Cupcake Exchange Party

Last Wednesday evening, I had a cupcake exchange party. It was fun to plan and participate in.These are the cupcake invitations that I sent out to some of my friends. I made these in May before school was out, because I knew I wanted to have a cupcake exchange party during the summer. I finalized them two weeks ago so that they would be sent out a week ahead. I had sent a Facebook invite weeks earlier, and then these to those who could attend. These were basically made similiar to the flower pocket card.

I also made cupcake sugar cookies. Here they are with the sugar sand on top:

Here they are packaged in their individual bags:

In the foyer, on the wall, I used small clothespins and twine to display my pictures. I took a couple pictures down and replaced with cookies. This was my third attempt at making decorated sugar cookies, and I was pleased with myself at how they turned out!



I also made a candy bar on my bookcase in the foyer area. I got pink yogurt covered pretzels and chocolate covered expresso beans at Fresh Market. I go the pink and green truffles from Lindt. I went to Target and got some minty green M&M's. I put these in different glass containers. The girls enjoyed this, especially my friend Amber, who loves Lily Pulitzer.

Underneath the candy bar, were my favor bags and cupcake sugar cookies. I used a die cut at my school for the bag. Then I used my Nestabilities and Cuttlebug to cut out the shapes for the cupcake template. I used Papertrey's Tiny Treats: Birthday and a cupcake dollar stamp from Michaels to make my little circular tags. My friends were impressed with the felt on top of the cupcakes that were on the favor bags.

I also made prize bags for the best presentation and the best tasting cupcakes. Inside the identical bags were identical cupcake necklaces from Bashful Bliss, a cupcake frame, and a cupcake lip gloss. The owl box full of little 3X3 cards were put into a bag with some other cupcake goodies for a scrapbooker/stamper.

After my friends arrived and settled down, we sat down and tasted the cupcakes. I cut the a few cupcakes into quarters for each person to taste. The other cupcakes were left untouched, so that we could each take the different cupcakes home.
 

Now for the delectable cupcakes. I used my new phone and its vintage warm setting to take photos. Love that setting!! I made mochaccino cupcakes that were yummy. I even created my own icing to go with it!

Even though the votes varied for taste, my friend Colleen and I tied for the best tasting cupcakes with 2 votes each. Since I was the hostess, she won the prize. Here are her Oreo Cheesecakes.

Amber won best presentation with her Pink Lemonade cupcakes. Since she had the most votes, she also won the scrapbooker/stamper cupcake goodies.

The other cupcakes we had were Chai Latte, Vanilla (orange colored frosting), Vanilla Vanilla, Chocolate Chip Cannoli, Key Lime, and Mintalicious Brownies. Below is my first photo collage created with Photoshop. Just a few more random pictures from the party.

We had yummy cupcake for sharing and eating for days! If you have an inkling for a cupcake exchange party, I highly recommend hosting one!

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Cookies!!

I love cookies. Chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, gingerbread men, peppermint chocolate, key lime thumbprints, etc... During each Christmas season, I have made homemade goodies for families, friends, and coworkers. Just last year, I started experimenting with sugar cookies with icing. I didn't like the idea of using raw eggs for my royal icing and discovered a great meringue icing recipe from Bake at 350F. I even made my own favors for my wedding last October. I cannot find my butterfly sugar cookie pictures... but the actual cookies were yummy! I used Williams and Sonoma's sugar cookie recipe. Instead of a vanilla bean, I use a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Here's a picture taken from my wedding photographer of my favors. Underneath the bike tag are two mini butterfly cookies peeking through, a triple chocolate cakeball, a small box with green jelly bellys, and another small box with chocolate covered expresso beans. (My wedding colors were green, brown, and white/ivory.)

This past Mother's Day, in my classroom, I decided to make more cookies for my Mother's Tea for those mommies who come in on a weekly basis to help out. I typically have a berry tea theme. This time my sugar cookies were not fun to make! I had issues with the icing. My butterfly experience was easier, as they were tiny bite size cookies. These were much bigger.

I think that the difficult part for me was getting the right consistency, as I am used to making gingerbread houses and the icing should be more fluid.

My mommy helpers were feeling appreciated at their tea. They had sweet treats and berry themed gifts: strawberry hand lotion, thanks berry much frame from my class, berry note cards, strawberry tea, a heart shaped strawberry box filled with strawbery chocolate, and strawberry cookies. My kindergarteners recited and acted out poems. They also served the moms juice, tea, and sweets. Here are some photos from previous years:

I used Papertrey's berry images and sentiments. I  believe from two different sets: Green Thumb and Punny Valentine.

Inside each strawberry are a couple chocolate kisses. The strawberry template was found on Splitcoaststampers. I found this site using a Bigshot Flower die to make the strawberry.

Today, I decided to attempt to make sugar cookies again for my upcoming cupcake exchange party. Instead of using a cheaper brand of meringue powder, I used the one from Williams Sonoma as the lady from Bake at 350 suggested. I noticed a significant difference. I made one bowl of white meringue royal icing. I used my Williams Sonoma containers to put my icing on. First the white and then flooded it. Then I made some pink for the cherry on top and dots in my white icing. Then I made green for the cupcake holder.

These were fun to make. I didn't make such a big mess. I only have 3 gel icing colors from Wilton's: leaf green, black, and Christmas Red. A little red makes a vibrant pink! I bought my cupcake cookie cutter from Crate and Barrel. I changed the Williams and Sonoma sugar cookie recipe by using whole wheat flour and vanilla extract. I made my meringue icing on the runny side. I added an orange extract, rather than my typical vanilla, and it tasted yummy!! Yeah, I think that I am becoming more successful at making sugar cookies with royal icing!!

Tomorrow, after the icing has dried, I plan to add pink sanding sugar to the top cherry. Then I will package them in clear bags with pretty ribbon. My cupcake exchange party is coming up soon!! I have been working on various projects for this party. My color theme is pink, green, white, and a hint of brown. I plan to take lots of cupcake photos!! Have a wonderful weekend!
 

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Butterfly Sugar Cookies

Today I explored making some mini sugar cookies in the shape of butterflies. I used Williams and Sonoma's sugar cookie recipe. I have made royal icing before, but it was always with egg whites. I wanted something edible, and found this royal icing recipe with meringue powder at University of Cookie. My cookies came no where near as beautiful as what they do on cookie sites. Maybe I will try again tomorrow and post a before and after shot of my butterfly sugar cookie creations. I need practice, practice, practice.

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