Sweet little excuses...

Wow, has it really been FIVE MONTHS since my last post?  Yep, looks like it has-yikes!  I could go on and on with all sorts of reasons why I haven't had time to update this lovely piece of my life, but with three little people running around me in circles, do I really need to even try?  The funny part is that in my head I've written dozens of posts about such wonderful and entertaining topics that it's hard to believe its actually been five months.  Oh well, life goes on-obviously.
  Now, about those excuses.....
I have, actually, been filling all my...heh heh heh, 'free time' with little projects here and there.  Mostly of the 'sweet' nature.  After some prodding from friends and family I have thrown myself into a hobby that is becoming a source of income as well!  How sweet is that?!!?  My days have been filling up with pounds of sugar, flour, loads of butter, and more sugar.  Not to mention cake pans, mixing bowls, and icing bags.  Yup-I've started my own little cake factory!

  It all started with the little humans asking for the most random birthday cakes-things like an airplane, or a carousel.  Never stepping away from a challenge, especially an edible challenge, I went for it.  My perfectionism would kick in and suddenly the cakes were getting attention from others.  I had a few friends ask for special cakes, and then friends of friends! It has all been rather exciting, and petrifying!  I was even urged by those I know to try out for the TLC show 'The Next Great Baker'.  Though in the end I was not chosen for the cast, the experience in itself gave me more confidence and drive to do what I do better each time.
  Soooo, wanna see a taste (hee hee hee) of what I've been up to?!??  Well, ok then-since you asked! ;-) Well, first a few from the past years so you can see the progression.....

  Here's one from early on.  This was Bug's 'Up and Down Horsey' aka the carousel.  It was definitely a learn as I go kind of thing.  She loved it, and that's all that really mattered.

  This little guy was meant to be a Dino, but ended up looking more like a dragon-either way, I love his cute little expression and mischievous personality.  :-) This was one of my first attempts at carving out a shape, not easy.  Especially since this was made with a super moist deluxe cake mix......live and learn.  Cake mix is not the way to go.  I love my from scratch recipes and will only use a mix if asked-though why would you want that when you could have a homemade, delectable yummy cake???

                     This This was a fun one to do.  Pretty easy and self explanatory.  The burger 'patty' is actually brownie though-even better than cake!  The fries were sliced pound cake that I toasted under the broiler-so cute! It was a hit of course.  :-)was a fun one to do.  Pretty easy and self explanatory.  The burger 'patty' is actually brownie though-even better than cake!  The fries were sliced pound cake that I toasted under the broiler-so cute! It was a hit of course.  :-).

So this next one......let me explain.  I asked the Hubby what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday (which happens to be on St Patrick's Day-notice the shamrock), he jokingly said he wanted a butt cake.  Well, I'm not not one to disappoint!  Hee Hee.  I do have to admit though, while smoothing the fondant on these sweet cheeks I felt a little odd......or should I say 'cheeky'!
Oh-by this time I was making my own fondant.  Once I learned that it wasn't too difficult and could actually taste like something sweet and edible (unlike the premade store bought kind!-ick!)

  Alrighty then, on to a few of the newer creations!  In January it was Woo's first birthday, and I decided it was time to try something epic.  Well, epic for me anyway.  A stacked caked.  Something with multiple tiers, just to see if I could.  It was also quite the undertaking because I had decided that making cool cakes but using box mixes to do it just seemed, I dunno, wrong somehow.  When asked  "Did you make that?", I wanted to be able to reply with "YES!" and really mean it, like all of it!  So I scoured the Internet and chose a recipe which has become my standby, I've even become brave and changed a few things here and there!  So that is Woo's cutesie cake! Notice her in the background looking quite terrified! Haha! She was probably tired of seeing the thing by then.  It took me a good three days from start to finish, and we almost had a tragedy.  The Hubby was putting it in the fridge one night after I had covered it in fondant and he managed to ram the side into the little overhanging drawer, causing a rip in the fondant and a big ol dent! Aaaaggghhhh! I freaked out.  However sometimes those things cause amazing results-if it hadn't been for that little mishap I never would have made the fondant bow and ribbon, and I think they totally make the cake!

Here is another January creation-the Maschine.  It's a digital music interface thingy.  That is my technical description.  It has buttons and knobs and can make really cool sounds.  Well, the real real one can, not the cake.  Although the knobs on the cake did in fact turn!  This was for a member of the Hubby's band.....did I mention he has a band? Well he does, check them out on iTunes or google play-They are called Spostah and their single 'Fire in the sand' is available.  Go now, I'll wait.  Seriously, it's a buck, just buy it and share it with all your friends.  :-) You can listen and buy it here too.
  Did you listen, did you like it? Of course you did!!!!   Anyway, it was a fun cake, but slightly annoying with all the buttons and hand painting with food coloring.

  So this was about the point that life started to get more busy.  I had some wonderful friends from back home come for a visit, I did all sorts of spring projects with and for they kiddos-all of which I had planned on writing posts about.  Oh, and Woo started walking, needless to say, life was instantly more complicated!!  
  
  This was also about the time I started making cakes for people other than family-scary!  The following a smattering of those-not all of them mind you.  If you want to see more you should definitely check out my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SweetLibertyCakes.   And while you are there, you should 'like' my page and share it with your friends!  Yes, I am doing a lot of shameless self promotion.  But hey, I'm a stay at home Mom that wants a little attention to feel special.  ;-). Thought I'd try the pity party route and see if it would work!

  Ok, enough about all that, how about some more pictures!?! 

Gluten-free chocolate cake and hand painted logo cake!

My first gluten free creation!

 

Baby shower cuteness!

A 2D Angry Birds!  I did a 3D one, you can see that on Facebook!

  

Fun Firecracker cake

So festive!

I had to add this little hand lettered detail-you know, more self promotion! ;-)

I made this one for a benefit auction at a winery!

We like to call this the triple tier, chocolate flower cake of happiness. With that much chocolate and fudge, how could you not be happy?!?

Lego!  Little fondant lego men 'covering' a lego cake!      

  

R2-D2  :-)

                                                                             

  It was bound to happen, but I was afraid, petrified even.  The dreaded request for a wedding cake.  Maybe its just the thought of a table designated specifically to display a cake, maybe its knowing that if the cake is off, the whole experience feels off....or maybe its because birthdays and parties happen all the time but weddings are a once in a lifetime ( or are supposed to be at least).  But I was afraid!  I sucked it up and said yes and started pep talking myself.  I'm still learning afterall-I'm not great at sugar flowers, other than roses and daisies, and stacking tall cakes is an skill that takes time to get perfect.  But I did it.  She wanted clean lines, simple and elegant.  Sweet right?!  Well, thats what I thought, until I realized that without alot of decorations to cover the cake, it has to look perfect.  No cracks, not wrinkles, no smudges.  Deep breath.
  To add to my stress, I had two other cakes ordered and due to deliver the same day!! What am I, crazy?!?  Keep in mind I still have all three kids at home being crazy and needy during the whole thing.  Yeah, I'm crazy.
             

Ahhh, but look at that.  Three completed cakes, all lined up and looking delicious!

                                 Lets just say that I've been feeling pretty proud of myself about this latest feat!  But I don't get too much time to bask in the glory of a job well done.  I have another wedding cake next month, along with at least two birthday cakes.  It gets crazy, messy, overwhelming and tiring at times-with cake orders, kids being kids, hubby and the band, and all the other little daily life things happening, but I have to admit that when it comes right down to it-I have a pretty 'sweet' life.  :-)