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Cupcakes for an Artist

Jul28

Artist Themed Cupcakes

I donned my artist’s beret to come up with these cupcake decorations for the Artist themed cupcakes that Brian ordered for his wife Helen’s 60th Birthday. I chose pastel colours and made silver paint tubes with pastel labels and paint brushes and palettes with splotches of colourful sugar pastel ‘paint’. The miniature canvases I painted with a simple flower landscape, adding the 3-D flowers with their pretty centres for effect. It was a compliment that Helen, a talented artist, loved her Artist themed cupcakes. I look forward to seeing your work Helen and I am delighted that my sugar miniatures coloured your special day in a small sweet way!

Artist Themed Cupcakes

Vicci Fairy Class with Grace Stevens

Jul21

Vicci Fairy Figurine

November really can’t come soon enough with the launch of Grace Stevens of Cupcakesbydesign second book! This Vicci Fairy class she taught in Johannesburg is one of the delightful figurines that will feature in her new book and it was such fun taking part in this class with Grace. Fashioned after Vicci of Victoria Bean Bakery, this sugar figurine had to have really long legs finished off in funky boots. Thanks Grace for another class of fun, laughter and really awesome sugar art! I made Vicci in light brown boots and a vibrant coral petal dress and gave her funky blonde hair to match her fun character! She may be a little too sexy for a fairy but all fairies have to take time off to party and how could she not feel just that much more special dressed in her petite sugar flower petals?

Vicci Fairy Figurine

 

 

Japanese Girl for Shayna’s Farewell!

Jul20

Japanese Girl Cake & Cherry Blossom Cupcakes

This farewell celebration was so beautiful and so special for my friend Michelle’s daughter who will give a gentle wave goodbye to her family as she sets off for Japan on Saturday. Shayna set her mind on applying to teach English in Japan and it was with much excitement that she was chosen from so many applicants to fulfill her dream. I have had the privilege to know Shayna for the past 12 years and have watched her grow into a delightful, chatty and very passionate young woman who has followed every dream of hers with incredible enthusiasm and  dedicated passion. This next chapter of her life will be as exciting and as intriguing as the Japanese characters I have seen her practising as she studies the Japanese language and culture.

I made this little Japanese Sugar Art figurine and was inspired by Shayna’s love of this new culture she is soon to become part of, from the gentle and graceful Japanese ladies to the delicate and fragrant Cherry Blossoms. I chose a vibrant purple for the kimono and then a soft pink and colourful red to complete the detail around her waist. These beautiful dresses are detailed in their design and in the way they are tied and I can’t wait for a lesson from Shayna on her return. I added cherry blossoms in different sizes to complete the design on the kimono and then added flowers to the plait to complement the gentle look of this figurine.

Japanese Girl Figurine

Michelle and Marco as always made everyone so welcome, not only by preparing a delicious meal but by creating the most exquisite Japanese theme for the decor. I was delighted that my little Japanese figurine on her cake standing in the centre of the Cherry Blossom Cupcakes felt quite at home in the gentle array of purples, pinks and reds of the umbrellas, fans, lanterns, flowers and table decor.  Kimonos off to Shayna’s remarkable parents and brother who although they will miss her madly are allowing her this amazing opportunity to travel to and explore this beautiful country. We are all going to miss you Shayna but I am excited now that we will be able to share your adventure via your blog. Wishing you an amazing and wonderful time!

Japanese Girl Figurine

 

Cupcakes for a Body Builder!

Jun30

Cupcakes for a Body Builder

Congratulations to Jeff Tsoutsos for placing 4th in the WBFF competition held in Johannesburg last weekend! It was quite a challenge when your gorgeous girlfriend, Tracy, asked me to make these cupcakes to surprise you with after your competition as it is always easy for me to make pretty cupcakes and it is not often that I have to make something more masculine. To add to the challenge I had to work out how to do justice to all the hard hours you have to spend working out in the gym in order to get the lean, beautifully defined and strong body that Jeff has! I made tubs of Olimp products with the logo cut from sugar paste and added to the tubs. The weights were fairly easy to cut out with round cutters from black sugar paste and I added the Congrats Jeff and yellow training towels to bring in the colours of the Olimp products.

I needed  a model for the arms and torso of the body builder and as my husband was not willing to stand shirtless in the kitchen for me while I sculpted with sugar paste, I had to draw on inspiration from all the hours….ok not as many as Jeff spends in the gym…but it feels like loads anyway… and sculpt a beautiful bicep and torso cupcake topper. After battling along and coming to the realisation that actually most of my time in the gym is spent just trying to catch my breath after each exercise so there really is not much time to admire any toned bodies, I turned to my trusty Action Man figurine who was a willing and uncomplaining model for my cupcakes.

Vicci Fairy Class with Grace Stevens

Jun30

Vicci Fairy Class with Grace StevensVicci Fairy Class with Grace Stevens

It is always a pleasure to be transported into Grace Stevens‘ magical world of sugar art when she flies up to Johannesburg to present her sugar art classes.  In this class, The Vicci Fairy, we were taken back to that fun childhood time where fairies were  real and danced with abandon at the bottom of our gardens and Grace invited us each to bring these fairies to life in sugar.  This tall and elegant fairy in her long boots and petal dress slowly came to life and eventually smiled mischievously at us once we had finished crafting her.  Thanks Grace for once again sharing your magical talent, knowledge, stories and most of all your passion for sugar art with us in this delightful course.

Vicci Fairy Class with Grace Stevens

Proudly holding our Vicci Fairies after the course with Grace Stevens, pictured 3rd from the left in the back row. So delighted to share such a brilliant day with all these ladies.

Irish Rugby Figurine Cake for Fathers Day!

Jun15
Fathers Day Rugby Cake

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day to the best dad to our 2 children. They couldn’t ask for a more awesome, loving, caring and generous dad! Having a giggle at this picture of you as you chose to wear your All Blacks shirt today. It was a toss up between making this Irish Rugby Figurine or the All Blacks one as I know you have a passion for both your teams. I went with your heritage today as that is what you have passed on to your children so delighted you like this little dude.

This is the Irish Rugby Figurine showing off his muscles from all angles as well as his bright eyes and rugby tousled hair!

Irish Rugby Figurine

And here he is sitting proudly on a delicious Banana Bread, recipe from Sam Linsell of Drizzle and Dip.com.  I have to add here that this is the ultimate banana bread recipe and you can try out this recipe from her book as is and then add in other goodies like chocolate chips or more nuts according to your taste. For Fathers Day I added in chunks of  milk chocolate just to be a tad more decadent on this special day.

Fathers Day Rugby Cake