Let them eat cake!

I love making my kids' birthday cakes.  I L-O-V-E it.  As much as I dread thinking about all the time and effort I will have to commit to each project, I love the joy it brings them...and I love any opportunity for an art project.  Today was Noah's 4th birthday (posted above) and I made one of my new favorites.  It took a LOT of time, but it turned out GREAT!  It got me remininiscing about all the fun cakes I've made over the years.  So, sit back, get comfy, and take a stroll down this sweet and sugary memory lane with me. :)

Kimball's 1st bday (2004), fish theme

Kimball's 2nd, Monster theme

Kimball's 3rd, Race Car theme

Kimball's 4th, Dinosaur theme

Kimball's 5th, Batman theme (so, I totally forgot to take pictures of the cake ahead of time with this one, but I got 1 shot of the cake before it was cut.  It was pretty cool)

Kimball's 6th, Transformer theme (ok...so this one is cool, but very "commercial".  I don't like using those Wilton shape pans because I don't think it's personal or creative enough for my taste.  But I am going to give myself a big pat on the back with this one regardless of it's impersonal nature.  This birthday was 4 days after my dad died, so I didn't have a lot of time to get very personal or creative). :)

On to Noah:

Noah's 1st birthday (2007), Farm theme (I especially like the grass background on the tray...nice touch, huh?)  :)

Noah's 2nd, Scooby-Doo theme (probably my favorite)

Noah's 3rd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme

Noah's 4th (today), Lightning McQueen theme

And on to Sloan:

Sloan's 1st birthday (2009), Polka-Dot theme (poor Sloan, her 1st bday party was thrown together during the sale of our house, and the less than creative dotted cupcakes show that.  We had people coming through our house while the party was going, so I couldn't dedicate a lot of time to the cake.  Sorry Sloan. I promise I'll do better next time.)

(and of course as my luck would have it, in the one and ONLY picture I took of her cupcakes before they were all eaten, she is gracing us with a very flattering lazy eye look.  Nice.  I have to throw in a picture from her party that shows how cute she looked so this isn't the only way you remember her birthday). :)

There, I feel better.

And here are a few other random cakes I've made for friends & family:

Baby Shower cake for Annette Allen, frog theme

Ella Rockwood's 2nd birthday, Dora theme (this one will probably be gracing the blog-screen again very soon.  I will probably make this one for Sloan's 2nd birthday next month, given her current all-encompassing obsession with Dora)

 Cousin Otto (Theodore) Waddell's 3rd birthday, dirt/tractor theme

And bringing up the rear of our tour is a display cake I made for Williams-Sonoma when I worked there

There, wasn't that fun?  I LOVE making cakes and am excited to see what kinds of themes the kids challenge me with in the future.  And to add to my love for cakes, I have a current obsession with the show Ace of Cakes (and Cake Boss too, but Ace of Cakes is WAY better).  I think it would be my dream to open a little bakery and make cakes all the time.  I would definetly have to learn how to do fondant if that were to ever happen.  We'll see. :)