Boo-tiful Elegant Halloween Treat

With hints of autumn in the air I started to pull out my seasonal decor this past weekend.  Some of my autumn decor was from last year's trip to Dixboro General Store.  It's where I found these cute Halloween bric-a-brac ornaments.  (You can find inspiration in many places, and for me one of those is a store in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  So the next time you are out and about in Ann Arbor stop in and see what they have to inspire you.)



With them for inspiration, I grabbed some fondant and food coloring and went to work.  Molding my fun spooky specter and squashes out of a fondant medium, but finding just the right base was a whole other issue. I didn't want them to get lost in a lot of colors, or busy cake, I wanted them to be the focus. I settled on a whipped chocolate ganache-covered mini cake.  These mini cakes makes portion control easy and when dressed in whipped chocolate ganache will satisfy any one's sweet tooth.









This spooky specter says have a Boo-tiful Halloween.

Happy Birthday America!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day!  
Following is a light and very refreshing dessert for you to try for your next 4th of July Celebration. I found the recipe on Cooks Illustrated website.  

 
It's a fresh Strawberry and Blueberry Mousse. 

 I decided to use Ball 8oz Quilted Crystal Jelly Jars with lids which would make it easier to transport and the dessert looked pretty in them.


I started with the blueberry mousse layer first.  After it was chilled and set, I added the strawberry mousse layer.  The jars were then placed back in the refrigerator to firm up till time to serve them.  Just before serving I  whipped up homemade whipping cream.  I then added some extra berries and flags to top it all off!

 

 


 As you can see by the pictures, my nephew and niece enjoyed them.  My Grandmother (96 years young) thought they were delicious!!





Thank you to all the men and women who fight for our freedom.

Awesome Dad


Awesome Dad
By Saundra Jackson

He taught you how to tie your shoes.
And how to ride a bike.
He sat you on his shoulders when you were just a tyke.
He helped you with your homework when you had to pass a test.
And when your mother told you no.
You knew that he’d say yes.
He cheered you on in little league.
He gave you good advice.
And when you needed extra dough, no need to ask him twice.
On Father’s Day you’ll tell him that he’s such an “Awesome Dad”.
And he’s wished a “Happy Father’s Day”.
The Best he’s ever had.

Hope you had an awesome day with your father. 
I spent it with the "Awesome Fathers" in my family. 






April Showers Brings May Baby Shower!

I was honored by another dear friend to do a baby shower cake for her daughter.  This cake required the use of three different pans to create the figure cake; which was then covered in vanilla butter cream and dressed in pretty pink fondant.

  It all began with the details!  

Fondant buttons were brushed with edible Pearl Dust.



Rolling out fondant over an impression mat of spring ivy and giving it a light dusting of Pearl Dust.  



For the finishing touch, I added a plaque cut from white fondant.



 

Very carefully, as not to disrupt her beautiful figure, this cake was then transported to her shower. 






A new baby girl, 
So tiny and sweet,  
To fill your heart with joy!

Congratulations to the new parents. 



Mother's Day

Inspired by the March 2014 Martha Stewart Living magazine, I tried my hand at making macarons for a treat for my Mother. To give them my own personal touch, I added a few embellishments of drizzling white chocolate over them and then adding pastel sprinkles. I also added a beautiful fondant rose and in between some rich chocolate ganache.


“A wish for Mother’s Day”
By Saundra Jackson   

A multi-tasking wonder
A woman like no other
A woman we all know and love
A woman we call mother.
On Mother’s Day we’ll thank her with sweet sentiments and flowers
For a lifetime of her loving care
In just a few short hours.
“I am just a mom” is what a mom might say.  
But her kids would beg to differ as they celebrate her day.
So here’s a wish for Mother’s Day to moms both near and far.
A wish that you will always know how wonderful you are. 


Wishing my mother and you and yours a Happy Mothers day!

Dot’s Before Your Eyes!

Please don't adjust your screen, your just seeing dots made of delicious butter cream.


The plaque was cut from fondant and the birthday wish is written with butter cream. 


Wishing Fran a very Happy 50th Birthday.

Sugar Art in Michigan

It's been a very busy start to April for me.  #Michigan Ices had their Great Lakes Mini Class and Michigan Sugar Art Showcase.  Amazing how many talented instructors that traveled from near and far all in one place.

We arrived Friday evening for class registration: received our class schedules, and our goody bags.  The showcase competition theme this year was Steampunk with the public viewing on Sunday.

The goodies

My class for Friday evening was a Bas Relife class with Ms. Dianne Gruenberg. 



Bride in Garden 3-D Art

Saturday's class was The Pine Branch and Chocolate Pine Cone Class with Ms. Jennifer Dontz

 

It is all molded from chocolate. 

 

Yes chocolate! And the pine cone has a realistic look to it. 

 
The Mold
Working with a mold is how we accomplished the pine cone.

Our Sunday class ended with mini classes with The Cake Girls
In this class we were shown how to make a modern baby carriage topper.  


 



 

A trip to the vendor's room and a delicious banquet dinner is how we ended our wonderful and creative weekend!

Baby, Baby



With a little fondant, a mold and some editable dust you can create a sweet little sleeping baby. 


Blending the dust to flesh tone and sweeping it along the baby's folds gives dimensions to his little body.




With a little more fondant you can create a fuzzy soft blanket for the little guy to rest his head on.  




Best wishes to Sarah and Jeff on your little bundle of joy.  

Chocolate Ganache glazed brownies.



Nothing says 

"I love you" 

like a 

Ghirardelli Chocolate Ganache glazed brownie.  








Irish Pasties Corn Beef Hand pies

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