Wordless Wednesday

My sweet girl was the flower girl in her Aunt's (and Godmother!!) wedding this past weekend.
She wanted to put on her shoes all by herself...so intent!

Mother's Day Flower Pot

Can you believe Mother's Day is already upon us?

I know I can't.

My kids are lucky enough to have both of their grandma's living in the same city as our family.  This makes it fun to do little gifts for the grandparents from their grandkids on Mother's Day and Father's Day.  Even if this just means a handmade card by the kids.

We haven't made the craft/gift yet for this year (I know I only have 2 days left!). I have the idea, but my mom reads this blog and I don't want to spoil the surprise (or disappoint if the idea doesn't pan out!)

I thought I would share a gift we made a few years ago from my daughter for each of her grandma's just in case you're looking for a last minute gift idea!

　

Isn't it cute?

This is my mom's, which has the name "Nonna" written on it. That is what she is called by the grandkids. My mother-in-law is "Nana". (Yes, sometimes this can get confusing!)

I don't have any step by step pictures since I made this 2 years ago. However it's pretty easy to explain:

What you'll need:

Colored paper (or you can just color white paper yourself!)

Green pipe cleaners

Pictures

Clay pot

Acrylic Paint

Ribbon

Pinto Beans (or something similar)

Mod Podge/Glue

What to do:

I took some different colored paper and had my daughter do some fabulous drawings on them. Then I cut the paper into tulip shapes (cut 2 shapes for each flower that you want for the end product).

I glued a green pipe cleaner in between 2 tulip shapes. On one of the tulips I glued a picture of my daughter.  I also added the date on the bottom of one of the flowers.  I like to do this to most gifts I make so that in years to come when your memory isn't as sharp, you can remember when the gift was made!

For the flower pot I just used some acrylic paint and painted "Nonna" (or "Nana" for the other one).  There is also a heart drawn on the other side that is not pictured.  I then glued some ribbon around the top edge in a coordinating color :)

I filled the pot with pinto beans for stability and stuck the flowers in the beans.

So simple!

My mom's still sits on her desk at work. And this is such an easy gift to add more "flowers" as the number of grandkids increases :)

　

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all mom's this weekend!

Non-Edible Cupcakes

If you're like me, you like to add a personal/creative touch to the gifts that you give.

I always try to buy off of a bride or mom-to-be's gift registry, (because I know that's what they want!) but I always try to do something a little "extra" to make the gift more special.

I just seems a little more personal than "Here - I know you already like this gift because you picked it out yourself!".

So, when I had a baby shower to go to for one of my dearest friends, I first took a quick look at her baby registry. Once I saw the registry, I knew JUST what I wanted to create, from a gift that she had already picked out herself!

She registered for these cute girly burp cloths:

{source: target.com}

I was able to turn this cute little pack of burp cloths, into an even cuter little batch of cupcakes!!

　

To be honest, I didn't time myself to see how long it took to package these up, but it was no time at all....maybe 15-20 minutes. Tops.  And that includes my amazing photography.

After I rolled the "cupcakes" and placed them in the jumbo cupcake liners, I clipped some little hair bows that I picked up at the store to toothpicks and inserted them as "cupcake toppers". I think that was my favorite part. Now we're just hoping this baby has some hair so she'll be able to use them :)

And isn't the presentation so much cuter than just picking it from the rack at the store and stuffing it into a bag?

I did tie the box with some multicolored grosgrain ribbon (in coordinating colors, of course), but forgot to take a picture of it. I added it to my gift bag, with a few other things for the mom-to-be.

I think they turned out super cute!

You can try this idea with numerous items that a mom-to-be might have on her registry, including washcloths, onesies, or even socks!

　

And of course, it goes along with the theme of my new hobby/business...don't you agree?!

　

　

Hobby or business?

When I was growing up, my mom used to make us homemade birthday cakes.

Nothing overly elaborate, like some of the birthday cakes you might see today, but she still baked each of us a birthday cake and decorated it with love.  (I wish I had pictures here, they were great cakes, and plus, I was a cute kid! ha!)

When we were young, it was always a shaped cake pan decorated to the accompanying pattern. My siblings and I had birthday cakes ranging from Rainbow Brite, Bugs Bunny, clowns, baseball gloves, bubblegum machines, etc. I've even inherited some of the pans that my mom saved over the years!

As the years went on, the cakes became less elaborate, and the joke now is that mom doesn't even take the cake out of the pan. Just bake a standard 9"x13" cake, leave it in the pan, and frost the top!

　

I had decided after I had my first child, that I too, would make my kids' birthday cakes each year. 3 years in, and I've stuck to my promise.

Check it out for yourself (and please excuse the poor pictures...I need a new camera!

　

{T's first birthday cake & smash cake}

{T's 2nd birthday cake, Elmo of course!}

{T's 3rd birthday cake}

{T (3) & JB's (1st) birthday cake}

{JB's 1st birthday smash cake + mini cupcakes}



{dessert table at joint party}



　

　

As you can see, the cakes aren't overly elaborate, but I love knowing that I did it myself. Each year for Christmas, I ask for some new "tool" to help me along with my baking skills. I am totally all self-taught, although I've toyed with the idea of taking some decorating classes.

Baking has become more of my "thing" and now I'm usually the one that volunteers to make the dessert for various family and friend functions.  I've always dreamed of starting my own business and baking delicious treats, but honestly, don't have the guts to put myself out there like that.

Yesterday was my sister-in-law's last bridal shower before her big day (coming up in less than a month!!) and I had the responsibility for the cake. Of course I wouldn't being buying a decorated cake from the store, and I took her color theme and ran with it. Her wedding colors are cornflower blue and yellow, so of course that needed to be the cupcake and cake colors as well.

My father-in-law's side of the family is quite large (he's one of 12 children) and almost all remain local. I needed to be able to feed approximately 50 women for the shower :)

I made a very small cake, and tried a new "rose" technique I had seen but hadn't had reason to try.  I thought it turned out OK for my first trial. 

Next up were the cupcakes.  I made some mini cupcakes, as well as some traditional sized cupcakes, and did a combination of the yellow and blue icing.  "Rose" swirls, of course (her wedding flowers are roses, too!).

Sorry for the terrible lighting in the next few pictures, but the "cake area" at the party was on a kitchen counter that didn't have any natural light and was a little dark.  You'll get the idea!



{the bride's new last name starts with an "N" if you couldn't guess!}



As I was unloading the cupcakes and making my "cake display" more than a few people asked if this was a new business of mine or just a hobby.  At first I answered that it was mostly a hobby...but that I wouldn't mind if it turned into a business!  I had always day dreamed about doing something like this as a business, but could it really be a reality?!  Who knows.

At the end of the party, I offered my cake baking services for the next bridal shower (only a little over a month away....remember when I said it's a large family?  That means LOTS of bridal/baby showers!!). 

I also volunteered to make cupcakes for the bachelorette party "pre-party" this weekend.

Today, I daydreamed a little more seriously about making my dream a reality.  But on a small scale.  As in, starting with word of mouth among friends and family and seeing where it takes me.  Who knows, right?

Maybe this won't actually go any farther than just being the one who always makes dessert for family functions. 

I guess you never know for sure unless you really put yourself out there and actually take a chance.

Cheddar Cracker Carrot

I know I promised in this post to share how I was going to make my "chedder cracker carrots".

A little late, but here you go!

They were SUPER easy to do, but was a more fun way to give an edible gift.

(My daughter LOVED them!)

　

Here's what you need:

Icing decorator bag

Green ribbon (I just used curing ribbon)

Filling (I used the Target brand of cheddar crackers, shaped like little chicks - perfect for Easter!)

　

Ready?

Take your decorator bag. Fill it with your crackers (or jelly beans or whatever you decide to use).

Twist the bag.

Tie with Ribbon.

　

It told you it was easy!

(1 box of crackers exactly filled two 12" decorator bags.  Perfect!)

Enjoy!