Flood? What flood?

We have recently been very busy. We have had an average of two cakes per weekend, and most of which were not little cupcakes. I'm talking monsters here folks. We had a "40" cake for our friend, downtown Wendy Brown. It was her sister's 40th and she wanted a cake that was the number 40. She sent us an invitation so we could figure colors and designs to be used, and that was no help. We had to dig a little deeper. We did find out that her sisters favorite colors were "fall colors", and we ran with it. We ended up doing a chocolate icing cake, with teal and orange icing. WB said she wanted it cute, but grown up. She wanted us to somehow incorporate the little phrases that were on the invite. Finished product care of some of the new techniques we have learned in our class we are taking.

After we had that cake to done, we had to finish another cake for someone at church. She was doing a joint birthday part with her daughter. They had some family coming into town so it didn't need to be super big, just super cute. She wanted "girly colors and some polka-dots" This cake had to be delivered Sunday morning, and I had to work Friday, and Saturday day. Needless to say, time was against us. I get home late Saturday night from getting the kids, put them to bed, and want nothing more than to crawl into bed. Alas, staring at me were these two cakes, plane and unfinished. Dang-it. I muscle up enough strength to channel my inner girl, and decorate this cake they way I would for my daughter. The finished product looked great, or so I am told, and I couldn't be happier. I know that most of you have heard the phrase, "If you don't use it, you lose it" right? That applies to cursive writing. It took me 7, count em, SEVEN attempts to get this "J" right. (the mother and daughter shared the same first initial)

Life is a Highway

Lightning McQueen has been quite a challenge. There is so much detail that goes into that character...WOW. First we started with two sheet cakes. Then we started carving. I again had to use my nephew's assistance. I borrowed his Lightning McQueen. Throughout carving the cake, all Griffin kept saying was, "What you doing Mommy? Why you cutting like that? Can I play with McQueen?" My respsonses were "I'm carving a cake. Because we want it to look like McQueen. No I need McQueen." To which the whole thing started over. Once we finished carving, we did a layer of butter cream. Then we colored our fondant and covered McQueen with a nice red coat. Then it was time for details. Lightning bolts, 95, Rusteze, windows, eyes...wheels. All the details came together. And here it is...

"You need a paint job man"

Today has been crazy. Work was non stop, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed! I came home to a smiling family...it made everything else better!  But, it's time to get down to business! While Chris was home today he was able to bake two sheets cakes that would eventually become Lightning McQueen. Once we got greetings out of the way we started carving McQueen. Just then Chris had a thought...which we all know can be scary at times. When we got married someone gave us an electric knife for carving turkey. How silly we thought, newly weds don't eat turkey unless it comes in a container and costs less than $3.00 and we have a coupon. So, it's been in a box in our attic becaue we knew we might use it one day when we have Thanksgiving at our house. Well, my genius husband figured if it could carve meat it could carve cake. And right he was! It worked like a charm. Why haven't we thought of this before?! So, anyways, now McQueen has shaped up but now he needs a paint job...just call me Ramone because I'm on it!

What was I thinking?

What started as another "week off" turned into our busiest weekend yet. We had one cake to do for someone's first birthday and a cake to do for my mom which was going to be on display/served at her booth at the East Cobber Festival. So let me start at the begining of the week. Labor Day. I was off work and wanted to get something done. Since all cakes have to start with baking, I baked one part of my mom's cake (since at this time I didn't know I was going to have anything else to do). Then, that night we got a message on our facebook. Someone needed a cake for her son's first birthday. Of course! We will take all the business we can get. Not really thinking it was already Monday (since I wasn't working). My sister told me, you know you could say no. I know that I can...but I hardly ever do. So Tuesday, I got a few detail for the first birthday cake and Chris started baking some more. Wednesday baking the rest of my mom's cake, then since it was our anniversary, when I got off work, we went out to eat. Then Thursday, Chris was in "Diversity Training" and I was working...the kitchen is quiet. Thursday night we went to the Clemson v. Georgia Tech game (my present to Chris for our anniversary). Then, Friday morning, Chris got Lasik eye surgery at 11:00. We didn't get out of there until 3:00. Then, I got the rest of the details for the birthday cake (which is needed by Saturday-at this point that's tomorrow). So we rush home. Chris was instructed to sleep as much as possible. Right now...he says...just not possible. We've got two cakes to finish. So, we start baking a top layer for the birthday cake we didn't know we were going to need to do. Go to Walmart to get Chris' perscriptions for Lasik recovery and go to a dinner party. While we're there, Chris made a football for the top of the birthday cake. Then we try to get home, only...there's road construction. And we don't get home until 10:00 (I'm about to cry because I know how late I will be up). But Chris worked through the pain with me. And we got them done. So...he went to bed and I made some final touches...finally 2:00 AM and I get to see the back of my eyelids. I get up at 6:00 AM so that I can clean a little and we can deliver the birthday cake before Chris' post-opp appointment that is at 9:00. Taylor decided to wake up at 6:45 and I had to wake Griffin up at 7:15. Out the door by 8:00 delivered birthday cake...now to drop off my mom's cake to my sister just in case we are at the dr. for a long time. Stop by Chickfila to feed Griff breakfast and to the dr. by 9:15 (a little late but we made it). Done by 9:45...WOW, that was fast compared to yesterday's all day event (and all for a surgery that took 7 minutes). So, back to Kelli's house maybe I can make it there before she leaves. I could ride with her and leave Chris at her house to rest.---Driving driving driving---Nope, she's already gone...I peak through the window...Good, she got the cake. So, Chris is whooped, he has barely been able to rest. Call Kelli, "Where do I go?" Well, come to find out they closed the road off because of the parade. It's 10:15. I can either: A. Wait until 11:00 when the trolley starts shuttling people to the festival or B. Walk. Well, I know Griffin, we can either be miserable waiting because he gets bored like a cow makes milk, or we can get a move on and get miserable about half way...Get a move on! So we walk, a little over a mile. WOW, what was I thinking. I'll tell you what I was thinking, "I'm so glad I don't have a cake to carry!" Lucky for Kelli she got in before the road got closed. Then, we get to my mom's booth for The Jill Strap...what a cute cake she has there on display! But what did I forget?! My stinking business cards...there in my car...in my purse...which I didn't want to carry...like a moron! So, we hang out for a while until they open the road. I decide I'm going to take my mom's car back to mine, get my cards and grab some lunch for everyone while I'm out. Half way to my car...I forgot my keys!!!! I never lock my car, but I did today and I knew it. I guess I'll just be getting lunch. Back to the festival. Kelli took Griffin back to her house and my mom needed a little break from her booth, so she road with Kelli back to my car so she could drive it and park close so I wouldn't have to walk with Taylor when I left...BRILLIANT! And I got my business cards...finally. By the end, I felt successful but sleepy. Time to go pick up Chris and Griffin, back to the house so the kids can get a nap. 4:00 we're home, kids are visiting "Nappy's House" and we're cooking dinner to take to another friend's house because we have another dinner date this evening. 5:30...wake the kids up, load the food, we're out the door. Have I mentioned that I have only had four hours of sleep. Well, if you missed it...I'm sleepy. So, we get home at about 9:00 and get the kids down...why do I insist on blogging right now? Because with how today went I'm likely to forget everything. So...here are the cakes of the day:

The Sweet Aroma

I'm off today for Labor Day, but Chris is working. Isn't that how it all seems to work? So anyway, it's my turn to bake. For once it's my turn to do the cooking. Although, I have eaten more cake than I'd like to admit lately, the smell is filling up the house and it's so so sweet. Now, I see why they tell you to bake cookies or something of the sort when you're trying to sell your house. The aroma that hits you when you walk in the house is irresistable. And a little distracting. Maybe people wouldn't notice the hand smudges going up the stairs if all they could think about is that cake. Anyways, on to another one of the five senses. We always like to check with whoever we did a cake for to make sure they were happy with how it looked and tasted. So, as you all know, the most recent cake we did was a Transformer cake. "How did the cake taste," Chris asked. "Oh Keegan loved it," replied Lantz."Keegan? I thought your son's name is Kolton?" questioned Chris. "Oh it is. Keegan is our dog." So, the story goes like this...Chris dropped the cake off around 8:30 am, and after that the family had to run to the grocery store. When they got back...their dog had eaten half the cake. They said the kids still ate it and enjoyed it, but...let me just say, I'm glad my dog was not the one that ate it!!! I'm off...my cake is done!

Decepticon-Emoticon...all the same to me

Can we do a Transformer cake? Sure, but I will have to ask my 4 year old nephew the difference between Decepticons and Autobots. My nephew has an alternate ego...he is Optimus Prime. So, when this task came to me...I had to take it straight to the expert. Optimus guided me through the cake designs and gave me his professional opinion. Now, once the cake got picked...it was time to plan our week. We had a little bit of short notice on this one, so there was not much wiggle room. Chris baked and we dirty iced on Wednesday. Chris finished icing it on Thursday. And I just cut out, assembled, and painted the Optimus Prime or is it Autobots mask...either way. It's done. I will post pictures tomorrow after we deliver. Stay tuned next week for the "Jill Strap" cake.