Oops, I Did It Again...

...or Never Say Never.

If you saw my post the first time I did the Star Wars cookies, you heard me whine and complain about them.  I've had several people ask about them, but declined because I didn't want to do them again.  Well, I've been perusing around the cookie world and seen other decorators do them, and they don't whine and complain about them.  In fact, they're excited about them.  (Sheesh. Those crazy cookie decorators.)  So, this last time they were requested, I caved.  I decided to suck it up and get over it.  Ha.  (But I didn't do Bobo Fett.  5 colors on that little cookie is crazy!)   While I was decorating them, I realized that it's the mandated details that I don't love.  Details are fine, as long as I'm the one creating them. ;-)

She also requested the Star Wars cake, but I really didn't want to subject her and her family to black icing.  Luckily, the man it was for likes chocolate, which was perfect.  So, I made a brown galaxy instead of that yucky black one.

I hope that George had an outstanding birthday!!  Thanks to Sarah and her girls for being repeat customers!  I so appreciate it!

As always, think cookies.

~B~

Cookies on the Lane

You know how much I love a theme, so when I was asked to do cake and cookies for a bowling party, I was game!

Other than the dino cake I did last year, this is the only time I've carved a shape out of cake.  I really wish that I had taken pictures of the cake step-by-step.  It was a lot of fun to watch it come together. 

I hope the birthday boy got a strike!

As always,

Think Cookies.

~B~

A Tale of Two Birthdays...

...And their cakes and cookies! 

So, my princess niece turned 7 this month.  I'm always pretty excited about it because I get to do a cake with matching cookies.  Last year, I made quite the cake for a 6 year old's birthday party.  (You can see it here.)  

This year, we decided on butterflies.  The week before the party, she asked me everyday if I was working on her cookies and cake.  I think she was excited.

And rightfully so!  What seven year old wouldn't be excited about these?!

She loved them, to say the least. 

After I thought I was done icing it, Bonnie asked me if I could put a "7" somewhere on it...after a bit of debate, the sevens ended up on the side with the flowers.  I think it worked!

I enjoy the creative freedom I always have when doing her cake and cookies!

At Carlee Anne's party, I snagged another order of cake with matching cookies.  Suh-weet!  The mom said she knew I was good at the girly stuff, but could I whip something up for her 7 year old son....of course I can!!  Especially since it was golf themed.

If I can't do golf themed stuff, I should move out of Augusta!

Hope Ethan had fun at Putt Putt!!

As always, I love doing matching cake and cookies!!!

The Annual Family Birthday Extravaganza!!

I'm finally getting this post out there - even if I have to stay up all night!

So, last year's F.B.E. was quite an adventure.  (That's the link to the story and pictures, it's at the bottom of the post.)  This year the party went on as planned!!  Somehow, my brother ended up dictating the theme of the party, even though he is only one of EIGHT birthdays we celebrate at the F.B.E.  (It had a lot to do with the Star Wars cookie cutters I bought from Williams-Sonoma.  It was one of those mall trips that I just went in to browse and then, bam, I've spent $80 on nothing that I needed.  It's a classic love/hate relationship.)  Well, Ben-jammin had to have the Star Wars cookies for his birthday, and of course, I had to do a Star Wars cake.  So, if anyone being honored at the F.B.E. didn't like Star Wars, they were just out of luck (*cough*Stevo*). 

Well, Benjy talked me into making a black cake.  Um.  I've heard about cake bakers complaining about dying icing black.  I would like to go on the record and say that dying icing black is not fun.  Even after 4 1/2 bottles of black icing colors, my galaxy was still not black.  It was actually a dark, forrest green. 

A dark, frustrating, forrest green.  Wasn't starting the cake off great.  But was still optomistic about making the cake look like the Star Wars crawl (the opening, scrolling back story in all Star Wars movies). 

I took the green galaxy to Columbus to finish the decorating there.  I still wasn't exactly sure what was going on the green galaxy cake, but at least by this time, the color had darkened a bit and looked mostly black.  After putting the title on the cake, I had to nail down the wording I wanted to use for our cake.  Here's what we came up with (it was a bit of a collaboration)...

Episode II

Family Birthday Extravaganza

At the close of the summer, the

Lamb clan gathers to celebrate

the lives of treasured family members. 

For Bonnie, Carol, Ellie, Steve,

Benjy, Buddy, Betsy, and Ethan,

we wish them a very Happy Birthday...

Poetic and epic, maybe not.  But we had loads of fun!

Here are the cake and cookies, and unless you're willing to pay a pretty penny, don't request these cookies. 

Betsy talking and Ellie checking out the cake.

All of the honorees!

And the thing about black icing...

It tends to turn everything it touches black too!

Good thing the taste is worth it!

I'm looking forward to many more of these FBEs!!!

Life is pretty crazy right now.  I hope to clue you in on some exciting things happening with Sweet B's soon!!  Until then, I'm happy baking...until midnight, most nights!

So Many Cookies, So Little Time

I have so many new cookie cutters that I'm dying to try out, but then I get an order (or 5) so my ideas get put on the back burner - well, some of them do.  When Bonnie (my sister) orders cookies, I use her as my guinea pig.  She lets me try out new cutters or colors or ideas.  Although sometimes, she's not as excited as I am about the idea - at first.  (She can't see what they look like in my head.)  But I can't say that she's ever been disappointed with the outcome.  Her latest order was no exception.  She wanted cookies for one of her senior accountants, Kristen (if the name sounds familiar, it's because she's one of Sweet B's cookie-holics).  Kristen is a CPA and has just finished her Masters in Accounting (MAcc) from Auburn.  (Which is quite an accomplishment!)  So, Bonnie, being the good boss that she is, wanted to congratulate her, Sweet B's style.  She asked if I would make her some flower cookies with a big flower as the message cookie.  Well, I have a cupcake cutter that I had visions for.  So, I asked if I could make her some of those, too.  I decorated the cupcakes and fell in love with cookies, all over again.  They made me giddy with excitement.  I'm not even kidding.  I was gushing.  I love them. 

Here are pictures, so you can fall in love with them too.

Of course I had to put them in the cupcake dome. It was a given.

I'm kind of glad there wasn't anyone around when I got done icing these.  I might've let out a squeal or 2.

A cupcake shortstack.  Or a cupstack shortcake.  Or a cupshort cakestack.

The flowers to match.  So cute.

And if you know Bonnie, you know she can't just say a generic "Congratulations!", she has to say it with meaning behind it.  Drawing inspiration from my Scrabble tiles, she came up with this acrostic, just for kfaunce (Kristen's nickname) who is a CPA and just earned her MAcc.

So, congratulations Kristen!  You definitely earned some Sweet B's!!

 Kristen's weren't the only cookies I did last week - I did some cupcakes and flowers as a thank you for my neighbor, Kari.  She has been a huge help this past year.  Every Monday, she helped this baker-nanny out by picking up Carlee Anne and taking her to ballet with her twin girls.  So, thanks bunches, Kari!

I also did a new baby cookie jar (I love them!).  Her initials are SEW, but they call her Libby.  Her mom was in labor for quite some time and ended up having a C-section, so she definitely deserved some cookies!!  I hope she enjoyed them!

Woodson and Mercer Anne wanted to wish their teacher, Ms. Katherine farewell with some cookies (or rather Morgan, their mom, did.  Woodson and Mercer Anne can't talk yet).  I was happy to help.

 

I already got word that Ms. Katherine "LOVED" them and I'm so happy she did!

Now, if you're bored with cookies (which never happens to me!), here's a cake to break the monotony.  Ellie was having a pool party and asked for a cake themed accordingly (with flip-flops, too!).  

Hope Ellie had a splash at her party!

Well, since this post came so late in the week, I've already got pictures of some of this week's orders, but I'm saving those for next week's post!

Until then, I'm happy baking!

PS.  I experimented with neck ties and Star Wars cookies last week (for Father's Day), but you'll have to wait for those pictures too.  (I'm sure the suspense will keep you up at night.)