Angry Birds? Anyone....

So my youngest child turned 12 yesterday and my mother had a port placed to begin treatment with chemo therapy. These two activities didn't mesh real well. I had planned to frost his cake at grandma's but he threw a large sized monkey wrench into that plan. You never know what traditions you have started until your children call you on it. I make interesting cakes for birthdays. At least I have ever since my oldest daughter requested a "lady-bug" when she turned 16. These are not your run of the mill "wilton" pans. Most cakes are basic round or rectangle. My son's  cake is usually decorated with race cars, back-loaders, bugs, or legos. But this year, keep in mind I do not have an engineering degree, I created this...

That's the happy ending. Other than that, anything that could go wrong did. I purchased 4 glass dishes to create the birds. It was part of an 8 unit set, but I only got 3 lids. I bought a fondant kit (no that is not american cheese slices) especially for the green. The green was entirely dried out, like a brick. I went to use my color gels because they don't change the consistancy of the frosting. The green was dried out, no worries, yellow and blue make green right? They were all dry too. Don't cry any crocodile tears here because I've had them a long time.

But after creating my frosting (buttercream the real stuff) when you add liquid color it changes the firmness of your frosting. Or I planned it that way for affect?

Also, there was certain "weight" factor that I did not fully comprehend until I had to use glassware to shore up my birds and keep them from falling off. The skewers just weren't enough.

As of now, I have no birthdays in my immediate future. I'm begging all of my many friends and stalkers to make sure and remind me to call a bakery next year. Please!

Now all that is left is the clean up. I've edited these pictures so as not to alarm the health department.

And this is what the birthday boy served himself....

All's well that ends well, now it's time for my nap.

Have a teenager suffering from "senior-itis"?

Remember that magical time in your life when you knew everything, felt like a super hero and couldn't wait to take on the world? By world I mean bills, taxes and voting. My daughter had a really bad case of senior-itis. As parents we had confined her with too many rules, curfews and expectations. She couldn't wait to move out of the house and have ultimate freedom. She soon learned that ultimate freedom is not free and now as a single adult she must govern herself. She has to create expectations etc. and motivate her own self out of bed when the alarm goes off. So just like the Genie in Aladdin...(he had ultimate power but a teeny-tiny living space) she has ultimate freedom to come and go as she pleases but she also has the bills that go with them.

In the interest of celebrating seniors everywhere, I mean the kind that are graduating from High School, not the kind that qualify for AARP, I have created a senior portrait special. Any senior with up to 2 clothing changes at one location for up to one hour is $60.00. This includes the CD, copyright release and even 2-3 collages depending on how the muse hits me as I am editing. Anyone game? I'm scheduling sessions now, call soon. If you want to book with a friend, because two is always more fun than one I will discount each of your packages by $10.00, so call now. And good luck with your amazing future, may it be all the things you have ever wanted it to be.

Names will be included on your personal collages, just not on my blog. ;D

Do what makes you happy...

After many vacation trips to southern California, I mistakenly thought I had done all there was to do. Well with the exception of Legoland, but that's another post. Imagine, my wonder at finding "The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch".  Over the course of nearly 100 years of floral cultivation and several relocations the Flower Fields are open to the public but only from March 1 to May 13. And when you get there, this is what you will see...

These are ranunculus. Originally the flowers were single petal, ranging in colors limited to red and yellow. Through the careful cultivation of Edwin Frazee, the superior ranunculus of the Flower Fields blooms in thirteen beautiful colors. As you can imagine, many pictures have been taken in the Flower Fields.  Mr. Frazee was not impressed with all the picture takers. He once commented, " If I had one penny for every picture that's been taken of those fields, I'd be a rich man." And in deed  he would be. So here's what I got for my 6 cents worth.

You are awestruck by the 50, yes 50 acres of growing flowers. They are set in rows like all gardened things. A row of yellow, purple, white, etc. Bright ribbons of color across the landscape. Walking among them you just have to smile and be happy.

So if the opportunity presents itself that you spend spring break in Southern California, take a break from the salt scent of the ocean, the whale splash zone and the crowd wearing mouse ears and breathe in the floral scent of acres of blossoms, blooming because they were created that way. I promise you will walk away smiling.