Cakes And Kids

"LOVE" Giveaway Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:23:00 +0000

Thank you to all who participated!

Before I announce the big winner, let me just explain that the comment count shown by Blogger is incorrect and not all comments are even shown (apparently a known issue with Google Blogger). But rest assured all comments have been captured on my end and their were actually 326 of them. Sooooo, the big winner was......

Comment #47 - Congratulations Donna!

Donna is the lucky winner of an almost $200 prize package that includes gifts and/or gift certificates from Cakes And Kids, Sassy Soirees Wedding & Event Planning, Elizabeth Alta Jewelry, Skylar Raine, Viv & Co., Maddie Bug, Party Paper Scissors, AddieKae Designs and Piggy Bank Parties.

Donna, please contact me at julie@cakesandkids.com and I will provide you with contact information for all these wonderful vendors so that you can claim your prizes.

Thank you to all of you who participated and a special shout out to all the fantastic vendors :)

{GIVEAWAY} - A Little "LOVE" For Our Fans

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:36:00 +0000

We finally reached 3,000 "likes" on our Facebook page - yippee! I am so appreciative of each and every fan :)

So to show you all some love in return, I'm throwing a fantastic Valentine's themed giveaway. Some wonderful sponsors have agreed to donate their products and/or services to one lucky winner - THANK YOU LADIES! Read below to find out what prizes are being offered and how to enter and you could walk away with a total prize package worth almost $200!

The Prizes

From yours truly, a Valentine party pack from Cakes And Kids Too that includes a cupcake kit, paper straws, baker's twine and mini chevron treat bags (retail value of $25.00). "Like" Cakes And Kids on Facebook.

From Sassy Soirees Wedding & Event Planning, a dozen individually wrapped marshmallow pops customized and color dipped to match your function (retail value of $32.00 - must order before end of May due to heat). "Like" Sassy Soirees on Facebook.

From Elizabeth Alta Jewelry, a $25 gift certificate to their beautiful shop. "Like" Elizabeth Alta Jewelry on Facebook.

From Skylar Raine - accessories for YOU & your home, a $20 gift certificate (select items from their Facebook page). "Like" Skylar Raine on Facebook. Skylar Raine is a new store just launched by the fabulous Laura of Eye Candy Event Details.

From Viv & Co., a lovely Valentine's headband (retail value of $16.00). "Like" Viv & Co. on Facebook.

From Maddie Bug, a custom monogrammed Valentine's Day Onesie or T-shirt (retail value up to $21.00). Sizes come in newborn up to 6T. "Like" Maddie Bug on Facebook.

From Party Paper Scissors and AddieKae Designs, a Valentine's Day package that includes a banner, a set of three Valentine's Day Cards with heart barrettes, a Valentine's Day headband and a necklace (retail value of $37.00). "Like" Party Paper Scissors on Facebook and "Like" AddieKae Designs on Facebook.

From Piggy Bank Parties, a Love Rocks Collection or Sugar Cookie Valentines Collection. You can choose one of their printable Valentine's collections which includes everything you need for a Rockin' or Sweet Valentine's Party (retail value of $12.00). "Like" Piggy Bank Parties on Facebook.

The Rules

Here's how to enter:

Leave a comment sharing what your favorite thing is about Valentine's Day (1 entry).
Like each vendor's Facebook page (links are above) and leave a comment here when you're done (1 entry for each vendor).
Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and leave a comment here that you did (1 entry).
Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment here that you did (1 entry).
Blog about this giveaway and then leave a comment here with a link to your post (1 entry).

Entries must be submitted by midnight PST on Sunday January 22, 2012 and the winner will be chosen via Random.org. Please leave your email address to be notified if you win. Open to U.S. only (sorry). Thanks for participating and good luck!

Candy Cane Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:49:00 +0000

One of my most popular items this holiday season is my Candy Cane Cupcake Kit (shown below) and so I thought I'd share with you a fantastic recipe for Candy Cane Cupcakes to go with this kit.

Start with 3/4 cup of crushed peppermint candy canes and any boxed chocolate cake mix. Make the cake batter according to the directions and then fold in the crushed candy canes at the end. Pour into your cupcake liners and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

This recipe is fantastic when paired with a white chocolate buttercream made as follows:

Ingredients
7 oz white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Instructions
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and butter with an electric mixer and then add the vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. When you've added all the sugar, the icing will appear dry. Add in the milk and beat at medium speed until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. As a last step, fold in the melted chocolate.

Use a large pastry bag and a round or star tip (try my Cupcake Frosting Kit) to pipe the buttercream onto your cooled cupcakes. Finish off with our red and white sprinkles or add some more crushed candy canes.

Enjoy!

Official Launch of CakesAndKids.com

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:47:00 +0000

I am so excited to officially unveil my new website, CakesAndKids.com. You now have one place where you can purchase all my fondant designs as well as my party and baking supplies. I have plans for lots of new items in the New Year so make sure to check back regularly.

Both of my Etsy shops, Cakes And Kids and Cakes And Kids Too, will remain open so you can always shop there too if your prefer.

A big thank you to Alicia of Dreamlike Magic Designs for the fantastic new designs she created for my website, blog and Etsy shops. I love that everything now has a unified and cohesive look and I think she did a wonderful job of reflecting my style and the Cakes And Kids brand - thanks again Alicia!

Happy shopping everyone!

New Product Launch - Colorful Favor Boxes

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:39:00 +0000

I am beyond excited to unveil my new product line designed and manufactured just for Cakes And Kids Too! Introducing mini gable favor boxes perfect for birthdays, showers and weddings.

Based on a suggestion from one of my Facebook fans, I've named these adorable little gabled favor boxes my Kaleidoscope boxes. So congratulations to Susan Morris Keuter for the winning suggestion - a dozen of these little beauties will be headed your way!

They come in six beautiful colors named: Bubblegum, Kiwi, Lilac, Aqua, Sunflower and Navy. They are 4 inches in length and 2 1/2 inches deep and tall (not including the gabled part), so they are the perfect size for the littlest of guests to carry home with them. They are listed in my shop in sets of 1 dozen and you can buy a single color or a mix of your favorites.

I would also like to give credit to my friend Alicia of Dreamlike Magic Designs for the actual design on the boxes. Such a talented graphic artist!

I plan to produce more designs and colors in the future so stay tuned and happy shopping!

And The Winner Is...

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:33:00 +0000

Comment #166 - Congratulations Steph!

Steph is the lucky winner of the $175 prize package that includes gift certificates from Cakes And Kids/Cakes And Kids Too, Dreamlike Magic Designs, Fresh Press Invitations, Swish Designs, Magnolia Creative Co., Announce Your Day Invitations, Party Paper Scissors and Eye Candy Event Details.

Steph, please contact me at julie@cakesandkids.com and I will provide you with contact information for all these wonderful vendors so that you can claim your prizes.

Thank you to all of you who participated and a special shout out to all the fantastic vendors :)

{GIVEAWAY} - Celebrating 3000 Etsy Sales and 1500 Facebook Fans

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Wow - what an exciting time for Cakes And Kids! We almost simultaneously hit 3000 sales in our original Cakes And Kids Etsy store and 1500 "likes" on Facebook. And then we launched our second Etsy store, Cakes And Kids Too, whew - I'm exhausted but also so thrilled to have reached these milestones :)

So to celebrate all of the above I've gathered together some fantastic sponsors who are willing to donate their products and/or services to one lucky winner - THANK YOU LADIES! Read below to find out what prizes are being offered and how to enter and you could walk away with a total prize package worth $175!

The Prizes

From yours truly, a $25 gift certificate that can be used across both Cakes And Kids and Cakes And Kids Too. "Like" Cakes And Kids on Facebook.

From Dreamlike Magic Designs, a $20 shop credit to their Etsy shop. "Like" Dreamlike Magic Designs on Facebook.

From Fresh Press Invitations, a $15 gift certificate to their Etsy shop. "Like" Fresh Press Invitations on Facebook.

From SwishDesigns, a $25 gift certificate to their Etsy shop (valid on both standard and custom orders). "Like" SwishDesigns on Facebook.

From Magnolia Creative Co., a $25 gift certificate to their Etsy shop or website store. "Like" Magnolia Creative Co. on Facebook.

From Announce Your Day Invitations, a $15 credit to their Etsy shop. "Like" Announce Your Day Invitations on Facebook.

From Party Paper Scissors, a $25 credit to their shop. "Like" Party Paper Scissors on Facebook.

From Eye Candy Event Details, a $25 gift certificate to their Etsy shop (all files to be sent digitally). "Like" Eye Candy Event Details on Facebook.

The Rules

Here's how to enter:

Leave a comment sharing which prize you are most excited to win (1 entry).
Like each vendor's Facebook page (links are above) and leave a comment here when you're done (1 entry for each vendor).
Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and leave a comment here that you did (1 entry).
Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment here that you did (1 entry).
Blog about this giveaway and then leave a comment here with a link to your post (1 entry).

Entries must be submitted by midnight PST on Friday August 19, 2011 and the winner will be chosen via Random.org. Please leave your email address to be notified if you win. Open to U.S. only (sorry). Thanks for participating and good luck!

Owls And Lollipops - Customer Cake

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:49:00 +0000

I am always amazed by what my wonderful customers are able to do with my cake and cupcake toppers but the cake above really took my breath away. My customer used my swirl lollipop cupcake toppers in combination with my 3D owl cake topper to make an absolutely stunning two-tiered birthday cake for her little girl. I customized the colors to match her party theme (I'm a sucker for pink and lime green) and the result was so effective.

Keep the photos coming everyone - I just love to show them off!

Cakes And Kids Too

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 03:42:00 +0000

I have finally taken the plunge and opened a second Etsy store, Cakes And Kids Too, devoted to supplies for all your party and baking needs. You'll find a large selection of cupcake liners, sprinkles, favor boxes, treat bags, paper straws, baker's twine, ribbon and more. Inventory is arriving daily and I'll be working hard to get everything sorted, photographed and uploaded to the store. So check back often!

Some of the things you can look forward to are coordinated cupcake kits including liners and sprinkles as well as party packages that include treat bags or favor boxes along with coordinating paper straws, twine and ribbon. Themes will include ladybug, busy bee, daisy, ocean, summer sun, safari, seasonal and many, many more.

I'm having such fun finding the perfect products for my sweet, simple and stylish store and I hope you'll enjoy them too!

Made To Match Fondant

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 00:29:00 +0000

My fondant creations are inspired in many different ways and often they are born from invitations or party supplies that my customers are looking to replicate on their cakes and cupcakes.

One of my recent favorites was a little red crab design that was based on some adorable DIY printables from Totful Memories. My customer sent me the link to the printables and left it up to me to create a cake and cupcake toppers that would match. Here are the results!

So if you're planning your next party and want a custom design for your cake or cupcakes then feel free to contact me through Etsy and we can talk details!

And The Winner Is....

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Ashley! Congratulations!

Ashley is the winner of our giveaway for one dozen fondant cupcake toppers of her choice along with matching cupcake liners, sprinkles and cupcake favor boxes.

You can contact me at julie@cakesandkids.com to claim your prize and I will send you an email also.

Thank you all for participating!

Cupcake Package Giveaway - Enter To Win!

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:43:00 +0000

I am thrilled to announce a super exciting giveaway! One lucky reader will win a cupcake package from me (Cakes And Kids) perfect for your next party.

The package will include: 1 dozen handmade fondant cupcake toppers in a design of your choosing, 1 dozen matching cupcake liners, a 2 oz jar of coordinating cupcake sprinkles and 1 dozen clear plastic cupcake favor boxes complete with decorative ribbon.

Here's how to enter:

Visit my Etsy store and then come back here and leave a comment sharing which cupcake toppers you think you'd choose if you win (1 entry).
Like my Facebook page and leave a comment here when you're done (1 entry).
Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment here with your Twitter name when you're done (1 entry).
Become a follower of this blog (1 entry).
Blog about this giveaway and then leave a comment here with a link to your post (1 entry).

Entries must be submitted by midnight PST on Tuesday July 12, 2011 and the winner will be chosen at random. Please leave your email address to be notified if you win. Open to U.S. only (sorry). Thanks for participating and good luck!

Look Whoooo's Having A Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 04:52:00 +0000

I am so in love with owls these days and I recently came across these fantastic party supplies from Celebrate Express featuring some "pretty in pink" owls perfect for a little girl's party. A customer of mine actually introduced me to this design because she was looking for some cupcake toppers to match. I took my Pretty Owl Cupcake Toppers and changed the colors slightly to a brighter pink and purple and they became the perfect complement to these fun plates, cups and napkins.

So if you're in the midst of party planning and are looking for cake or cupcake decorations that can coordinate with your party supplies or color schemes, feel free to contact me and I'll see what I can come up with :)

A Whale Of A Party!

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:28:00 +0000

I have to admit that my little blue whales are one of my favorite designs available in my Etsy store, so I just recently went searching on Etsy for other cute whale party supplies that would coordinate well with my fondant toppers. I came across so many adorable items.

This cute door sign is from BellaBabyToppings.

Or how about this complete whale party package from ALLthatsPretty.

Lastly, I found this adorable whale shirt (personalized with your little one's name) from SewInitially.

So many cute things to ensure your party is a "whaley" good time :)

Food You Can Play With

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:43:00 +0000

I always remember my Mom saying "Don't play with your food!" But then I found these wonderful creations by Ooh La Lollipop on Etsy and they give a whole new meaning to playing with food :) Beautifully made and sparing no details, the workmanship here is stunning.

Any little girl would giggle with delight over these fun play sets that include everything from the apparel to the play food to the realistic tools. These are definitely marked as favorites for my little girl come Christmas time!

Cupcake Favor Boxes With Style

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:50:00 +0000

I am so excited to launch a new product line today in my Etsy store. If you've ever wished you could send your party guests home with their cupcakes, but couldn't find an easy and attractive way to transport them, then this item is for you. Say hello to my new clear plastic Cupcake Favor Boxes!

These attractive boxes don't require any assembly as the domed lids simply snap on. They easily house a standard sized cupcake with a generous amount of frosting and even have room for one of my fun cupcake toppers. They are available in sets of 1 or 2 dozen but I am happy to set up custom orders for larger amounts if needed. The decorative ribbon is included and I have 12 fun color choices available.

Have fun planning your next party with these unique favors!

A Watermelon Party

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Are you planning a backyard party or BBQ this summer? If so, then a watermelon party would be the perfect theme. Check out these fun watermelon party supplies from Polka Dot Market. It's fun to see a red and green theme outside of the Christmas holidays.

You can find some fun matching cupcake toppers in my Etsy store that you can use to carry your watermelon theme all the way through dessert.

I'd love to hear about your ideas for fun summer party themes :)

Lollipop Cupcake Toppers

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Tue, 10 May 2011 05:15:00 +0000

Are you planning a Candyland themed party? Or perhaps an old fashioned Sweet Shoppe party? I just added these fun fondant lollipops to my Etsy store. They come in a set of 6 for $9.95 and the colors can be customized to fit your event. They're brushed with edible sparkling dust to give them a lovely sheen and are attached to real lollipop sticks that are sturdy enough to stick into your cake or cupcakes.

And if you're looking for some matching party supplies then checkout these lovely printables from TomKat Studio. I love the stripes and the bright color scheme - the perfect compliment to my cupcake toppers.

Have fun with your party planning and thanks for reading!

Personalized Mother's Day Cards - Only 99 Cents

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:01:00 +0000

If you're looking for beautiful and unique Mother's Day Cards, then look no further. TinyPrints has a wonderful selection and right now they're offering all their Mother's Day Cards for just 99 cents. You'll need to use the coupon code AFFMDAY at checkout to take advantage of this great deal.

You can personalize each card with photos as well as your own special messages and all for only 99 cents. What a fantastic deal for beautiful, high quality cards that are as special as the Moms they're meant for!

Going Dotty!

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:53:00 +0000

I love the use of polka dots to decorate cakes - you can take the simple to the extraordinary just with some simple fondant polka dots. I love them best when they are used in a mix of different colors and sizes. You can either dress up a cake you make yourself or even a plain store bought cake.

Fondant dots will stick to a buttercream or whipped cream cake and can also stick to a fondant covered cake if you brush the back of them with a little water.

Check out these fabulous designs for some dotty inspiration!

Photo courtesy of Sweet Ideas

Photo courtesy of Pink Cake Box

An Apple A Day...

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:17:00 +0000

I absolutely adore these apple cupcakes featured on Kara's Cupcake blog. The cupcakes are frosted in vanilla buttercream and then rolled in green sugar crystals. A pretzel stick and some mint make up the stem and leaves and then the "bite" is made simply by scooping a little bit of the frosting off using a small plastic fork. The final touch - 3 chocolate sprinkles for the seeds. They are so fresh looking!

Try making them with an apple flavored cupcake and a cream cheese frosting for a different twist - happy baking!

It's A Lollipop - No, It's A Cake Topper

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:06:00 +0000

I cannot believe that it is March 1st and I haven't posted on my blog all year. I am going to make a true effort to post every few days from now on - easier said than done I know! The good news is that my lack of posting is due to my exceptionally busy Etsy store which has taken off like wildfire in its first year :)

And I am constantly thinking up new ideas for my customers. Most recently I have added some cake toppers that sit on top of long white lollipop sticks. They look wonderful stuck into the top of any sized cake. Swing on by to check them out!

Cupcake Crayons

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 02:03:00 +0000

With the holiday shopping season in full swing I've been searching the internet for fun and unique gifts and stocking stuffers. I have loved Etsy since opening my own store there earlier this year and just the other day ran across these absolutely adorable cupcake shaped crayons. Being that I am obsessed with everything related to cupcakes, these crayons are perfect in my eyes.

Lil Doodlers has an amazing Etsy store filled with crayons in every unique shape imaginable. What a fun stocking stuffer for any young children that love to color!

Holiday Cupcake Toppers Now Available!

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Well I spent a fair amount of time this past weekend creating my holiday and Christmas fondant cupcake toppers for my Etsy store. I still have a few more items to add and will also be creating a Hanukkah line shortly. From Santa Claus to Rudolph and snowflakes to ice skates there is something for everyone.

My calendar is filling up quickly and so I do recommend ordering at least 3 weeks before your party or event to be sure you get your toppers in a timely manner.

Thanks for visiting!

Gourmet Cupcake Mix

noreply@blogger.com (KidsCakes) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:15:00 +0000

I just recently ran across these fantastic gourmet cupcake mixes from "The Barefoot Contessa". I love that you can get unusual flavors like red velvet and coconut. These are not your ordinary grocery store cupcake mixes, that's for sure!

They come with both the cake mix as well as the frosting so you can create a gourmet taste experience from a single box. I bought mine at Crate and Barrel and am including them in a gourmet cupcake/baking basket that will be auctioned off at my kids' school fundraiser.

If you've tried them out, let me know how you liked them.