It's mid year and she's ONE!

We've reached the half way point of 2017. Is it just me, or is time passing especially fast this decade? Feels like the older you get, the faster everything happens, and the time to get anything done gets lesser. I think it's especially so when you have children, and I have 3!

We recently celebrated my little girl's 1st birthday. It's one of those milestones that parents look longingly toward, yet as it passes, the reality hits home that your little baby is almost baby no more. I feel it more so with my No.3, maybe because I know she's my last baby and I don't want her to grow up too fast!

For her birthday, I knew I would have to whip out my tools that's been in storage and make something very special. Although I've been baking but it's been a while since I crafted with fondant and I know that for her first birthday, I would need to create something that will make her light up. One of her favourite tunes and animation from YouTube's Super Simple Songs is "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". The owl and star are that main characters. I think this amazing YouTube channel is a rite of passage for any parent and child in the age of the iPad. I've used it with my two elder boys, and now 7 years later, it's still the gold standard in children's song and cartoon animation!



I've actually made this cake once some years back for a friend's son. I think I could even pull out a picture of that cake from my Facebook page - see picture. Looking back, I actually see a couple of changes in cake trends. Those were the days when fondant was all the rage. I had ordered buckets of fondant 5kg at a time at the height of its popularity. A fondant covered cake was a show stopper at any party. But trends come and go...now you see most cakes are covered in a smooth buttercream or glazed elegantly with chocolate ganache, while fondant only gets a spotlight as a design element or a character topper.

My Star is ONE

Here's my sweetie's Twinkle Star Birthday Cake! What made it really special was how everyone sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star as well and it made her beamed like a little star. Made my heart swell :) Happy Birthday Miss Julianne! Now, please take your time to reach 2 years old.

Baby Needs a Change

When I gave birth to my second child, my dear colleagues came by to visit and brought me the cutest cake ever - a diaper cake! Made of individual diapers that are tightly wound up and decorated with newborn essentials like lotions and bath soap, the cake is such a great idea and wonderful gift! And since I'm in the business of cakes, I gave it a go!

A neighbourly friend who lives in the block across from me is expecting her second child, a baby girl! She has an elder girl who is friends with my boys (they often say hello to each other from the window - I love our little kampong). Little M always gets to see the cakes I'm working on from her window. "Mummy, what is Aunty Debbie doing?" she will ask. My neighbour also has front row seats to my fondant-moulding projects late at night (especially when she has gestational insomnia). I kinda figured I'm probably the only lighted house at 1:00am when I'm working on a delivery for the next day. So I decided to surprise her with a cake she can use!

Here are my ingredients for a diaper cake...

Doll topper, stickers, ribbons and rubber bands

You can also include travel size lotion, soap and powder that baby can use. And of course you'll need diapers!

Roll up each piece of diaper and band it up

Bind it together with a ribbon

I bought this super cute fairy doll from Lamaze, one of my favourite brands. A soft toy makes a great  topper; much like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.

This is the top tier

Two tier diaper cake

To complete the 'cake', I got some themed scrapbook art paper and made the 'Baby Girl' tags with glittery stickers and paper cutouts!

Congratulations!

I got a message this morning that the little bub has arrived! Congrats D&T! Welcome to worthwhile sleepless nights all over again.

Handmade Cupcake Toppers

If you read my earlier post about paper crafts, you'd know how much I love making cupcake toppers. I had the opportunity to make Full Month cupcakes again and I convinced the mummy that paper toppers were the way to go!

So it was off to the paper shop for some shopping. I chose a variety of blue patterned paper and got very tempted to take up scrapbooking (ok, focus focus). But I have been investing in a variety of scrapbooking tools. Here are my favourite cutters...

3" Scallop Nesting Punch

2.25" Round Punch

1" Scalloped Circle Art Punch

With these, some nice papers and a colour printer, I could dress up any cupcake, and that's just what I did for Baby Ryo. The sweet boy received 50 cupcakes with paper toppers designed and handmade by me ; )

Sticks for holding up the topper

Glue down print design on the backer

And there it is!

Happy 1st Month Ryo

These were banana cranberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I piped a rosette and planted the paper topper. Don't they look amazing in a batch. I highly recommend anyone ordering cupcakes to consider these, I can work with you on the design too!