"Moontellers" for a Baby Shower

Cassie (my baking partner-in-crime) and I baked (and donated) close to 400 mini-cupcakes for our daughter's ballet performance over the weekend.  The performance was called "Moontellers" and explored multicultural folktales about the moon.

We decided that silky Swiss Meringue Buttercream was a definite must for these cupcakes as it pipes out BEAUTIFULLY and, in this case, adds to the dreamy quality we were going for with the little sparkly fondant moons that topped each cupcake.

 I think that these little cupcakes would be absolutely adorable at a baby shower along side a sweet and dreamy "moon" cake like the ones I feature below.  You could replace the little white moons on the cupcakes with little blue or yellow moons to match the cake beautifully.

Inspirations:


Sweets for ballerinas or babies :)

Edible Glitter and Luster Dust are must haves for these little moons:

I LOVE this cake made by my girlfriend and fellow baker, Claire.  It's absolute perfection!

Here is a super cute and dreamy farm animal baby shower cake by Cakes We Bake.  Color the fondant for the moons on your cupcakes yellow instead of white and they would compliment the cake beautifully.

Remember - little extras like cupcakes and candy along side a fabulous cake all add to your party decor and whimsey.  I'll be talking about that more soon but in the meantime, try to add some extra touches next time you're planning your special party to make your party look even more amazing!

~MareAmi

Littlest Pet Shop Goodie Bags

Here is a goodie bag that I put together for my daughter's Littlest Pet Shop theme (6th) birthday party and trust me, it was a hit.  It was so cute to watch all the little girls at the party crowd around the goodie bag table dreaming about which LPS they would get to take home.  Buy your LPS in bulk on Ebay or at Costco and this goodie bag is not only too-cute but also affordable. 

For this goodie bag you will need:

Littlest Pet Shops 

White mini Jaw Breakers

Jelly Belly candies (choose some that will match the color theme of the party)

Medium size clear treat bags

Ribbon

Simply place the candy at the bottom of the treat bag, put the LPS in the center, tie with coordinating ribbon and that's it!  Easy, affordable, cute, and sure to please!

How cute are these little guys?!

My four-year-olds personal favorite:

Who wouldn't want to take this sweetie home?!

~MareAmi

Goodie Bags: The Modern Party Must Have

I don't know about you, but when I was a kid there was no such thing as fancy goodie bags.  The closest my (numerous) siblings and I ever got to one was a brown paper bag to retrieve Pinata candy, if we were lucky enough to even be invited to a party that HAD a Pinata.

Now-a-days, however, goodie bags are a MUST at parties and, unfortunately, we moms stress to keep up!  In fact, I see more "performance anxiety" over goodie bags than I do cakes, which is such a shame.  Not only do we stress about what to put IN the bag, we stress about the COST of the bags; and often kids end up going home with a cute little bag full of absolute junk.

Thus, I am dedicated to the goodie bag!  Yes, here at MareAmi you will be seeing lots of goodie bag ideas.  Some more fancy than others but always sure to be a hit with the guests at your own party.

Stay tuned for a Littlest Pet Shop goodie bag that is sure to be a kiddo-crowd-pleaser!

~MareAmi

Cake Stands

I love cake stands and have been collecting them for a couple of years now. Hunting for unique pieces at antique stores is one of my favorite things to do.  I often wonder what stories the little surface scratches in the glass or crystal could tell me about the children who smiled when they received their beautifully displayed birthday cakes on the stand, long before I found it.  I was once told by an antique dealer that "a woman can never have too many cake stands" (or lipgloss, if you ask me) and I have to agree.

In any case, a cake stand (or platter) is an absolute must-have for dressing up your dessert display and can take a cake (or cupcakes) to the next level when done right.  But why stop at using your stand for sweets?  There are so many other options for display that will fit beautifully on the right cake stand.

Below are a couple of my own cake stands as well as some I am currently lusting over. Also, some ideas on how to use a cake stand in your own dessert display.

Redlands Treasure:  My mom, two daughters and I looked for at least an hour at a multi level antique mall to find this treasure in Redlands, CA.  I wanted a milk glass stand and never thought I would find vintage Fenton.  Happy :)

Love in Seattle: This is the very first cake stand I ever purchase (it holds a very special place in my heart). I absolutely love the little beading detail.

Ebay Winner: I was stuck in a pretty intense bidding war for this beauty.  I love the shape and all the details in the crystal.  

Martha the B: I couldn't resist this sweet little cupcake (or mini-cake) stand by Martha Stewart at Macy's (on sale now!). Consider displaying a little bird's nest inside to add a bit of whimsey to a birdie theme birthday party, baby shower, or baby girl's nusery.

Cake stand lust: Round Pink Cake Stand by Sweet and Saucy Supply:

More lust: Round Aluminum Beaded Stand by Fishs Eddy:

Inspiration:

I love this dessert table because of the use of the little cup cake stands.  It gives the display dimension and is overall too cute!  Good job Mazel Moments.

Here is a beautiful example of getting your cake stands to work for you.  By incorporating a number of cake stands Sweet and Saucy Shop was able to take a small vintage piece of furniture and turn it into a charming and functional dessert display.  Genius!

Here is perfect example of how a cake stand can take a very simple rice krispies cake (and a very simple party) to the next level.  Imagine the little cake on a paper plate or an aluminum foil covered tray.  The party would instantly look drab and ordinary!  Visit the ladies at eighteen25 for free Back to School printables displayed below.

Finally, for those of you who are crafty and love to make your own treasures, you'll love this tutorial by  theKitchn on how to make your own cake stands using inexpensive supplies from your local hardware store.  I may just have to try these myself!

Do you have a favorite cakes stand?

~MareAmi