Top 5 posts of 2012

Well the best way to wrap up the first month of a New Year is to recap the highlights of 2012. So here they are the top 5 posts of 2012. 

Birthday Cake Pops

I made these cake pops for a friend's birthday. I love cake pops because: 

1. They are small &  super cute 

2. It's just like a cake but smaller so you can enjoy 1 or 2... 

3. Not as time consuming to make as a cake :)

Happy Birthday!

Sugar Cookies Recipe

I'm so glad that this recipe made it the Top 5 posts because this is the best sugar cookie recipe ever!! It never fails, it's easy to make and  it's so yummy! I've made this recipe so many times I actually remember the recipe to heart. If there is only one recipe you'd choose to try, make it this one. There is no better time than now to try them, I'm sure someone you love would like some Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies!!

Alton Brown's Sugar Cookie Recipe is the Best!!

A cute little explorer named Ainsley!

I made these sugar cookies, using the sugar cookie recipe above, for my friend's sweet little girl's 2nd birthday party. I made my own cookie template for Dora's face.  I got the idea to make a plastic cookie templates. Now I hand cut cookies using templates for those cookies that you just need to make but can't find the right cookie cutter. She has an awesome tutorial for making SweetSugarBelle Lego Heads, if you click on the link it will take you there. Actually I made the Lego heads and the cookie template worked so well that it has become my new go to. I've used this technique so often and I love it! It saves me money and space. I have so much cookie cutter clutter and still find myself not having one that I'm looking for so I just make one.

 Dora the Explorer

Roses are red....How to make rolled fondant roses!!

With Valentine's day right around the corner, these mini roses would be a pretty addition to any cookie and cupcake. Made them from scratch or just spruce up some store bought ones either way your loved ones will be so impressed. What a great way to show someone how much they mean to you. 

I use these mini roses all the time. It's a great way to use up any leftover fondant, place them in mini ziploc baggies to keep fresh, they last a very long time but rarely do :) 

And the top post of 2012 is....

You're never to old to play with Legos

I mention earlier that I had made these using SweetSugar Belle Lego Head's template, it was the first time I tried this technique. I've been hooked since. I love the fact that I can make my own free cookie templates anytime. 

I made these Lego Head for a sweet boy named Matteo. He was turning 6 years old and had a Lego theme party. All the kiddos got these cookies as party favors. This year Matteo had a Sponge Bob Square Pants theme Birthday party. 

  I made Sponge Bob heads and Patrick cookies for party favors. I used the cookie template to make Patrick. I always look forward to making Matteo's cookie favours, it keeps me young & hip, even though I usually have to Google the subject to find out what it is. Okay I'm not young and hip but I get to live vicariously through the cookies, cupcakes, cake pops and cakes I make for all the kids. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

~ Sponge Bob Square Pants & Patrick~

Sponge Bob

Patrick

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to visit my blog. Hopefully you found a recipe or two that you made and enjoyed. I've been busy in kitchen, this year, and I hope you stop by to check out my new creations. 

Thanks for stopping by,

With Love,

Katya

A sweet little boy

I'm so excited that I'm a great aunt to a sweet little boy named Caleb. I've made many baby shower cakes and cookies in the past but there was something very special about making it for my first grandnephew!  Congratulations to my niece and nephew, may God bless your family and fill your home with love, laughter and pitter-patter of small feet!  

When I saw these adorable little blue birds I decided to use the bluebird theme when making the cake and cookies. Sweet little bluebirds for a sweet little boy!! Tweet! Tweet!

~ We celebrate the beautiful bluebird as a symbol of love, hope and happiness.- Larry Zeleny ~

I have just bought a new cookie cutter in the shape of a onesie so I used it to make these cute party favors.

I made baby blue polka dot onesies and baby bottles with blue lids to match. I made some round mini's covered with white and blue non-parils. Personal I like the mini's the best, I think they're the perfect little bite!! If you want to try making some decorated sugar cookies go here to try my favorite sugar cookie recipe.

I made a light green set of onesies, baby bottles and mini's too! With the leftover royal icing, click here for SweetBakedLove's royal icing recipe, I made tiny little blue birds to add to the fronts of the onesies. I made the tiny blue birds on waxed paper and dried them separately, then attach them to the front with a little dab of royal icing.  

I packaged the cookies in little baggie and tied them with ribbons. I also bought these really cute pastel baskets for $.50!!! What a great deal and they were the perfect container to put the cookies into.

So one day I was pinning away on Pinterest and came across the cutest little blue birdie ever. They were baby blue Jordan Almonds with royal icing piped faces. You can find the Jordan Almond Blue Birdie tutorial here on The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle blog site.

By the way if you haven't checked out 

Pinterest yet you should, it's a virtual pinboard. You can share and organize all your beautiful crafts, baking and more here.

See, I told they are adorable!

So cute and so easy to make!!

Only thing left was the cake. After a lot of brain storming and after rifling through all my decorating supplies I had a 'Eureka' moment!

I had bought these little baby clothes cutters a while back and had always wanted to use them. Baby clothes + bluebirds = Clothesline Baby Shower Cake with delicate flowers and of course lots and lots of bluebirds.

Once I had made a simple sketch of the cake I was on the way to making a lot of baby clothes, bluebirds, flowers, and letters.

Baby Clothes and Daffodils...

Welcome Baby Caleb!

Foxgloves and bluebirds!

Cake decorations all done time to make a cake....

Bluebirds sitting on fence posts....

Bluebirds sitting in a bush...

When I made the gumpaste baby clothes I used a clean thin pin to pierce a hole through the top of the shirts and onesies so that once they were completely dry I could thread a clear nylon string through the pre-made holes and actually "hang" the clothes on the line.

 I hang baby clothes all around the sides of the cake which I attached with royal icing. Foxgloves and daffodils adorned the sides too!

Chocolate Cake with Oreo Cookie Swiss Meringue buttercream.

Welcome to the World!

Bluebirds galore....from the cake to the cookie and even the almonds!!   

And this was just part of the beautiful and delicious spread that was enjoyed by all at the shower.

My sister-in-law and little niece made some very delicious snacks, treats and drinks.

Here's a few of my favorite:

"Babies in blankets" - lil smokies wrapped in puff pastry. How cute, hey?

Mini croissants with a delicious crab filling.

Tortilla rolls filled with cheese, meat and veggies. These were so good:)

Fruit Kebabs!

A very delicious blue punch my niece made, it was so good. It had ice cream in it, that should explain it all :)

A great time was had by all. There were grandmother, great grandmothers, aunties, great aunties, family and friends all together to celebrate the birth of a beautiful baby boy. My niece is gonna be a wonderful momma with a very stylish baby boy. So many adorable outfits for a boy...little sweaters, matching booties, suits and more. I think everyone had a good time and as for little baby Caleb he spent most of the time peacefully sleeping completely unaware that this party was for him....

To the new mommy and daddy, enjoy your journey into parenthood and have fun!! Lots of love and best wishes for your future with your new baby boy.

And now for a blast from the past. The second cake, in my decorating history, that I attempted to make was a baby shower cake for my nephew Jonah's baby shower. I made it when cake making wasn't as popular and there weren't nearly as many gadgets and products to choose from but I still think it turned out great!! 

Well thanks for sticking with me through this long post! Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a great week:)

Thanks for stopping by,

Love