Flamboyant Mayflower Petal Cake
While Sydney was home this past weekend, for a VERY short time, we visited the Botanical gardens. As we walked around the flowers and greenery I saw a Flamboyant Mayflower and became mesmerized by it’s beauty! The Flamboyant Mayflower is known for its flamboyant display of flowers. In many tropical parts of the world it is grown as an ornamental tree and in English it is given the name Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant. It seemed kismet to spot this wonderful flower during the month of May, Graduation month. I photographed as many...
read morePurple Perfection Peony Spray
Peonies are one of my favorite flowers, we have had them adorn our landscaping for almost 22 years; I remember planting our first peony plant with Sydney (she was almost two) and it just happened to be Mother’s Day. As I was covering the the second cake Sydney came through the door ready for 10 days of fun (she is spending the summer in DC). I had originally created the Peony cake topper as another cake, in a long line, of 21 birthday cakes for her to choose from. The Peony symbolizes friendship, good luck, feminine beauty, elegance and...
read moreFabric Fondant Billow Weave Cake
I posted a few days ago Sydney will be turning 21, and I am creating a few different cakes for her to choose from for her party. This is the first cake for her to view. This cake is a billow weave, Susan Trianos has a wonderful video explaining how she creates a wonderful tufted billow weave cake. The first time I saw the billow weave I thought of Sydney, between her love of fashion and fondant cakes, I knew she would adore the fabric fondant cake. Generally, Sydney and I will construct a cake together via FaceTime, it is fun to create the...
read moreSugar Paste Rose
I love a full open rose sitting on top of a cake. It is a simple touch of elegance. I had planned on designing a few cakes for Sydney to choose from for 21st birthday party. The first element I need is for her to choose from is the type of topper; she is leaning towards a flower. She wanted to see a few different types, last year we designed Butterfly Orchids for her birthday cake. This year she hasn’t a clue, so I thought I would start with the rose, but I wanted to have a fabric quality to match the cake design, (I plan to explain...
read moreRoyal Icing Daisies
It would seem Colorado wants to hold onto winter, we have had 3 major snow storms every Tuesday for the last 3 weeks; today we finally seem to be warming up. I thought if I decorated some daisy cupcakes I might give colorado a punch in the arm, so to speak. If know anything about Sydney and I we love warm weather, once Christmas has past we start dreaming of the balmy spring days. Sydney and I find use out of the t-shape parchment paper under a piece cellophane and visualizing the nail head is a clock to insure realistic daisies every time....
read moreRomantic-Vintage Royal Icing and Fondant 3-D Sugar Cookies
I was organizing my cookie cutters, and I came across a beautiful copper corset cookie cutter Sydney had given last summer. I couldn’t believe I had not used it yet. Since Sydney loves fondant I covered them in strawberry flavored and mocha-cinnamon fondant, from Fondarific. The decorative details are piped in royal icing. While Sydney and I were FaceTiming she suggested they would look best 3-D on a fondant molded stand with royal icing string work. Corset Sugar Cookies: Equipment: Corset cookie cutters Square cookie cutters Jewel...
read moreVictorian Two Tone Brush Embroidery
I was showing Sydney a two tone royal icing brush embroidery (that is a mouthful), and she thought the cookies would be a wonderful dessert to create for Mother’s Day. I must say I agree, the cookies would look exquisite in a clear top box with a blush pink ribbon. In fact I am planning on remaking the exact cookies for my 99 year old grandmother, she taught me my early culinary skills. I can remember when I was in college my grandma would send me care packages of treats. The treats, I admit, did not last long in my dorm or sorority...
read moreVintage Easter Basket
It was wonderful having Sydney baking and decorating with me this past week, however I admit saying goodbye has become harder as she visits more often. I began realizing our relationship will be a series of visits and goodbyes. She loves living in D.C. and will probably go to graduate school at George Washington University. I am happy to see her become a self assured adult able to live on her own, but I would be lying to myself if I didn’t also admit each time she leaves I have this empty feeling (my heart hurts). While she was here we...
read moreEaster Egg Cookie
I was inspired to create a sugar cookie with frills from a Craftsy video and a beautiful fluted egg cookie cutter I purchased at Copper Gifts. The design is a collaboration between Sydney and myself, we wanted something different and frills seemed perfect. The fondant is a monochromatic pink-purple color as are the frilled wrapped roses. To add an elegant touch we subtly colored the edges of the frills with antique gold lustre. While frilling the section Sydney thought this would be a fun project to create with your children. After many...
read moreGluten Free Pâte à Croissants
I adore a warm buttery flaky croissant with a strong cup of coffee. A friend, Nancy asked me if I could bake some gluten free croissants (she has celiac disease) I was hesitant, but she was persuasive. Sydney explained I should go out of my comfort zone and try to create a flaky gluten free croissant, the worst that could happened is the gluten free croissants would not turn out. I reminded Sydney I am a perfectionist and have a problem with failure, I become panicky. Sydney replied back the only way to learn anything new is to fail and...
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