>Practice Cake #1

>

I haven't been able to spend as much time practicing my "cake decorating" as I'd like, but I did manage to squeeze in one practice cake last week. It turned out pretty good, for my first time, that is. :-) The picture quality definitely leaves something to be desired, but when I'm out and about with my cake, iPhone quality is better than nothing! Right? Right! :-)

Cake Details:

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Icing

Icing Colors: Purple base with pink details

Tips Used: Star Tip (#26) and Round Tip (#12)

Practice Cake #1

I haven't been able to spend as much time practicing my "cake decorating" as I'd like, but I did manage to squeeze in one practice cake last week. It turned out pretty good, for my first time, that is. :-) The picture quality definitely leaves something to be desired, but when I'm out and about with my cake, iPhone quality is better than nothing! Right? Right! :-)

Cake Details:

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Icing

Icing Colors: Purple base with pink details

Tips Used: Star Tip (#26) and Round Tip (#12)

>Cake Decorating - Week 1

>

Tonight was my first cake decorating class at Michael's. Lindsey and I loaded up in the car, with all our "tools" and our cookies to decorate, and headed to class. :o) I was kind of surprised at the number of ladies in our class. We started this course with 7.

What we learned...

- How to bake the perfect cake

- How to make the classic buttercream icing

- How to check for the proper consistency of our buttercream icing

- Preparing decorating bags with couplers, tips, and filling the bag with icing

- How to make a star using the star tip

- How to make a curving line and a tight zigzag

- How to make shells

- How to make a dot, elongated shape, and heart

Overall, I felt pretty good with my decorated cookies but I really could use additional practice. We definitely learned a lot for our first class, and we skipped around in our "book" a bit - but I'm pretty confident in my future abilities and what we've learned so far...

Now on to the pictures.

The first cookie was supposed to be a flower... um, yeah, with 5 petals. Looks more like an octopus to me. :o) Using tip #12.

This is a heart, using tip #12. With dots around the edges.

This is a spiral design using a star tip. I think it was #21.

I pulled this one out of a design in our book. Using a round tip #12. If it had been finished, the icing would have been another color, and the "biggest" dot would have eyes, a nose, and a mouth to resemble a caterpillar.

Another cookie design (a star) using a star tip.

Cake Decorating - Week 1

Tonight was my first cake decorating class at Michael's. Lindsey and I loaded up in the car, with all our "tools" and our cookies to decorate, and headed to class. :o) I was kind of surprised at the number of ladies in our class. We started this course with 7.

What we learned...

- How to bake the perfect cake

- How to make the classic buttercream icing

- How to check for the proper consistency of our buttercream icing

- Preparing decorating bags with couplers, tips, and filling the bag with icing

- How to make a star using the star tip

- How to make a curving line and a tight zigzag

- How to make shells

- How to make a dot, elongated shape, and heart

Overall, I felt pretty good with my decorated cookies but I really could use additional practice. We definitely learned a lot for our first class, and we skipped around in our "book" a bit - but I'm pretty confident in my future abilities and what we've learned so far...

Now on to the pictures.

The first cookie was supposed to be a flower... um, yeah, with 5 petals. Looks more like an octopus to me. :o) Using tip #12.

This is a heart, using tip #12. With dots around the edges.

This is a spiral design using a star tip. I think it was #21.

I pulled this one out of a design in our book. Using a round tip #12. If it had been finished, the icing would have been another color, and the "biggest" dot would have eyes, a nose, and a mouth to resemble a caterpillar.

Another cookie design (a star) using a star tip.

>April Goals

>In trying to keep myself honest (and as an attempt to blog more, AND because I've said I was going to do this all along), I'm posting my "goals" for April.

Health:

* Two walks this month.

* Make it to the gym at least 3 days a week!

* Try one new, super HEALTHY meal each week.

* Lose 5 more lbs!

* Schedule follow up appointment with Dr B.

School:

* Finish and turn in rough draft for ACCT 595 - Research Paper.

* Finish and turn in TWO research papers for ACCT 530.

* Study for FINALS! :-)

* Make sure to stay caught up on each chapter assignment, so I don't fall behind and end up in a world of misery.

Personal:

* Attempt to plan our days at Disney.

* Get my car cleaned up - oil change, etc.

* Pack up sweaters, and ship to Kelly.

* Organize the apartment, since we're staying here another 5 months.

* Consolidate student loans from BS/MBA.

* Post pictures each week of my cake decorating!

I'll check back and recap my April after this month is over. Wish me luck. It's going to be a BUSY ONE!

April Goals

In trying to keep myself honest (and as an attempt to blog more, AND because I've said I was going to do this all along), I'm posting my "goals" for April.

Health:

* Two walks this month.

* Make it to the gym at least 3 days a week!

* Try one new, super HEALTHY meal each week.

* Lose 5 more lbs!

* Schedule follow up appointment with Dr B.

School:

* Finish and turn in rough draft for ACCT 595 - Research Paper.

* Finish and turn in TWO research papers for ACCT 530.

* Study for FINALS! :-)

* Make sure to stay caught up on each chapter assignment, so I don't fall behind and end up in a world of misery.

Personal:

* Attempt to plan our days at Disney.

* Get my car cleaned up - oil change, etc.

* Pack up sweaters, and ship to Kelly.

* Organize the apartment, since we're staying here another 5 months.

* Consolidate student loans from BS/MBA.

* Post pictures each week of my cake decorating!

I'll check back and recap my April after this month is over. Wish me luck. It's going to be a BUSY ONE!

>Cake!

>For years, I have mentioned my desire to take a cake decorating class. I've always seen lots of beautiful cakes decorated by people like me, so I figured why not give it a shot. But you see, I have a lot of brilliant ideas, and I seriously lack the time to see them through. Enter Carie. My dear friend. She took the Wilton Basics course in April of LAST YEAR - and she's been encouraging me to take the plunge and do it too. :o)

So I am. Starting Monday, April 4th. Be prepared to see some of my amazing (for me, anyways) creations appear on this blog. I mean - wasn't that the point of the blog to begin with? Right? RIGHT! So there you have it folks.

The fun part? Trying to diet and lose weight, and bake cakes/cupcakes at least once a week. I'm sure my co-workers are going to love me, because the minute that cake is decorated in class - it's going to work.