This Little Project: Cupcakes

Showing posts with label Cupcakes. Show all posts

Peace on {Earth Day} Cupcakes

Each year we have an Earth Day party at our house. Which means that we need cake. Of course.

These yummy cupcakes were preceded by a lesson about the creation of the earth (what more persuasive way is there to talk about why we should take care of the earth than to talk about Who made it and Why it's for us?)

We also made a "creation art project" and "creation party mix" before the cupcakes, which I will have to share on a later post... Inspired by these, we decided to make "Earth" cupcakes for our party.
I started out with a white cake mix (since the kids were helping with {this little project}. We divided the batter in half and put blue in half and green in half. Then we dolloped each color into cupcake liners. My sweet friend gave me some darling mini cookie cutters as a birthday gift this year and we decided to use them to showcase some of God's creations on the earth.
First I cut the tops off of the cupcake.

Then I frosted the "new top" while the kids cut out a shape from the "muffin" part.
Then we replaced the tops. One bonus of this method: less frosting all over faces and hands!

We also tried some where we cut out the inside of the cupcake and filled it with frosting.

Loving the Earth is wonderful. We need to be good stewards of the incredible gift we have been given.

But to me, these cupcakes are more like: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe on Him would not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

For whatever reason, Jay and Kay have been fighting/teasing/bothering each other like crazy this week. One night I named these cupcakes "no-contention cupcakes." They couldn't have one if they were causing contention. It got their attention.

The next night (we couldn't eat them all at once!) I called them "Peace on Earth" cupcakes. And the name stuck. These cupcakes were just the reminder my kiddos needed about what is important.

Makes me want to make these {little} yummies again!

And my {little} boy hit the 5 month mark around Earth Day. I can't believe it. Since I haven't been blogging much since his birth, I haven't shared much about him. He's the sweetest {little by little} major project there ever was! I'm one lucky mommy!

onesie sticker by Purple Possum
In other Earth Day projects, our Cloth Diaper Project is up and going again with Baby M.
And since we're talking of Earth Day and babies, I read this today about children and motherhood and loved it.
(you can see past year's party ideas and Earth Day Projects here)
Also, today is the last day to enter the Shabby Apple giveaway (below) --don't miss it!

Valentine Brownie Bites

I have a thing about cupcakes. I love to make them. I think it stems from not being to bake much else as a kid and college student-but I could always do cupcakes.

When I was at a Pampered Chef party a few years ago and I saw they had mini cupcake pans I knew that pan belonged in my cupboard. We've enjoyed many mini cupcakes since then.

But did you know you can also make mini brownie bites with those pans?

I used to buy brownie bites at Costco but we don't live by one now :(

The drama of making brownies (for me) is cutting them. I've tried all kinds of things to get them to look great and they never do when I cut them. BUT with the mini cupcake pan my brownies always look great. No need to cut them. I get to have the thrill of making cupcakes and the fun of eating brownies all in one day.

The fun with cupcakes of any kind is

dressing them up.

We made these to go with our brownie bites today. They are so easy!

To make {This Little Project} you need: Scrapbook paper, glue stick, circle punch (mine is 1 3/4"), and toothpicks.

Just put glue on one of the circles and around the toothpick and stick the other circle on-so you have a circle on the front AND the back of each toothpick.

Then dress up those cupcakes or brownies!

Have fun making yourself a little chocolate treat.
And if you have any tips for cutting brownies please share!

Celebrating the Earth

At our house a party is much more complete with cupcakes. I'll show you how to make some fun Earth Cupcake Toppers for yours. Above is one side of the cupcake topper, below (scroll down) is the other side.

Click the image below (you may have to right click to open it) and print them.

Here are the other supplies you will need: pen, red marker or heart stickers, toothpicks, glue stick, an extra sheet of paper for the back side, and EITHER a 1 3/4" circle punch OR a paper cutter. Scissors work too :)

If you have a circle punch, this is how you will want to punch out each topper. I used a handy little coupon at the craft store to pick one up since I we make so many cupcakes around here :)

If you don't have the circle punch, no worries-notice how I chose a square photo of the Earth for you? Just cut them out on your paper cutter (or use scissors.) You will need to cut squares the same size to go on the back of the toppers.

Next, put a little glue on your toothpick and stick the front of the cupcake topper on.

You will want to draw the heart on the blank side BEFORE you glue it on. It's easier that way.

Here is what each side looks like:

Let them dry before you put them into the cupcakes, and there you go! We put them on heart cupcakes and frosted them green since we are working on being more green around here.

We've been reading stories about how food is grown and how we can take care of the Earth.

This is a fun game to play with any ball and a map. We used our blow up globe ball.

Just say the name of a country and throw the ball to the next person. That person can name the capital or say another country before passing it on, depending on how you play. It's a great way to learn about different places on the Earth. Point them out on a map too before you pass the ball. You can also play it using names of states, foods, or languages.

Tomorrow is Earth Day...stay tuned for another Earth Little Project.

Birthday Winner

Guess what I got to make for my birthday? Ice Cream cone cupcakes!!!! Now I know you can use regular cones and cook cupcakes in them....but these are all cupcake and you just frost the "ice cream" part of the cupcake (which you would frost anyway) but here it makes it look like ice cream!!!

If you are a "muffin mom" too, here is the link for these cute (and inexpensive) cupcake cones makers.

My other favorite cupcake tin is the "mini" one from Pampered Chef. These baby cupcakes are bite size and so the mess is tiny too. Everyone knows that cupcakes are yummy and MESSY when kids eat them. These are the perfect solution to that.

The only downside is that it is VERY easy to eat a ton of them!

The Summers Family is the lucky winner of the Birthday gift of a Peg Family and Cupcake Pincushion (you can thank Jay for choosing you :) Thanks for stopping by to say hello!

Have a Happy cupcake Little Project!

Cupcake Christmas

There is one thing that I have an unexplainable fancy for: cupcakes! I LOVE to make these fun little treats. I have a cupboard full of sprinkles and sparkles for them. These Christmas cupcakes were just too fun to pass up sharing them! Many of these are simply photos from creative people on flickr. There is also this LINK to all things cupcakes.