Finally! I'm back!

Yikes! I cannot believe how crazy our lives have been. We have had a LOT going on in our house the last few months including a big move. Now that we are settled I can once again start posting on my favorite topic- Cakes!

In honor of the new Star Trek that's just come out, I'm posting the closest thing I have: Star Wars Clone Wars.
I know, I know, it's NOT the same thing (my hubby is a Sci-Fi fan, I know these things). It is however, the closest thing I've got since I've never been commissioned to make a Trek cake. And it does have the word STAR in it, so that counts, right??

Everything on this was hand made from either fondant or gumpaste and painted. No- it is not the original WARS, hence the difference in Yoda's look. I was pretty happy with how this turned out and I think the birthday boy liked it too!

Nascar headache

It's finished!

After 18 hours of work- and loads of stressing and headache- the Nascar cake is finished!

I'm very thankful I have a husband who likes to help me when I'm stressed out. He stepped in and helped with all the tiny cutting out of each letter to go onto this cake.
We worked on it together for 5 hours!

Every aspect of this really was a headache with no major emergencies, but it took lots of patience.
I used the official Nascar cake pan- only to be disappointed that it wasn't really in the shape of an actual Nascar, and still required lots of carving.
Alas, the finished product: The perfectionist inside me isn't at all happy, but next time I will know how to better time it...... WAIT! There won't be a next time!!! Never again!

To help de-stress, we went to a local Ethiopian church yesterday. The obviously do everything in their native language of Amharic, which is beautiful to listen to!
The worship time was nothing short of amazing, and even though I couldn't understand a word they were singing, it brought me to tears.
They were gracious enough to give us a headset in which someone in a different room was translating the service into English- we were very thankful to that lady. Our brothers and sisters in Christ were very warm and welcoming to us and I got over feeling like we were sticking out like a sore thumb!

A week of Firsts

Hard to believe that it is mid January already.

Your mom told the truth: Time flies when you get old!

This was a week of historical firsts for our country as we have the first black president, and it was also a week of firsts in our home. We got our first kitten. She still remains name-less at this point after 1 week of being part of our family, but she is well loved and brings a certain joy to our home as she pounces to attack our toes in the middle of the night.

In honor of firsts, I also tried another new cake flavor and I encourage you to make your own at home!
The cake itself was dark chocolate, dosed in a blackberry simple syrup. For the filling, I used my special dark chocolate ganache, and while it was still soft, I topped it with fresh blackberries- cut in half. ALOT of blackberries.
So simple, yet remarkably great tasting.

In honor of this special week of firsts, here is a first birthday cake. Made with delicate royal icing butterflies and sprayed with pearl sparkle, I hope it was a hit for the little girl's special day!

Good-bye 2008!!

Wow!!
Hard to believe tonight is the last day of 2008!
Ever wonder where all that time goes?
As I reflect today, I am reminded of all the ways that the Lord has blessed me this past year.
We've had our share of struggles- and those are the times that the fragrance of my King are the strongest.

I know the coming year will bring new goals, new ambitions, new cakes, new failures.... and I know that I can hold fast to the promises of God. He will still hear , see, bless, heal, and forgive. My hope is that I may walk in that truth in the coming year.

Awww... the Christmas Spirit

I don't know how things have been at your house, but things here in our home get CHAOTIC during this time of year. School concerts, school fundraisers, school parties, church events, shopping, shopping, and more shopping. Baking, cooking.......
It usually leaves us all exhausted and begs the question "Is this what Christmas is all about?"

This year we are doing something decidedly different in an effort to pull something more out of the mangled mess that Christmas has become. Focusing all things on Christ, they are giving all the money they would have received presents with, and have chosen instead to give to the poor of other countries.
Mom and Dad are still giving them one family present- but that's it.
This has done wonders for the spirit of Christmas around our home. Mom and dad aren't stressing with guilt of things we can't afford, nor worrying about where we will store all the gifts once they are opened. The kids felt great getting to choose where they wanted their money to go, realizing that they don't "need" anything else to be happy.
Our home have been filled with peace, and joy this year. (As peaceful as can be with 4 kids!)

All this said, I ran across the article below! It caught my attention since it is about cake. And then it left me to ponder how the Christmas spirit isn't always one of peace and joy. I hope it leaves you thinking (and chuckling)!

Stolen cake sparks bank data alert in Germany

Fri Dec 19, 2:56 pm ET

FRANKFURT, Germany – Two couriers at a package distribution center stole a Christmas cake destined for a German newspaper and mailed in its place a package of credit card data, prosecutors said Friday. The mix-up triggered an alarm over lost bank customer details. A batch of microfilmed data including names, addresses and card transactions ended up at the Frankfurter Rundschau daily last week — instead of the cake. Police advised credit card customers with Landesbank Berlin to check their accounts for inconsistencies.

But the incident turned out to be less sinister than feared.

Frankfurt prosecutors said that two couriers stole a Stollen, a German-style Christmas cake, at a distribution center in Mainz.

In an attempt to cover up the theft, the men instead sent one of several packages of credit card billing details destined for Landesbank Berlin to the newspaper, the cake's intended recipient.

Doris Moeller-Scheu, a spokesman for Frankfurt prosecutors, said the suspected thieves didn't open the package and "could not know what was in it," so no harm came to customers.

She said the two men had admitted to the theft. Prosecutors did not name the courier service involved or identify the two suspects.

Something fishey going on here

Well, with turkey day almost here, I am busy runnign around like a chicken with it's head cut off. (Speaking of which poor turkey- we are resposible for the killing of 2 birds this year!)

The cake above was done this week- for someone flying in from out of town to surprise their mom for their 60th birthday.

It was beautiful, shimmery and looked like an enchanted underwater cake.

All the fish were hand cute, the pearls hand painted, and it had tiny royal icing detail. The inspiration for this was from a Colette Peter's book. when I first saw that book I loved the colors of that cake and I'm glad to have finally gotten a chance to make it!

Well, I have eggnog to make, tidying up to do. Happy Thanksgiving!

Monkeying around?

Ok- so it has been a while since I last posted anything.

I've not been doing much- well, as not-much as I can do with 4 children.

We've been able to have some fun times monkeying around lately. All that sugar from Halloween that we have *still* been consuming has left our body in extremes highs- followed by the all familiar sugar crash.
Picture 4 kids, all crazily bouncing off of couches- walls, balls, screaming, shrieking,laughing evil laughs..... followed by crying, more screaming, bleeding, bruising, and bumped.
Yup- that's been my house since the first day of November!
I'm not sure why we even allow that dreaded holiday really!
No kidding!

So on the topic of monkeying around I thought I'd post this cute cake I made recently. I loved making this thing and think it turned out so cute! All my kids decided this is the cake THEY want for THEIR birthday.

For those who are curious- it's a wondermold sitting on an 8" cake, followed by a mini ball pan for he head and a fondant "cone" smothered in icing and covered in fondant. Of course, cardboard is placed though-out as well as dowls and one big dowel through the whole thing.
Everything else is fondant too.

Well daddy took the huge bag of candy t work today and I say "good-bye! good riddens!" Now maybe our house can get back to semi-peaceful!

Which brings me to the monkey cake