We Ate Cake

Yesterday was our sweet Charlotte's 3rd birthday!

Her big celebration was dinner with Cinderella,

but we did a small dinner and cake with friends yesterday. 

 I love to decorate cakes but haven't had too much success in the past.  This time I used this wonderful tutorial over on Prudent Baby.  I followed their directions exactly - for the icing as well as the cake - and I was really surprised with the turnout. 

Charlotte helped with the baking.

I finally did a successful crumb coat!  Thanks Prudent Baby!

I wanted it to look cinderella-ish without being obviously Cinderella. 

So the big C on top was for Charlotte and Cinderella.

She really loved it!

  Inside it was chocolate.  Yum.

So Happy Birthday Sweet Charlotte!

It seems to only get better.

xoxo

mama

Graduation Party - Swamp Style

Here are the details from the graduation party I threw my hubby last Saturday.  As you probably know, it is SO tricky to do stuff for guys.  You can't make it to "cutesy".  Ryan was graduating from the University of Florida, whose mascot is the Gators, and whose stadium is called the Swamp.  

So I went with that. 

I made the dessert table swampy with large sticks and assorted dried mushrooms  in glass cylinders, "moss" - green Easter grass, lanterns, and green fabric. 

The hat bunting was strung across the front of the table.

I made green, brown, orange, and blue streamers to hang behind the table.

I also threw in some books here and there - to give it the academic look.  The cake was actually cupcakes in the shape of a gator - from the lovely Hello Cupcake book. 

I made brown icing and mossy green icing and filled my pastry bag half with green and half with brown.  That's how I achieved that variegated look - I thought it looked more authentic than bright green for a man party.  

I made the graduation hat pops - using orange and blue taffy for the tassels.  

I covered half the Oreos with blue melting candies and the other half in white and sprinkled orange sprinkles on them for texture.  I put them on books covered in faux bois paper.  

Finally for the favors I made a play on the drink Izze by asking "Is he finally a doctor?".  

It was really fun to put together - and of course would work for a Gator football party too.  

Go Gators! jessica