Happy Christmas...

Wow...it's been 10 days since I last posted. A full 10 days it has been too!!! My computer time has been few and far between, given that I had family visiting and a little munchkin who just doesn't stop anymore.

Our Christmas was awesome. Santa brought me a new mixer...which really excites me. I got quite a few new cake supplies that I'm itching to try out. I also got some great scrapbook supplies, so hopefully in the next little bit I'll get to try them out.

On a 'sad' note, I'll be heading back to work shortly. :( I'm going to try and go an afternoon a week or something like that. I have a limit on how many hours I can work and still be able to claim EI, just need to figure that out then I'll be good. I need to get Mia used to her daycare lady too. It's going to be tough though.

Anyhoo onto happier topics, Mia LOVES all of her presents. It's so cute. Christmas morning Santa left his presents unwrapped in front of the tree and she crawled right to them and started playing right away. She did exactly what we hoped she would do. It was sweet.

Time to go...Mia's in bed, Paul's on the phone and Mom and Dad's Wii is sitting all by itself. Time to go have a game of golf, baseball and maybe bowl a bit.

Happy New Year!!!!

Baking, baking, baking....

I am just a baking!

Well I've baked over 500 cookies, over 100 truffles, and 3 cakes in 2 weeks. :) Wow. I'm loving it, Paul isn't, cause he does the dishes. lol. I thought I'd share a few pictures of my cookie factory. I also have a few pics of our mantle. In previous years we always put the gifts under the tree as they got wrapped...this year, with Mia that just wasn't possible. She'd have them all unwrapped, so we put them up by the fireplace.

Picture time...









I'm not sure if I'll be posting again before Christmas. Family starts arriving today so in case I don't come back... From my family to yours, MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone.... May it be filled with happiness, health and love!!!

I did it!!!!

Well I did it. I did the 'gift' cake that I wanted to make. It's not exactly what I wanted but let's just say I had to finally stop at 3am and realize that it wasn't going to be EXACTLY the way I wanted it to be. That said, I'm super pleased with how it turned out. Again, I learned lot's. It made me realize that I should be keeping a small journal and documenting anything and everything I learn from my experiences. That way I might prevent the past from repeating itself... So without further a do.. Voici the Present Cake...



And another angle...



I'm pleased... Now, I rest... buh bye.

Basketball Cake

Here's a cake I did for Paul's coworkers granddaughter and her BFF. The writing and colors were requested and she wanted a basketball somewhere.

Oh what a night...

Please... sing along...but I'm going to change the lyrics a bit.. " Oh, what a night, mid December back in 2008..." In fact, I'm referring to last night. It was my office Christmas party, seeing that I'm on maternity leave I was really looking forward to it, so that I could see some friends I haven't seen in a while. It was a swanky party too, at a nice local hotel. So, around 3:30 I decide it's time to start getting ready, so that I could be there for 6 sharp. I hop in the shower, get all nice and clean, come out and put the cake I was to bake for today in the oven. Everything is perfect. Paul is off, so he's playing with Mia, I'm brushing my hair, cakes baking and KA BOOMY...no that wasn't an explosion, that was the my evening blowing up in my face. THe power went out. Ok, no biggie, it'll just be out for a few minute. A few minutes pass, so I start thinking it might be more than a flicker. The cake is in the oven... UGH. Wait a minute, how do I dry my hair? HOw do I iron my pants? How do I put on my makeup? How do I brush my teeth? (cause when we lose power we lose water too) Not to mention Paul...how does he carry on with a baby, no power, all by himself. So I grab a flashlight, find my new shirt and a pair of wrinkle free pants. Put those on. Find my hair clip, looks like my hair is going up in that. Gather up my make up and since Paul has to go out for supper I 'hitch' a ride with him to the party and on our way, do my make up. I brought my toothbrush and toothpaste with me so that I could do it there and that's that. Talk about improvisation. So, this morning I wake up bright and early to get the cake made and decorated and Paul is delivering it right now. Wow. What a night... so please, join me in singing... Oh what a night, mid December in 2008...

Hannah Montana Cake

So here it is... I'm kind of frustrated with myself. A few things I should have done, that I know I should have done but didn't do. It looks ok... we'll just leave it at that.

Right on schedule

Hannah Montana cake... Done (will post pics tomorrow)

First batch of cookies... Done

Birthday Basketball cake... Next

Second batch of cookies... Sunday!

Bow for Paul's work cake... well, let's just hope that 3rd time is a charm.

"Busy" is my middle name

So...what started out as some fun baking, has turned out into a small business. I sent cookies in with Paul on Tuesday and what do you know. In the next week and a half I'm making close to 500 cookies and a couple of boxes of truffles. I'm also making 3 cakes, finishing up some Christmas presents, cleaning the house and getting my own baking done. Not to mention, 'watching' Mia... Luckily I have the best baby in the world and I'm a pro at maximizing every second I have during nap times.

Today I need to finish my Hannah Montana cake, bake a batch of cookies and I'm trying to get my friends xmas present finished which shouldn't be too difficult. I've decided to make a card pack, using my Cricut. I thought that was a good gift, hopefully she'll like it.

Anyways... I should get going... LOT'S to do... (lot's of pictures to post later.) Chow!

Seeing Red...

So as promised I will share a few photos...that said, they don't look as bad in these photos but I promise it was bad! In fact my right hand is STILL red.

My flopped attempt at a bow...


The mess created by making the bow... (Permanent red counter, saved by Mr. Clean Eraser!)


And a picture of the culprit, my hand AND the counter...


Last night I started working on bow #2...I should get a picture... I was smart and decided to do a WHITE bow. Today I get started on a Hannah Montana cake. :) Off to bake now...

No bow...

So as I mentioned I was working with fondant for the first time. I was so proud of myself, everything seemed to be coming together nicely...until today...when the bow I've been working on totally broke... I'm not giving up, but I do need to figure out where I went wrong... I am sad though. I should take a picture of what I've got left.... It's pitiful. Not to mention my red hands!!!! Back to the drawing board.

Mouth full of heaven...

So someone posts an 'easy peasy' recipe for sugar cookies and of course I have to try it out. It makes a HUGE batch and let me tell you, they taste heavenly. It's suggested to roll them in colored sugar then plop a gumdrop in the center, but that's not my thing. Instead, I decorated a few for Paul to take to work.

Voila...


The cake I was scheduled to do for Paul this Wednesday isn't actually until next Wednesday...it puts a small kink into a few things but it should all work out in the end. Gives me time to concentrated on Hanah Montana! :)

Oh...I got my Cricut this weekend. L -O-V-E it. Seriously. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I'm going to have stuff cut out everywhere in my house! It's amazing. Ahhhh... must go play some more! :)

Caking it up...

So this week is going to be a busy one... at least in my kitchen it will be. I'm making two cakes for Friday. One is for Paul's office, they're having a Christmas pot luck... I was tossing and turning for 2 days over what I should make...rather, what type of CAKE I should make. :) It was either going to be an 8" circle ornament cake...an 8" circle wreath cake or a 9" square 'present' cake. The 9" square present cake won. It's actually going to be three tiered. All chocolate fudge. Mmmm. AND I'm taking this as a learning opportunity and am going to attempt to use fondant. :) I just finished making it (the fondant) it's now cooling in the fridge. After supper I'll attempt to 'dye' it... and we'll see what happens after that. I'm really excited though. I SO hope that it turns out. Practice makes perfect. And then later on this week I'm making a Hannah Montana cake for my friends daughter. That's another cake I've been all over the place with. I'm thinking it will be purple, with pink and blue accents. I will also be putting the 'logo' on the cake. Speaking of which...I need black food coloring. So busy busy. Hopefully I'll be back here in a few days boasting over my cake...if not...you know why. :) Happy Sunday!!!!!

Mmmm Mmmmm

So, I'm pretty sure it's safe to put this up now...we're visiting with Mom and Dad tomorrow and I baked Mom a birthday cake. It is a surprise so I don't want her to see it before then. Pretty sure she wouldn't be checking my blog between now and about 10am tomorrow morning. :)

So here it is... a red velvet cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, chocolate truffles and a few dollops of vanilla buttercream. Mmmm Mmmm. I can't wait to cut into that one!!!



I made a few cards tonight too and I just realized I didn't take any pics. DARN. They were cute to. I'd take them now but they're in sealed envelopes.

Anyways...it's late...I should be in bed. Early morning tomorrow. Nighty night!

Is it about the $$$ or the giving???

So I was talking to some random person at the mall. They had a small baby, that always seems to stir up conversations, when you're toting a baby around. Anyways...we got talking about Christmas and how different things would be with a baby. We talked about what to get babies...then talked about family and friends. I (thankfully) didn't mention much of what I was getting friends and family... Why thankfully? Well, she said that she doesn't 'get' how people can give homemade things as gifts. That it's so cheap. She said that she has a friend that makes soaps, and every Christmas gives her friends soap for Christmas. I will be the first to admit, I wouldn't know what to do with a scented soap I would never use BUT the fact that you're receiving some of this specially made soap, TO ME, is very special, and I would be very thankful. So I made some truffles...I'm making cookies/brownies in a jar, all you have to do is add water or something and I'm giving those as gifts. Now I feel like the message I'm giving to my friends is that I'm cheap. Yes, it is a cheaper alternative to going out and buying something useless...something I'm guess they may like...or some other little trinket to clutter their house with. In my opinion, I'm giving them something I especially made for them. I could list a few other homemade gifts here that I plan on making this year, but some of the recipients read this blog. So now...what do I do? I don't want to look cheap...but I love what I'm making. I think they're so cute, and unique, and special and not to mention...my truffles are GOOOOOD. :) Sure this is just one persons opinion, but I can't help but wonder if maybe my friends, the recipients of my gifts, will feel the same. Something to think about...

Sleeping Beauty...

Finally, she fell a sleep...look how cute!

One of those days...

Mia's cranky cause she won't nap...
Molly won't sit still...
I'm losing patience...
I keep thinking about how it's December 4th...
I go back to work on February 8th...
I get really sad...
I try not to think about anything...
Mia smiles...
All better...
repeat...

Operation truffles....

The baking has begun... First up... TRUFFLES!!!!!!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmm

Flogeras Family Update

I updated our Flogeras Family Blog with a 9 month update for Mia... Thought you might want to check it out:

http://flogerasfamily.blogspot.com/