Marshmallow Pops

At my husband's extended family Christmas we always have a white elephant gift exchange.  

This year I had picked up a set of gourmet cocoas and a pair of festive holiday mugs.  

I felt like the set needed just a little something extra.  I was looking through my mom's pantry and found jumbo marshmallows, lollipop sticks and lots of different candies.  In the midst of cookie decorating, I started another projects: Marshmallow Pops.

I printed labels and added ribbon to match the mugs.

Christmas Cookies Part 2

I made another batch of Christmas cookies to share at our family Christmas celebrations.

A few Christmas trees with rainbow sprinkles

Trees with assorted decorations

Peppermints for my Mom

Gift packages- a new cookie cutter from my husband

Christmas Minis!  They are about the size of a quarter!

Sanding sugar and edible pearl snowflakes

Kansas City Chiefs Party

In November I made the cake and cookies for a surprise 50th birthday party for my father-in-law.

The cake and cookies were made in Arkansas and transported back to Kansas.  The long drive created a few imperfections in the cake, but nothing too major.  The bottom 14 inch square layer was white cake with blackberry filling and the carved arrowhead was chocolate cake with ganache filling.

The cake

Close up of my first carved cake!

Birthday Cookies: Jerseys, Pennants, and Footballs

More Cookies!

Purple and Teal Cupcakes

This fall I made a few birthday cupcakes for a joint birthday party.  

Grills and Golfclubs

In the midst of holiday baking, my husband requested a few "man cookies" to take to his friends. I had him go through my cookie cutters and find suitable shapes.  He, of courses, picked two cutters I have never used before: the grill and golfclub bag.  I wish I would have spent more time on these but I had finals to attend.

Christmas Cookies: Part I

This week I made a few Christmas cookies to take my friends for finals week. Nothing too fancy in this post, just a few simple Christmas favorites.

 Christmas Lights & Stockings

Christmas Trees

Peppermints

Christmas Cupcake Cookies

I love using my cupcake cookie cutter year round.  Here a couple of Christmas themed cupcakes cookies.

Gingerbread Fun

Over Thanksgiving break I found a gingerbread house cookie cutter and knew I HAD to have it.  This week I decided to make a few houses for a couple of friends.  I also made gingerbread girls and one boy for each of their children.  You can see the brown icing looks a little rough, that is why it is ALWAYS necessary to sift your powdered sugar.  I will not be taking that short cut again!

I had to send the hubs out at 9 am for rainbow sprinkles.  Rainbow sprinkles were absolutely, 100% necessary for the completion of gingerbread house cookies.

Here are the four final houses: one for each family.

Personalized cookies for each child.

Peppermintini Cookies

In one of my large cookie cutter orders earlier this year, I ordered a martini glass.  While flipping through a Christmas magazine, I saw a recipe for a Peppermintini, which immediately became inspiration for Christmas cookies.  These cookies are among my favorites, primarily because I developed the idea myself.

I used a mini candy cane cutter, crushed mints, and pearl dust for garnishments.

My peppermintini is actually just water with green food coloring.

Polka Dot Bridal Shower

Over the summer I had the chance to help stylize my own bridal shower.  My wonderful hostesses, Rochele, Pam and Susanne, made delicious luncheon items and organized the games.  I mentioned to them that I would love to stylize the dessert table.  We decided to use a pink and brown polka dot theme based on these invitations from Tickled Pink Design.  

I knew I wanted to prepare a variety of desserts to feed the 40-plus people in attendance.  I  LOVE vintage cake pedestals.  The pink cake stand belongs to my mother and I KNEW it had to make an appearance at the shower.  I decided to make a traditional white cake with (pink) butter cream frosting.  I wanted a more vintage, homemade feeling so I opted to leave it a little rough around the edges.  The pink stand is displaying a brownie torte my mom made.  I used chocolate and strawberry malted milk balls to incorporate the polka dot theme. 

 Here is an aerial view of the cakes and a plate of quarter-sized sugar cookies frosted with pink butter cream.  Don't you just love these polka dot napkins?! My mom and Pam picked them up in the City. The "tablecloth" is polka dot fabric from Wally World.  We hemmed the 3 visible ends.

This Chocolate Polka Dot Cheesecake was a HUGE hit! I will be posting the recipe soon!

As a last minute idea, I made peanut butter cup cookies.  Super simple and fast when made in a mini-muffin tin.  In the background you can see the vintage luncheon trays we used.  Rochele had a small set but we knew we would need more.  After a quick call to the Trading Post, we had service for 40 for $25!

 Here is a look at the strawberry punch and adorable luncheon cups! They even have polka dot handles! Again, the tablecloth is hemmed fabric by the yard.

We hired a professional photographer, Taylor Kober of Pinkberry Photography,  for the shower.  She was able to capture so many beautiful photos and my mother and bridesmaids didn't have to tote their cameras around all day!