Using dowels to support a multi-layered cake

(image via moon-pie.blogspot.com)

I've had a couple of requests for explanations on placing dowels in the Toy Story cake. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures at that step, but I found a nice image on another blog to give you an idea of what I am describing.

After a crumb coat and fondant layer on my bottom 9x13 cake, I placed dowels in my cake, just like the pictures above. (You can buy cake dowels at any cake decorating store in a pack.) The dowels ensure your bottom layer cake doesn't get squished by the weight of the top layer cake and decorations. I think I put 5 or 6 dowels in my bottom 9x13 layer, spacing them out evenly. Make sure your dowels are the same height or just slightly shorter than the cake you are sticking them into, this helps support the top layer 9x13 and any decorations you add on top. I cut my dowels using a nice, sharp pair of kitchen shears.

When it is time to serve your cake, you can disassemble your cake layers and take the dowels out, or just cut into your cake and remove dowels as you see them in the individual pieces. If you only do a few dowels, it won't be a big deal to find them.

Dowels in a multi-layered cake are essential to prevent sagging in your cake. Fondant is heavy and if you are needing to transport your cake, your bottom layer will need all the support it can get. Good luck and e-mail or comment if you need further explanation!

Toy Story Cake

Toy Story 3 will be out soon in theaters and I have been receiving some requests for more pictures, since a lot of kids are going to want Toy Story cakes this year. So here they are. Please leave a comment with your e-mail if you would like specific instruction on any part of the cake. If you leave a comment here, it will be sent directly to my e-mail box so I can respond ASAP.

Thanks and happy decorating!

Cake Ideas and Inspiration

My good friend, Jen, recently asked me for some birthday cake ideas/websites/general inspiration that I use when I am in "cake mode". Hope this isn't too late for you to use, Jen, and I want to see some pictures when you have your final product!

The Toy Story cake was a cake of my own creation, but I first went to the wonderful cake site www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com for my inspiration. I looked at all of the Toy Story themed cakes, combined little bits of several different cakes, and added some of my own touches. I think that's the best way to make a cake: see someone's idea and then make it your own. Check out the site for your theme of cake that you want to do and see where it takes you!

If you find a cake that you absolutely love, then just plain ol' copy it! This cake I copied almost completely from the same website listed above.

Another resource I use is Wilton yearbooks. The Wilton company comes out with a new cake decorating book each year. I buy one at Michael's each year and it is full of great cake decorating ideas, updated with the latest techniques and characters that kids love. It has recipes, all the tools you could ever need or want, and more great cakes than I could ever make in a lifetime.

This cute little dino was made after spying a cute green dragon in the 2007 yearbook. His body and head are two heart shaped cakes. His legs, arms, and tail are frosted sugar cookies.

And there is always the good ol' cake pan. Buy them at any craft/cake store, bake, and follow the frosting directions that come with purchase. Simple and easy. This Lightning McQueen cake was nice because it isn't very big and since it was just a family party, we didn't have a ton of leftover cake sitting around to tempt me.

I wish I lived closer to you, Jen, so we could work on it together! Does anyone else have any good cake inspiration stores/books/sites they can share?

Housewarming

Aren't these flower nesting bowls fun? There from Martha Stewart Macy's Collection. My cousin gave them to us as a housewarming gift. Very thoughtful and I can see myself using these for many a baby or bridal shower and definitely book club. I don't think my boy-filled family will care too much if I use them on a daily basis as well....as long as there's something yummy inside them that they can devour.

So, not many projects going on right now. My kids have been sick, sick sick the last couple of weeks. We've been to the doctor several times for ear infections, wheezing, fevers, throwing up....I'll stop there and not give you the gory details. I am sleep deprived and feeling pretty uncreative at the moment. I think we're on the mend though (and somehow I miraculously have not caught any nasty germs) and heading to Grandma's house for spring break and Easter. I'm hoping to rejuvenate my mind and body and come back to my house ready to tackle new tasks. My husband is staying behind to save up some vacation time for the summer and will be painting the living room ceiling, walls, and trim when not at work. It's a big undertaking, so stay tuned to see how far he gets while the kids (and I) are out of the way!

Darcy's Birthday Gift

Those famous words written by Jane Austen, immortalized through her character, Mr. Darcy. My mom loves literature, and of course, Pride and Prejudice. I came across this dishtowel in an etsy shop HERE and knew this would be a great gift for my mother's birthday.

The pattern underneath the dishtowel is my mom's tablecloth. The dishtowel is thin and white.

I knew my mom wouldn't ever use it as an actual dishtowel, and since she recently remodeled her master bedroom, we decided to find a suitable place for it in there. It's appropriate considering she does most of her reading in bed before she goes to sleep.

First, we ironed the dishtowel. We found a great picture frame and cleaned the glass.

There are more complicated and maybe better ways to do this, but we just wrapped the dishtowel around the back of the frame and cinched it into place with the little tabs. We cut away the extra fabric so it would hang nicely against the wall. Simple as that.

She loved it. I knew she would like it, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much she really loved it. It's such a good feeling to know you bought a gift for someone that they will really, truly enjoy for a long time.

And there it is. Next to her nightstand and that awesome lamp we picked up together a couple of years ago. Happy birthday and happy reading, love you Mom!

Tote Bag

While watching the Olympics tonight, I made this little tote bag for Austin using scraps from my other house projects. Are you sick of this fabric yet? I am not, so sorry if you're getting a little bored with the blue. I used a fabulous tutorial HERE and it all came together in no time at all.

Pillows....Recovered

Notice my lovely pillows that were hand-me-downs from Doug's aunt many years ago. Not exactly fitting with my decor. We do use them though, because these chairs are in need of a little extra cushion.

My first pillow recovering. Not as bad as I thought it would be and I even blind stitched the openings. I found a great little tutorial HERE and it worked like a charm.

Much better. One project down, 984 more to go.