Happy Birthday McKenna! and a Recipe

Earlier this week I showed the elements for McKenna’s birthday cake. It was a crazy week. Between Thursday and Friday we had over 14 inches of rain. I was unsure if the party would still be on. The creeks were above flood stage and roads were covered. Thankfully Saturday brought a break from the rain. Although the ground is saturated, the creeks and gullies have run off. 

Saturday we celebrated my niece's second birthday. Here are the elements I had made earlier in the week:

Can you guess what the theme is?

The elements are made from premade fondant (yuck), but the cake is covered in my homemade buttercream.

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Whyt’s Buttercream:

I make my icing in my KitchenAid stand mixer with the beater attachment on “Stir.” Blend 1/3 cup of Crisco (I use the sticks to make the measuring easier), 2 sticks of salted butter and 1tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

Slowly add 2 pound bag powdered sugar. Then add milk a little at a time until you have the “right” consistency.

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Here is the finished cake:

Have you figured it out?

And now with the toppers that McKenna’s mom bought:

Yo Gabba Gabba!

I had heard of the show, but had to research to find ideas. McKenna’s dad originally suggested dividing the cake into the 4 lands. This is what I found…

http://www.nickjr.com/printables/yo-gabba-gabba-puppet-show.jhtml

With all that was out there, we settled on just one “land.” IMHO the sweetest background for a 2 year old princess! When you get a chance try the buttercream recipe… You will NEVER go back to premade again!

Have a great week!

Love, Whyt

Linked to:

Graduation

Like I told you before, my neighbor and friend, Lisa, is ALWAYS getting me wrapped up in her wild ideas. She was planning a Pre Kindergarten Graduation party for Paige (eyes roll).

For the party supplies, Lisa found some cute “Princess Graduate” themed paper goods and décor at Hobby Lobby. Perfect for Paige! But as she was showing me her stash, I KNEW I had to make it even more perfect!

Cute, but…

Zebra print Chinese lanterns on a satin ribbon

But we could do better than that…

I pulled out the Silhouette, cut bunting flags and zebra letters to spell “PAIGE”. I removed the black satin ribbon and tied the lanterns to a string of twinkle lights.

Much better…

Then I got to baking the cupcakes. I cut out basic wraps in the zebra print. For the pink wraps, I used a tiara design with a mortar board in the middle. A plain plate would not do for these precious cupcakes! (And while I was at it, I personalized the mortar board trinket box.)

I had a decorator table top that I had used previously to serve cakes. It was wrapped in fabric and clear vinyl and was in need of a makeover.  I went digging in my junks drawers and found a finial and drawer pulls.

I screwed the finial into the center and the drawer pulls onto the bottom for feet.
The whole thing got painted in ASCP Old White.

Much Better…

Yummy…

White cake with raspberry filling and pink buttercream icing
Chocolate cake with hot fudge filling and pink buttercream icing

All these perfecting ideas cost me less that $5. You can beat that for custom designed party goods!

Of course, the celebration was just an excuse for neighbors and friends to get together for a cookout, skinny ‘ritas, and a splash bouncy house. No complaining here!

Ya gotta love Lisa and her crazy ideas!

At the end of next month, Paigey will be starting Kindergarten. Oh dear… How did these babies grow up so fast?

Y’all have a great weekend and give your babies hugs and kisses. They will be grown in the blink of an eye!

Love, Whyt

Linked to:

http://www.jenniferrizzo.com/

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Proud to be an American!

From the :

 

The Fourth of July 2012:

On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.

How Do We Know? As we celebrate this Independence Day, we reflect on how our Founding Fathers enshrined the importance of statistics in our Constitution as a vital tool for measuring our people, places and economy. Since 1790, the U.S. Census has been much more than a simple head count; it has charted the growth and composition of our nation. The questions have evolved over time to address our changing needs. Today, the Decennial Census, the Economic Census and the American Community Survey give Congress and community leaders the information they need to make informed decisions that shape our democracy. These statistics are how we know how our country is doing.

2.5 million: In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation.
Source: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970

313.9 million: The nation's estimated population on this July Fourth.
Source: Population clock

Flags

$3.6 million: In 2011, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount ($3.3 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics

$663,071: Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2011. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $80,349 worth.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/> <http://www.usatradeonline.gov>

$302.7 million: Dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation's manufacturers in 2007, according to the latest published economic census statistics.
Source: 2007 Economic Census, Series EC0731SP1, Products and Services Code 3149998231

Fireworks

$223.6 million: The value of fireworks imported from China in 2011, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($232.5 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $15.8 million in 2011, with Australia purchasing more than any other country ($4.5 million).

$231.8 million: The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007.
Source: 2007 Economic Census, Series EC0731SP1, Products and Services Code 325998J108

"I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL."

Be safe tonight my friends!

Love, Whyt