Birch Tree, Teepee, Forrest Cake Creation

Before I begin, let me first say how we honestly had very little idea of how this cake was going to play out before we started. We had a general concept in mind, but it was very rough as we worked out way through it. I cannot tell you how freaking excited I am about this final product of this cake! It may just be one of my very favorites! Here is the creative process.

We made three 10' round cakes and three 8 1/2' round cakes. We froze them over night so they are easier to dirty ice and cut out a piece of cardboard both at 10" round and 8 1/2" round. 

Then we leveled off the tops of the cakes. 

Stuck the three layers together and trimmed off the excess around the three to get that nice smooth straight edge. Then we dirty iced the cake getting ready for the fondant.

The fondant master at work!

Soooo beautiful. After all this time we still forget to leave an extra 1/2 inch when cutting around the edge to allow for a bit of shrinkage. Now that I've written it down we should remember ;)

Then we took some Wiltons food coloring (it's very thick and more of a paste) and started to water it down a bit to get the right consistency to paint on the cake. This was our first time painting on a cake so we were really just going by feel!

To get the lines around the cake there is a very fancy tool you can use, but since I didn't have one I cut up a few pieces of the cake boxes like pictured above to get the look we wanted.

I dipped the tips of the triangles into the food coloring and I drug it around the cake. The messier and choppier the better.

This is all by feel so be prepared to have some mistakes. That's what the back of the cake is for right?

Then I painted on some spots, trying to harness my inner tree!

While I did that Mom painted the top of the cake to look like wood and I added a black line around the outside edge to really crisp it up. 

Repeat the same process for the top layer. 

Then we added skewers to help hold up the top layer. We cut them down to to same height as the top of the cake.

Time to add the top!!

I then made up some teepee's out of fondant and stuck them to the front of the cake. The tooth pick poles out the top really add that extra little something!

For the top of the cake we made some fondant mushrooms and a teepee. We also added a racoon and a fox which I had made out of clay previously. For things like the animals I find fondant doesn't always stick and sit just right and it makes me nervous to have things not work the day of the party. Clay while not edible gives you that same look, without all of the risk. Then we added some chocolate rocks for the camp fire. 

The final product! Hands down my favorite part is the candle camp fire!!! I mean that is pretty freaking cool!!!

Best part was this little guy was pretty pleased! So happy with this cake! Thanks to Mom Tobler for helping with another perfect creation!!!

Fox Pinata

 Originally I was going to make this pinata (only not so feminine). I was going for quick and easy. The party was in two days and I didn't have time to create and mermaid masterpiece. Then I saw this pinata and I knew I had to do just a little bit more and I am SOOO glad that I did! 

I cut the pieces out to be pretty small (or so I thought, he still ended up being pretty large.) I made a front and back for the body, two ears, two flat arms, and a front and back for the tail. I just eye balled the shape and was really pleased with how it turned out.

 Then I added scrunched up tin foil to give his face and his feet some dimension.

 For his tail (not pictured I didn't want it just to be flat so I put a thin strip (approx 1") between the two pieces standing up to it propped the tail up giving it more of a domed shape.

 Then I started to paper mache. Little curved strips work the best.

 For this fox I only added paper mache to his face. This was a 3 year old party and I didn't want to reinforce the pinata to much so they would be able to break it. (it was still to strong, they hardly made a dent in it!)

Then it was time to add the tissue. This was hands down the most time consuming part!

 Then I punched out a 2" and two 1" circles for the eyes and nose out of black card stalk. And he's done! I serioulsy cannot even tell you how much I love him! He was sooooo ridiculously cute!

I had a really hard time letting the kiddos break hyim apart but he was perfect in every way! So proud of this little guy!

Grammy & Manny

 Just like Pa & E have a special relationship, Grammy and Manny do too. They are just so darling together with all of the tickles, giggles and laughter.

 Not to mention very elaborate kisses. Manny is quite the kisser ;).

 I could seriously watch them forever! It makes my heart so very happy.

 Duke especially loves to join in on hot lava! Last time Grammy came to visit for E's birthday we forgot to play hot lava so this trip we made SURE that a game of hot lava went down!

 These two look so much a like in my opinion.

We are so grateful for Grammy and how much she sacrifices to be with us! Thank you for all of your help with the house, cleaning, taking care of kids and for all of the super yummy food! We are so very spoiled when you are here! We love you so much and can't wait until you get to come back!!!

A Very Special Tea Party

E has been asking tohave a tea party and so one afternoon Grammy happily obliged. When I think tea party I think tea pot, cups saucers, a few treats and call it good. Grammy goes all out with voices, hats, table cloths, proper manners, and dabbing the corners of your mouths with napkins. The kids were having a ball. Duke behaved like the perfect gentleman! 

 Cheers! 

I love the little juice mustache!

Pinkies up of course!

This set was mine when I was little and I remember having my friends over for little parties. 

 Those eyes!

 Thank you for a very magical tea party Grammy! The kiddos had a delightful time!