~~~~~~CHOCOLATE PINK CUPCAKE KITS~~~~~~ and Wrappers on the Cheap

  

 ~CUPCAKE DECO SET~

When Monday ends up being a holiday the week just seems to fly by, doesn't it?  Can't believe it's already "hump day" again!  Hope you were able to take Labor Day off and do something fun!

~WRAPPERS - LINERS - FLAGS~

Last weekend I spent some time doing some fun shopping and I came across a sweet little cupcake kit I just had to show you.  We all know that cupcakes are the rage these days and planning both fun and pretty parties around them can easily lead to costly decorations.

~LASER CUT DETAILING~

This fun kit was found at Marshall's and was $7.99.  It came with twelve of everything!  I thought this was a pretty good deal considering what just the decorative paper cups cost these days...  Original price was $16.00.  I love the pink and brown combo and the laser cup wrappers stole my heart away.

 ~CHOCOLATE BROWN WRAPS~

Lots of detailing in the wrappers and the tiny beribboned flags can be personalized.  I'm going to use this kit to make cupcakes for my daughter's birthday next month!  Did you know that Marshall's and TJ Maxx are owned by the same parent company?  Check them both out in your area and you may find a set or two for yourself!

~PINK CHECK PAPER CUPS~

I did contact the German biz that manufactures this product and I'm hoping to be able to offer it on my website in the future.

 ~HALF OF RETAIL~

Not sure if it's possible or even what the cost will be...we'll see!

 ~MORE LASER CUP WRAPS~

I found these two sets of cupcake wrappers at Tuesday Morning.  I love TM, but we all know they sometimes carry really high-end things.  I gulped really big when I decided to purchase both of these packages of laser cut wraps.  One showcases English Ivy (pretty for my momma's 10/1 birthday) and the other one is called French Lace.  I opened one up and the quality is fab!  But....

 

 ~ENGLISH IVY~

 ~FRENCH LACE~

 

~PRICEY PRICEY PRICEY~

The price was staggering (at least I thought it was!).  The sticker said $6.99 which wasn't too terrible until I realized there were only SIX WRAPPERS in each package.  Oh my gosh!  Too expensive for me.  Not sure I'll be buying them again!  Not this brand anyway!

~FABULOUS DIY IDEA~

While I was searching for the online company for the kit at the top I stumbled upon this DIY idea that is over-the-top fabulous!  Wish I could take the credit for this simple, but incredible, idea!  No-can-do!  You can find out all you need to know about making these darling cupcake wraps using plain-old-dollies HERE!  I thought this idea was more than BRILLIANT and so fast, too!

I'm back in my studio doing some work today!  Yesterday morning I filled/patched old picture/nail holes in our guest room and later this afternoon I'm going to spot-texture those places which makes the wall almost ready for primer!  Can't wait to show you more pics!

Have a great day!

Love to you...

~~~~WILL THIS CUPCAKE MAKE ME FAT?~~~~ And Other Interesting Stuff

I love writing about cupcakes, but I'd much rather be eating them!
(And yes!  This cupcake WILL make you fat!)

When I was still a little girl I learned early on I was blessed with one very talented mother.  I've shared with you before how she was truly before her time.  Creatively gifted and spiritually refined, I owe so much of who I am today to my Mom and her 'never-give-up-attitude'.  She pressed through during many difficult days and I know for sure I do not possess the best that lies within her.  Life has not been easy for my Mom...  She is, and always will be, the strongest person I've ever known.

And the most talented.

When my mother married my father in 1955 she was given a Woman's Home Companion Cookbook as a wedding gift.  (I've written about this before but it's been a long time now!)  I remember as a child pouring over the pages of the cookbook and dreaming about the things I was going to bake when I grew up.

 

Many  years ago my mother gifted me with an identical cookbook and it's been a mainstay in my kitchen ever since!  If you want to hunt down a great vintage cookbook that tells you WHAT to do and how to do it, then this book is the one you!  Not just a bunch of recipes!
(Love that!!)

 These sweet rose-topped cupcakes were baked using a Coconut Cake Recipe that is pushing sixty years old.  Paired with yummy Butter Frosting from the same cookbook they are totally divine!  My Mom painstakingly tried to teach me to make a rose out of decorator frosting when I was about nine or ten...  I think I managed to pipe out about two or three and I recall them being such sad little things!  Even today I still can't make a rose like she does...

Soo~let it be said!  I like cake!
Cupcakes to be more specific!
I know...I know!  Everybody seems to LOVE CUPCAKES these days and as I shared with you the other day I think that's the funniest thing!  Who would have ever thought that a stand-alone-cupcake-shoppe would ever be successful???

Given the prices on some of the little confections I've seen behind their glass cases I'm thinking they just might be making a killing...

Last weekend I spent a little time making these sweet cupcakes for a summertime gathering for three of my closest friends.  We had a fun time chatting and sharing and eating!
(Eat Cupcakes!  Be Happy!)

 I found these amazing paper muffin cups at Tuesday Morning and you need to check them out!  They are gourmet quality and trust me when I tell you "they aren't your momma's muffin-cup!"

 They weren't cheap, but like everything at TM they were off-priced.  The paper peeled away from the cake and the cake was actually left in tact!  Nothing gets me more than leaving half my muffin (or cupcake!) on the paper.  There is NO GOOD WAY to respectfully chew it off in public! :(

I opted to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes this time and I actually love how they came out!  But...that's alotta frosting!

~CUPCAKE  FRIENDS~

Soft vanilla teacakes

Butter-cream in pink

Tied with silky ribbons

With a bit of tea to drink~

Frosted wee confections

Dainty with a rose

Trimmed with paper laces

For a party, you suppose?

Gathered 'round the table

Our hearts in love partake

The best of pastime pleasures

Just friends and sweet
CUPCAKES!

Rebecca Elliott Nelson
(You know that's me, right?)

© 2011/A Gathering Place

All Rights Reserved

Today I'll be working on packing up this little beauty for one of my favorite bloggie-friends!  I'll be back to the creative grind (aka: website pretties) in no time!

Blessings for a wonderful day...

Love to you~

~~~~~~~~HAVE A SWEET PINK DAY~~~~~~~~ Drink Tea and Eat Cupcakes

~GOT CUPCAKES?~

I'm barely getting this little post in before the stroke of midnight!  I've been a busy girl!  Truth is I'm really REALLY tired and I'm happy to see this week end!

Thanks to all of you who stopped by to visit my little studio during the Where Bloggers Create III Party hosted by Karen Valentine at My Desert Cottage!!!  I was honored to have you peek in for a quick little tour of where I spend most of my daytime (ur...afternoon, nighttime, etc.) hours!  I'm down to the H's!  I'll get to you all...I promise!  I've seen some totally amazing workplaces out there in blogland!  WOW!

Aside from filling special orders this week I'm nursing a pretty painful hip injury and that's kept me sidelined a bit!

(NOTE TO SELF:  When working in your flowerbeds and an enormous WASP {and some of his trusty friends} tries to sting you a gajillion times, don't run!  You'll probably stumble over some humongous prickly bush {with these little thorn-type thingys}, scrape up both your knees on an old oak tree before slamming your left hip into the ground...STUPID WASP!) :(

I did finish up a sweet little set of Cupcake Cards which I'm showing you today.  They are on my website and will be uploaded to Etsy sometime tomorrow as well!

Blessings and thank you again for your kindness to me and words of encouragement.  

Love to you...