Bitter Sweetz Blog

Mini Chippy

2011-12-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

"Chippy!" This may be the happiest looking dog ever!

Shiny coat

Matching her name tag and skull charm.

Sitting proudly with her destroyed toy. Luna has/had that same toy (American Kennel Club rabbit). Now it is a small unrecognizable of fuzzy fabric that we call her "Bunny Scrap." Maybe for their one year anniversary Chippy's bunny will also be a scrap......

Fuzz! Luna and Stella tell me that's the best part.

This topper is going on a very large centerpiece cake. Because of that "Mini"Chippy is actually pretty gigantic in comparison to my other pieces. Mini Chippy is 6 inches tall and about 4 inches long!!

A Christmas Terrier

2011-12-24T19:04:00.002-05:00

Random Cake Toppers linked on Pinterest

2011-12-18T22:02:00.003-05:00

Whale and Squid groom's cake topper from last summer

"UP" inspired cake topper also from last summer

Diana Deaver Photography

Joe Hendricks photography

Blue Beast and Green Beast

2011-12-17T20:00:00.002-05:00

Presenting......Beasts!

Green Beast loves you.

Blue Beast and Green Beast. They are wearing heart collars to show how loveable they are.

He's a rather intelligent looking fellow, isn't he? Luna inspired this one. Hence the ridiculous bulging eyes and flappy face flaps. Luna doesn't have horns, but she should.

Blue Beast loves you too.

Green Beast has a spike-hawk. It is shimmery.

Green Beast has a yellow-y butt. He's proud of it.

Custom Bulldog Cake Toppers

2011-12-17T15:27:00.001-05:00

Custom bulldog wedding cake toppers.

Blue and pink striped tie, top hat, pink bouquet and veil

Lookin' happy!

Heart Cake Toppers

2011-12-10T20:31:00.001-05:00

Here are my newest tattoo-inspired wedding cake toppers.....

Glittery gold heart, little sparrows and a banner.

I thought it was a nice mix of edgy and pretty.

And a red glossy heart with shimmery roses.

The base is wood and is painted with acrylics.

Sock Puppet Bride and Groom

2011-12-07T16:35:00.009-05:00

Oh my......what is WRONG with me? I apparently have tremendous difficulties making things that are normal. Hence this sock puppet bride and groom. I just couldn't help myself. I don't think there is a huge market of people who want to put socks on top of their wedding cake (which is probably why I've never seen this topper before) but that didn't stop my NEED to make these things. Haha, I have a feeling they are going to be with me for a long, long time. That's OK, they will keep me company.

Possible explanation: I think I'm on Muppet overload. Yes, that's it. I've been watching too many Muppet Christmas movies and that is to blame for this nonsense. But if anyone asks, let's just call this "WHIMSICAL." But we all know that's just a fancy word for "strange."

It's not easy to see in the photo but the bride sock has a pretty tulle veil. She's a dress sock. With pink stripes and googly eyes.

They are larger than my average toppers (they stand between 4 and 5.25 inches tall), but they still do fit on top of my 6 inch cake. You know......for the millions of brides whose dream wedding cake has a pair of socks on top. Cuz nothing says "fairytale wedding" like a sock puppet.

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Just for fun!

2011-12-06T10:18:00.002-05:00

Just playing around. I thought this subject would be good practice to work on proportions and basic shapes. It also requires a slightly more complicated armature than what I'm used to working with. When make something for practice purposes it is so helpful to use an iconic, well-known model such as these spuds----you can tell right away when something doesn't look right! After lots of work I'm happy with how they turned out.

It's difficult to see in the pictures, but I gave her a tulle detail on her hat and glitter on her high heels.

These guys are very similar in structure to my popcorn and soda toppers. I'm hoping to do another version of those when I have time.

The Paul Creston Sonata (the thing that makes Karly cry....)

2011-12-05T21:23:00.000-05:00

This is a bit off-topic from my usual posts. I was feeling a bit nostalgic, browsing online for some of my old sheet music and I came across this AMAZING performance of the Paul Creston Sonata. This guy (and his accompanist) are unbelievable. It's definitely the best performance I have ever heard of this piece.

Back in the "old days" I used to practice this sonata every day. For hours at a time.......spanning across multiple years of my life. So I have a very, very, VERY soft spot in my heart for this piece. Especially when it is played so masterfully as it is here. Wowza......

The third movement (the top one) is really fun.....and almost impossible to find an accompanist who can hack it!! But the second movement was, and still is, my favorite. Listening to this dude play it makes me love it even more.

University of Alabama Schnauzers

2011-12-05T09:04:00.003-05:00

A pair of Schnauzers dressed in University of Alabama sweaters! For a groom's cake.

My Color Wheel Tattoo

2011-12-04T13:40:00.004-05:00

Here are some long-overdue photos of my color wheel tattoo! Lots of people have asked me if it's real, and yes, it is. I have always liked tattoos, but I'm so darn fickle that the permanency of tattoos seemed like a terrible match for me. Regardless, I thought a color wheel would make a really awesome tattoo.....and believe it or not, I made myself wait 3 whole YEARS before I actually got this! I figured if it was still a good idea after all that time I would go ahead and do it. So I did. Haha, and now I wish I would have done it sooner, of course!!! :p

I had never seen any color wheel tattoos before getting this and wondered whether or not it would translate well.....The first tattoo artist I talked to said it was a bad idea and it wouldn't work. I respected her opinion, but didn't necessarily want to have that be THE deciding factor. So I got a second opinion, and found a great artist that I trusted AND was willing to do it for me (thanks Rob R. at 252 Tattoo!!).

The funny thing is, since getting this I have come across some color wheel-style tattoos online that are FAKE---I couldn't believe it!!! I'm glad I didn't see these suckers beforehand, otherwise I might not have taken the plunge. Anyway, a company called Tattly makes some funky temporary tattoos that are worth checking out. Of course I am partial to the RGB image.....a genius idea if I may say so myself! :)

Anyway, this beast is on my left forearm, which was a difficult spot to photograph myself! I had it touched-up a few weeks ago to fill in some of the spotty areas, and I'm loving it even more now.

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Wooo! My First Bridal Show!

2011-12-02T21:16:00.000-05:00

I'm really looking forward to participating in The Boutique Bridal Bazaar, January 29th at Dredger's Union in downtown Cleveland! It is geared towards unique and out-of-the-box weddings, which is clearly right up my alley. I guess I had better get to work!!! :)

Logo Design Fun

2011-12-01T09:54:00.001-05:00

Playing around with new logo ideas. I wanted to use a wedding cake topper as the image, so this is what I came up with.

This is my current business card, which I happen to like a lot. But my goal is to gain more visibility in the wedding world (about 95% of my business is wedding related) and I feel that it would be more appropriate to have a wedding cake topper represented instead of my original characters pictured here. I also don't want to be confused with being a baker, and I know that my name could be misleading if it's looked at in the wrong context. But I really, really like this card, so for that reason it is hard to change it. If anyone has a magical solution please let me know!

Upcoming Toppers & Sculptures....

2011-11-30T10:35:00.004-05:00

.....the "before" shot!

Chalkboard Art

2011-11-29T15:13:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting something to hang above the fireplace for so long, but I couldn't decide what. After 2 years of being indecisive I decided to embrace my non-commitment and hang up a CHALKBOARD in an ornate gold frame!

So far it has been the target of regular vandalism, which isn't much of a surprise. Swear words, rude illustrations and derogatory statements about Luna have all made appearances on this board, and not by my hand! For example, my beautiful heart which once read "LU" in the center has been transformed into.......something else......

Ben says that Stella did it. Though I wonder how she was able to reach that board (and hold the chalk in her paws for that matter.). It's a mystery that may never get solved.

Bulldog wedding cake toppers

2011-11-29T12:24:00.000-05:00

Bulldogs!

Presenting....2011's Ornament of the Year!

2011-11-28T21:32:00.001-05:00

Ben and I have only a few Christmas traditions, and this is one of them (the other being my mandatory Christmas Eve viewing of the Rankin Bass movie "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus"). Anyway, this joyous custom hails back to Xmas '06 and celebrates the ugly (or bizarre) Christmas tree ornament!

So every year we select ONE strange specimen and proudly display it on our puny, fake tree. I know you all have been anxiously awaiting this, so I am proud to finally announce 2011's pick. Presenting......

"Pine Cone-Butt-Reindeer-Thing!!"

This thing isn't so much ugly, as it is just down-right strange. Why is his butt a pine cone and what is that string? That's not a proper place for a tail, in my opinion. And the half-pine cone anatomy is reminiscent of a mythological Satyr.....but lamer.

What sold me on this guy was that string. It just looks wrong going out the center of the butt like that. Not that that's the only strange thing about it. Come on, it's got a pine cone for a butt and crooked dowel rod legs.

To be truthful, I actually kind of like this one, in spite of my mockery......maybe it's because I'm a sucker for glitter, who knows! The shoddy lopsidedness of him amuses me. His crooked beady eyes make me laugh (at him, not with him). However, I must say that 2010's Spiny-Pine-Cone-Hedgehog-Critter still reigns supreme as the strangest thing on the tree. I will post photos soon just to reminisce about our ornaments of 'yore.

Oscar, the chocolate lab

2011-11-27T21:13:00.003-05:00

This is mini-Oscar, the chocolate lab!

Side view.

Butt view.

Oscar's "mom" Melissa provided me with some AMAZING reference photos of this handsome fellow! That makes a huge difference, trust me. I have only been sculpting for 14 months now, and have never formally studied dog anatomy (got some good books and am trying to self-teach, though). So basically it can be very difficult for me to "fill in the blanks" and guess how the thing should be shaped in 3d, 360 degrees--especially when I'm given limited and/or lousy photos to work from. I know that this should get easier with experience, but I'm notoriously impatient and can't stand being a beginner at anything (which is probably my best and WORST trait) Anywho, working with clear reference photos is the best practice I could ever ask for, so thanks again Melissa!

Stella makes this face sometimes. I call it "happy (or "crazy") tongue"......depending on what mood she's in. You might also notice the teeny-tiny white patch on mini-Oscar's chest here. Stella has a larger one in the exact same shape, and that is called her "bib." You can guess why.

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Gingerbread Beast 2011!!

2011-11-25T23:35:00.003-05:00

This is a ridiculous project that I've been wanting to make for years! This is supposed to be a Gingerbread House "Empire State Building" with a "Gingerbread Kong" on top.

It stands over a foot tall!! During the baking process the top got dangerously close to the coils of my oven. I had to stand there the entire time it baked to make sure that the piece didn't scorch and my house didn't catch fire.

I originally attempted this in 2006 using actual gingerbread. In the first 10 minutes of baking my first round of gingerbread pieces I quickly realized that I did not have the baking skills or patience to make that work! Clay and wood worked out much better for me this time around.

The only bad part is that I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this now. Because of the size and shape I'm not comfortable shipping it. And there's no chance in heck that this would ever sell in any Cleveland shops, since it's clear that city freakin' hates me (I'm only half-joking). So most likely some poor relative is going to inherit this beast. But only if they've been good this year :)

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Hungry!

2011-11-25T19:24:00.002-05:00

Masterpiece?

2011-11-20T10:53:00.000-05:00

Odd painting from consignment shop + acrylic paint + weirdness = MASTERPIECE.

I wanted to keep this so badly!! But it was really meant for Sue's birthday so it now hangs proudly on the wall of Wild Flour Bakery. Something to remember me by!

Trial (and Error) Cakezilla

2011-11-18T17:38:00.002-05:00

Brand new Cakezilla. Just made him for fun and to play with some new techniques. It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted but after 2 entire days of struggling with the paint I got to the point where I had to stop messing with it. Maybe I'll put him in my Etsy shop (eh, very doubtful), but he'll most likely hang out in my workroom with me for awhile until I file it in "the box"of trial pieces.

This guy has a more textured and antiquey feel to him than my previous 'zillas. Some of that was intentional, but some of it wasn't. I painted it with several layers of acrylics--which I then proceeded to remove multiple times because I hated it.....

Once I FINALLY had something that I could live with I decided to try coating it with silver and micropearl metallic pigments just to see how it would look. Eh, not TERRIBLE, but not what I was looking for either. At this point I had to just stop and move on with my life.

I know how to make it better next time, so that kinda makes it worth my pounding headache and crazy-sore neck and back. I guess I have to have these experiences now and again or I wouldn't get any better. Or at least that's what I tell myself to keep from banging my head against the table. Took some photos anyway just to validate all the work that I put into it, so here it is (the bane of my existence right now, but I'll get over it)

Cakezilla is on a 4" wood base (thanks Ben) which is jazzed up with a silver ribbon. He looks extra menacing from this angle, doesn't he?

Stands almost 7 inches tall. Again, he's looking a little darker/dirtier than I would like. The silver isn't working for me. Needs more highlights I think, but at this point there was already way too much paint on him to do it cleanly.

Raaa!

Back view

On my 6 inch round display cake to give an idea of scale.

Baked Terriers

2011-11-18T14:49:00.000-05:00

Stella and Luna enjoy baking themselves in front of the fireplace. Luna also enjoys being strange.

Stella Snuggle

2011-11-17T17:33:00.000-05:00

Stella loves to snuggle. Especially when I wear my ridiculous leopard print fleece pajamas.

Thanks photographers!

2011-11-16T21:02:00.001-05:00

It's really amazing to see my pieces enhanced by other fantastic artists. Yep, I'm talking about PHOTOGRAPHERS! Here are some great photos that some of my wonderful brides have shared with me (thanks brides! you know how happy this makes me!). Forgive me that I am unable to credit every photo. I need to do some homework to match them all up, but once I get the info I will include the proper credits. And from now on I'll remember to ask right away!!

I loved Diana Deaver's soft, romantic style! I was able to contact her prior to sharing this photo and was happy to discover that she is not only very talented, but is also VERY sweet too (that's always a bonus, isn't it?) :)

Vegas terriers!! What a fun cake (I can't remember the baker offhand but I will be sure to add the link once I find it).

This was one of my earliest bulldog sets! I loved the contrast between the two breeds. And that's a cute cake design too. :)

New stuffz

2011-11-15T21:19:00.005-05:00

Pit bulls!

This one's READY TO SHIP!

This too! I've been wanting to make this one for awhile now--tattoo themed heart cake topper

ALSO READY TO SHIP! Scrabble-inspired cake topper. Double sided. This is one side....

......and this is the other.

Brussels Griffon and Maltese.

Fun bulldog set

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Wedding cake toppers, Boston Terriers and other fun things

2011-11-07T13:48:00.000-05:00

A Polymer Party!

2011-10-04T14:52:00.000-04:00

This has been a fantastic month overall! In the past several week's I've had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful people with some pretty unique ideas. Being a new business owner can be overwhelming at times---usually in a good way, sometimes just in a stressful way. But having the opportunity to create meaningful sculptures for genuinely kind people reminds me that I'm very lucky. Of course I knew that I would enjoy the artistic part of the job, but initially I didn't expect to connect with my customers in such a positive way. To my surprise, that's what actually keeps me motivated when things get tough. THANK YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Anyway, here's some clay!

Brown Boston Terriers! Matching a pup named Barkley (great name!)

Matching "Dublin," one of the most photogenic dogs ever! For a St. Patrick's day wedding complete with shamrock and Guinness.

Another great project! Schnauzer and Amstaff "tying the knot!" Bella, the schnauzer also has her favorite toy tucked alongside her bouquet.

This was a little different-----matching a bulldog PUPPY! Definitely a lot less wrinkles going on!

Another different twist----GIANT FIGURINES! This is my first time working in such large scale (except for the "cakezillas" of course). This guy stands 7" tall.

Giant 5" tall donut.

Enormous strawberry!

A color variation on "cakezilla." This time with fork!

A really fun and interesting set---fox and cupcake! Matching their unique wedding attire :)

More proof that Luna is crazy

2011-09-08T22:17:00.001-04:00

Warning: know that by watching this you may be wasting 1 minute, 52 seconds of your life (there is nothing really eventful that happens apart from Luna shooting me a really evil look about 3/4 the way through) but this is NOTHING compared to how long this lasted. She must have done this for hours. I don't know if Luna was being helpful or just trying displace Stella.

Bitter Sweetz at THE NEST in Tremont!

2011-08-31T20:15:00.000-04:00

The grand opening of The Nest is tomorrow, September 1st starting at 5:00! Located in the heart of Tremont (2379 Professor Avenue, Tremont City, OH 44113), this unique space is full of character and artsy charm. The Nest supports a variety of local artists who will have their works on display and for sale in their gallery. I must admit that art galleries hardly ever make me feel very comfortable or relaxed (which is not a good thing, considering I am an artist myself.....) however when I met owners Robin and Ben it was clear that they had the right personalities to create a space that is a bit trendy (perfect for Tremont!) yet totally fun and welcoming at the same time! So for those who just want to hang out and enjoy the space there will be a coffee/espresso lounge situated in the cozy back room. Owners Robin and Ben are hatching fantastic plans for The Nest's future (such as one day offering wine, craft beers and making use of a gorgeous rustic patio tucked away behind the building) but for now the grand opening will be excitement enough!! I'm really looking forward to it!

Here are some of my pieces that will be for sale at "The Nest." (FYI, for anybody in the Cleveland area who has wanted to "adopt" one of my Bitter Sweetz figurines, get thee to Tremont!!! I made certain that there would be very little mark-up (if at all) from my online shop prices, so if you're in the market for one of my figurines please "adopt" from The Nest and support us both!!)

SURPRISE!!!!!!!

2011-08-28T18:49:00.011-04:00

My cupcake pendants were included in Fair Ivy's surprise package subscriptions earlier this summer! Fair Ivy is a super fun company who specializes in the art of surprise gift giving!

They hand-pick unique and (often handmade) items and include them in beautiful gift package subscriptions. Neither the buyer nor the recipient will know exactly what surprise they will include in each shipment, but you can bet that it will be cute, well-packaged and totally unique. They also guarantee that they will never include the same item twice, which keeps things fresh, exciting and above all SURPRISING!

They have different subscription options available:
Fair Ivy (women)
Fun Ivy (girls and teens)
Fred Ivy (men)
Fur Ivy (dogs and cats)

Be sure to check out Bitter Sweetz' "Featured Crafter" page (pictured below) and browse around to see some of the other fun items they have included in their Fun & Fair Ivy gift subscriptions so far. And while you're at it visit the owner Lucy's blog, aptly named "The Surpriseaholic." It's quickly becoming one of my favorites!!!!

Cake Topper Squidoo Lens!

2011-08-27T20:24:00.001-04:00

Bitter Sweetz was a featured shop in a Squidoo lens showcasing unique wedding cake toppers! Thanks so much Jasmine for including me!!!

Check out the lens here and be sure to vote for me while you're at it, hehe!! :)You can also browse through Jasmine's own website here to see her wide variety of photography, graphics and tons of printed products :)

Claying!

2011-08-27T19:21:00.000-04:00

Just for fun

Weight lifter and runner cupcake topper!!! Thanks for the photo Randi!

Let's all go to the lobby!

Big, giant bunch of bulldogz!

Cupcakez!

One of my favorite dog toppers yet---loved matching the australian shepherd's markings

Super-happy bulldogz

Another fun one---my first Labradoodle set! What a cute breed---they're like giant muppets!

More bulldogz :)

Whoo hoo! Another "finished" photo!! I love seeing them outside of my workroom--it feels like they're actually COMPLETE! Thanks Jennifer!!!

Ice Cream, Cake, Beans, Terriers, Hounds

2011-07-27T16:01:00.000-04:00

Custom mini "Cakezilla"

It's teeny tiny, but it's matching the bride's dress and hairstyle :)

Gotta love a greyhound (and a boxer mix!)

Super tiny chihuahua (his name is "Bean!") He's about 2" tall and in a tiny little tux

My name is Bean. (James) Bean.

Terrier power!

Ice Cream Thug

Check out that "ice."

Word o' the day: DEARTH

2011-07-20T15:45:00.000-04:00

Word of the day from Dictionary.com:
Dearth /DURTH/ (adj): An inadequate supply, scarcity, lack.

A terrier's mind: dearth of intelligent thought.

Today's Word: ZUGZWANG

2011-07-19T17:28:00.000-04:00

Word of the day from Dictionary.com: ZUGZWANG

/TSOOK-tsvahng/, noun: A situation in which a player is limited to moves that have a damaging effect.

Word of the Day: Nouveau Riche

2011-07-18T20:57:00.001-04:00

I've been feeling creatively brain-dead lately, so I decided to try something new--illustrating the word of the day from this site. It turns out I own one of Anu Garg's vocab books and don't really know why it took me so long to find this online!! Love it!

....So here's my quick and rather primitive illustration/absurd interpretation of the word of the day, Nouveau Riche.

As indicated by his chic Louis Vuitton bindle stick, the the once-lowly hobo is about to trade in his boots, grime and railroad tracks for the pampered and glamorous lifestyle of the nouveau riche.

Borrowed from Wordsmith.org:

MEANING:

noun: Someone who has recently acquired wealth, especially one who displays this in an ostentatious fashion.

ETYMOLOGY:

From French nouveau riche (new rich). Earliest documented use: 1796. A term coined after this is nouveau pauvre (newly impoverished).

Makin' up for lost posts!

2011-07-18T20:16:00.002-04:00

Crazy amount of dog requests.

2011-06-30T21:36:00.002-04:00

Learning some new things!

2011-06-12T21:18:00.000-04:00

Cakezilla again! Matching the wedding cake.

Closer look. And yes, it WAS a pain to sculpt, paint & gloss all of those little balls (and get them to stay securely on the "cake"). But the effort was well worth it!!

Beach bulldogs!

Things guys were SMALL! These boxers are cupcake toppers! Hence the small size :)

I made holes in the bases so they can stick into the cupcakes on a dowel rod or skewer. That way they should be more stable on top of the domed cupcake top.

I swear the "real" dog of this toppers set could be a model! The markings were so cute! This was a fun one to make---Aside from the boston terriers I haven't made too many black and white dogs.

Irish setter and a pair of cats! Furriness is really difficult to sculpt in clay, by the way! Hopefully I'll have more chances to practice it.

Speaking of practice, remember the "love elephant" set?? Well, my original sculpture was made as a practice run for THIS wedding (and inspired some other orders along the way---so that was a really nice bonus!!!) These guys are hand-painted (carefully and sloooowwwwwlllly....I'm trying really hard to improve my painting skills!!) and I got these fantastic swarovski crystals to give them more bling appeal. And with all of those crystals I didn't even glue my fingers to anything!! Amazing.

The creation of "Mega Desk"

2011-06-06T20:27:00.000-04:00

I reorganized my workroom a few weeks ago. Anyone who does any sort of craft activity will know what an unbelievable task it is to sort through a million different tools and random materials to try and make sense of it all!! Then to create a workspace that is organized, attractive and FUNCTIONAL is another challenge.....

It took lots of brainstorming, but I finally came up with space that works very well for me. Of course things get messier when I'm in the middle of a piece and the table is covered in clay!! But it's been very easy to keep clean after each work session. Here's what I did if anyone is interested in this kind of thing:

LOWER SHELF/SIDE TABLE

-My polymer clay bits are organized roughly by color in plastic Ziploc storage containers. I go through this very quickly so I don't think I have to be concerned about light exposure. I keep the rest of my reserve clay in a drawer.

--The hanging storage cups from IKEA hold my main tools (clay tools, scissors and pliers, paint brushes, rolling pin and X-acto knife, black Sharpies, colored sharpies)

ON THE UPPER SHELVES:

--Most of my paint is kept in a large tin (reserves are in a drawer)

--Glues, varnishes, pearl ex, gesso are in a storage bin up top

--Turntable (a cake decorating tool that is helpful when I like an elevated, spin-able work surface)

--Pasta machine, Books for reference (though I usually use my laptop if I need to see an image)

--Tackle box with larger drawers hold miscellaneous items that I frequently use: ball chain, rhinestones, glitters, shape cutters, Dremel bits and other random small things

Recent Things

2011-06-05T21:14:00.000-04:00

The "inspiration photo" for the topper. I liked the curled tentacles and the body positions so I tilted the piece upward and tried to replicate some of the shapes. Thanks to the tentacles and size of the piece it was my first sculpture that actually required armature work!

All you need is...

2011-05-20T15:39:00.002-04:00

Cakezilla strikes again

2011-05-19T16:54:00.001-04:00

New Print Designs

2011-05-17T18:16:00.001-04:00

I needed to order more business cards so I took the opportunity to redesign the back!

Ben had a great idea of including a QR code (that's the awesome kind of idea you get when you're married to an IT guy). It points to bittersweetz.com, though I briefly considered directing at a photo of Luna instead (not a very productive idea, but cute!). The code looks a bit off-center here, but that's to compensate for the print bleed.

....if you read the text you'll see that I've finally committed to changing the blog name from "Blame the Moon" to "Bitter Sweetz." I didn't want to give up THE MOON (sooo sad!!) but it's getting a little cumbersome to have two different names. Obviously the change hasn't happened yet, but I should get around to that soon.

I also tinkered around with a greeting card design.

This is the front, and will be printed on a 4 x 5.5 glossy card. I don't know if anyone will want this sort of thing or not, but I figured I would at least try it out. And if no one buys them I'll use them myself!

This is the inside.

I wasn't sure what message would be the *best* to put here. "Thank You" seemed easy enough to start with! :)

Luna and her minions

2011-05-15T22:25:00.000-04:00

Terriers, terriers everywhere!

Sweetz and Elephantz

2011-05-11T19:51:00.000-04:00

The strongest cupcake......

.......EVER.......

Little "cakezilla"

More elephants, this time with some etchings. Wedding date on one butt....

.......and the couple's initials on the other!

Jessica, Justin, Bella, Edward and Jakob!

2011-05-10T17:40:00.000-04:00

Various recent projects

2011-05-07T18:16:00.001-04:00

First time seeing one of my toppers on a REAL cake! Thank you Sarah!

Colorful Cakezilla!

2011-05-01T16:59:00.000-04:00

Colorful miniature "Cakezilla." He's clutching two grooms in his usual loving "rage!"

Color, color everywhere. I love it!

As you can see, he's a small one--I hope to get more groom detail in the larger version.

Love Elephants (test run)

2011-04-25T19:20:00.000-04:00

A trial run of an elephant cake topper. Look! Their trunks form a heart! I really do like this one.

This is a "first draft" in which I learned that I need to decorate the elephant's back BEFORE I attach the ears. Sounds simple (like I should have known that) but for some reason I thought I would be able to decorate AROUND the ears. I am not. :p So these elephants are for the Clifton Arts Fest...

Luna Kombat

2011-04-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

Round One.........FIGHT!

Luna vs. Sock Fox

......an homage to the best game ever!

Luna's super moves include farting, "dancing," slapping, whining, and licking her opponent in the mouth. Her sock fox doesn't stand a chance!

On a related note, the new 2011 Mortal Kombat game does not disappoint! I am terrible at it (my strategy is to smash as many buttons as I can as fast as I can) but I really enjoy watching Ben play. It is over-the-top gory, which is exactly as it should be. "EXCELLENT."

Recent creations

2011-04-22T21:40:00.000-04:00

*Insert heavy metal yell here*

Rockin' cupcake! I've been wanting to make a band for awhile now so I was very excited for this one!

White boxer and boston terrier! Complete with bow ties and a favorite toy!

Showing scale on a dummy cake. Photos involving the dummy cake will all probably have super glare like this one or focus issues because it's too tall to go in my lightbox.

Matching a pair of doggies. These guys will go on the ledges of the cake, and not on top. I think that will be very different and fun.

Fuzzy butt.

Boxer bride and groom. Obviously for a Steeler's fan! Apologies to my fellow Clevelanders and to those who despise all things "Steelers" (I am married to such a hater) :p

Window Seat

2011-04-16T20:59:00.000-04:00

Rearranged my workspace so now my desk is against the window. I do miss living in Lakewood, but I love this view even more! Especially when there's deer and ducks :)

I'm a lean, mean, hangtag making machine.

2011-04-12T14:58:00.000-04:00

Cupcake pendant!

Back of hangtag. It only took me 3 weeks to get the front and the back of the card to align properly....Worth the effort, though. Hopefully next time printing won't be such a humongous headache.

Blingz.

Bulldogz

2011-04-11T13:09:00.000-04:00

Stages of a Snuggle

2011-04-08T17:38:00.001-04:00

This is the face Stella puts on when she wants to be held--ears back, eyes pleading. She slowly hoists herself up on the couch and will not take "no" for an answer. So if you see this face, you're pretty much doomed. If you try to nudge her down she drops her weight and freezes (but does not actually get down). Then she tries to slowly make her way up again. She is a very forceful, determined beast in desperate need of snuggling.

She has defeated me. She successfully forced her way up on the couch and is now resting her large head in my hand.

The terrier springs up onto the pile and the frenzy begins!! Both of the minions are now on on a mission to lick my face. I am doing my best to protect myself and hold them back.

Things settle down for a mili second and Luna perches on my leg.

.......and there starts another frenzy.......Luna likes to lick. It is quite annoying.

Finally things calm down, because Stella finally got her way. Luna is pouting on the ground and Stella has forced herself onto my lap.

She is a very needy animal, as you can see.

Some stuff I did today

2011-04-06T18:15:00.001-04:00

Will ultimately be the "groom" as part of a wedding topper set.

What a handsome fellow!

Decked out in a top hat and spiked collar!

Matching the single fang, tongue and tummy spots of a favorite pet.

White, gold and silver flower bud pendants with swarovski crystal centers.

Productivity Rules!

2011-04-04T20:29:00.000-04:00

Line up of cupcake pendants

She's a Sculpey Freak! Sculpey Freak!

2011-04-02T23:41:00.000-04:00

Part of my clay shipment---a smorgasbord of Sculpey products!

Boxer Bridal

2011-04-01T17:08:00.000-04:00

Matching two boxers. The model dogs were actually wearing a doggie tux and bridal gown in the photos that were sent to me. I'll have to ask her for permission to post the photos on here--they are hilariously cute.

Wedding ring, lace dress on the bride. I painted her dress with micropearl to make it shimmery.

Tulle veil.

On the 6" dummy cake.

Bitter Sweetz Folk Art.

2011-03-30T20:26:00.000-04:00

Valuable pieces of folk art. Or just some stuff I made circa 1991 (I was probably 8 or 9 years old) Here it is, straight from a miscellaneous/junk drawer at my parent's house:

I loved cows!!!

Some sort of earring, I think. I used clear nail polish as a varnish. How resourceful :)

This thing is darn small--which at first I thought was pretty impressive! But then I realized that my hands were probably darn small too.....

Big, giant necklace head thing with crazy bulging eyes. Maybe used to ward off evil spirits?

And no, this is not supposed to be me!!! But I did also make a series of little heads that represented each of my best friends. I poked holes through them and strung them on a necklace. Seems creepy, but at the time I thought I was being sweet.

"Let's all go to the Lobby" Wedding Cake Topper!

2011-03-27T18:36:00.001-04:00

Girl popcorn and boy soda wedding cake topper.

The couple met in film school so their wedding will be movie/film themed!

Shows scale on a 6" top. They stand about 5" tall on a base.

Here's the original inspiration clip :)

Semi-relevant to the post, and perhaps my favorite movie clip ever. And this song has been in my head for literally 3 days straight. That cannot be healthy.....

Also, this ATHF clip should probably NOT be used as wedding inspiration. Unless your guests need very harsh & menacing etiquette lessons.

Jamie, Doug, Baxter, Buddy and the crazy fountain.

2011-03-25T15:49:00.000-04:00

Matching a couple, their 2 dogs and a sculpting an clay version of a fountain in Akron (with some artistic liberties taken). I'm still working on the fountain sculpture, but couldn't wait to post photos of this one.

Matching the very pretty lace detailing on her dress. This is the first sculpture of humans I've done :)

The fountain sculpture is about 7.25" tall. Made with sheet aluminum and wire. The tricky part was making it fit nicely on a cake. I made their dogs as separate pieces so they can place them wherever they think looks best on the finished wedding cake.

Back side.

This would be the real fountain. I think I squeaked out a "Holy Crap!" when I first saw this photo. But this was quite a nice challenge to take on. I enjoyed it a lot. And I still have all of my fingers too! (that sheet metal can be treacherous.)

Burmese Mountain Dog Wedding Cake Toppers

2011-03-19T18:01:00.000-04:00

A bride and groom Burmese Mountain Dog! Obviously much much much smaller than their real-life versions! They also don't shed as much.

Burgundy bow tie, bouquet and bottle of champagne that says "Merry" on the label.

Butt view. Real lace veil.

Close-up of the groom doggie and his booze.

Strange Beast.

2011-03-18T13:30:00.000-04:00

Luna likes to ride in this spot by the rear window. We get pointed & laughed at quite a bit, especially since she likes to crouch down like a wild cat and watch the cars behind us. Being weird is her specialty.

Magnet Gang!

2011-03-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

A gang of "chocolate" polymer clay magnets! The paper is just fancy packaging, it's not part of the actual magnet itself. This set is in transit to Berlin--the first European trip of the Bitter Sweetz!

Cakezilla n' Me.

2011-03-14T20:42:00.000-04:00

Working on newest custom "Cakezilla." There may be some similarities between creator and creation...

Gnarly Rat Wedding Cake Toppers!

2011-03-13T16:54:00.000-04:00

Bride and Groom gnarly-looking rats. With their initials, "DF" and "MF."

Pictured on a 6" dummy cake. They're about 4.25" tall.

Let me just say that this project was awesome. Quite fun.

Close-up of the groom.

Rat backs.

Pendant packaging fun

2011-03-11T14:12:00.001-05:00

Requirement #1: measure 3"x3.5" so it can fit inside the 1000 clear baggies I have stored in my closet.

Requirement #2: display pendant on front, contact info on back.

Requirement #3: include a photo somewhere of a figurine (cuz that's what I do most)

Requirement #4: make it "not suck."

Back side. Chain will be attached to the back.

CAKEZILLA the polymer clay wedding cake topper beast!

2011-03-09T18:50:00.001-05:00

Remember "Cakezilla," the little 3" wedding cake monster?

Well, he was actually a practice run for CAKEZILLA!, the wedding cake topper/monster!

He's around 7" tall.

A fancy monster. He's got bows, swags and roses.

A closer look at the craziness.

Showing scale on top of a 6" dummy cake. I wanted him to look substantial on top of a tiered cake.

Stella bites Lu. Stella eats door. Stella needs exercise....

2011-03-08T20:01:00.000-05:00

.Stella is usually pretty careful when she play-bites, but the other day she either got carried away or an altercation took place without my knowledge. Luna's neck is just one giant wound. I couldn't leave the two of them alone today in fear that Luna's neck would get any worse (because that would probably mean death or an emergency room visit). I felt bad because they obviously love each other's company during the day, but I would feel worse if anything happened to the little stinky one while I was gone.

I'm sure getting them more exercise will help the issue in general. They are probably going a little stir-crazy and need to drain some energy.

So for today I decided to put them in separate rooms while Ben and I were at work.

Stella did not care for this. Here is the memo she left me:

I'm glad she took out her anxiety on the crappy door, and not something nicer.

And here's the stinky beast I'm trying to protect. She is an antagonizer who also needs more exercise.

There's a GIVEAWAY A-COMING......

2011-03-06T21:56:00.001-05:00

It's been awhile since I've done a giveaway, so it's probably time for another, isn't it? I feel like I need a milestone to celebrate, so my next giveaway will commence when I've hit or passed the 100 "follower" mark on blogger!!

In the meantime I need some suggestions for a "giveaway" figurine. Any ideas?? Visit my shop for inspiration or come up with a totally new concept!! Leave your ideas in the comments section and I'll pick my favorite (or randomly select one, depending on how indecisive I feel!)

Cakes, Dogs, Crafts.

2011-03-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

An overdue cake post.

And another one.

Stella is a crazy hog. She LOVES to eat. Here she is is crazily chewing up a bone. She will eat an entire bone in one sitting. Then her face and paws become encrusted with it. It is very, very gross.

Touching butts. A pretty normal way of sleeping for them.

Map of local artists represented at "Crafty Goodness." I was amused to see that Grafton was off the map. I live in the silver area, I guess! :)

Sam

2011-03-04T17:26:00.001-05:00

Sam the German Shepherd mix. With a yellow bow tie. Since he's a wedding cake topper maybe a little stand or a plaque will finish him off. But for now here's Sam!

He's one of the larger figurines I have made so far. He's exactly 5" tall.

Sam I am.

Opening of "Crafty Goodness!"

2011-03-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

Come check out the grand opening of "Crafty Goodness: A Modern Arts and Crafts Show" tomorrow, March 5th in Lakewood!

They are located on Madison Ave near the Screaming Rooster/Patio/Beer Engine (you know you're giving directions in Lakewood when your landmarks are all bars--and good ones, at that!!!)

Their name says it all, they are full of crafty goodness. Their shop is full of items made by local artists and crafters, including mine! I've got about 10 "Bitter Sweetz" lurking around the place, just waiting to be adopted :)

Classes will also be offered so keep an eye on their schedule for crafty learning opportunities!

Schnauzer Wedding Cake Toppers

2011-03-01T17:03:00.001-05:00

Waldo and Vera, the Schnauzer bride and groom.

Bitter Sweetz gets feminine

2011-02-27T18:26:00.000-05:00

Packaging for my pendants! I'm pretty excited about it!

Lately I've had many request for more "girly" looking figurines. So on a whim I took that idea to the extreme and made a "Miss Cupcake" beauty queen.

Custom bride and groom. I'm liking this new colorful version.

Girl runner

Girl with flower and glitter.

Bulldog Cake Toppers

2011-02-25T23:41:00.001-05:00

Modeled after a handsome bulldog named "Moose." Love the name!

Moose has a pale yellow bow tie and a top hat. "Moosette" has a pink bouquet and a veil.

My hand is a mangled (yet happy) claw.

2011-02-21T19:11:00.001-05:00

Whooooo........I'm almost, almost, ALMOST done with my first wholesale order! Everybody is baked and lined up waiting to get a final check-over, tattoos, and some gloss varnish for shine. Then in just a few short weeks they'll be shipped to their new home in Chicago! I am THRILLED to announce that they will be living it up at The Bleeding Heart Bakery! Is that not a perfect place for them??? They are looking forward to hanging out with all of the punk rock pastry and being amongst the SERIOUS cake artistry that goes on there. I've been in and out experiencing "I'm not worthy!" moments (yeah, just go look at the incredible work they do and you'll know what I mean!). But I suppose it's good practice to ignore my complexes and just work work work. Speaking of which, here is what I've been doing lately! Not quite done, but darn close!

Tarts!

A pre-bake photo session with the cupcakes, before their trip to the spa (my toaster oven in the garage).

It's hard to fit them all in the frame! There's 100 total.

Cupcakes say "CHEESE!!"

Ice Cream family photo.

The angry mob.

Clay and Kozyndan

2011-02-13T17:48:00.000-05:00

This shows a small fraction of what I've been working on for the past month! I've got 100 figurines I have to complete by the beginning of April, complete with tattoos, a company label and of course surly attitudes! I'm over halfway there. The guys pictured here are waiting patiently for their arms, tattoos, and company signage. I can't wait to see them all finished and lined up!

Happy Valentine's Day to our living room wall! We've had this amazing Kozyndan print for three years now, and we finally bit the bullet and got it framed! It goes without saying that it looks much, much better on our wall than curled up on the closet floor. I'm so happy I get to look at it all the time now. I love the artist's work (there are 2-3 more prints of theirs that I'm saving wall space for!) and this print--called "Takadanobaba on Acid"--is definately my favorite.

Here's a little close up. But go to their website and check out the rest of their work, because it is amazing! There is so much stuff going on here! You could look at this print forever and still find new surprises within it.

Southwest-y Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2011-02-12T19:30:00.002-05:00

This is my adaptation of the "Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers with Spicy Corn and Black Beans" recipe in "The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook." LOVE THIS! I've been making double batches to have it throughout the week.

4 red peppers, 1/2 inch trimmed off the top, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup Carolina white rice
2 tablespoons-ish olive oil
1 onion chopped fine
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine OR add red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper for heat
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
1 can corn
1 tsp "Chipotle Southwest" seasoning from Urban Herbs (the recipe calls for 2 minced chipotle chiles but we never have any)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 cup monterey jack cheese
Salt to taste

1.) Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add red peppers and cook the heck out of them because Ben likes them soft--approximately 8 minutes. Remove peppers from water and set aside.

2.) Return water to a boil and add rice. Cook for 13 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3.) Wipe out the pot and then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook over medium high heat. (the original recipe says to use a 12" skillet, but I think a dutch oven or a big pot is easier to use towards the end of this recipe!) Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and golden-y.

4.) Add garlic, beans, corn, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and chipotle seasoning to the skillet/pot and cook for about 5 minutes more.

5.) Add the rice, cheese and tomatoes to the skillet and mix everything together. Now you will be glad you used a big pot.

6.) Stuff the mixture into the peppers, sprinkle on some more cheese and set in a 9x9-ish baking dish. Cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. This recipe is very good combined with tortilla chips or in a taco shell.

c A k e S.......and Stella.

2011-02-11T17:42:00.000-05:00

Baby Block-ish.

Ok, this is really kind of fun....This is the second cake we've done where the soon-to-be parents bring us the ultrasound (without having seen it themselves!!) and we fill the cake with either PINK or BLUE icing to give them the news!

Fondant whiskey bottle.

Blue bird

Coarse sugar on sides.

Filigree-y

Valentines word cake

My Stelly! Look how cute. :)

Perfect project!

2011-02-09T13:07:00.000-05:00

I was thrilled to get the opportunity to make these custom wedding cake toppers! This may be the perfect project ever. They're cake toppers, which I absolutely love to make. And Wild Flour is doing the cake, so that means I will also have a hand in the actual cake-making as well. AND the theme is Boston Terriers.......and right now I have one bouncing up and down, squeeking and punching at me with her paws (Luna wants a bone that Stella won't let her have....its' sort of annoying). So this combines my hobby, my work and a likeness of my little minion Luna. Doesn't get much better than that!

On a "dummy" cake. That's a 6" round which is a typical size for a top tier.

Purple bow tie on groom doggy. Purple bouquet and a lace veil on bride doggy.

It's hard to see the veil detail in the photo. It looks much better in person. Though it was challenging to adhere a real lace veil between those bit bat ears!

Love butts. Complete with little stump-tails!

First Etsy purchase in YEARS :)

2011-02-08T18:04:00.000-05:00

Just received this lovely ring I ordered from Tinahdee! This was my first Etsy purchase in over 2 years (not counting supplies) and I wanted it to be something really nice. On one hand I was so proud to have resisted the temptation to buy things on Etsy (or anywhere, really.....I haven't bought anything like this is a very verrrrrry long time). But I also felt guilty being a seller only. And I was craving a handmade piece of art----especially one that wasn't handmade by ME. So this is what I got! I love my new ring! It is very delicate but is super-strong and well made. Now it will be difficult to resist buying her entire line of jewelry!!!!!!

In his new home!

2011-02-06T17:35:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! The artist cupcake looks like he's loving life in his new studio home! Check out Karen's "adoption" photos of her new pal, and while you're there, browse around all the fun art to see what inspired this little dude. Her website is called "Life Needs Art," and the title explains it all----it's full of colorful and imaginative works of art done by Cleveland area artist Karen Koch. I'm so happy that one of my creations has gone to such a creative destination. Thanks so much Karen for posting him!

Dummies, Cakes, and Shananigans

2011-02-04T20:39:00.000-05:00

New dummy cake. Playing around with quick designs in fondant that could also be replicated in icing. Not as easy as it sounds.

Real cake. Invitation match.

Full sheet cake. That is a big quilt. Full sheet cakes make me wish I was right handed with longer arms. Lots of hovering is involved and standing on the tip-toes.

Lego-ish theme.

Under da Sea

Lots of zebra print lately.

Invitation match

Leopard.

Kendra somehow became inspired to make me this little dude with a fancy chocolate halo/afro/crown/thing. :) Thought I would share it with all of you.

Custom Artist Cupcake!

2011-01-30T17:04:00.000-05:00

Custom made for another Ohio artist. The bright colors and the yellow flower were inspired from her paintings.

Cakes, Etcetera.

2011-01-29T18:13:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted cake photos in F O R E V E R!

So here are some recent ones:

And some random cake-related photos just to make up for lost time:

The other day a visitor in the bakery (jokingly) advised me not to drop any cakes.

To which I replied, "Yeah, I've done that before. It sucks!"

See above photo for reference.

This photo was taken a few years ago, I believe it was the day of the 15 year bakery birthday party. Notice Mona back by the oven (and not glued to the phone or the consultation table)!! I can practically hear the song "Memories" playing in the background as I type :)

Food coloring sometimes has its way of soaking deep into the bags that I use for decorating cakes. But stained pastry bags and tips are seriously no fun. And in the presence of such things I am probably not much fun either.

Made this "masterpiece" about 3 years ago this month! Pre-bakery. It was my very first attempt at cake decorating, so of course I had to try something 3 tiered---mainly because I couldn't decide on just one pattern.

Which reminds me of another thing I told somebody this week in regards to decorating: "If you do somthing 1000 times you tend to improve your skills quite a bit!"

LUNALUNA loves RIKARIKA

2011-01-26T20:27:00.002-05:00

You may remember my previous post about RikaRika? Well, Luna is now the proud owner of one of her fabulous sleeping sacks!

It may be a "silly" type of item, but this thing is SERIOUSLY WELL MADE. No joke. Sometimes in photos its hard to gauge the quality of materials. This is no chinsy felt piece we have here. Rika uses high quality, thick, soft fleece which any dog's butt would love! (mine do!) And all the little details she adds from the gill stitching to the eyes, to the light grey underbelly are so cute and exceedingly professional-looking. I was so happy with the whole package, and the experience was made even better after getting acquainted with Rika, who is incredibly sweet.

Wonderful idea. Wonderful craftsmanship. Wonderful person behind it all. And she's got a darn cute chihuahua named Nina. Couldn't ask for much more!

Here's Rika's gal Nina enjoying her whale cosy.

Luna was so happy with her cosy that she wanted to express her gratitude by making this clay piece for Nina. Since Luna doesn't have thumbs, I offered to help a little bit. This is what we made for them as a gesture of our friendship. :)

Cupcake Beast!

2011-01-24T20:06:00.000-05:00

Custom order cupcake beast!

Speaking of custom orders, I've got a few really fun ones coming up next week....including an ARTIST cupcake and BOSTON TERRIER WEDDING CAKE TOPPERS!! How perfect is that? I'm so excited!!!

And I know I've said it before, but I'd like to say THANK YOU again to my "return adopters." Man, oh man. I never expected that so many people would come back for more! I couldn't ask for a better compliment than that. It helps me maintain a positive attitude----which is no small feat, believe me. So THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU :)

Gettin' Schooled.

2011-01-23T21:36:00.002-05:00

So I've worked in a bakery for 3 years but yesterday I attended my first ever pastry arts class. Well, I'm not counting the level one Wilton class I vaguely attended a few years ago. I was doomed in that class the moment after the instructor discovered I already was working at a bakery and also, that I was left handed. The Wilton method and I don't mix very well.

Cake-centric classes were given this weekend at annual event called "The Art of the Cake". I had a fantastic experience in my 2 hour class on Pulled Gumpaste Flowers. It was taught by Minette Rushing, a phenomenal sugar artist from Savannah Georgia who not only is very skilled at her craft, she has a very likeable personality and was attentive to every student in class. It's always nice when someone so talented is also very approachable. It helps get over the "I'm not worthy" stage and makes learning a heck of a lot easier.

I think that making realistic flowers is a skill that every advanced cake decorator should know. That being said, I'm not really crazy about it (prefer the cartoony, off-beat styles). But every little thing you learn just makes you able to do more, so I was pretty excited to take the class.

I don't usually work with gumpaste, and I stuggled with the flowers more than I expected to (grrrrrrrrrr......clay and gumpaste have completely different textures!!!). But Minette did her best to help me through my over-working of the petals and my strange way of holding the ball tool (it's that lefty-righty-thing, I swear!) Overall, it was an excellent experience and now I can say I finally have been "formally trained."

One day I just might teach my own cake decorating class. Just you wait. And this is what I will call it:

I'll let you know when registration starts. I can't promise that it will be as good as my "Art of the Cake" class, but with a name like that you should not be expecting much.....
:)

Shark!!

2011-01-18T17:32:00.002-05:00

This is "Simon the Shark," a pet sleeping bag made by Etsy seller Rikarika.

Believe it or not, her shop features very lovely kimono-inspired clothing as well. She's an artist with beautiful style AND a sense of humor! I LOVE IT!

And what a good model! I don't think Luna would be so well behaved.

Shawn: the Painting, Tattooing, Crystal Skull vodka loving Candy Bar.

2011-01-15T20:08:00.000-05:00

Don't let the color and shape lead you astray. This is a candy bar. NOT the other thing it may look like.

This was made for another fantastic artist. Haha, I'm sure the candy bar's Sharpie tattoos would have come out MUCH better if the recipient would have done it himself!!! :)

Donut Yoga

2011-01-13T19:29:00.000-05:00

Can you guess the theme? Donuts, tattoos, and yoga! Very fun to make, though my tattoo artistry needs some work!

The many names of DOG

2011-01-12T17:36:00.000-05:00

They are allowed to sleep on the couch only if this blanket is down to keep their stinky hides off the furniture. They cry when I put that blanket away. They are obviously getting spoiled. Here they are "holding paws" on their couch blanket.

I put this down so they could hang out with me while I did clay stuff. I could have put the other bed down too, but I guarantee you that this pile-on would have happened regardless.

OK, both these animals have names---Luna and Stella. But I almost NEVER call them that. Here is a list of the names I ACTUALLY call them. Be warned, this is kind of free-association style so it may seem quite weird. At least I can honestly say I don't call them anything obscene (not speaking for Ben here, though!) But I'm sure many pet owners call their animals names other than the ones they originally gave them! I just happen to have lots and LOTS of them---perfect for every occasion!

LUNA-------here we go! You will probably think I'm crazy after this is done.

1.) Lulu (obvious)

2.) Lu (ditto)

3.) Lunesta (branching off of Lu)

4.) Nesta (from Lunesta)

5.) Lucifur (well, it was a natural thing to call her)

6.) Lufurian (from Lucifer...and she's got "fur")

7.) Furian (from Lufurian)

8.) Furio (From Furian)

9.) Fatty (well, cuz she is kinda fat)

10.) Faticio (ditto)

11.) Piggy (haha, now I sound mean)

12.) Piglet (I mean it with love!)

13.) Miss Piggy (ditto)

14.) Miss (see above...and she deserves a formal sounding title)

15.) Missy (ditto)

16.) Junior Miss (ditto)

17.) Butt-Butt (a ridiculous name for a ridiculous animal)

17.) Stinky (she stinks! she often smells like fritos!)

18.) Skink (that's what I call the move she does where she pulls herself around on her tummy)

19.) Otterbein (cuz she likes to roll on her back and hold her toys on top of her like an otter)

20.) Minion (that's what she is!)

21.) Terrier (prounounced "terr-ree-YAY"

22.) McDog (to remind myself that she is in fact a dog, and NOT a minion)

23.) Doogle (from Dog)

24.) Lamb Dog (when she is scared she tucks her ears behind her head....looks kinda lambish)

And now STELLA (she has way fewer names cuz she's much less ridiculous)

1.) Stell (duh)

2.) Stelly (ditto)

3.) Stellerson (again)

4.) Belly (from "Stelly" and she lives to eat)

5.) Bellerson (from "Belly"...this is what she probably thinks is her name)

6.) Big Giant Girl (compared to Luna she is huge)

7.) Ape (she seems large compared to the little fattish one)

8.) Hungry Monkey (she is always hungry)

9.) Starvin Marvin (agian, she's all about eating)

I'm sure that's not all of them, but I will just stop right here. That surely covers the things they normally respond to. And I'm sure neither one of them actually know who they are. They will be anyone you want them to be as long as food is involved.

3 Year Wedding Anniversary!

2011-01-11T17:29:00.000-05:00

It's our 3 year wedding anniversary! I seriously have the best husband ever. I could not imagine finding anyone more perfect. I tricked him good, haha!!!!!!

Here's some of our wedding photos taken 3 years ago today!

What do you do when you work in the wedding industry and are getting married??? Go to Vegas. You know better ;) Hehe, just kidding...A more traditional wedding or reception would have been great too--but either way it ends up the same---VERY HAPPY! :)

By the way, if anyone is looking to get married on the Stratosphere observation deck in January just know that even though it is Vegas it is freaking COLD out and you will most likely cover up your lovely wedding dress with a coat. See photo above.

Our "wedding cake!" Sue from Wild Flour Bakery (where I work) surprised us and arranged to have that delivered to our hotel (which she ordered from a Vegas bakery.) It was awesome. And that was the last time my maiden name was misspelled (see side of box---it is "Seiple" not "Siepel"). But now no one misspells my name. Ever. I should add a silent "H" just to keep people on their toes. "West" is just too easy.

At "New York New York" Found this faux street sign and took a celebratory photo.

"Sweet" Bitter Sweetz feature!

2011-01-09T18:09:00.000-05:00

My wedding cupcake toppers were featured yesterday on the "All Things Cupcake" blog!

I was so excited to see their post, and even more so when somebody finally "adopted" them!!

Thanks, All Things Cupcake!! You are very sweet.

I just HAD to do cakes eventually!!!!

2011-01-04T20:31:00.000-05:00

Cakezilla!

Those are meant to be bride and groom toppers, by the way. Not the bride and groom themselves. He's crazy, but not THAT crazy!

Haha. Sometimes I do stupid things and wreck pieces I really like. I DID like this one, but then had the not-brilliant idea of painting it and totally ruined the texture. So he's not for "adoption," he's just going into my bin of "practice" pieces! I'll make another one soon, and won't make the same mistake again!

Raaaaa! Cake Beast!

OH SO EXCITED

2011-01-03T21:08:00.000-05:00

Um, that's about 30+ lbs. of clay that I ordered online. Ordering that much was an overwhelming experience. A bit traumatic for a cheap-O like me. Until this purchase, I've been making regular trips to Pat Catan's for my supplies. So a buy a brick here, a brick there....but I have never bought so much at once before. That's quite a commitment! And the sticker shock is a little brutal too. Buying one $15 block of clay many times is slightly easier to handle than seeing the price of buying 15 blocks AT ONCE. And having that being only a fraction of the "cart." Even though it technically saves money it was so so difficult to do. I actually had to have Ben come to the computer to force me click the "checkout" button. WOW. Stuff is EXPENSIVE!!

Oh, and a side note for the other polymer clay folks....There is a TOTAL difference of quality that I've found in the clay I have purchased online versus the clay I have bought at the craft store. I use Sculpey Premo, and the clay I had been using for the past few months (purchased from my local Pat Catan's craft store) was ROCK HARD. Like, crumbly, hand-bruising hard. But I assumed that was normal because I didn't know any better and suffered through it. But no, I just discovered that it's not normal. I got this big shipment from Dick Blick online and it is 100x softer and easier to work with. My hands are so thankful for this switch! Makes the trauma of a first-time bulk order worth the while!

So why suddenly did I buy a mountain of clay? Well, what better way to start the new year than with an amazingly exciting and rather enormous project? I can't give the details yet....if the universe decided to play an awful joke and suddenly took this opportunity away from me I would totally cry. And I don't want to have to cry. So come Springtime I'll let you know how this all worked out. Hopefully I'm not dreaming, cuz this is project is almost too good to be true!

What a tease! Anyway, I just had to show some of what I've been working on! Once all is done (March or April) I'll let you know where to find them. Until then I'll be happily (and a little nervously) working my little hands off!!

pink-hearty-thing

Chocolatey-peanut buttery-bacony-thing

Blueberry-ish with fancy leafy thing

Chocolatey-cherry-nutty-thing

Lemony-blackberry-thing.