HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH!!! Yesterday. What a day! I've had a crazy week trying to get everything ready, and you know me--try to make it perfect. Yeah, didn't happen. I have so much to tell and explain, so please forgive me if I jump around from thought to thought. So here goes. You read about the experience at the craft store on Monday--10 hours for an afghan, a stepping stone, "manly beads" (pfft!)--but there was still more. I also bought a book that gives you everything you need to make a string of lights. Well, I thought that would be cool, but it turned out to be really girly, and VERY annoying to put together (Irony: Even though I realized they were girly, I still tried assembling them so I could have a homemade present). I also bought a package of boondoggle to make a boondoggle keychain, but got stuck and couldn't get past the first "stitch". So I returned nearly everything I bought (which was a LOT!!) and hunted a little more. This time, I found a picture frame that is kinda big, but has a lot of little places for pictures (see below). I started scheming, and decided I would make Josh a “Supervisor’s Survival Stash”. I snatched the picture frame, and was on my way. I took pictures of Temaire’s kids (and Abby was there playing too—she is Chris’ daughter) and the next morning went to Jayci’s house. I got about 6 pictures of Katie and Chris (Jayci’s kids) and then I broke my camera. Okay, didn’t break it, just did something that kept me from taking pictures. So I had to have Josh fix it that night (he fixed it last time that happened, and I forgot how it worked). Thus, I was unable to get pictures of Blake and Logan (and actually Jaxon too). Thank you Karen for sending me pictures! They were great! I dropped off the first roll of film (what I took on Tuesday night) at Costco and got them developed. I also got Josh a new swimsuit. Returned some junk to Michael’s, went to T.J. Maxx (and as I’m typing this, I just realized that I forgot to give Josh one of his presents…), went back and picked up the film and then finished some more planning.
Wednesday morning, I took pictures of Jayci’s kids, and my camera stopped working. After work, I went to pick up some pans for the cake, and made the fondant at my Mom and Dad’s house (and fed the fish, and watered the lawn) then went home and finished some homework and got some more things ready for the birthday. I found a better swimsuit, so I bought it, with plans to return the other to Costco.
Thursday. What a day. I haven’t worked at night for the last two Thursdays (I go in when they get enough reservations) and last night they had enough, so I hurried and got my shift covered, and went home to finish preparations. I took some shots of our house to use up the rest of the film so I could get it developed. I went to Costco to return the swimsuit, and pick up the Swedish fish and Red Vines, and they told me the machine at the photo center was broken, and I couldn’t have my pictures until Saturday. Aaahhh!!! So I dropped the film off at Walgreens (after I baked the cakes—they were cooling at this point) and ran home to roll out the fondant and finish the cake. Oh, and did I mention that before I made the cakes I had to go to Smiths (ugh) to get more eggs—that’s what Josh had for dinner Wednesday night. Bummer. So anyway. It took FOREVER to get the fondant colored. As you can tell, I never quite got it to red, it’s still sorta pink. It was hard to mix the color. It was even harder since I had to wear rubber gloves so my hands wouldn’t turn red. It was SO hot in my house (from the oven, the Sun beating down in our window) and the frugality of my husband (air conditioner is not on very high). I tried coloring the frosting, and ended up putting so much liquid red food coloring (I used the Wilton No-Taste red gel for the fondant) in that the already melted frosting, was even runnier. I outlined the circles with the red frosting and was going to let it sit while I went to the gym, and picked up the pictures from Walgreens. I had stepped into the back (and mind you, the half-filled picture frame was propped up against the couch) and I thought I heard the front door open. At 9:10! He isn't even off until 10:00! In walked Josh. I started freaking out. I was upset because the cake wasn't perfect, 1/2 of his present was on the couch, the house was a mess from all the baking, and I was a sweaty mass of "wife-who-just-flopped-her-husband's-birthday". :( Josh didn't care. "Oh, I thought I told you I was coming home early." Nope! So I didn't fix the cake, but since he had homework, I did go pick up the pictures, and go to the gym. When I got home, I made him promise not to look at what I was doing, and I hurried and finished the picture frame. hee hee. I was a little more calm, until I walked in the kitchen and realized he had cleaned up after my cake mess. EVERYTHING was put away, and the dishes were in the dishwasher. Then I was upset because he cleaned up after his birthday cake, but then I wasn't too upset because then I didn't have to clean it all. :D
Wednesday morning, I took pictures of Jayci’s kids, and my camera stopped working. After work, I went to pick up some pans for the cake, and made the fondant at my Mom and Dad’s house (and fed the fish, and watered the lawn) then went home and finished some homework and got some more things ready for the birthday. I found a better swimsuit, so I bought it, with plans to return the other to Costco.
Thursday. What a day. I haven’t worked at night for the last two Thursdays (I go in when they get enough reservations) and last night they had enough, so I hurried and got my shift covered, and went home to finish preparations. I took some shots of our house to use up the rest of the film so I could get it developed. I went to Costco to return the swimsuit, and pick up the Swedish fish and Red Vines, and they told me the machine at the photo center was broken, and I couldn’t have my pictures until Saturday. Aaahhh!!! So I dropped the film off at Walgreens (after I baked the cakes—they were cooling at this point) and ran home to roll out the fondant and finish the cake. Oh, and did I mention that before I made the cakes I had to go to Smiths (ugh) to get more eggs—that’s what Josh had for dinner Wednesday night. Bummer. So anyway. It took FOREVER to get the fondant colored. As you can tell, I never quite got it to red, it’s still sorta pink. It was hard to mix the color. It was even harder since I had to wear rubber gloves so my hands wouldn’t turn red. It was SO hot in my house (from the oven, the Sun beating down in our window) and the frugality of my husband (air conditioner is not on very high). I tried coloring the frosting, and ended up putting so much liquid red food coloring (I used the Wilton No-Taste red gel for the fondant) in that the already melted frosting, was even runnier. I outlined the circles with the red frosting and was going to let it sit while I went to the gym, and picked up the pictures from Walgreens. I had stepped into the back (and mind you, the half-filled picture frame was propped up against the couch) and I thought I heard the front door open. At 9:10! He isn't even off until 10:00! In walked Josh. I started freaking out. I was upset because the cake wasn't perfect, 1/2 of his present was on the couch, the house was a mess from all the baking, and I was a sweaty mass of "wife-who-just-flopped-her-husband's-birthday". :( Josh didn't care. "Oh, I thought I told you I was coming home early." Nope! So I didn't fix the cake, but since he had homework, I did go pick up the pictures, and go to the gym. When I got home, I made him promise not to look at what I was doing, and I hurried and finished the picture frame. hee hee. I was a little more calm, until I walked in the kitchen and realized he had cleaned up after my cake mess. EVERYTHING was put away, and the dishes were in the dishwasher. Then I was upset because he cleaned up after his birthday cake, but then I wasn't too upset because then I didn't have to clean it all. :D
So, it all worked out. But, there are some things I will do differently next time I make a cake (especially if I use fondant).
- Have my house cooler so my frosting won't melt.
- Dye the fondant in batches. Some the day I make it, and some the next day.
- Roll the fondant just a little thicker (it was a little rough to put on the cake)
- I won't eyeball so much. I'll actually measure out the size fondant needs to be, and then make it that size. I had a lot of excess on some sides of the cake, and barely enough on others.
- I'll probably purchase a fondant cutter. They're fairly cheap, but the butter knife wasn't really cutting it. (pun intended) I had chunks of fondant that tore off when I was applying it to the top two layers. The pictures are so accurate! Darnit! (That's why there is no side view up close. You can see all the tears in it).
- I'll give myself more time. I'll make the cakes a little earlier, and hopefully not be a sweaty mess of failure next time.
Did I mention I never even got to make the bullet to go on the top??? I needed that extra hour! Oh well. Now I can say I have made fondant, and I'll know what to expect next time. I'm chalking this one up to experience.
New Sunglasses
Supervisor Survival Stash
This is the cake I made for Kylee (MUCH easier!!!) Josh had to frost it for me though. You can't tell, but those are pink sprinkles on purple frosting. Just what she asked for!
Top View of the Cake Side View Cut Top View Cut
The only dirty dishes to clean up. Not bad. (You should have seen the counter!!!!)
Card from My Mom and Dad
Oh, and if you'd like some cake, we have a lot! Please come have some! Or we could even bring it to you (only available to Utah residents). I'm no Ace of Cakes, but it's a tasty cake even if it ain't perty!
4 comments:
The first birthday cake I made for Matthew took me 8 hours straight. Why do we do things like this? Crazy women! Thanks for the fondant recipe, I will let you know how it turns out.
Katie! Your cake was so cute! you did a great job. Plus, I saw the pictures today and I loved them! It is so cute!
Thanks for the compliments. I'm glad I conquered fondant, but feeling dumb that I lost control of the frosting! Oh, and there was no bullet. I was soooo bummed about the bullet!
I loved everything!! But, most especially the frame...I want one!! You have a real knack of posing the kids and taking great pictures. So, someday when you have time....;) Mom H. :)
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