Happy New Year from Couture Cakes by ANGELA!!

This year has been an amazing journey for me and my new business. I have met so many wonderful and talented people.....and bringing joy to others through my sugary sweet creations fills my heart with so much happiness! I look foward to what 2011 will bring and to all the upcoming weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, birthday's, and anniversaries. Here is a look back at my favorite memories of 2010. Happy New Year to all my lovely clients, friends, fans, and family members! May this new year be the very best for you all!

Another free slideshow design by Smilebox

Cake POP's for Christmas

I just ventured into the Cake Pop world and to be honest.....I LOVE THEM!  I made these cute little creations as a token of my appreciation for the day care staff who take exceptional care of my little boy.

Cake Pop's....it all started with ONE!

....and "grew" to MANY more!  Delish!!

All dressed up for delivery

The ladies all LOVED them and the compliments.....OH MY!, was all I needed to feed my desire to explore more of these little creations of sweet indulgence!  Make sure to check in for more on my Cake Pop journey!


French Vanilla Cake Pop swimming in Milk Chocolate...

...and a "Cherry" on top!

...and THANKS K.D. for the beautiful platter designed with my business logo front and center.  It is just stunning and will go to good use!

                                        "People will understand that getting a piece of the cake
                                                   is better than not getting any cake at all."

                                                                                    ~ Carolina Milanesi

Merry Christmas To All and To All A Good Night!

We are now two weeks away from one of my FAVORITE days of the year......CHRISTMAS!!!  I have been blessed in so many ways this year.  One of which includes meeting an array of wonderful people who love my sweet creations as much as I do.  Seeing the bright, sparkling eyes and smiles from ear-to-ear when a client views their cake for the first time is the very reason I pour my heart and soul into each and every cake.  Although I love nothing more then to bring so much happiness to others, I will be slowing down to make special memories with my loved ones and most importantly my loving, supportive husband and my precious one-year-old son.  I will not be posting again until after Christmas and so I wanted to take just a moment to wish each and every one of you a Very MERRY Christmas and a Happy New Year!!  

 From Our Family to Yours.....Have a WONDERFULLY BRIGHT Holiday Season!

"Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

                                                            for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
                                                    like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
                                                       The good you do for others is good you do yourself..."


                                           ~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

Some of My Favorite Things!

Tis the Season to enjoy a walk down memory lane!  It is true that I have an extensive ornament collection.....thousands of them!!  ...but my absolute favorite ornaments have to be the ones I have made throughout the past years.  Below are some of my favorite hand-made ornaments that I have lovingly created for friends and family. 

some of my favorite things....

A "Snowman" Couple

Bird House with 3 Little Red Cardinals

Hand-Beaded Emu Egg



Hand-Painted Poinsetta



Green Ribbon Ornament and Red Beaded Egg

MU Snowman

 Rocking Horse

Lovingly Made by Grandma Nelson for little Brocky.....so PRECIOUS!!

Not Hand-Made but purchased to commemorate the year 2010......the year I started my very own Cake Decorating Business.  You gotta love Hallmark Ornaments!!  ....and what a YUMMY ornament this one is!



A Baby Jungle for Baby "K"

There is nothing as precious as a brand new baby and nothing more exciting then getting ready to meet that sweet face.  They are bundles of endless joy and love to enjoy each and every day....and a new little one is on his way.  I had the pleasure of creating a cake for sweet baby "K" who does not have long to wait.  He will make his arrival in January.  The cake was designed to match the precious jungle theme that has been lovingly chosen to grace his nursery with a few added details.  Everything was made from fondant with hand painted details from the cute little monkeys to the jungle scene at the top.....and down to the tiniest details on the sleeping baby boy and miniature tropical flower bed he rests on.  The cute jungle animals surround the sleeping baby as if they are watching over him.  The monogram "K" was added for the family's last name and for what they call their little miracle....baby "K".   The "Welcome Baby" greeting was another extra detail stamped into the fondant on the cake board to give the perfect finishing touch to this sweet creation. 



A Precious New Gift...

You are the poem

I dreamed of writing

the masterpiece

I longed to paint.

You are the shining star

I reached for In my

ever hopeful quest

for life fulfilled...

You are my baby.

Now with all things

I am blessed.

~ Unknown

This brand new little boy will fill your hearts with so much love and affection.  Congratulations to you all on your new precious gift!



A Little Apology

Well I have to apologize for an earlier promise, made on a previous blog post, that I will unfortunately not be able to keep.  I desperately wanted to share pictures of the wedding cake I just completed for "The Wedding Cake of the Year" competition and according to competition rules, I am unable to do so.  I will just give you a little sneak peek of me working away on making flowers and pearls for this elaborate creation. 

studying the cake, getting ready to make fondant pearls

hand cutting all 1000 pearls....time consuming but the effect is stunning!

forming each tiny accent flower for the cake

A flower is taking shape

It turned out stunning.....literally blew the vision in my mind out of the water!  (sorry....not trying to toot my own horn....just shocked that it actually came together as easily as it did without any major catastrophe's!)  The competition will be judged in mid-May 2011 and as soon as the winners are announced I will be able to share the pictures with everyone!  

With Much Appreciation!

Today we are celebrating Thanksgiving and I wanted to express how truly thankful and very grateful I am for all of you who have supported me with your well wishes and encouragement.  It truly means the world to me.

I absolutely love what I do, and it's a blessing to be able to share it with you. A very heartfelt thanks for the time you take to visit this site and read my blog posts. It would not be a success without you!

Inspiration

There can be inspiration everywhere and in everything.  I needed inspiration for an upcoming wedding cake competition and in the following pictures is where I found it.  I fell in love with the simple elegance of these beautiful images and the colors!! ....oh my!, got the creative sparks flying inside my mind!!  Enjoy!

          The following pictures are "borrowed" from google images and are not my creations.

I LOVE tulips in the Spring, especially the bright orange tulips against a very lively Spring green backdrop.  The color scheme and feel for the wedding cake design floating around in my mind includes this color scheme with bright orange tulips in full bloom made from sugar with handpainted details.  My dream for this cake is that is has a fresh, bright, Spring feel....one that could be the centerpiece to a beautiful botanical garden wedding set in May.  Pictures of the finished wedding cake will be coming soon!  Stay tuned!!


         "The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible."

What a Ride!

WOW!  What an AMAZING ride it has been!  A very short three-and-a-half months ago I ventured into the unknown to start my very own cake decorating business.  It was with a LOT of support from family, friends, and a dash of fear, that I began selling my cake creations.  In that short three-and-a-half months I have received rave reviews from clients and fans alike.  The responses I have received have been both uplifting and reassuring that there are people in this world who appreciate you and your hard work.  


Although I have loved the compliments from so many local clients and fans, it wasn't until I received an email this morning that one of my cake creations had been selected to appear on the cover of Cake Centrals (global) Newsletter, that I nearly jumped out of my skin! Cake Central is a company that publishes a worldwide cake decorating magazine for those who appreciate these magnificent works of sugar art!  If I had the words to describe the feeling that swept over me this morning, it would be elated to the 100th power times ten!!  

The following BEAUTIFUL CAKE pictures are from Cake Centrals world renowned magazine and courtesy of cakecentral.com



Five days ago I happened to get up the nerve to submit several of my cake photos to this website (Cake Centrals website is one that promotes other cake designer's to critique your work).  Imagine how nervous I was considering I am so new to this industry!  One of the cakes I submitted was my Fall Themed Birthday Cake.  Having my cake photo moved to the "most saved" category the very day I submitted it was a complete surprise!.....but NOTHING compared to actually seeing it on the front of the magazines newsletter!!!


The cover of the Newsletter and my cake in the bottom right hand corner!
Newsletter courtesy of Cake Central

Larger view of my Fall Cake selected by Cake Central

It is now that I know without a doubt that I am doing what I was always meant to do.....to bring smiles and joy to others through food and art combined with love and affection.  This is the beginning of something special and I cannot wait to see where this road takes me! 

"So often,

we believe that we have come to a place

that is void of hope and void of possibilities,

only to find that it is the very hopelessness

that allows us to hit bottom,

give up our illusion of control,

turn it over, and ask for help.

Out of the ashes of our hopelessness

comes the fire of our hope."

~Anne Wilson Shaef

This quote is dedicated to all of those who believed in me and were there to lift me up when so many tried to tear me down.  I love you all and will never forget the strength you gave to me to follow my dreams and to believe in myself!  You are the Angels sent to me to give me wings so I can fly.

       With All My LOVE,

            



Welcome to Rio de Janeiro!

Inspired by the elaborate costumes worn during the Rio Carnival, I created a cake that is over-the-top with big,  beautiful feathers similar to the huge headdresses of Rio, bright colors, and bejeweled to the nines!  The little girl receiving this cake, as I understand, is just as over-the-top as this cake is.  The crown is made entirely of fondant with fondant emeralds, Ceylon sapphires, rubies, and pearls.  To match the elaborate crown is a beautiful monogram "A" for the birthday girl, Aubrey.  The purple harlequin pattern, additional jewels, and detailed piping adds the perfect opulent touch.  To finish it off, a large, shockingly pink bow was added off center.  Now this cake is ready for the party-of-the-year!  Have a Wonderfully Bright and Over-the-Top 7th Birthday Aubrey!!