Practicing Once Again.....

So, I am once again practicing for the wedding.....good thing I have several months to practice as I'm still mastering my technique....not there yet! I can accept that....I will keep practicing until I am where I want to be. I just had an epiphany....I don't have to make cupcakes to practice frosting....I can frost paper! Good thing cause last night I goofed! I was preparing the buttercream frosting for the cupcakes only to realize that I pulled the WRONG recipe...I was making Royal Frosting which dries hard! OMG! So, now I had to pull out the "unsalted" butter for the correct recipe, it needs to sit at room temperature! I did so! Later, I went into the kitchen to start the frosting and holy toledo....I pulled the wrong butter. Now, I'm not one to ignore signs! It was a sign that I was too tired and I should not even try to frost the cupcakes. I decided to just go sit down and watch  the first episode of "Downton Abbey" before bed.

So, this morning, I woke up at 4:45am, thinking it was time to get up. I went into the kitchen to start working on the frosting, got everything out, THEN I looked at the clock! OMG....another sign that I've got too much on my mind! Good grief....I'm beat and wound up all at the same time! I decided that I really needed to be fresh for the frosting! So, I went back to bed, woke up at 6:30! Oh fine! I just got up! I did some housecleaning, dishes, laundry....and finally, it was time to start the frosting. So, the recipe I used did not call for any liquid.....weird! I was a bit terrified that I was going to have a big lump of white sugary substance in my mixing bowl....but no, it turned out beautiful, was so smooth and thick, easy to frost with! Here are a couple samples of what I did this morning:

Right now, I'm not trying to master techniques, I am just testing tips to see what they do! The pictures look blue, they aren't....they are a very dark, stunning purple!

I think this is my fave tip, looks like ribbon.....love it!

I really liked this cupcake with the dark purple flowers on top of the white star bursts....it's stunning in person! 

Oh man, I really love this ribbon tip....I am going to learn to master this one especially....it just makes me happy! 

The frosting recipe I used (found on Pinterest): 

Bakery Style Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1/2 cup shortening

3-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract (I might try Clear Vanilla next time)

Mix butter and shortening on low, until smooth. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until blended. Add extract, mix to combine. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes, until smooth. 

How about a Game of Golf?

Today, we celebrated Bev's & Terri's birthdays, both of them love golf and curling! So, the obvious theme would be golf since I know absolutely nothing of curling nor would it be easy to find stamps, stickers or anything curling like that I could use for the cards and gift boxes! We don't have a lot of room in our conference for 12 people, boxes of stuff surrounding the walls, computer stuff and a big conference table with chairs....it's definitely a tight squeeze! Anyhow, I am making do with what I have....can't really decorate the walls or ceiling like I want but I do what I can....so, I spread a green table cloth (grass), wrote golf words all over it, drew two black circles for putting holes (cupcakes with "flags" stuck in them sitting on the black holes). Tracy picked and arranged the flowers, they are gorgeous....yellow, green and white, they matched the decor beautifully! The food was delightful...omigosh, I was stuffed all day: 2 quiches (is that a word), potato casserole (we almost beg Tracy to make this for each birthday...it's too die for), fruit, yogurts, absolutely yummy quinoa, nuts and I think raisins, roasted coconut and granola fresh from Hawaii (I mean fresh.....my boss just returned yesterday morning from Hawaii) and these most awesome "golf balls" date balls that Gail made....they looked like golf balls (powdered sugar)...OMG, I am still stuffed! I made cupcakes....would you expect anything else? I had a great time with this theme, I would have liked more time to create better decor but it still turned out great....I created two golf birthday cards and two golf gift boxes...altogether the decor looked awesome! I'm sure ya'll want to see....

So, here is the table....you can see how it all comes together with the cupcakes, the present boxes, cards and a glimpse of the flowers in the background. 

These are the birthday cards, the one on the right is upside down (I just noticed), LOL! Oops! Anyhow, you get the idea. I didn't have any golf stamps, had to use stickers (not my favorite way of crafting cards). I think they turned out cool anyhow!

A closer view....the cupcakes....well, you can see the sand traps were made with crushed graham crackers, also you can see the water hazard, rough greens and the putting greens...miniature flags and edible golf balls completed the picture! Oh, we had REAL golf balls hanging around on the table as well....if you look close, you can see the black cupcake with the flag stuck in it and the golf ball next to it....a putting hole? 

Obviously, I'm pretty proud of these cupcakes! LOL We keep getting closer and closer to check out the detail! Oh, besides fun to make, they were fun to eat! Yum!

Final shot....I won't bore you anymore....the water hazard...who's gonna wade in and get all those golf balls? 

See, I'm getting better at frosting....just keep practicing! 

Practice makes Perfect.....Right?

So, I'm practicing making cupcakes and frosting them for my son's wedding. The colors are purple, black and white....the bride and groom wants both white and chocolate cupcakes with a buttercream frosting. Each month on our Playday (my husband and I host Playday with our best friends as well as our son and his fiance)...for Playday, I'm creating cupcakes to taste test for the wedding. Each month I'm making a different flavor of cupcake and a different flavor of frosting. Did I tell you....I'm teaching myself to frost cupcakes, using different designs. Well, I can definitely see improvement each month.....it's not like all I'm doing is trying different techniques every night (I'm not a pro....yet, LOL)....I'm only working on them one night a month, however, I do plan on working on roses this week....I'm really excited to be working on these! Cross your fingers! I will post pics!
So, here is my first ever frosting of cupcakes:

I just pulled out tips and played. I tried a bit of everything. I suppose I should buy or look up some frosting techniques to help me out but I don't usually work that way...I usually just jump in head first and this is no exception! My first try! 

So, the next month I made Sparkling Cider cupcakes with Sparkling Cider frosting. The cupcakes were a hit, the frosting wasn't (it was good, just not too die for good)! But, they looked pretty! LOL Sticking with the purple, I tried my hand at flowers (the roses were pre-made, can't take credit for them). I posted in an earlier post the design choice from this session of cupcake making. I just want to show you my second attempt....here it is: 

I had a great time with the flowers, can't wait to practice more. I'm sure everyone is going to be tired of cupcakes by year end, but hey, I'm having fun! I don't want to make this post too long, don't want to bore anyone so I will post my third try another time. The third attempt was for Valentine's Day.....guess what: they are not purple! LOL

Cleaning as I Go!

So, I have this friend (don't you like how stories start off like that?), who used to make cookies with me. We haven't seen each other in quite awhile...rather, for a VERY long time and yet, we live in the same town. We both have our own lives, I guess! Anyhow, this friend, you know who you are...Tracie, and I were making sugar cookies one day for Christmas. I have THE best sugar cookie recipe (my husband's favorite at least)! I will share later in the post! Sorry, I got side-tracked....anyhow, this friend and I were making cookies in my kitchen. As she was pouring the flour into the mixer, I was wiping up the spilled flour and putting the jar away. After she poured the sugar into the mixer, I wiped down the counter and put the jar away. Same goes for the vanilla, eggs, salt, etc.....Finally, I guess it got to her! She smacked me with a towel and said, "Alright already! Stop cleaning! Clean when we are done, you are driving me nuts"! So, I didn't get it....I didn't realize what I was doing, it's just how I cook and bake, I clean as I go! I hate messes! Anyhow, I was making cupcakes from scratch this weekend and realized, by darn, she was right! It took me longer to make the cupcakes because I was wiping the counter after using each ingredient instead of when I was all done! But hey, if you came knocking on my door whilst I was making cupcakes, I would let you in and not apologize for the mess....well, because there wasn't one! Did I scare her away from playing in the kitchen with me?  I guess I would be what one calls anal! I won't even tell you the story of my Sister's visit and the throw pillows on the couch! Well...I will tell you a little so you won't feel I was holding out on you....imagine pillows with lines sitting horizontally, Sister placing them on the floor and laying down, Me picking them up and laying them horizontally again each time she got up to go say...to the kitchen, to the bathroom! Let's just say....I drove her nuts! Good thing my husband is slight anal as well, he picks the pillows up and places them horizontally as well!

Oh, I need to get back to the Sugar Cookies...I think you might just want the recipe! I don't know where it came from, it's called Ethel's Sugar Cookies but I got the recipe from my Mother in Law, her name is not Ethel and neither was her Mother's name Ethel! Ethel, whoever you are....we love your sugar cookies!

Ethel's Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 c Shortening (I use Crisco Butter Flavored)
1 c  Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs (my son asks me to use fake eggs so he can eat the dough, his favorite)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2-1/2 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in mixer. Stir in baking powder and salt, slowly add flour. Chill as least one hour. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick, cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet, bake until golden for 6 to 8 minutes.

Easy Creamy Sugar Cookie Frosting
Ingredients:
1 c sifted Confectioners Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
Water (add 1 tbsp at a time)
Food Coloring (add until desired color is acquired)

Directions: 
Mix all ingredients until desired thickness using whisk. Add food coloring, frost cookies. Let "dry" for several hours. Frosting will be hard on top and creamy on below.

So, ya'll wanna SEE the cookies? Check these out:

Once again....Thanks Ethel for making me the cleaning Sugar Cookie Queen! LOLOL

Yippee Kai-yay........

Happy Birthday Renee' (last summer)..... I always try to pick a theme for my friend's birthdays! Renee' is our Cowgirl....and what cowgirl doesn't like a good stud? Okay....we're talking about horses now! Yeah Right! So, for Renee's birthday, the office girls all dressed in western garb, complete with cowgirl boots!

We had a yummy lunch, everyone brought in "food from the ranch"! Cowgirl Beans, Corn on the Cob, Mashed Potatoes, Pulled Pork, Meatballs and lots of gravy....because what Cowgirl doesn't eat gravy slathered on everything?

For Renee', I created a "Stud Ranch" canvas for her cabin wall and of course, I had to make her card with a "Stud in the Making"....a little baby stud (this photo is from my phone and won't allow me to turn it...sorry)!

Birthday gift of an old pot with an old spice cookbook and old spices! Add to that, checkered tablecloth, summer flowers, bandanna, cast iron pan candle, a "Stud Ranch" canvas and "Stud in the Making" card.....made for a great cowgirl party! Yippee Kai-yay!

What fun we had......our inner cowgirls had a blast!