The Jeanapalooza Birthday Extravaganza Recap– A Pink and Orange Party

If you’ve been following the progression of birthday planning posts I’ve written, you’d know this past weekend was the big “Jeanapalooza Birthday Extravaganza” for my mother-in-law’s ninetieth birthday hosted at our home. Balloons and birthday pennants greeted the birthday girl and forty-three guests as they walked through the front door. The buffet held the birthday cake and party favors of custom m&m’s, foil wrapped peppermint patties and cookies. There is a cake store that only makes Bundt cakes, if you… [Read More]

Packaging Palooza Party Favors

To continue the Palooza Birthday Party Extravanga prep, my next step was to package the custom Jeanapalooza m&m’s in small cello bags but since I’m also making special decorated cookies for the party I wanted a different look for the m&m’s.  I found these little clear plastic 2 x 3 inch boxes at a cake decorating supply store for .45 each but they are also available on the web, sold in bulk for half the price.  I thought this might… [Read More]

Planning a Palooza

party planning sketch

Last year, as we gathered round our Thanksgiving table, we began making plans for the “Jeanapalooza 90th Birthday Party Extravaganza.”  This year, Thanksgiving at our house again will usher in the three day celebration. My incredible Mother-in-Love deserves a “palooza”.  At ninety she is computer savvy, drives, teaches knitting and meets her friends for wine time. And the party?  Two days after Thanksgiving… our house…for forty. I always begin party planning with decorations in mind because I find it the… [Read More]

4th of July Cake Pops

This has been quite a busy collegiate cake pop month.  I’ve just finished another order for USC Cake Pops and while I was decorating for the Spirit of Troy, my mind wandered to the 4th of July with patriotic fervor.  I made these cake pops very simple – fondant stars sprinkled with Disco Dust and luster dust brushed over the dipped pop.  I cannot get enough of using paper straws for the sticks.  I love, love, love this look! I… [Read More]

Collegiate (USC) Cake Pops … Traveler Rides Again!

Yesterday I was too pooped to (cake) pop because… … last Wednesday, I received an email asking if I could make 80 USC cake pops for a surprise 50th wedding anniversary this past weekend.  The couple met while both attending USC where he was a Beta, and she, a Theta.  Being a hopeless romantic and an alum myself, I said, “Fight On!”, which in USC-speak meant, “Yes”! I experimented with different cake batter recipes before totally delving in.  I wanted… [Read More]

Baby Elephant Cookies For A Baby Shower

Baby Elephant Baby Shower Cookies

You are cordially invited… …to take a peek inside… … party preparations with pachyderms. The inspiration. Creating a cookie pattern. A few precious baby pachyderms. An entire herd of sweetness. Getting dressed for the party. To make the tags, I used a 3” punch on card stock scrapbook paper topped with 2” printable edge-to-edge sticker labels.  I also made a sticker to use to seal the tissue paper inside the gift box. Ready for the party. The packed baby pachyderms… [Read More]

Decorated Nautical Cookies!

The fleet is in! Are they nautical wedding cookies? Nautical Save-the-Date cookies? Nautical birthday cookies or nautical baby announcement cookies? Let’s set sail … … and send up the flags. Let’s signal L.O.V.E. … and Happy Birthday to my love bug, G.E.J., who turns 21 this weekend. Save-the-Date for a nautical wedding or to announce the very special arrival of a new member of the crew. The Scrabble possibilities are endless when you know the nautical alphabet or you can… [Read More]

Happy Valentine’s Day and Give-Away Reminder

Five Valentine’s Day projects complete and one more to go! This is what I’ve been working on since Sunday – nearly 100 heart cookie pops for a trade show that is being held today. I rushed all the cookies outside to take a photo before I left and then packed up my car. I loved the heart light dangling over my monogram on my L.L. Bean tote so I took another photo.  Can you tell I’m sleep deprived?  Who takes… [Read More]

‘Tushie Cookies’ for Valentine’s Day!

Valentine tushie cookies

Amy from Ohio had a great idea. She asked me if I would make her my Tushie Cookies for her boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. How could I resist such a sweet and fun request? Amy had a couple more requests – pink, red and… … Tiffany blue with Ben’s name in a black tattoo! Tushie Cookies aren’t just for bridal showers anymore! You’ll find more ‘Tushie’ Cookies at these links:  ‘Tushie’ Cookies I – Bridal Shower  ‘Tushie’ Cookies III –… [Read More]

Bat Cookies! with Steamed, Rolled Fondant

decorated bat cookies

Our power was off all morning to mid afternoon so I’m a little late in posting to wish you a happy Halloween so “Happy Halloween” at last! Late, late, late last night after we returned home from a wonderful dinner with our lovely friends I began this project- Yep, sometimes I can be a little batty when it comes to making and decorating cookies. When I’ve got an idea I’ve got to see it through. The cookies were for a… [Read More]