Happy Spring!!!

It is the first day of Spring, and the pollen count is already at record highs.  Today's count...9369!!!!  We have completely skipped over that time of year when you can have the windows open and get a nice breeze blowing through.  I mean, it practically feels like summertime outside!  I almost got a sunburn sitting outside with the neighbors on Sunday...in March...really?!?!? 

As of today, my kickstarter project is 8% funded.  There are only 25 days left to donate, so please continue to share the word!!!

 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1920130639/hobby-baker-wants-to-go-pro

This was a pretty eventful weekend.  Friday night was the St.Patty's day party with the neighbors.  SOOO much yummy food!  I made these fun treats for the adults. 

Chocolate Guinness cake layered with a Guinness reduction and Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream and topped with a white chocolate shamrock.

I also had two friends that asked if I could make cakes for their girls this weekend.  I LOVE the way this one turned out!  The only request was that her daughter could easily recognize it as Tangled.  The most tedious task of the cake was making all of the shingles. 

I had some challenges with this one.  One of my BFFs asks that I make cakes for her kids every year.  She sent me a pic of the paper products they were using and asked if I could use that as an inspiration.  BUT...she didn't want fondant on the cake.  I don't do buttercream covered cakes as well as I do fondant ones.  Fondant is just my "thing" I suppose.  Traditional bakers, well... I give them props because it just doesn't come as naturally to me.  And my piping skills are not fantastic, although I don't spend a lot of time practicing.  You can see that most of my cakes have a simple bead border around the bottom just to give a finish on the cake. 

This was my inspiration...

And this is the cake. 

The colors were a little more vibrant in person.  I will be the first to admit that I am not the best photographer.  I airbrushed the cake using the different colors from the plates and the black center.  The stars are the ONLY fondant pieces on the cake.  The peace signs are white chocolate.  Oh, and there is black edible glitter on the cake too!

The weather outside lately has been absolutely beautiful, but on the verge of being HOT.  It was so warm on Sunday, that the hubby pulled out the slip-n-slide and sprinklers for the boys to play in.  Which meant that all of the neighbors came to play too.  It was so funny watching the kids splash through the water.

Happy Spring Everyone!