Another Year Gone...

It seems to me that there are sometimes these great expectations of me...you know there's that creative lady...what's she gonna do next? Well, I have to admit...even the creative lady can't keep up with everything all the time! So, as the school year was winding down I found myself wondering how I was going to manage all the work you have seen on this blog over the last few weeks in addition to teacher's gifts and providing treats for Sarah's end of year party.

So, I did what any enterprising mother would do...I asked for drink duty in the class, but still couldn't sleep because I had no plan for a gift. While blog-surfing, a pastime I haven't had much time for lately I became quite inspired and then had the need to get out to get some fabric. Not an easy feat in small town Beamsville. So, I went to our local quilting shop and bought some fat quarters. And with them, I made these totes and matching gift cards...
As you can see I rolled the totes, tied a ribbon around them and attached the card. Simple. Sweet. Done. Whew! Another crisis averted. At least I can say that I did get one hand made present out to the teachers this year!

Now onto Summer vacation! There has been lots of rain so far but that didn't stop us from heading to the beach yesterday...
It's hard to believe that I could get Simon to sit still for a photo but there was no stopping Sean!
The kids had a great time and tuckered themselves out for a good night's rest...good thing too because soccer was cancelled due to thunder showers!

Enjoy!
Heather

Simply Sweet!

I met Elise and Emma just before Easter at my Easter Creative Kids Session. They came to meet me to see if they might like to have me come to their birthday party. Well, they enjoyed our Easter Workshop so much that they invited me to their house to celebrate their birthdays! I was honoured to spend some time with the girls and their friends!

Here are 2 of their friends decorating one of the most common types of cupcakes we seem to do lately! Flowers! I love these cupcakes!
We also made flower clipboards and loot bags. The kids love decorating their own loot bags! These girls were wonderful! They were so sweet and so quiet! I even had one agree that the presents she brought were for me! ;)

Of course they were for Emma & Elise who you can see holding hands on the left in the photo below.
Here they are making their silly faces...that's how I reward them after standing still and smiling for me.
I sure did enjoy this party...the girls each took home a summer bulb ready for planting in their gardens. That is the last of those...I have something extra fun and summery planned for summer loot bags!

Enjoy!
Heather

Better late than never!

I know Father's Day was last weekend but I seem to be about a week behind in posting these days! Anyway...the Sunday before Father's Day we had our Creative Kids workshop and had a great time creating these goodies...

A BBQ Card (there are orange flames just peaking out from behind the yellow), a meat rub and an apron for BBQ sauce and everyone decorated a bag to put it all in. Sarah did this one....I just love the gray hair with the very precise hairline there...spitting image of my DH I say! ;)
I also wanted to share with you some of the goodies we have been doing at birthday parties lately. I know I don't always get photos of the kids at work (what can I say, I'm busy!) Anyway, we have been doing lots of clipboards lately (I can do a clipboard for any theme!), we made shrinky dink pencil charms and decorated our own loot bags.

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Enjoy!
Heather

Nobody's Perfect...

So...I had to make cake for 100 people recently...a Canada Day Theme. Easy enough right? Wrong! Here are the challenges...

1. These were in the form of 2 sheet cakes - Not my favourite thing!
2. First Sarah & Simon were sick, then Martin and finally I became quite ill the day before they were to be picked up.
3. In my delusional state I had trouble making my Maple Buttercream.
   
4. I was weak and uninspired...and sad that I just didn't have it in me to do a better job.

So, I took no photos and sent the cakes off with my client assuring her that the flavourful cakes would more than make up for my lackluster decorating. You see she asked for 'healthy' cakes...an interesting request. So, I made an Apple Spice Cake with Penuche Icing and a Maple Cake with Maple Buttercream. I toted the value of using apple sauce instead of oil and the wonders of maple syrup.

Well, I got this note yesterday;

Hello Heather

Just to let you know that both your cakes were a great success. I have received numerous compliments from our staff. Even a staff member who is regarded as our agency’s expert baker, was “wowed”. Many have requested the recipes. Would you be willing to provide them to me with the along with the write- up about the alternative ingredient health benefits? The Wellness Committee has a internal website for recipes and I will post them on behalf of your business.

It was a pleasure doing business with you.

So, as promised...even if I didn't deliver in looks we've got flavour! I guess it's time to figure out this sheet cake stuff...I just don't know, I love multi-tiered cakes and cupcakes...buttercream is just not my friend! ;)

Enjoy!
Heather

It's worth the drive to Oakville!

It was worth the drive to Oakville to be a part of this party! Not only were we welcomed to join in on the fun but I had the pleasure of bringing the cake!

Happy Birthday Zackary! I think his parents are still swooning from how fast time goes by when you have children!
The letters were hand done in chocolate...we saved the top layer for the Zackary and his folks to enjoy another day.
Here is the cake in all of it's splendor. The bottom tier is Chocolate Sour Cream with Cookies & Cream Filling, then we have Yellow Cake with Strawberry Meringue and the top tier alternates between chocolate and yellow cakes with more Strawberry Meringue.We hope you enjoyed your birthday and are looking forward to watching you grow up little man!

Lots of love Auntie Heather.

Enjoy!
Heather

A little bit of magic in my life...

So we started with a little, well maybe a lot, of blue sugar...
Put it in this whirlygig-type thing...

And presto, magico...fluffy blue clouds...
Errr, cotton candy. Have you ever run a cotton candy machine?
I think it was fun...harnessing the power of all that sugar!

Enjoy!
Heather

Well, Hello Kitty!

I am a bit behind on my posting...please forgive me!!! I counted over 80 cupcakes and decorated and 4 cakes done in less than a week! Things have been busy and it's been great! There was also a birthday party last weekend and my Father's Day workshop.

I know to many of you all of this sounds pretty crazy but it's what I love to do. I must confess though...I do prefer cupcakes over cakes...they are just too cute!!! ;)

So...if you remember we celebrated Sean's Unbirthday a few weeks ago...on Friday it was time for Sarah's! We decided to go with a Hello Kitty theme...

Whaddya think? I was a little concerned about Hello Kitty attacking considering the numbers but we all got along just great! Here is super-sweet, super-excited Sarah in her class with her cupcakes!
Now, if you know me...you know I can't just make cupcakes...that would be too easy!!! Ha! Soooo...we also did a craft.
Hello Kitty clipboards!!! Now, the boys obviously wouldn't want Hello Kitty clipboards so we did Robot Clipboards to coordinate with Sean's Unbirthday. Now, I must admit the example I am about to show you isn't mine...it's much more creative and complex than my own but I simply loved it!!!!
Not only did my friend Jeffery do an awesome job of decorating his clipboard but in a moment of creative genius he noticed that his robot antennae could double as a nose!!!
Isn't that brilliant? This boy won big points on Friday!!! Now the crowning glory was when he explained to me that he 'let' another boy copy because it's okay to copy in fact it is a compliment!!! Thank you Jeffery! And thank you to all of my grade 1 friends! I sure had fun visiting all of you!!!

Enjoy!
Heather

Just Ducky!

30 little ducks that I once knew...wow! These are from Tuesday...they were fun to make and I think they made delight puns. Everything from getting our ducks in a row and beyond!

I also think they made delightful cupcakes! These were marble cupcakes at the request of those who ordered them...Sweet...and for a double baby shower at the office...even sweeter!

Congratulations ladies!
Enjoy!
Heather

Just a spoonful of sugar!

I took Creative Bug on the road this weekend to meet a houseful of very excited 5 year olds! Leah invited me to celebrate her 5th birthday with her and her friends! Boy were they a fun bunch! We decorated cupcakes, made clipboards and pencils with shrink art charms and decorated loot bags!
Here they all are striking a pose!
And the funny faces that they love so much to do!
Have a happy birthday Leah!

Enjoy!
Heather

Another Happy Birthday Girl!

Sadly, I can't be at every birthday or make cakes for all of my clients but this is pretty neat...at least I think so. Here are some fabulous photos that were taken by Sandra at Photos by Sandra. The part that I love is that I actually had a hand in designing that cake...you see I sent a photo to my client and she had it printed on the cake by Cakeworks in Calgary.
I am so glad that the weather cooperated and that everything turned out. So remember just because I can't come to you doesn't mean that we can't find a way to make your party a creative success!

Enjoy!
Heather

Back to work blues...

I don't often post about what is going on in our home these days as I am quite busy with all of my projects and my work. Not quite busy enough though...so, when my extended leave was refused I had to accept going back to work...sad, I know.

Just look at these faces I won't even see in the mornings...


Aren't they beautiful? I sure do love them...DH isn't included as he and I will commute together. It will be the most time we have spent together since he went back to work last year. I miss him too...

Our fridge burnt out over the weekend while we were away...ever notice how milk kept in a cooler just doesn't last as long? Well, this morning the milk went bad so what to do for breakfast...make muffins of course! Chocolate Banana Muffins that is...do you think the nanny will do that for my babies?
I have so much to be thankful for and I have had a wonderful year off but boy am I ever sad to be leaving my babies!

Enjoy!
Heather

Lookie lookie!

Oh my goodness! Did you see what I got??? I am featured on today's Creative Parties & Showers Post!!!


Wow! I am so pleased! So be sure to read all about it and make them one of your favourites!!!

Enjoy!
Heather

Beach Girls!

I had the most fabulous time at this party on Sunday...this is Lauren (the birthday girl) and one of her friends colouring their shrink art...just look at the concentration!
I cannot tell you how exciting shrink art can be! The girls LOVED watching their charms shrink!
Here is Lauren waiting for the girls to count to 7 as they 'guess' her age...what a ham!
Here are the girls...now rather than bringing presents, Lauren requested non-perishable food items for a local charity (The Grimsby Benevolent Fund). In order to support Lauren's wishes, I donated a birthday party for a child.
As always, we have to get the girls with their silly faces on...what can I say...it's how I keep them smiling nice for their first few photos!
Happy Birthday Lauren!

Enjoy!
Heather

The Big Fore- tee

When a friend asked if her I would make a golf cake for her husband's Surprise 40th Birthday Party I jumped at the chance! I have been working diligently on building a bit of a portfolio lately and golf cakes are just not in demand in our house!

So, I showed her a few ideas but in the end went with this two-tier design...

The top tier is a chocolate-sour cream cake with cookies and cream filling while the bottom layer is vanilla with strawberry buttercream. Everything on the cake was edible with the exception of the flag pole...
After posting the pictures I reflected on the cake and what it might have meant to my father...he golfed...he wasn't a fancy golfer but I think he would have gotten a kick out of this cake. So, this one is for you Dad...

Any of course for Andy, the birthday boy! Happy Birthday Andy!

Enjoy!
Heather