His and Her Treasures

How to Decorate a book cake

2010-01-18T14:17:00.006-07:00

Looks like there should be a story behind this one, does it? If you don't know James Dashner or his books, you need to run out and check one of them out (he has two new ones out this year in two different series, check out his blog for details). Last weekend was my writer's guild's annual Christmas party--admittedly a bit after Christmas, but we were all kind of busy before. I signed up to bring dessert (because any time anyone asks me to sign up to bring something, of course I'm going to go for dessert, even if I don't bring something cakish.).

After looking around a bit for idea, I decided to do a book cake because we're all writers and it seemed appropriate. Plus I've wanted to do one for a while now.

I used a variation of the standard White Almond Sour Cream cake (I got this variation on Cake Central, but I generally use this one on recipezaar.) This was pumpkin spice cake with cinnamon buttercream filling. Now, if you're going to decorate a normal round or square cake, you can use a box mix if you like, but if you plan to carve it at all, you need to use a heavier cake like the WASC type because it holds its shape better. This cake was done in a normal 9x13 cake pan (Okay, it was this decorator pan, with square corners and straight sides, but it was still the standard shape.) I trimmed the sides a bit to make them straight, cut it in half and stacked it, then trimmed a tad more to make it the right shape. This meant the cake ended up about 8x6.

I did need to use a firmer cake for this, even though it's perfectly square because it had to be rotated a bit while I put on the fondant, and I was concerned about it falling apart. After filling and stacking the two layers. To minimize confusion, I'll refer to the six sides of the cake as front and back (as in the front and back covers), right side, left side, top and bottom. I set the cake on the left side, which would be the binding edge and spread buttercream along the top, bottom and right sides of the book.

Before this stage I had pulled out some white fondant and rolled it out to the right length and approximate width I would need to cover the edge of the cake with a bit of overlap. Then I lightly scored the fondant with my pastry blender to make it look like indents between the pages. So once the sides were covered with frosting, I carefully lifted the long piece of fondant and covered it, making sure to cover all of the edges where it would overlap with the cover.

Next I rolled out the blue fondant I made for the cover. I measured and tweaked it to make sure it would be the right length and width to cover the book, then made some rough cuts to trim off some of the excess. I've seen pictures of book cakes before, and I loved the way they looked and the smooth edges that actually look like leather, which is what I was going for. As you can see, I didn't quite manage it, but I learned a few things for next time.

Next I flipped the cake on the white fondant edge, applied buttercream to the three remaining sides, making sure to fill the voids where the white fondant wrapped around the front and back so the blue would lay smooth. Then I put on the blue fondant for the cover. One thing to note, I had planned to have the cover actually hang over the edges a bit, but forgot that marshmallow fondant shrinks slightly when you pull it off of the counter and put it on your cake, so next time I try something like this I'll provide a whole lot more edge space.

I wasn't sure how to get nice smooth edges without folding it over, but should have rolled the fondant thinner there so it wouldn't be so bulky. Also, wrapping the fondant around the 'book' took a bit more than I had planned on. The complication is that once you apply fondant to something that's covered in butter cream, it becomes a mess to pull off and tweak, so I was trying to do this in one step.

The accents are white buttercream with silver pearl dust covering them, which I applied with a little watercolor brush I reserve only for cake decorating. It's best to dampen the fondant with a bit of water (just a tiny bit, too much can take forever to dry, especially if you live in a humid climate). Some people also brush a bit of vanilla on instead of the water because it evaporates so much faster.

In the end I was trying to decide what the book should say on the outside and decided that poking fun at James Dashner would be entertaining. Thankfully, he was not only not offended, but genuinely seemed to think it was cool, so it was a hit with everyone. I had to actually cut the cake myself or it wouldn't have been touched. People seem to forget cakes are for eating, no matter how cool looking they are.

2010-01-11T16:50:00.003-07:00

Recently a friend of mine asked me to do a cake for her daughter's birthday--and she really wanted Barney on it. I had never done a buttercream transfer before this cake, but I was pleased at how easy they are.

First I found a picture of Barney online, cropped it in Irfanview so it showed what I wanted it to, then imported it into Publisher so I could blow it up to the right size. You're going to use this as a template, so it's important that the image is the size you'll want it on the cake. Then I printed it.

I was told to use a piece of plexiglass under the transfer to provide a stiff surface, but I didn't have any on hand, so I used my cookie cooling rack, which has pretty small squares so with the paper on it I got a nice smooth surface. I put the printout on top of the rack, then covered it with plastic wrap.

Remember to do the small details first (like the eyes), because the plastic wrap side is the side everyone will see. As long as that comes along nice, the back doesn't matter. I then outlined and filled the picture. You want the buttercream to be fairly thick so it's easier to handle. Mine was probably about 3/16" thick all over and I filled in with the purple behind the face so it would all be the same thickness. Next I moved the whole thing to the freezer--still on the cooling rack.

Half an hour later, when the cake was otherwise done, I pulled it out and removed the plastic wrap from the picture, and set it on the cake. It was really stiff so it worked out great! I put a dotted border around Barney to finish the edges. Also, be aware every little line shows up in the buttercream, and you will have to smooth some of them out. No worries, though. I just used the flat tip of a butter knife to smooth things out after it had a little time to defrost and it turned out just fine.

You can do a similar picture transfer with colored gels as well. For this project I used a straight-sided 9x13 pan, icing color, and a round tip, probably #7.

How to make a teapot cake

2009-12-14T15:07:00.005-07:00

One of the fun things about cake decorating is that there is no limit to the kinds of things you can do. Case in point, this teapot cake my sister and I made for my mom's birthday late last month. I had done roundish cakes before--okay, one roundish cake-- but nothing quite like this, and I was excited to tackle the project. My sister has more experience with cake decorating in general, but had never done a circular cake before, so it was a new and fun experience for both of us.

First we baked the cakes. My sister has the soccer ball pan, which is a half sphere so she baked the top and bottom pieces. Then as she packed them to bring to my house the day before we decorated, she realized they didn't make a full circle when you put them together. I baked a nine-inch circle for the middle the next morning before she arrived.

While my cake finished cooling, we cut out the fondant flowers for the decorations, and she formed the handle and spout around some wire. It would have been better if we'd made the handle and spout a few days earlier out of gum paste, but I was insanely busy that week, so I didn't get it done like I'd planned. Remember if you make colored decorations out of gum paste or fondant with the plan to dry them that you need to put in quite a bit more color than you expect because they fade as they dry. We used the daisy cut outs for these flowers, and just put a ball of yellow fondant in the centers.

Then we filled the layers and frosted the ball. Before we started the crumb coating, I trimmed a bit off of one of the circles so it would sit flat on the plate and not roll too easily. We also trimmed the sides to they would seams between the layers would be smoother.

We added a 9" round of carboard between the second and third layers and put dowls inside the cake to support it so the top layers wouldn't be too heavy and squish the bottom one. As always, you have to try to make the frosting as smooth as you can before adding the fondant because it shows ripples under the surface, but don't kill yourself over it, since tiny differences in height will smooth out as you play with the fondant.

We rolled the fondant just a bit thinner on the edges, then carefuly lifted the layer of fondant and worked it in the middle to stretch it. This might take a little practice to get it to work right without leaving thin spots where your knuckles pressed against the fondant. Make sure it looks as good as possible before putting it on the cake--once you get the buttercream on the fondant it becomes a mess to start over.

We pressed an indentation into the cake at the level where the lid should go. In retrospect, we should have carved a lid into the cake before we frosted it--something to remember for the future. Then we used buttercream to decorate the teapot. We used tip 804 for the dots with the large pastry coupler and just put the dots on randomly. We used them to cover up some of the minor irregularities in the cake, an added advantage.

We touched our impecably clean fingertips to powdered sugar and pressed it onto the dots to flatten them out.

Then we used a clean paint brush (like the type you buy for kids to water color with. I have a set that is used ONLY for cake decorating) to spread a bit of water on the back of the flowers so they would stick to the cake. Fondant sticks to fondant really well with just a touch of dampness. The bigger flowers didn't stick to the bottom half of the cake very well because of gravity, but the smaller ones did all right.

Here's the finished product with the handle and spout installed. We used multiple pieces of wire to stick them into the cake, but they were still quite heavy, so in the future I'd use a thinner spout--and again, I'd do it ahead and let it dry so I wouldn't have to worry about the wire cutting throught the fondant or gum paste as I put it together.

We just used a basic dot to finish off the bottom. If I had it to do again, I would use a lot more flowers and various kinds along the base to hide the places where the fondant didn't smooth together perfectly at the base. It's hard enough getting a smooth finish on a round cake without ading the fact that a spherical one actually gets smaller at the bottom. Still, We were pretty happy with the end result.

2009-11-16T14:08:00.005-07:00

Getting ready for the holidays? Now is the perfect time to start planning your Christmas treats! In addition to several great sprinkles like these jumbo gingerbread men. they come in a 2.5 oz bottle.

We have squeeze frosting for easy decorating, winter cupcake liners and decorations. We also have the cookie sticks to use with these cookie molds. You can either bake sugar cookies in these molds, or use them to create rice crispy treats in holiday shapes.

Snowmen

Stars

And the ever popular Christmas Tree.

To learn more abou these products and many others, check out our Website!

Create a checkerboard cake!

2009-10-19T16:59:00.004-06:00

Have you ever seen those fun cakes that when cut look like checkerboards? You can make one of those three-layer wonders in your own home and wow your friends with this great Checkerboard cake pan set. The set comes with three 9" round pans and the batter dividing rings. You simply mix your cake batter, set the dividers into the pan and pour the batter into the rings in alternating patterns (there are complete instructions in the box), then pull out the dividers before baking!

Follow the link above to learn more about the pan set. Also check out our other great deals on our website.

Get Ready for a Goulish Halloween

2009-09-28T15:28:00.004-06:00

October is only days away and decorations are cropping up all over. Are you looking for a fun addition to your display? Check out these spiders. They're available in 20", 30" and 50" sizes.

Have a corner or eve that is screaming for an addition? Check out this ghoul. It hangs 18" long from a 6" elastic so it bobs up and down. It has a hard vinyl head with a black cape. We also have the grim, witch, and vampire versions.

If you prefer your decorations to be a little less ghastly, check out this wizard instead. All of the hanging Halloween characters are limited to quantity on hand.

Of course, what's Halloween without a big spiderweb (and where would you put that spider without it?) We have not only the standard .7 oz package, but this super giant spider web, which is 2.4 oz nd will stretch to fit an area 15 foot across.

For more information, or to look at our many costumes, makeup, wigs and other spooky necessities, check out our website.

Keep decorating supplies together

2009-09-03T16:26:00.005-06:00

One of the most frustratiung thing when you're in the middle of making a cake is not being able to find the tip or coloring you need. Because the tools for cake decorating can be many and varied (and completely addictive) here are some storage solutions. First, so you can keep those tips in order, there's this tip saver case. It comes in two sizes. The small one will hold 26 tips, and two flower nails. The large case holds 52 of your standard-sized tips and two flower nails. These cases do not include the tips, though you can buy full cases including the tips here.

The beige and red tool caddy has a lift-out tray that holds 48 tips and 12 color jars, with lots of room for pastry bags, spatulas and more underneath.

Then there's the ultimate tool caddy. This caddy has room for 36 tips, lots of color jars, room for spatulas, pastry bags, and many other things with three levels of drawers to keep it all organized. This caddy doesnt include any supplies, but it won't take much work to fill it up!

Just getting started, or have a family member who wants to start decorating cakes? This 50-piece tool caddy could be right up your alley. It includes a variety of tips, colors, tools, and a beginner's guide.

Or, if the contents of the last caddy aren't enough for you, check this 101-piece set out. This set comes with more colors, tips, couplers, spatulas, and other useful supplies. Among other things, it includes a cake leveler, butter and white vanilla flavorings, bake even strips, and a fondant smoother. This is a great deal, since the individual items would cost far more than this if purchased separately.

To learn more about these items or to see what else we have available, check out our Website.

Give your cake a different look

2009-08-24T14:04:00.005-06:00

Wedding cakes with round tiers will always be the classic standard, but if you still want that classic look, with a twist, there are other great pan shapes out there to use. This Petal Pan set comes with all four pieces in 6", 9", 12", and 15" sizes. These are 2" tall and work great as a set or mix and match with round or square pans for variation.

Another option is these fun hexagon pans. This set also includes sizes 6", 9", 12", and 15".

These heart-shaped pans are also a great solution for weddings, engagement parties, anniversaries and more. This set includes pans sizes 6", 10", 12", and 14".

Remember, it's recommended that you use a heating core on pans that are more than 10" across. You can find these and many other things on our Website.

2009-08-20T13:09:00.003-06:00

We've recently gotten in a bunch of new candy molds and candy melts. We have lots of new products and colors, so I thought I'd highlight a few of them. Summer weddings may be over, and Valentine's day is a while away yet, but some things are never out of season.

These roses would be nice for a sweet sixteen, an engagement party, or wedding. It is a lollipop mold with nine caveties for big, bold candies.

The Roses in Bloom mold has only one design, but ten cavities to make candies the perfect size for party favors or mints along the edge of the plate.

And for weddings or engagement parties, there are these fun Wedding Shower lollipop molds. It has the five designs for a variety of melt-in-your-mouth offerings.

Another option is the double-heart lollipop mold, which has four cavities to allow for large candies.

If you're looking for something a little different, we also have these flower pretzel candy molds for a completely edible snack.

You can find more candy molds, the candy melts, bottles, bags and other necessities for candy making on our Website.

Great Cakes for Boys

2009-08-10T15:38:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago I highlighted some adorable bug and animal cakes. Since many little boys aren't into butterflies or lady bugs, I thought I'd highlight a few fun shapes with engines. As always, the cake pans come with instructions on which colors and tips to use in order to make the cakes.

Below you can see the Cars shape of Lightning Mcqueen. This is sure to be a hit with any kid who loved the movie. We also have cupcake liners, candies, picks and treat bags to match here.

If your child wasn't really thrilled with Cars, but still loves race cars, we also have a NASCAR-style pan complete with a flag.

If your child is more into fire fighters, check out this ladder truck pan.

For train lovers, we have this train cake pan.

Or this fun 3-D train pan which you cook in two parts and then put together for an upright cake.

If you have a little farmer boy (or girl), maybe this tractor is right up their alley.

To check out the other fun pans available on our site, or to pick up some tips, bags, colors or other decorating supplies, check out our Web site!

How to Fill Cakes

2009-08-03T14:27:00.004-06:00

Have you ever done a layered cake with fun fillings? If you think it's hard, it's time to think again. I'll give you a step-by-step layout on how it's done. Below you can see the cake my daughter recently made. She baked 2 8" rounds and then sliced them horizontally to make four layers. This is easiest and most level if you use a cake slicer. This one is great for cakes less than 10" wide, and this one is perfect for larger cakes. If you don't have a slicer handy you can always use a long serrated knife but it's a lot harder to get the layers even. So you start with your clean surface, this time, the middle of the cake.

Next you take your frosting and outline the cake on top. This keeps the filling in between the cakes so it doesn't squish out and bulge the sides. This was just piped on with #7 tip.

Since she had some frozen pie filling, she just spooned some on and used a spatula to spread it. An angled spatula is actually easier for this job, especially if you are filling a large cake, but you can make do with a regular one if necessary.

Next she put on the top layer, then did the crumb coat. It's easiest to decorate a cold cake, so all of the layers were chilled before slicing. The extra advantage is that the crumb coat sets/dries faster on a cold cake. A crumb coat is used to seal all of the crumbs into the cake. That keeps the outer coat clean and looking nice. Make sure you scrape the crumbs off your blade into a small bowl or cup to keep the bigger bowl of frosting clean as you work.

Once the crumb coat has set, you put on your final layer. In this case she didn't do a second coat to the top of the cake because she knew it would be covered up, but if she had done a chocolate cate or tinted the frosting on the white cake she might have needed to do a top coat to make sure the cake color didn't come through.

Next she did a shell border around the bottom and top and filled it with cherry pie filling. It ended up being both pretty and very yummy. The main caveate she mentioned: Make sure you put the top border on first and give it a little time to dry before adding the cherries on top. If you top it before you put on the border the frosting won't stick and it'll slide off the sides when it has the cherries pushing against it.

How to Make Fondant Flowers

2009-07-27T16:03:00.006-06:00

My daughter recently made a cake for a friend's bridal shower and was willing to share pictures on how it was done. She used a marshmallow fondant recipe one of my other daughter's picked up online, but you can use prepackaged fondant if you prefer and simply tint it whatever color you like.

Since she was working on a deadline and didn't have the usual petal and leaf cutout set made especially for these types of projects, she had to improvise and used the flower cut-outs.

Always remember that fondant dried out easily, so only work with a smal bit at a time, and keep the rest wrapped up tight in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out too quickly. She rolled out enough to cut six to eight pieces from at a time. Also, since she doesn't have a fondant rolling mat yet she used corn starch on the counter and rolling pin to keep the fondant from sticking. If the fondant got too dry to work with between rolling it out, she added a few drops of water to the small ball in her hand and worked it in. This can be messy and you don't want to add too much as it will make the fondant really sticky, but with care it can make the piece workable again.
She used the large cutout from the set and for the first row of petals cut out every-other petal.

This picture is really bad, but you can see she ran the toothpick through the cut peice, then wrapped it around the tip. Once she had the shape she wanted on the top petals, she pinched off the base part so the second set of petals would be even or nearly even with the inner row.

This is the second row of petals. She cut out one petal from the shape and added cut lines between the petals so they could overlap each other. when she slid it onto the toothpick, she also used a clean paintbrush from a kids' watercolor set that she bought just for fondant. She brushed a thin layer of water over the petals where they would overlap. Fondant will stick to itself easily with a touch of water. Be careful, though, not to let water drip on any parts that are going to be seen on the outside as water will leave marks behind to mar the surface.

For the third row she didn't cut any petals out, but still split the space between the petals. Then she took a toothpick and separated the petals and curved them back slightly to give them a slightly more realistic look. This really works best if you use thin pieces of fondant. These were rolled to 1/8 inch or thinner, but there may be some times when slightly thicker pieces will work fine.

Wile she was at it, she also made over 150 little flowers with the tiniest cutout in the set. Then she used the end of a chopstick (the fondant shaping foam and confectionarry tools would have bee much easier) and her finger to create a curve in the middle of the flowers.

If you're going to have roses, you obviously need leaves! Again, there were no cutters for leaves in stock, so she used the edge of a glass to cut each edge. If she had to do it again, she would have used a round cookie cutter because the glass didn't leave a crisp edge and they had to be trimmed with a knife to clean them up.

Next she used a toothpick to draw lines on the leaves.

Then she set everything out to dry since she made them several days in advance of the cake. Be aware that some colors fade a lot when the fondant dries. The pink faded to way less than half the original brilliancy as it dried, while the leaves only lightened a little bit.

A few days later she baked the cake, frosted it (crumb layer, then an outter layer), and rolled the purple fondant. Once that was ready, she used the toothpicks on the roses to stick the roses in the cake where she wanted them. If needed, they could have been cut off or trimmed back, but they were handy to creat the design she wanted.

The first of the small flowers were attached to the bottom of the cake with buttercream icing.

Then she used some yellow buttercream to put yellow dots in the flowers and the roses.

With a little extra playing, she finished up with the little flowers, tacking them and the leaves onto the cake with buttercream frosting. The green stems on the roses are also buttercream piped on with a small round tip, probably a #7. A slightly smaller circle tip, like a #4 made the dots in the flowers.

This cake was made using 2-8" round pans and it fit perfectly in one of these boxes.

Marshmallow fondant

1 16 oz package of mini marshmallows

1 Tbsp of water

2 tsp vanilla

Most of a 2 lb package of powdered sugar.

Heat the marshmallows slowly with the water and vanilla until they are melted, then begin encorporating the powdered sugar. You'll probably have about two cups of sugar left in your bag when the fondant reaches the right consistency. It's easiest to work with when it's a little warm, so if it gets cold, or you pull it out of the fridge to work with, zap in in the micro for 10-15 seconds to make it softer. Don't let it melt though!

This will make a pretty big batch of fondant, half a batch is generally enough for an eight-inch cake, unless you're doing fancy decorations with it, in which case you may need a bit extra. Another advantage of fondant is that it can be made in advance since it takes quite a bit of time to make and then tint it. The color has to be kneaded into the fondant, so it can take a while to reach the right color. It can also be kept for several weeks and then used if you have some left over. Tightly wrap any fondant in plastic wrap (some people suggest covering it with a light layer of shortening first) and then place in a zippered bag, taking as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it. Many red colors will bleed into other balls of fondant, so make sure to wrap each color separately.

Animal Cakes Are Great For Kids' Parties

2009-07-16T15:21:00.005-06:00

Kids parties offer so much scope for the imagination. If your little one likes things that flutter, crawl, or swim, we probably have an pan that will fit your needs.

As with all of Wilton's shape pans, the Animal Crackers pan comes with instructions for decorating the cakes shown on the box. Not only does this one tell how to make the bear and pig shown below, but also for making a cat or giraffe.

The monkey pan could be just right for a jungle-loving child, or just one who enjoys reading the exploits of Curious George.

And tropical fish go great with a sea-side themed party.

Do you have a little insect lover? This Lady Bug pan can be used to make all kinds of insects with a little imagination.

Butterflies appeal to most little girls (and many of us who are not so little anymore).

Check out our Website for a complete list of our novelty pans and the supplies you'll need to decorate the cakes. Also, check out the Wilton site for other ideas of things you can do with these pans.

Patriotic Desserts Take the Cake

2009-06-22T15:47:00.005-06:00

The Fourth of July is a really big deal in my hometown. Almost all class reunions are held that weekend, 'kids' who have moved away come home to visit every year because, let's face it, when else are they likely to encounter that friend they haven't seen in years? And my house is going to be overrun with grandchildren as all of my kids come home for the holiday.

Since preparations have been on my mind, I decided to see what fun designs Wilton had on their website. I found some fantastic cake ideas. All of these cakes have complete directions available at the linked location on the Wilton site. The first few use the star pan.

This one is called Bursting in Air, and it uses lollipop sticks, and either colorflow icing, or food coloring and fondant--which is the way I would make it. If you use this method, it's best ot use the cute star shape cutouts. It also calls for colored foil, but if that's not handy, a little ingenuity will fill in instead.

This tasty treat uses fruit to add color and style to your cake. On the Wilton site it is simply called the July 4th cake.

This one is called the Country Cake, and could be adjusted for any country with a star on the flag. It uses the star shape cutouts too, though any star-shaped cookie cutter would work instead.
This one is called Soaring Spirit. It uses 6" and 10" pans, more lollipop sticks, fondant, and star fondant shape cutouts. This cake would be perfect for a more formal holiday occasion, or any other patriotic event.

This one is called the Rocket's Red Glare and uses the Enchanted Castle pan. See my blog on other fun cakes you can make with the Enchanted Castle pan here. Again, lollipop sticks feature in this cake, as does white florist ribbon, and colored foil.

You can buy almost all of the supplies for these cakes and much more on our Website.

Topping off Special Occasions

2009-06-15T13:51:00.005-06:00

Weddings and babies are some of the greatest events of our lives, but there are lots of other special days in our lives that deserve to be celebrated. Anniversaries are milestones that tell the world how far we've come. We have these great silver and rhinestone picks perfect to top cakes celebrating 25th and 50th anniversaries.

A Quinceanera is the big fifteenth birthday party in Latin American countries celebrating a girl's blossoming into womanhood. Many times this day is as celebrated as a wedding. This lovely topper can add a bit of class to any cake. This topper could be used for lots of other special events for the young woman in your life.

Celebrating a sacred occasion? From baptism to First Communion, these decorative crosses can add a special touch to your celebration cake. The white cross stands 5 1/2 inch tall and is made of a durabel resin.

The silver cross has rhinestones on it and comes with a detachable pick so you can lay it flat on the cake, or stand it up on top.

Graduation is behind us for most schools, though fall graduations at many colleges are still to come. If you are looking forward to a graduation ceremony, check out our many graduation products.

Dress up Your Romantic Event

2009-06-08T14:57:00.003-06:00

Do you have a romantic celebration coming up? Whether a wedding, bridal shower, engagement party, anniversary or something else, these great bags and favors can add a special touch to your event.

These Sweet Heart Favor Bags are 6 inches tall, include a sheer white ribbon to tie them closed and come 10 to a package. These would be fun for a few pieces of really excellent chocolate or other small favors.

These Drawstring Sachet Wedding Favor Bags are perfect for flower petals, rice, favors, treats, and gifts. We have them available in both medium and small sizes.

Most people are probably familiar with the simple gold and silver wedding bands, but have you seen these Diamond Engagement Ring Favors? These would work tied to the treat bags listed above or as table decorations.

To learn more about these products, or to see what else we have available, check out our Website.

Personalize Your Wedding Cake

2009-06-01T15:52:00.008-06:00

I did a post about some of the fun wedding cake toppers available here. But since the selection continues to grow, I thought I'd highlight a few more. If these intrigue you, check out our Website. We have still more toppers I haven't featured on this blog.

I thought I'd start with this fun option, the Rhinestone Heart Wedding Cake Topper, which could be used easily for an anniversary cake as well. This is 8.5 inches tall.

This new topper is one of my all-time favorites. It's called Forever in Your Eyes, is made of a durable resin, has great details, and will make a great keepsake.

This topper is called Just Married, and makes me think of Jane Austen and other romantic classics. It stands 5 inches tall, and is also made of a durable resin. It works great with revolving stands, too.

One thing our selection didn't have before was options for minorities, but we've recently added two new toppers for those of other races and ethnicities.

This humorous topper is available featuring both a white and ethnic couple. It's called Oh, No You Don't and stands 4.25 inches tall.

For the more traditional couple, we also have the Classic Ethnic We

dding Cake Topper. It's also one of our least expensive wedding products. This topper is also available with a caucasion couple.

Add a Little Fairie Dust to Your Next Party

2009-05-21T15:20:00.012-06:00

What little girl doesn't love fairies? Come to think of it, that particular interest is not solely held by little girls. Plenty of women out there are just as intrigued by fairies as any young girl. If someone in your family has a penchant for Tinkerbell, you are in luck. We have some really great products for an upcoming party.

If Cupcakes are your thing, we have these cute cupcake liners, which comes in packages of 50, and Tinkerbell picks for decoration.

If you prefer not to provide a room full of kids with toothpicks to poke at each othere, we also have these cute candy icing decorations. Alternately, we have these darling little party toppers which would be great on a cake, on cupcakes, or as decorations for your table.

If you'd like to make a Tinker bell shaped cake, we have a pan for that. Along with the icing colors.

Or if you want to go with a standard round cake, you could put it one one of these fun Cakescapes. The package comes with a cardboard cake stand with decorative sides, a 10" cake board, and 8 treatbags with ties. The treatbags are also sold separately if you prfer them that way.

To see all of this and more, check out our Website!

Great Pans Make Baking a Snap

2009-05-18T17:06:00.006-06:00

There are some great new pans in our Wilton lineup with a great wide lip that is easier to grip when moving your cake in or out of the oven. This 9" x 2" round cake pan is extra thick to provide a more even heat distribution. It also has a double-coated non-stick surface to make cakes slide out easily.

We also have a 9" x 2" square pan in this line. I love the 1/2" sides on all of them, which are beveled to reduce spilling.

If you want to make a normal rectangular cake or casserole, this 9" x 13" pan shares the great qualities listed above.

To learn more about these pans, or to see the rest of our great products, visit our Website. If you register, you can join our Bingo game--the winner gets a gree gift certificate to be used on our Website!

Ice Cream Cone Pans Make Parties Cool

2009-05-11T13:59:00.005-06:00

Most of us have heard of baking cupcakes in an ice cream cone, but have you seen one of these pans? This pan has four cone tops (swirled to look like the ice cream) and four 'cones'. To make these tasty treats first grease each opening well. Using a pastry brush to spread the grease, oil or butter in the openings is best to make sure you get every crevase covered. Use a dusting of flour to make your little cakes pop out easily, then fill the openings 1/2 to 2/3 full and bake. This should take one cake mix to fill all of the openings to the appropriate height. Simply stick the tops and bottoms to each other with a thin layer of frosting and frost the top. Viola!

For more information about this pan or to see what other novelty pans we have available, check out our Website.

Get ready for the big day

2009-05-04T14:35:00.003-06:00

With June weddings zooming closer every day, you may be rushing to pound down final plans and touches for your special day, or that of a friend or family member. There are a lot of fun little touches available to add to the event. First, the cake:

Pillars and columns are common sights on cakes with several tiers. We have these great Grecian pillars in 5", 7", and 9" lengths. The picture shows all of the lengths, but they come in packages of four pillars in a single length.

An alternate possibility is these hidden pillars. They are trimable so you can make them fit whatever cake depth you have. These are inserted into the cake like a dowel, and fit the plastic cake separators to create the illusion that the upper layer of cake is hovering over the lower level. The separator plates are available with smooth and scalloped edges click here to see all of our pillars, posts, and cake separators.

Another great product available is the autograph mat, which fits a standard 11"x14" frame. This is a great item for small, intimate weddings, bridal showers, graduation parties, even anniversary or retirement parties. We used it at my daughter's wedding, and she loves being able to look up on the wall and see a wedding picture of herself and her husband and see the signatures of everyone who was there on her special day.

For these and many other products, stop by our Website.

Oh Baby! Shower Favors add Interest

2009-04-27T14:56:00.014-06:00

There are few things as exciting as the anticipation of a baby's birth. And sharing that excitement is one of the things women do best! There are lots of fun decorations and ideas out there to dress up your baby shower. Here are a few of them. We're always adding new products, so if these interest you, stop by our website to see what else we've added. All of the following accents are between 3/4" tall and 1 1/4" tall. They are perfect for table decorations, gift tie-ons, and favors.

These adorable little bears are 1" tall and come in mint green, yellow, blue, and pink.

These tiny baby bottles are 1 1/4" tall and come 20 per package. They would make great additions to cakes or cupcake treats in addition to decorating the room.

Aren't these baby bracelets adorable? They come six to a package with two pink, two blue, one yellow and one mint green. They are also 1 1/4" tall.

These colorful rattles come 3 3/4" tall and come packed 6 to a package in these cute colors.

These adorable rocking horses would be perfect on cupcakes or even scattered across a cake top or down the middle of a table. They stand 1 1/4" tall and come six to a package.

Great Pet Care Products

2009-04-20T14:50:00.004-06:00

I know one of the biggest concerns pet owners have is making sure their pets have plenty of food and water, and for those who need to monitor food intake, then making sure the right amount of food is delivered on time.

Because of this concern, we carry a number of feeders and waterers for your dog or cat. There are options available for those who are gone for long hours, or for those who are on the go, and take their pet along.

First is the Two Meal Automatic Dish Feeder. This feeder has the option of allowing small meals only two hours apart, or two larger meals up to 48 hours apart. It let you control portions for your pet and makes it so you don't have to get a neighbor to come feed your pet if you are gone for most of the day or even overnight.

The Five Meal Automatic Feeder Dish allows you to feed your cat or dog up to four times in a single day with time increments of as little as an hour, up to once a day for four consecutive days. The feeding dish holds one cup and can be used for wet or dry food or treats. It takes 4 D-cell batteries which are good for six months or more.
If you like to take your pet on the go with you, the Handi-Drink 2 Drink Instant Water Drinker features a snap off tray for your pet to drink from, and a refillable squeeze bottle. It will fit easily in your bag, back pack, purse or a large pocket. This is perfect if you like to take your dog for long walks or hikes, or if you going on a long trip in the car.

Have you ever noticed that given the choice, cats will turn their noses up at water that has set in a dish and go for the freshly running water? The Drinkwell Pet Water Fountain Dish will please even the pickiest cat. It works by constantly running water through the system and letting it pour down a receiving ramp, which reduces noise and splashing. It holds up to 50 oz of water and has a six-foot cord to make it easily reach a wall outlet. Because the water is always running, it has more oxygen for a fresher taste, and the charcoal filter helps keep the water clean. We also have the filters available.

There are many more great pet products on our Website. Come check them out!

Make the Most of Your Brownies!

2009-04-13T14:03:00.005-06:00

Have you ever wanted to do something just a little different with your plain-Jane brownies? Now there are lots of fun ideas and products available to make your brownies special. First are these great dusting powders. This one is pink, but these colored powdered sugars are also available in green and blue.

Don't have a way to make designs with your dusting powder? These stencils will make the job a snap!

And if you want to make spreading the dusting powder simple, this sugar shaker is perfect for the job! It even features a fine mesh opening to keep unsightly chunks away from your brownies.

If that's not your bag, you can always use these simple flavored drizzle icings. They are available in mint, vanilla, or peanut butter.

If you'd rather use a standard chocolate frosting, but want to add something special, you might consider these crunch sprinkles. this one is Cookies & Cream, but this product is also available in mint brownie.

If you need even more fun ways to show off your treats, consider cutting them into different shapes. This heart shaped cutter is perfect for Valentines, bridal showers and more! Other cutters are available in a funky triangle cutter, or mini shape!

Alternately, you might check out this brownie treat cutter for a wavy look to your brownies.

For more great ideas, check out the Brownie Fun book!

Celebrate Spring with Fun Cupcakes

2009-04-06T13:25:00.006-06:00

I'm always amazed at the creativity displayed by cake decorators, or the myriad ways there is to dress up a simple cake--or in this case, a simple cupcake! I did a search on the Wilton website and came up with with dozens of different ways to decorate cupcakes for spring. This is just a few of them. I'll include the link with each design so you can see how to make them.

First, there are lots of different flower cupcakes. If you're looking for something simle, the Dot Flower Cupcakes are right up your alley.

Another variation of this is the Shell Flower Cupcakes.

For something a bit fancier, you can try the Pick A Click Cupcakes.

Or if you can manage a nice rose, the American Beauty Cupcake is a sinch.

If you're looking for something totally different, there's always the Bonnett Season Cupcakes.

Then there's the ever-present chick or bunny cupcake that is a requisite in the spring. This is the Sweet-Tooth Bunnies design.

Then you have the Carrot Patch Cupcakes.

Falling Into Spring takes advantage of the upcoming Easter holiday.

Another variation on the same theme is the Basket Inspectors.

And those are just the bunnies. This is the Quick Chick for those on a tight schedule. There are several other chick-related cupcake designs also on the site.
To buy cupcake pans, tips, icing colors, fondant, or anything else you might need to make these projects, check out our Website.

The Romantic Castle Set is ver Versatile

2009-03-30T13:59:00.007-06:00

Last week I talked about different ways you can use the Enchanted Castle shape pan. This week I'd like to show ideas for different applications for the Romantic Castle cake set. The cluster of pictures to the right shows what the set includes and the usual ways the set is intended to be used. Directions for these patterns are included in the box.

There are tons of other ways to use this set of castle turrets. If you follow the links with each picture to the Wilton Website, you'll get directions for making each of the cakes. Below is the Friendly Fortress cake.
The Fairy Tale Wedding cake below is a great option for celebrating the big event.

Then there's the Serenity By The Sea Cake, a small, tasty creation.

If you have a young man who likes a more ancient style, there's the His Royal Highness Diorama cake.

If you want to celebrate with a different kind of treat, there's always the Kingdom of Sweet Dreams confection.

Or for the bookworm, thespian, or writer in your life, don't forget the Write Your Own Drama cake. This one is a favorite of my second eldest daughter.

For other great ideas (yes, there are more), visit Wilton.com. You can purchase the Romantic castle set, cake pans, colors, tips, and more at our Website.

Time to Make Easter Candy

2009-03-26T13:38:00.008-06:00

Are you tired of the same commercial treats that are available every year? Want to do something different and special for your family and friends this year? Wilton has candy-making supplies and molds available so you can customize your Easter experience.

There are several different mold sets available to suit your fancy. The first is the Hoppy Easter Lollipop mold. It has 8 different designs and 9 cavities for a variety of designs and large candies.

Next comes the Fuzzy Bunny Lollipop Mold With four different shapes and four cavities, for big, bold treats.

The third mold is the Decorated Egg Lollipop Mold with these three great egg designs.

Each package comes with directions and great ideas for variations. We also have sucker sticks available in four and six-inch lengths to fit your molds, and candy m elts in a variety of colors. You can also purchase kits for wrapping your finished suckers to give them a professional touch. Want to add flavors or colors to the candy? We have that available too.

There are also other great candy molds available for other holidays. Check them out here.

This Shape Pan Offers Enchanting Possibilites

2009-03-23T12:15:00.005-06:00

Do you love the shape pans available, but wish you could get more than one use out of them? Relax, with a little ingenuity, you can adjust pans for several different themes. As an example, I've chosen the Enchanted Castle pan from Wilton. All of the below pictures were pulled off of Wilton.com. The first picture is the one posted in the 1996 yearbook. Directions for making this cake are included with the pan, or can be downloaded from Wilton.com.

Next, we have the haunted mansion. The jump from princess castle to scary Halloween retreat is easy to see, but how about the next one?

The Lighthouse seascape cake is a nice adjustment for a summer vacation celebration, or going away celebration for someone interested in rocky beaches.

And Christmas cake anyone? This array of candles could easily be adjusted to celebrate a fifth anniversary, or with a tweak, change the candles to people and you could picture your family. The possibilities are endless.

To buy the cake pan, and any supplies you may need, check out our Website.

Wedding Cake Toppers

2009-03-16T14:36:00.016-06:00

One of the little decisions that makes an impact on your wedding is your cake. There are as many ways to decorate a wedding cake as there are people but most couples are going to want some kind of wedding topper on the cake. Because of this, Wilton makes a wide range of toppers to fit nearly any couple.

You have the traditional toppers like this white resin topper named Elegance. One advantage to toppers like this is they can also be great keepsakes of your wedding day.

This resin full-color figure is called Threshold of Happiness and shows the groom carrying the bride for luck.

Bianca is a clear resin topper that can be placed alone on the cake or with a lighted base.

For those who aren't drawn to the strictly traditional, there are lots of other great options as well. Toppers Now I Have You and Ball and Chain offer a more humorous approach to cake decorating.

Another option all together is to use a simple double heart pick like this one.

Stop by our Website to see more wedding cake topper options, or any of our other wedding supplies.

Simplify Pastry Making

2009-03-09T16:03:00.005-06:00

Today I'm highlighting three more of the Wilton Better Baking Tools. This time we'll focus on tools designed for making pastry. All three of these items come with comfortable, ergonomic handles and are completely dishwasher safe.

This pastry blender is unlike anything else I've ever seen. Not only does it come with a cleaning rake or clip on the side that slides around the wires to loosen or remove butter when it begins to gum up the wires, but the wires themselves are different The two outside wires and the middle one are thicker to easily cut through thick pieces of butter or shortening. Then there are two thinner wires on each side of the middle wire to help blend finer pieces of butter into the dry ingredients. There's even a note on the back of the package that suggests using chilled butter makes for a delicate and flaky crust.

In my own experience, you can blend the dough as much as you need to before adding liquids to your pie crust, but once you add the water, vinegar, and/or egg, mix only until the dough is evenly moist to prevent the crust from coming out tough.

The pastry wheel has stainless steel blades in both straight and scalloped shapes. This allows you to shape your pastry however you like. This tool also boasts an easy rolling axle and the smooth wheel works great for cutting pasta as well!

I've always used one of those cheap pastry brushes to spread oils or butter mixtures at home. It works, but it doesn't clean up as easily as I would like. The Wilton Silicone Pastry Brush is wonderful. Instead of round bristles, these silicone bristles are curved to make channels that hold liquids. The bristles and lower end of the brush are heat resistant and can handle temperatures up to 500 degrees without melting!

To learn more about these great products and see what else is available, visit our Website.

Great Tools Simplify Baking

2009-03-02T15:35:00.005-07:00

As part of my Tools of the Trade series, I'm covering a few fun products today that can simplify most any job.

First is the Twist 'n Measure measuring cup. This versatile tool has a rotating dial on the bottom that allows the user to adjust the size from 1 cup, through 3/4, 1/2, 13/, 1/4, and even an 1/8 cup measure. This cup is dishwasher safe on the top rack, and the dial can be removed completely for cleaning. It can even be used for liquid ingredients!

Do you love to decorate cakes? This cake lifter slides easily below cakes up to 16" so you can lift and move them from one surface to another. It's fine-chiseled edge won't damage cakes. It is made from durable, easy-to-clean stainless steel, is dishwasher safe and the non-slip comfort handle is precisely angled to lift heavy cakes with ease.

Wilton's Silicone Oven Mitt is a great asset to any kitchen. The high-heat silicone will protect your hands from heat and steam in your kitchen or at the grill. It withstands temperatures up to 500 degrees! Both the inside and outside of the mitt are textured to improve grip on heavy pots and pans and the mitt is designed to fit on either hand. The non-porous surface of the mitt resists staining, and is totally dishwasher safe.

To see these or any of our other great baking products, visit us at our Web site.

Simplify Decorating in the Round

2009-02-18T13:59:00.004-07:00

Bake even strips area great option for those looking for a nice, even cake height. Because they keep the sides of the cake from cooking too quickly, they help larger round cakes to bake flat on top with a nice moist consistency all the way through. You simply attach wrap the strips around the pan before placing it in the oven. They are oven safe.

They come in large and small sizes. The package of large strips has enough for a 10", 12", 14" and 16" pan. The package of smaller strips comes with two strips, one for an 8" pan, and one for a 9" pan.This revolving cake stand can make most decorating projects simpler. It lifts cakes three inches off the table and with an 11-inch width, easily accommodates a 10" round cake. With a smooth ball-bearing mechanism, this cake stand will turn in either direction.Have trouble getting your icing smooth? A metal spatula may be just the thing. This 15" option has an angled blade and contoured handle, but straight blades in 11" or 15" lengths are also available.

Make a Special Treat

2009-02-13T10:35:00.007-07:00

Recently I tried out a new treat that will melt in your mouth. Since I had some extra egg whites on hand after another cooking project I whipped them up in my mixer. I used three whites. When the whites are stiff, but not dry I added a 1/4 cup of powdered sugar per white, so in this case, 3/4 cup of sugar. Since I was low on powdered sugar, I put the 3/4 cup of regular, granulates sugar in my blender and ran it for 30 to 60 seconds.
Incorporate the sugar slowly as you continue to beat the eggs. Continue to mix until it doesn't feel grainy when a little bit is rubbed between your forefinger and thumb. It is important that all of the sugar is dissolved.
Next spoon the mixture into a pastry bag. If you prefer the disposable parchment-type bags, that works as well. I used tip #822 onmy bag, but any open-star tip will work.It's best to use parchment paper on the cookie sheet so the meringue treats will lift off easily after baking. If you don't have any parchment, don't use waxed paper or oil as it will break down the egg whites. Start by making the base the width you like, then slowly spiral upward until you reach the middle.

Alternately, if you have trouble making spirals, you could hold it down until it pushes out enough to make the right sized base, then continue to dispense as you slowly lift your bag.
If you want to dress things up, now is a great time to add colored sprinkles or little candies.Put in a cool oven (about 325) for 30 minutes and then let them cool down with the oven. If they start to brown turn the oven down.You could add lemon juice and zest, other flavorings...next time I'm going to try cocoa powder.

Great Tools for Cake Baking

2009-01-29T15:29:00.005-07:00

Every activity has certain tools that make the job easier. For a carpenter it might be a hammer or drill, a writer might need a laptop or AlphaSmart, and many medical professionals can't work without a blood pressure cuff. But if you do much baking, here are a few great tools you'll wonder how you ever lived without.

A cake leveler like this can make the difference between a cake that forms an inverted bowl, and one that is nice and flat on top. This tool has an adjustable height up to three inches high and eighteen inches wide. Simply twist the feet to lock the height at the desired place. We also have a smaller one that is great for cakes up to ten inches wide and two inches tall. This is a great help when making torts, too.
Among our other whisks and spoons, this Cyclone Whisk has a silicone coated central spiral that adds more air to batter than a traditional whisk. The silicone coating makes the whisk easier to clean. It has an ergonomic handle for easier gripping and sturdy wires and a large head for more versatility. It is also dishwasher safe--two of my favorite words.

This 12" rolling pin not only boasts a great easy-clean non-slip surface, but it's dishwasher safe. In fact, it's the only rolling pin on the market that is fully submersible. The smooth-action roller, and the push-button release on the handles are added benefits available only in the Wilton Rolling Pin. The smooth surface of the barrel makes it perfect for rolling fondant or dough. A must-have for every kitchen!
Stop by our Website to see what other great tools we have available for the dedicated cook!

Liven up crafts with boy embellishments

2009-01-12T15:50:00.007-07:00

Looking for a different way to dress up your son's scrap book? We have a fun selection of buttons in sports and other great themes.

Dress it up with Soccer has these ideal buttons and words.

The Baseball selection has balls, bats, mitts, banners and more.

This Train package has seven train engines inan assortment of colors.

And for the boy who loves his dog, there's a choice for him too. This one has an asortment of dog faces and bones.

If you have other crafts, gift cards or scrap book pages that could use fun embellishments, check out our selection. We also have great summer fun, baby shower, and other packages available.

How to make a Wall*E cake

2009-01-09T14:27:00.004-07:00

Trying out cake decorating for the first time can be a bit intimidating, but I'm going to show you step by step how to go about it. This Wall*E cake pan was used to create a tasty confection for one of my grandchildren. First removed the picture and wash it out.

Next, grease and flour the pan. It can be hard to get all of the little edges and corners in these shape pans and we recommend using a pasty brush with shortening on it to make sure you get complete coverage. If you don't have a pastry brush, you could just use a plastic sandwich bag on your hand, but make sure every bit of the bottom is well covered, then flour it. If you don't grease it well enough, you'll have bits of cake stick to the pan.

Next, pour the batter into the pan.
When the cake it out and cooled partway, flip it upside down on a cooling rack or a clean dish towel to dislodge the cake from the pan.

Next, ice the outside part around Wall*E. The contrast and lighting is what makes it look like the cake is darker brown than in the previous picture. A spatula is a great tool to use in this step. When you are trying to get the frosting to smooth out nice, one simple trick is to dip you spatula or knife in a cup of water between swipes so the frosting won't stick to it. Just make sure you don't get the frosting too wet.

One great thing about these character pans is that Wilton includes directions on which tips to use when and special tips on how to get your finished product to look right. In this case, they suggest you use a #5 tip to outline the wheels and eyes, and a #10 to fill the spaces in. To smooth the larger section, dip your fingertip in a bit of corn starch, then smooth the frosting with it.

After that, outline the rest of Wall*E in the yellow frosting and fill it in.

With a little care and time, you could be producing this cute cake for a special child in your life. Pastry bags, tips, and other tools you may need are available on our Web site.

Radio Fences does the job for less

2008-12-29T15:12:00.004-07:00

They say good fences make good neighbors. This is especially true when you have a dog. The Petsafe Radio Fence not only keeps dogs out of your neighbor's yard, it can be customized to keep dogs out of garden beds, ponds, and other landscaping areas that attract animals, and it's far less money than putting up a fence around your property.

The in-ground fencing system includes the modules you plug into the wall, wire to bury under ground, or stake to grass level, software teaching you how to train your dog, training flags, a collar and receiver. If you misplace the CD or are unable to use it for some reason, training videos and instructions are also available for viewing or download on the Petsafe web site.

Safe and effective for all pets over 8 lbs. The system works by delivering mild static correction through two Contact Points that touch your pet's neck. If your pet crosses the established barrier, a correction will be sent to get your pet's attention, but will not harm him. The adjustable collar allows you to create a perfect fit for your pet. There are two different contact points available depending upon the length of your pets coat.

Extra collars and flags are available to purchase with this system, along with extra wire if you need to cover a larger area than the 500 feet of wire enclosed. If you move, you can easily take the radio fence controller with you and purchase new wire for your new home.

There are several systems available for smaller dogs, hard-to-train dogs, even systems for cats.

Infrared pet door lets your dog choose

2008-12-22T11:18:00.003-07:00

Wouldn't it be great if your dog could open doors?
Your dog can now have access to the outside when he and you wants him to

The Staywell Electronic Infra-Red Pet Door is made for the dog on the go. This electronic pet door knows when you want your dog to go out or in, and smart enough to keep other animals out too! The Staywell Electonic Infra-Red Pet Door features infrared technology, and your dog never waits for it to unlock.

Infra-Red eliminates the problems associated with magnetic and electronic pet dog doors. With the infrared feature, this electronic pet door has no issues working in a steel door as most electronic pet doors do.

The Staywell Electronic Infra-Red Pet Door lets you control whether your dog is allowed to enter or leave your house. Just set the controls to to allow "enter/but don't leave", "leave but don't enter", "go in/go out", or locked" A small transmitter fits on your dog's collar signaling the door to open only for him and allowing only his use.

When your dog approaches the Pet Door it will unlock from a distance of two to six feet away. No other animals will be allowed in or out. The door will lock again in both directions preventing young children or animals from entering or leaving.

To read more about the specifications for this great prodcut, visit our Website.

It's the Jukebox

2008-12-18T14:46:00.003-07:00

Do you ever get frustrated with having to switch from one cartridge to another, and then realize you didn't finish with the first cartridge after all? If you already use the Design Studio software, the Jukebox is the perfect complement. The Jukebox will hold up to six cartridges, and has space to store the books and overlays underneath. You can also hook up to three Jukeboxes together, to use up to eighteen cartridges with ease.

First you connect the Jukebox by plugging the cord into the place where you place the cartridge in your Cricut or Cricut Expressions machine. Then you load up the Jukebox with up to six cartridges each. Hook the Cricut machine to your computer and bring up the Design Studio. You can access shapes from multiple cartridges at once this way to design combined shapes or words.

If you don't have the Design Studio software, you can still use the Jukebox attached directly to your Cricut machine, but you'll have to use one cartridge at a time. Still, the Jukebox provides plenty of space for you to store those cartridges that you use often so they're right at your fingertips.

Thanksgiving dolls

2008-12-08T13:48:00.004-07:00

I'm always finding new ways to use my Paper Dolls Dress up Cricut cartridge. For Thanksgiving I cut out a bunch of people and clothes and let my grandkids create their own little Pilgrim people. I started with a selection of hair, clothes, and bodies.

Using glue sticks and some imagination, they started piecing the dolls together.Happy girls and their creations!
This activity kept the girls busy for quite a while, cutting down on boredom and arguments.
It's important to remember when you cut out the clothes for your paper dolls that If you cut five inch dolls, you need to keep the setting at five inches on the clothes. This allows the machine to make the clothes fit the dolls.

I used the Cricut Design Studio to plan my pilgrims and clothes. Each color of paper was set up in design studio to conserve paper and to prevent me from loading and reloading the same colors onto the mat as I realized I had forgotten pieces.

Going places

2008-12-01T14:15:00.004-07:00

Do you like to travel? With the Going Places Cricut Cartridge, you can dress up any vacation scrapbook page. Road signs, camp fires and trailers, water, boats, cars, trains, taxis and more are available on this cartridge.

Going Places even has handy sayings to go along with your pictures and shapes. Road Trip, Happy Trails, and many other great phrases are also available. There is even the ability to cut cards and envelopes to go with these shapes.

As with all Cricut cartridges, there are lots of additional options available using the shadow, blackout, and other features on your Cricut or Cricut Expressions machines. Don't forget extra mats, cutting blades, markers and other necessities while planning your holiday shopping.

Tag it or bag it

2008-11-24T14:01:00.004-07:00

Cricut has a great cartridge called Tags, Bags, Boxes & More. This is a great cartridge with tons of options, not in in different sizes, but different shapes and other options. Many of the tags shown below can be cut in mirror images so you can fold them with a personal note inside, or you can cut a window in the tag and back it with another paper. Show below are even more tags, and a whole lot of bags and boxes. These are just a few examples of the many choices this cartridge provides. Simply cut the shapes, fold, and adhere for one-of-a-kind gift bags, party favors, labels, and scrapbook accents. Need a pretty package for a gift? Cut something just the right size out of whatever paper you want to match the theme.

There are lots of other designs available on this cartridge as well. You can check them all out here. To see the other great Cricut products we have available, check out our Web site.

Discover the Animal Kingdom

2008-11-17T15:43:00.004-07:00

One of the funnest Cricut Cartridges we stock is the Animal Kingdom cartridge. This one has so many applications, from bookmarks, to pre-programmed words like 'Moo' and 'Roar', bookmarks, and options for borders with groupings of animals--with a little vinyl, you could decorate your child's room in anything from farm animals to jungle theme or forest dwellers.
With fifty different animals and the ability to cut different parts out of differnet colors, this cartridge could be a ball. This cartridge is a great tool to teach your children about different animals, to dress up a classroom, or to add interest to nearly any scrapbook page.
To learn more about this cartridge, or see a large variety of vinyl colors you could use with this cartridge, visit our Web site, www.hisandhertreasures.com

Make a vinyl Christmas scene

2008-11-10T13:17:00.004-07:00

Christmas decorations are popping up everywhere and with Cricut's Paper Dolls Dress Up cartridge, you can decorate your windows and walls for the holiday.

The Paper Dolls cartridge has dozens of great outfits and ideas, from a Hula girl outfit, a princess with castle and dragon, Halloween costumes, a full Nativity, to Santa, his reindeer, sleigh and elves and so much more. This year I decided to put a Santa scene on my family room wall.

First I drew out an idea of how I wanted to set it out just on a sheet of paper. You don't have to have any real artistic ability to do this--all you're trying to do is get a feel for how you want it to look.

Next I decided on the scale I wanted to use for the people, reindeer, sleigh, and trees. To do this, I cut all of the major outlines out in plain white paper. I didn't bother cutting out clothes, because I just wanted to make sure the pieces were the right scale for the scene. I taped these pieces on the wall where I was going to stick the vinyl, that way I knew I had the right spacing between pieces, and that it was centered right on the wall. After the picture below was taken, I taped them to the wall to get a better look. Setting the pieces out like this showed me that the sleigh was a little too big in proportion to the reindeer, so I cut the sleigh out a little smaller for the final version.

Next I started cutting the pieces out. The important thing to remember with the Paper Dolls cartridge is that if you cut out a ten inch person, you keep the ten inch setting for the clothing. The cartridge automatically fits the clothing to a character that size. For Mr.s Clause, I cut a person that was nine inches tall, and her clothes at nine inches as well.

If you have the Design Studio, you can plan ahead and cut all pieces from one color of vinyl at once. This can simplify the process if you think ahead.

Finally, I applied the pieces to the wall. I was pretty happy with the way it worked out.

Cupcakes aren't just for kids anymore

2008-11-03T14:17:00.012-07:00

Our youngest daughter was married a couple of weeks ago, and we did these fun cupcakes for refreshments at the reception. The treats ended up looking elegant and were pretty quick to put together and personalize for her. Cupcakes have become very popular lately--you could probably come up with lots of great ways to adapt this idea.

We started with a basic white cake mix for the cupcakes, filled them with a cream cheese filling, then topped them with whipped topping and decorations. The recipe for the filling will be at the end of this post.

Since the bride's colors were purple and silver, we used silver cupcake liners. We put tip #230 onto a standard sized pastry bag with a standard coupler. Then we filled the bag with the cream cheese mixture.

Insert the tip into the middle of the cupcake until you the tip touches the bottom of the loner. Make sure you do this on a hard surface as the tip can break through the bottom of the cupcake liner if you have it on a cooling rack.

Then slowly withdraw the tip as you squeeze the filling into the cupcake. Normal cupcakes are pretty dense, so you will only fill the hole the tip has created. If you want to add more filling, you can make two or three holes in the cupcake.

We froze the cupcakes for a couple of weeks until the wedding, and they defrosted just fine, including the filling. Once we reached the church where we held the reception, we pulled the cupcakes out to finish them off.

We used Cool Whip as the topping, but any similar topping would work fine. Use Atco tip #826 or any other large open star tip in the pastry bag. We filled the bag with the whipped topping, and slowly swirled it on top.

Once the pan of cupcakes was done, we sprayed the tops with a light coating of violet color mist, then topped them with sweetheart charms.

Out on the refreshment table, we set up the cupcakes on a decorative tree.

There are lots of other colors or candies you could put on the cupcakes instead if you wanted to mix it up. There are also fun party picks available to put in the cupcakes. The picks come in holiday themed snowmen, to Disney's Tinkerbell. We stock a large selection.

Cream Cheese filling
8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup of cream for whipping

Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. In another bowl, whip the cream until firm peaks form, then incorporate with sugar mixture. Keep refrigerated until shortly before you serve. You can add different colors or flavors to this filling too.

Partaking the Joys of the Season

2008-10-30T10:57:00.001-06:00

Earlier this week I talked about the Christmas Cheer Cricut cartridge. Since that earlier collection of Christmas designs came out, ProvoCraft has produced a new cartridge, called the Joys of the Season. This includes many new card and tag options with different pictures, a complete collection of images for the Twelve Days of Christmas, and even Chanukah images!

The book that comes with this cartridge shows you how each image can be stretched, bolded, cut out of tags, and even has directions for a wreath project.

Whether you are planning to dress up your scrapbook, your Christmas cards, Christmas party, or decorate a wall or window (using the great vinyl colors this machine can cut for you), there something for nearly any situation.

For a full set of images from the book, click here for a look at a PDF file. To purchase this or many other Cricut products, visit our Web site.

Spreading Christmas Cheer

2008-10-27T13:09:00.006-06:00

The holiday season is nearly upon us, and scrapbookers are on the lookout for fun ideas to dress up their pages this season. Whether you are buying for yourself, or for someone else who has a Cricut machine and Christmas fetish, there are great solutions out there for you.

Christmas Cheer is from the first group of cartridges to hit the market. It includes pictures of Santa, his sleigh, reindeer, trees, decorations, Christmas candy and much more. Among other option, this cartridge allows you to cut the shapes out of rounded-cornered squares, circles, tags, and place cards. You can even create mini boxes for Christmas goodies.

Remember these designs can be cut any size up to 12"x24"on the Cricut Expressions, enabling you to size the decorations to your project. You can even cut these out of vinyl to adhere to walls and windows!

To see images of everything this cartridge can do, visit the ProvoCraft Web site.

To purchase this or any of the other many Cricut products we have in stock, visit our Web site.

A scrapbooker's dream

2008-10-20T12:51:00.004-06:00

If you haven't stumbled across the infomercials on ProvoCraft's Cricut machine, and you're a scrapbooker, you're missing out. Schools, businesses, and other groups have found this a great way to dress up bulletin boards and create professional-looking signs as well. This great machine makes die cuts, only the user can change the size, and with the right tools, even the shape of the items they are cutting out.

The Cricut and Cricut Expressions machines are computerized machines that take electronic cartridges which contain a selection of shapes and/or words. You attach the cartridge at the port and then select the item and size you want to make it. You can cut letters or pictures in any size up to 12x14 inches! ProvoCraft even makes a selection of markers that are made to replace the cutting blade so you can draw on the paper instead.

Cartridges come in everything from complete font sets, Disney characters, holiday themes, paper dolls, and so much more. We also carry a full line of supplies for the Cricut on our Web site. There is also a great computer program available that allows you to stretch letters, bind pictures together so they print as one piece, and much more. See the video below to learn how the Cricut Design Studio works.

Last-minute supplies for your Halloween party

2008-10-13T13:11:00.000-06:00

There's still time to add fun touches to your kid's Halloween party. These ghost or bat-covered party bags allows the kids to take their treats home in style. The package contains 20 4"x9 1/2" bags that are sure to be a hit.

I know I've found cupcakes are much easier and less messy for kids to handle when they are settling in for a snack, these great ghost cupcake liners can brighten up a simple treat. There are 100 liners per package, so there should be plenty to share with school classes, and friends alike.

If you're planning for a smaller group and want a quick and easy way to dress up simple cupcakes, a whole cake, cookies, or even ice cream treats, these smiling candy pumpkins will fill the need. They come twelve to a pack.

Another fun and simple decorating idea for cakes and cupcakes would be to use these fun color mists. We have them in orange and black, but they are also available in half a dozen other colors. Using these great products, you can give your homemade cupcakes a professional look.

Any of these items can be ordered at our Web site. Check back for other posts about our holiday cake decorating items, holiday scrapbook supplies and much more!

New Halloween costumes abound

2008-10-06T15:00:00.000-06:00

There's something about Halloween that intrigues both young and old, whether the chance to become someone else for an evening or to eat too much candy, I'm not sure.

In the past weeks we've been unearthing all of our Halloween things and getting them posted up on our Web sites and ebay store. We have dozens of different masks from the silly to the frankly gruesome for both children and adults, many, many costumes, witches hat and hair combinations for adults, witches hats by themselves for adults and children, and other accessories including many types of makeup, vampire blood, nail polish and lipstick and spider nail decals.

Are you planning a party for All Hallows Eve? Regardless of whether your celebration is for children, or an older audience, we have things you will need. We have spooky music CDs, games, decorations and party favors. We also have tons of decorations including giant fuzzy spiders in 20-, 30- and 50-inch sizes.

To see a full list of what we have available, visit our Web site