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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I Was Featured! :)

How cool! ... 

I was featured on Doodles & Doilies
 

When checking my email earlier this week I was surprised by a request from Erica over at Doodles & Doilies to feature my blog on her blog!  I really felt honored!  Thanks, Erica!

The apple cake I made for Cara's teacher awhile back inspired Erica to make a cake for a unique celebration.  Check out the feature post here to read all about it!
Andrea - Animated Name

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble Up These Turkey Hand Cookies - November 2009

I made these turkey hand cookies as a little treat for Thanksgiving.  I saw the basic idea for them while watching Nick Jr on TV with the kiddos.  The first picture is of Our Turkey Family :) , Caleb, Carissa, and Cara up top and Ronnie and me underneath.  I only did one cookie each of mine and Ronnie's hands, so the rest of the cookies were just of the kids' hands.

Thanksgiving Turkey Hand Cookies - Turkey Family

Thanksgiving Turkey Hand Cookies 1

Thanksgiving Turkey Hand Cookies 2
I just used a store bought sugar cookie mix to make these cookies.  I think I used the Betty Crocker mix that comes in a little foil package kind of thing.  Whether you find a scratch recipe, get a mix from the store, or buy premade cookie dough, make sure you make or modify the recipe for cut-out cookies.  The one I bought had one recipe for drop cookies and told you how to  change it for cut-out cookies.  When I was mixing all the ingredients together I also added a little bit of brown food coloring to get the color for the turkeys. 

After the dough was ready I rolled it out onto my parchment paper.  I got another piece of parchment paper (you could use regular paper, wax paper, etc... whatever works) and traced each kids' hand.  Then I cut each paper hand out to use as my templates.  I placed the hands on the cookie dough and cut around them using a little paring knife.  I flipped the templates over every once in awhile so I could have some turkeys facing the opposite direction.  Then it was into the oven to bake.

After the cookies were done baking and completely cooled, I started to transform them into turkeys.  I tinted white buttercream icing with food coloring to make red, orange, and yellow.  I used that to pipe on the turkey feathers and the waddle that would be under the beak.  Then I attached a candy corn to the cookie with some icing for the beak, and I put a small dot of icing on the flat side of a mini chocolate chip to attach the turkey's eye.  So, there you have it, cute little turkey cookies.  The whole family really liked these special cookies, and the kids liked the fact that I traced their hands to make them.  When they ate the turkey cookies they wanted to find the ones that were 'their hand'.

We made yummy cookies and a fun memory at the same time.  :)
Andrea - Animated Name









PARTIES I'VE LINKED THIS POST TO:
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop - Homemaker on a Dime
Made by You Monday - Skip to My Lou
Tuesday To Do - The Blackberry Vine
For the Kids Friday - Sun Scholars

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Yubnub! Coatee-cha N'la! ... - November 2009

...which translated from Ewokese means Hooray!  Celebrate 5!  :)

I made this 3D Ewok cake of Wicket for my daughter, Carissa's, 5th birthday.

Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake 1

Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake - Side View 1 
Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake - Side View 2
Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake 2

Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake - Back View
Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake - Overhead View
Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake 3
Star Wars 3D Wicket the Ewok Cake 4
(The construction of this cake was very similar to a Spider-Man cake that I did previously.  You can find details on that cake by going to the post - It's the Amazing Spider-Man... Cake.)

More pictures and details to come.  :)

[Right now I'm just trying to get everything on the blog, then I'll go back and fill in details; you can read a little longer explanation here if you want. BUT if you have any questions in the meantime, in general or about this cake, please feel free to email me by clicking on the 'Contact Me' tab at the top of the page and using the email address found there, and I will try to get back with you as soon as possible. Or you can always ask questions or leave a comment about this cake by clicking the comments link at the end of this post. :) ]
Andrea - Animated Name





Friday, August 12, 2011

Cake Therapy :) - August 2009

My daughter, Cara, had to go to physical therapy for awhile after someone hit us in our van.  :(  I made this exercise ball cake for her physical therapist on her last session as a thank you for doing such a great job with Cara.  She really worked well with her and Cara really liked her.  One of the things they used during the sessions was a big yellow exercise ball, so I decided it would be cute to have Cara and her therapist sitting on top of it [not to scale, of course :) ].

Therapy Exercise Ball Cake 1

Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Close-Up of Fondant People
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Side Close-Up of Fondant People
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Overhead View
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake 2
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Side View
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Back View
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Angle View
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake 3
Therapy Exercise Ball Cake - Sliced Showing Inside of Cake
More details to come.  :)

[Right now I'm just trying to get everything on the blog, then I'll go back and fill in details; you can read a little longer explanation here if you want. BUT if you have any questions in the meantime, in general or about this cake, please feel free to email me by clicking on the 'Contact Me' tab at the top of the page and using the email address found there, and I will try to get back with you as soon as possible. Or you can always ask questions or leave a comment about this cake by clicking the comments link at the end of this post. :) ]
Andrea - Animated Name

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Pretty Pansies - August 2009

I made this cake with pansy flowers on top for my mom's birthday.  I made the pansies out of fondant.

Pansy Flower Cake 1

Pansy Flower Cake - Level View
Pansy Flower Cake - Overhead View
Pansy Flower Cake - Close-Up of Pansies
Pansy Flower Cake 2
Pansy Flower Cake - Close-Up of Pansy
Pansy Flower Cake 3
More details to come!  :)

[Right now I'm just trying to get everything on the blog, then I'll go back and fill in details; you can read a little longer explanation here if you want. BUT if you have any questions in the meantime, in general or about this cake, please feel free to email me by clicking on the 'Contact Me' tab at the top of the page and using the email address found there, and I will try to get back with you as soon as possible. Or you can always ask questions or leave a comment about this cake by clicking the comments link at the end of this post. :) ]
Andrea - Animated Name

Sunday, August 7, 2011

That's No Moon Cake... - July 2009

I made this Death Star cake for my daughter, Cara's, 10th birthday.  I also made the X-Wing and Tie Fighter out of fondant.

Star Wars 3D Death Star Cake with Tie Fighter and X-Wing 1

Star Wars 3D Death Star Cake with Tie Fighter and X-Wing - Overhead View
Star Wars 3D Death Star Cake with Tie Fighter and X-Wing - Close-Up of Fondant X-Wing
Star Wars 3D Death Star Cake with Tie Fighter and X-Wing - Close-Up of Fondant Tie Fighter
Star Wars 3D Death Star Cake with Tie Fighter and X-Wing - Close-Up Side View 
Star Wars 3D Death Star Cake with Tie Fighter, X-Wing, and Sparkler Candle 'Superlaser Beam'
More pictures and details to come!  :)

[Right now I'm just trying to get everything on the blog, then I'll go back and fill in details; you can read a little longer explanation here if you want. BUT if you have any questions in the meantime, in general or about this cake, please feel free to email me by clicking on the 'Contact Me' tab at the top of the page and using the email address found there, and I will try to get back with you as soon as possible. Or you can always ask questions or leave a comment about this cake by clicking the comments link at the end of this post. :) ]

Andrea - Animated Name