusion that I am so very talented at this cake decorating thing here are few tricks/steps etc. because really anyone can do a cake like this it 

really isn't that difficult.

First...I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what I am doing...I took two basic classes at Michaels which were great & I learned the "jist" of it, and then I take that knowledge & just wing it & figure it out.  I continue my education by watching Cake Boss, Cupcake Wars, Ace of Cakes stuff like that.  I probably should take more real classes & really apply myself...but I don't. 

(are you also seeing who is the more "go getter" Mama)

The point is you can totally half ass this & still make really cute cakes...PERFECT.

So Lets Break this down.  First cover your cake in Fondant

 (this is what I consider the Basics which the Wilton cake classes teach very well.)

Then use cookie cutters to cut out shapes in the fondant you want to decorate your cake with.  To attach them you can use some special sugar glue thing they sell or you can use...a glass of water & paint brush...try & guess what I use. 

(have I mentioned I am the cheapest chic you will ever meet) 

 Now to get the cool print you can buy those Sugar Sheets things for only $3.50.  They are awesome they have a piece of thick plastic on one side which allows you to trace whatever shape you want with a sharpie & then cut it out & glue it right where you want with 

your magic potion...water. 

To cover where the fondant meets the bottom & looks unfinished you can use frosting or little balls of rolled fondant which I love to use.  The way I like to make the balls is I make my 16 year old son pry himself away from FIFA & come down & roll them for me. He complains & hates me the entire time...it's my favorite.  I then "glue" them on & take credit for them.

As it is you have a pretty cute cake...BUT..it's all about the details

For the shoe I found this awesome YouTube video where this girl gives a really good tutorial & she also has a template you can find by simply googling> fondant shoe template < in google images.  That Template was so simple & helpful & amazing & I sorta love the girl who made it thus saving me lots of trial & error & made me look cool & talented.(See the illusion slipping away).  For the change purse I just kind of winged it molding it & such 

& attaching two silver balls to the top.

Behold the template assembled...AMAZING

and  here is the you tube video tutorial I liked..also I do not use any recommended tools I may have to spend money on, I use whatever I can find that I think will work

http://youtu.be/z3IPKUnIuGw

Since I have no idea how to Blog yet & my teenager is not home to teach me you may have to copy & paste that link.

A few more details: the pearls are balls of fondant (I rolled these myself) and I threaded them with nylon string and attached them with frosting.

The lipstick is 3 different sized cubes attached with..you guessed it water. Cut the lipstick at an angle with a regular old butter knife. & smoothed it out.

The lid was yet another cube & MAC was written with edible marker. 

The little flowers are cut out with cookie cutters, with tiny little white balls glued in the center.

All of those details were attached with frosting.  When I say frosting I do not mean Duncan Hines it needs to be cake decorating icing which you can buy in a container just like 

Duncan Hines in the cake decorating section.

TA DA! That's it! Cake complete! Now I know this is not very professional. Its not the best cake you will ever see & I certainly didn't do everything the way they would teach me in the class (which I really should take)  The bottom line is with a little bit of knowledge, and a few steps all of us moms out there can make really cute cakes for our parties.  There is no reason to spend hundreds at a fancy bakery.  Of course if it is a high end party or a wedding or some other once in a lifetime event I would hit the fancy bakery because I am pretty certain they HAVE taken All the classes & it will look really good and everyone will oooh & ahhh...but if it is your 5 year olds birthday party... I say give it a try yourself & guess what I have learned? Everyone 

will still oooh & ahhhh & you will feel so cool like a Cake Boss.

...and just because everyone likes getting there backside checked out now & then here is the cake from behind ( have you also figured out who the more inappropriate Mama is)

Fall Y'all

It's Fall Y'all! I've always wanted to say that like I'm from the South! Let me just digress from what this post is supposed to be about for a second and say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the South! The beaches, the little girls with BIG bows, SWEET TEA, the sweet little smocked dresses, the accents, EVERYTHING monogrammed, the cute little Jon Jon outfits for the little guys... So cute! Anyways, on to what this post is really about.

So Sunday, September 22 begins the season change from summer to fall- Another good reason to throw a party right?? Yeah, I thought so too!

Luckily I was asked to help style a "Welcome Fall" party for a friend at church. Here is a preview of some of the preliminary paper products I've designed so far. The only request was to have owls in the theme- a popular request lately! (You'll see ANOTHER owl project I've been working on soon!) So I threw in some owls with fall colors and a pop of Tiffany blue to lighten it up. The menu will consist of yummy fall foods and smells and will of course include pumpkin breads and dips,  apple cider and of course caramel apples and those cute little owl s'mores I've seen all over Pinterest! I must admit, I really do LOVE Fall here in Ohio and it should be celebrated (it's just what comes after that I find so devastating)!

The Invitation

Any great fall party ideas you've done or seen out there that I should try out? Let me know if so!

New Beginnings

So the new school year brings about New Beginnings... Yes for my cute kiddos (whose pic I just couldn't resist sharing)... But also for me. I've found that with the kids heading back to school, I have a new sense of wanting to start fresh and start over in many aspects of my life. While summer is undoubtedly the best season for me (remember I need all the light therapy I can get and all the other seasons here seem to really lack that) I really like a new beginning to try and get reorganized... OK I'll admit it, not reorganized but actually organized. Like the kids, I do much better with a schedule and routine to make me more productive. In an attempt to organize my life, I searched through Pinterest to find some great free printable to help organize my days. While there are a ton out there, I decided I needed to create my own, that would have what I needed on it. I thought I'd share with you, just in case my printable might be of value to you! I laminated mine and just use a dry erase marker so I don't have to make a million color copies... There is a different one for each week day. Let me know what you think!
-Sassy Mama Jules

Monday To Do List- each day has different "to do's"

Look Whooo's Having a Baby!

Sassy Mama Jules here... (And don't worry mom, I would've told you first if it were me!)

So I was asked to help style a friend from church's baby shower... My answer, "umm yeah, any chance to party decorate!" So the theme is based on the nursery decor.. and the colors are yellow and grey. How adorbable! Needless to say I started planning and creating that very night, when at 12:30 midnight I realized I needed to get to bed (sooo not a night owl like Sassy Mama JJ!) Anyways, here are two of the rough draft invitations I designed so far. What do you think is better??

Shower Invite Option # 1

                                                                                                  Or...

Shower Invite Option # 2

Comments and suggestions always appreciated! But remember, I am a novice at this after all! :)