It's Official!

I am a licensed baker in the City of Fargo!

This means a lot of things, but most importantly that I can now fully market my business.  No more restricitons and limitations.  No more having to turn down jobs because I don't have access to a commercial kitchen.  And more confidence in the quality of product you are getting. 

I don't know what the future holds, but I am very excited to see how Libby's Cupcakes Etc will continue to grow and change.  I'm excited to learn more about "the business" side of things while also striving to make the best cupcakes possible!  :)

Finally, I can't tell you how much everyone's support over the last year and a half has meant to me.  Thank you so much for your encouragement, your kind words, your orders, and your taste buds.  ;)  And thank you for joining me on this journey that is really just beginning!

Angry Birds Party and Cupcakes

I hesitate sharing these cupcakes for fear of having to repeat them.  Then again, I'm not sure you could pay me enough to do that.  But there is no price tag on my son's happiness!   ;)  So maybe some diy-ers out there will find these inspring and make your own! 

My son's birthday is right after Christmas.  Poor kid.  By the time it rolls around, well, a) I am too tired to plan anything, b) I feel overwhelmed with all the Christmas "stuff" in our house, c) we are usually travlling, and d) on half of his birthdays he has been too sick to party anyway.  Ugh.  At best we wait until New Years and I make a cake to bring to our New Year's party.  But this year he was old enough to realize that his brother gets very well-planned, decorated, big shindig birthday parties and he wanted one for himself.  So a month later I combined our weekly playgroup gathering (it was my turn to host anyway) with his birthday party.  And the big kids were out of school so they could come too.  Win. Win. Win!

Here is our Angry Birds Birthday party.  And cupcakes too!

 This little guy was my favorite.

 

 These were fun to make.  I think...?

 

 Angry Birds

 

 I used some wooden play blocks the boys' grandpa made for them as the cupcake "stand."  I was rather proud of this idea.

 

The set up.  A mock sling shot with a bird ready to fly at those bad little piggies, and more lined up behind it.  No one actually got to knock down the tower of blocks and cupcakes.  And I'm a little surprised it didn't happen "accidentally."

 

Since I have a blog and am a person that perouses pinterest and other blogs for party ideas, I'd like to take this opportunity and share a few other non-cupcake things we did for his party.  Most of which are already on pinterest anyway, but I thought I'd share our version of them.  :)

 

 



Angy Bird Poop.  I made my own graphic for this because I didn't like the free printable ones I found online and was too cheap to pay for the other.  Printed on cardstock, cut and stapled to a little baggy of M&Ms.  I found the small bags at Michaels and the big bag of M&Ms at the dollar store.  Score!

 

 



My dear sweet husband on his day off before a busy week of work spent all morning on this pizza.  He is a good daddy.  And I love him for catering to my pinterest party obsession.

A bowling game.  Also found on pintrest.  We have a bowling set.  I bought green spray paint and paint markers to make them into piggies and angry bird bombs.  Then I realized for a third of the price I could just buy the cups, print, cut out, and stick on piggy stickers and accompany them with these not-going-to-break-anything-or-hurt-anyone balls from the dollar store.  $3 and done.  The kids loved them.  Especially stacking them when it wasn't their turn to bowl. 

And just for fun and because I had the goods (and I did it for brother's birthday party) I made them these shirts to wear.  Find an image online, print it out onto iron on transfer paper and iron on a white shirt.  They actually wash really well.  My boys wear them around the house all the time...when they're wearing shirts that is. 

 

Another thing I came across online that I don't have a picture of were these really cute color by number Angry Bird printables found here.  The kids loved them!

 

 

Thanks for joining our little Angry Birds party and Happy 4th Birthday to my Spirited Child!!

 



Pretty in Pink Cupcake Tasting

I met with a very lovely bride and groom to be this afternoon.  If they are any indication, 2013 is going to be an awesome year for beautiful weddings!  :)  Gosh, I love their style.  Pink and cream and burlap and hints of green...  *sigh*

The cupcakes for the wedding will be slightly different.  They always are and I like it that way!  Something to look forward to.  :)  But this is what they got to taste and view today.  Hope you enjoy!

 The selection.  Four different flavors and a few different icing choices too.

 

This one was by far my favorite today.  Vanilla bean cupcake with vanilla-almond butter cream.  Topped with a pretty peach fondant carnation.

 

 I love when cupcakes look like they're at a party and chattin it up.

 

 Ruffly flower with a pearl center atop a chocolate cupcake and vanilla-almond butter cream.

 

 Pretty petal flower and roses.

 

 Lemon cupcake with fresh raspberry buttercream.

 

 Pink velvet with cream cheese and white chocolate frosting and a chocolate cupcake with white chocolate frosting.  Stamped fondant and fondant flowers.

 

Almost enough to warm me up on this bitterly cold January day.  Can't wait til May!  :)

Shabby Chic Fondant Flowers

For Clara.  Happy Pinning!  ;)

 

 Handmade fondant rose.  Stamped fondant medallions.

 

 Large fondant ruffle flower.

 

 Lots of flowers.

 

 Start of a white fondant rose.

 

 Trying out a new lace mold.

 

More flowers and pearl string mold.

 

It will be hard to part with this one when that time comes...



Hello 2013!!!

Soooo, I haven't posted since September.  Sorry blog.  The ugly truth is, I was ignoring you to post on the facebook page.  :/  But I'm back and I'll post a few repeat pictures of what I was busy doing over the last three months. 

But first, some exciting news!  The rental kitchen I will be baking from is finally finished!  Woo hoo!!!  I have a few ducks to get in rows and then I'll be a licensed baker.  Officially.  I'll spare you all the boring details for now.  But you can take a look at the kitchen space here.
http://www.squareonekitchens.com/index.php

And look for more about this journey here.  Or most likely on facebook.  Here.
www.facebook.com/LibbysCupcakesEtc

Now for those pretty pictures.

 Started out the holiday season with an open house with some lovely ladies and served these as samples.  White Amaretto Minis, Red Velvet Minis, and Peppermint Mocha Minis.

Did an order of Marble cupcakes for a birthday girl who loves basketball!

 Made about another million or so of the Mocha Peppermints. 

(Not really. But I probalby ate that many...)

 

 These were vegan!  Peppermint Mocha and Chai.

And I found a new love in the process.  Coconut spread.  <3

 

Then it was cookie time.

Above, whole wheat ginger snaps.  Except they're more moist and chewy and snappy.

And classic peanutbutter cookies.

Sugar cookies, of course.  I tried a new recipe for the glaze/frosting this year.  Despite what pinterest claimed, they did not stack well.  Or maybe I was too impatient.  Either way, I'll go back to my old recipe next year.

 

 

Pecan Sandies.  The way my Mom and Granny made them.  My daddy's favorite. <3

 

 

Egg nog cupcakes topped with nutmet and a ginger snap/chew.

 

 

 

And at some point I made these for a friend who sells Usborn books.

Chai.  Cookie Dough.  Chocolate with Caramel Fudge Frosting.

Yes.  I finally faced my fear of homemade caramel.  The first time it was marvelous.  The second?

Well, I made caramel, then tried to make caramel fudge.  After it didn't quite set, I made caramel fudge frosting.  It was delicious.  Lemonade that.

 

I hope you had a happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

 

Here's to lucky 2013!