Birthdays, Summer Schedule & Interesting Etsy Article
This time of the year is, I am sure, busy for everyone – and so true for me. My daughter was born in December despite all my efforts to dislodge her at an earlier date. We try to keep her birthday separate from the Christmas festivities, including decorating the house for the holidays, so that she doesn’t feel like she’s cheated out of her special day.
As a result, she’s enjoyed a school birthday celebration, a family celebration and yesterday we hosted a proper party for her & her girlfriends. We okayed a sleepover despite knowing that we would all pay for it today due to lack of sleep. It helps that I enjoyed a piece of birthday cake for breakfast – so I’m living on caffeine and sugar today. Hopefully, I can ward off the crash till after dark.
I may be skilled in the clay department, but after last year’s birthday cake baking debacle, I decided to buy one this year to save everyone from my baking abominations. Do you know what it looks like to try to “glue” broken cake back together with frosting? Not pretty is all I have to say. We settled on Mulberries Cake Shop after I discovered the quaint Pearl Street Bakery this past summer. Last summer, my running cohorts and I used to slog through our 10 mile runs whilst talking about food. Someone mentioned the best cup cake in town – and I just had to try it out. Maybe that’s why I exercise, so that I can indulge. But, this pastime gets me into trouble in the winter months when my training slacks off.
Apparently, I’m not alone in cake making finesse or lack thereof. Today, I received a lovely email from one of my blog readers, Aura Lee, who shared a photograph of one of her baking masterpieces with me. This was a cake for her daughter’s 20th birthday – one she hasn’t forgotten to this day!
Aura Lee did tell me that despite appearances, it was delicious and enjoyed by all. Thanks Aura Lee! I think next year, I’m going to attempt another one – it’s sort of a reminder to me that perfect isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Birthdays should be about memories.
Meanwhile, I received phone calls and email updates from both the Art Student’s League and Anderson Ranch Arts Center this past week, confirming the kid’s art classes that I’ll be teaching next summer along with dates and times. See Below:
| Class | Age Level | Location | Dates | Times |
| Mixed Media Marionettes | Grades 3 – 5 | Art Student’s League of Denver | July 14th – 18th, 2008 | 1:00 to 4:00 PM |
| Image Transfer on Clay Surfaces for Kids | Grades 3 – 5 | Art Student’s League of Denver | July 21st – 25th, 2008 | 9:00AM – 12:00 PM |
| Moveable Parts: Figurative Clay Sculpture | Ages 9 – 12 | Anderson Ranch Arts Center | July 28th – August 1st, 2008 | 1:00 – 3:30PM |
| Make Some Noise with Clay | Grades 1 – 2 | Art Student’s League of Denver | August 11th – 15th, 2008 | 9:00AM to 12:00 PM |
The Arts Student League’s catalog will be coming out after the new year and Anderson Ranch already has a PDF calendar posted on their website. I love that both organizations schedule early so that I can get a glimpse of what my life will be like in 6 -7 months time.
In other unrelated news, I was perusing the Etsy Forums today and came across a link to a New York Time’s article about the whole arts and craft resurgence phenomenon and Etsy’s roll in the movement that is a good read if you have the time.
Have a great week,
~Cynthia
emm
December 16, 2007 at 9:57 pm //
They grow up so fast. My son’s birthday is on the 31st of December and there was no separating it from New Year’s Eve. Argh, the birthday parties we have lived through! He is 32 now, so things are much quieter around here. I keep up with all your posts on my google page, it’s so fun to see your new work and you student’s work as well. You have done a beautiful job making your blog look unique, I’ll have to study your code
JafaBrit's Art
December 16, 2007 at 11:07 pm //
oh that cake is really cool looking, did it taste as good as it looked?
JUDI TAVILL
December 17, 2007 at 2:36 am //
yum.
The Lone Beader
December 17, 2007 at 3:39 am //
YUM!!!
HMBT
December 17, 2007 at 12:16 pm //
Happy B-day!!!! That cake makes all my glued and held together with toothpick cakes look really BAD!!! *hehehehe*
Congrat’s on the class schedule, looks like a busy time and you should end the year with a bunch of FANS!!
Whoo-Hoo!
Cynthia
December 17, 2007 at 1:49 pm //
I can totally see that, Emm – I can still remember the day that she was born. I’m already seeing glimpses of the teen she will become. Do you remember when a year felt like forever when you were a kid? Now a year is just a blink of the eye practically. Thanks for the compliment!
The cake was delicious, Jafbrit, Judi and Diana – my daughter chose the cake. Marble with Bravarian Cream filling. The frosting was a bit sweet, but still good.
Thanks Heather – somehow I think your cakes are a work of art into themselves! Maybe, I should practice again. Once, when I was inspired, I made the most amazing chocolate cake with German frosting, caramelized pecans and whipped cream for frosting. I haven’t repeated that since…
andrea
December 17, 2007 at 7:08 pm //
That cake is hilarious! I almost wish you had made it just for the story! (And the real one is gorgeous.) Lucky girl — at least her birthday is before Christmas and not right after Christmas like some of us… (I didn’t have many birthday parties as result.)
Mary Timme
December 17, 2007 at 10:36 pm //
I’ve always been glad I wasn’t born on February 29th! The last big birthday production I did for my children was to make a pirates chest for one and a teddy bear for the other. The pirates chest was pesky as it wanted Have the lid slide off. But, the kids helped me and it worked out okay. Anyway it was fun.
Such neat stuff you are doing girl. This summer is going to be so exciting and such fun!
Cynthia
December 18, 2007 at 2:21 am //
You, know Andrea, after I saw her cake I was actually a little jealous. Yes, we had a beautiful cake – but what about the memories?
Next year – you’ll get the “real” deal from me.
My mom always used to make my brother and I themed birthday cakes, Mary. I almost always wanted a doll cake – but my brother got all kinds of different ones. I vaguely remember a sail boat. We also had special Easter cakes. If you’re reading this, Mom, you’ll have to remind me.
JUDI TAVILL
December 18, 2007 at 4:14 am //
I was just talking to my son about his cake… this is the most last minute I’ve EVER done a party- shows where I am on things right now… his Birthday’s thursday and we decided yesterday to do a party at an indoor rock climbing gym…SUNDAY… so I make the cake every year… really into the mix and Betty crocker frosting(my favorite…its a bad thing) Anyway… he says…. oh lets do a rock wall and I said… That will be pretty ugly a grey cake that is lumpy….. so BRILLIANT as I am… I said Jake….howabout just a fun cake with the words”happy Birthday Jake!
YOU ROCK!” ahhhahahhhahahah. we were both laughing hysterically… he’s turning 11. we have the same sense of humor…RIDICULOUS…. but we crack ourselves up!
dinahmow
December 19, 2007 at 1:53 am //
OH, you are so right about memories trumping “perfection” cakes! At least Jasmine will grow up with a wonderful store of family memories.
Cynthia
December 19, 2007 at 1:39 pm //
I’d love to see that cake, Judi! I’m sure it WILL rock!
I sure hope so, Dinah…
Janvangogh
December 19, 2007 at 9:24 pm //
That was an extremely cute birthday cake. Was it hard to make the first cut?
Lynette
December 24, 2007 at 5:25 am //
Oh my gosh Cynthia your story about your cake and that photo was so funny! It reminded me of the cake I made one time that developed a huge crack down the middle. I filled the big gaping crack with lots of icing hehe! It looked like an earthquake had hit it. Your store bought cake is adorable and I hope your daughter had a great b’day and LOL sleepovers are so fun and you’re right, no sleep at all!