DIYCupcake Decoration by Icing Design

I was on Icing Design's blog yesterday, and they had a great idea for decorations that can be made ahead of time. Oh the possibilities are endless here! To see their blog and directions go here .

{images courtesy of Icing Design}


And voila! Super cute little cupcakes that could be expanded on to fit any event you are having.

How to make White Chocolate Cake Balls

So, if you follow my blog you have already seen the desert spread we set up for my Daughter's first birthday party. I had lollipops, cupcakes, oreo pops, caramel apples, and cake balls.

And here is an upclose picture of the jar filled with red velvet, cream cheese and white chocolate cake balls.

First, you need to bake your cake and let it cool completely. Once cool you need to mash it up until it looks very crumbly like below.

Then you want to mix room temperature cream cheese frosting in with the cake until it makes a mushy mess. When it is wet enough to form it, but dry enough to still be cake-ish. Then you will form the cake mix into small balls and place on wax paper.

I then put these formed balls into the freezer and let sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. It helps the frosting set up, and then you can really roll the balls into nice round balls. **(This would be the point in which you insert your lollipop stick. If you do this part, dip the end of the stick into your melted white chocolate and then put into the cake ball. Then put back in the freezer for a few minutes. This helps your lollipop stick stay in place better when dipping in white chocolate)**

I then rolled the balls to make then into nicer circles, and then dipped them in melted white chocolate.

I always melt my chocolate chips in the microwave. I microwave on high for 30 second intervals. If your chocolate isn't runny enough add a little vegetable oil to it and stir, stir, stir! Make sure you get all of your chips mixed together. I then dip the bottom of the ball into the white chocolate, then place on a fork. I then pour the white chocolate over the top of the ball and tap the fork until the excess chocolate drops off. Then move the ball back to the wax paper and sprinkle with pretties!! I used hot pink sugar sprinkles (bought locally at Michael's).

Here is an up close picture of the cake balls before refrigerating. I made these fun-fetti cake balls for a very special friend's baby shower, and there was not one left!! That is always a good sign!

And here is your finished product right before displaying.

I would love to see your version of these cake balls. Please email them to me!!

Also, Queen London's Carriage now has a facebook page. Please visit us at our facebook page and "like" us!

Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

One of the Queen Grandma's friends came into town, so we decided to throw a little tea party. Theresa (Friend) used to make cookies when I was a child, so we asked Theresa if she would teach our kids how to bake cookies. She went step by step, and each kid got a turn to help make the cookies. Below are the pictures!


These are the Carriage kids...111Knights and one little fiesty Queen!

Mrs. R taught the middle Knight how to cut and measure butter for chocolate chip cookies.


Next it was the 1st Knight's turn...


Knight 1 was really into this mixing, measuring and baking thing!


Again, Knight 1 pouring sugar...


The Baby Knight helped too....who can tell that the 3rd Knight is only 9 DAYS older than the fiesty Queen?!


The little Queen was not so interested in mixing...she liked eating the cupcakes best!


The baby knight was the mixer boy.


Alice kept track of the time for us, and the Caterpillar relaxed alongside the biscotti, fresh fruit, and caramel dipped apples.

I made these toppers for the bags of chocolate chip cookies we would all take home. They say "Eat me. Hurry, oh my, it's getting late!" And a little tidbit: the mad hatter in the photo is the 1st Knight!!!
Here are the Ghiradelli chocolate brownies, raspberry butter cream and fresh strawberries. Each person at the party had a tag placed in a goody.

The cat was very curious...

My name is Leah, and my favorite of all favorites is chocolate dipped bananas! So I put my tag in the banana. There were white chocolate raspberry cupcakes in the back also....mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
So here is my tea party. The 1st Knight just said "Mom, I want one of those chocolate things. Where are they?" Oh my sweet boy....they were gone days ago!!!!

This party is available for purchase in our etsy shop. Please take a look!

Bright Ruffled Quilt by {Pick Up Some Creativity}

Beautiful quilt I found by Pick Up Some Creativity. This quilt is just beautiful, and I love all the textures and colors. Can you image receiving something like this at your baby shower or birthday party? I love this quilt, and would love to have one myself. Queen Grandma.....we are requesting a new item!!!

Ashlynn's 5th Ice Cream Social Birthday Party via The TomKat Studio

I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hanging ice cream cones!! And I would have never thought to do that! Doesn't that tree just look too yummy!

Above is the invitation that Ashlynn's Mom used for the party. Ashlynn is wearing a rosette tank by Modern Frills and a tutu by Tiny Belles Boutique. I love the blue that they used....really! The invites are by Pen 'N Paper Flowers.

And as all of you know I am super partial to intials or anything monogrammed, so I love this lime green A! I think Ashlynn had a great looking party! I wish I had more time to throw my loved ones parties like this!

FYI - my nephew is turning 4 tomorrow!! I can't wait to help out with his Blue Train Birthday Party. I am the cupcake making, picture copying Auntie!!

(All images via The TomKat Studio)

Motivation...

Today is a downer day. I can not seem to find motivation lately. I feel like I can't put my inspiration into real form. This weekend I will try to rest, and maybe that will help! Stay tuned, I have been working on a few fun things!

Eat Out (doors) Treasury on Etsy!!

Mom was included in another treasury!!! We are so lucky!!! Thank you so much....

Summer Games Treasury!

Thank you so much Studio Seventy Five for including us in the treasury! Please go here to see all of the details!

"I Made It" Renaissance Era Handmade Sock Lovie

Mom has been making sock animals for some time, and then she gets on a whim, and makes something too cool for words! Mom was sitting at the hospital with one of her nieces and started working on this little guy. My Son loves Knights in Shining Armor, and anything renaissancy, so we are always inspired to go in that direction. Below please find the man Mom made. After she made him, she was so tempted to keep him. And I don't blame her, he's adorable.

Mom literally hand makes these...hand sews them, plays with the ruffles, then stitches them in place. These guys are truly labor's of love.

She listed this guy on etsy, so be sure to check him out here.

I am also linking this post, and this adorable little guy to "Everything Etsy".

London's Hand Made Mommy Dress

Do you remember when I mentioned a hand-made dress for London out of a dress that I wore in highschool?

Here are the pictures that my Mom and I took of London when she is about one month old. We drove to a field near our homes, and laid London in this beautiful chair underneath that beautiful tree!

So for our next set of pictures we laid in between the trees in the orchard in the field of wishes! I got my wish...

Oh look at my sweet chunky girl!

And here a picture of the Queen Grandma holding her only Granddaughter....so sweet!