What?! A New Post?!

Well, it's been a while...  I was challenged last night by my best friend to update my blog, and while I didn't get it in before the midnight deadline, I am posting now.  I hope that I'll be a little more responsible and start updating more often...  maybe that should be my New Year's Resolution.  I've been doing a lot of things that are blog-worthy, I just haven't taken any pictures.  I plan to change that, though.

The Was:

The Is:

 

What Happened:

I had my first cake decorating class last night!  Jonathan signed me up and bought all the supplies for the Wilton's Beginner's Cake Decorating class at Michael's for one of my Christmas presents.  It was a total surprise, and one of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever gotten.  There are four classes (one every Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30 for the next four weeks).  Last night, we were supposed to bring in our kits and some plain cookies to practice on.  I was so nervous about having the perfect cookies, so I baked them around lunchtime, just in case I needed to start over again.  I used the lid to one of my cookie cutter tins to create gigantic circle cookies, so I'd have lots of room to decorate.  I also made a few smaller ones for back ups.  Turns out the giant circles baked perfectly!  I was so excited and felt completely prepared.  

The class was taught by a little old lady who was sort of like Paula Deen but not quite as jovial.  She did call me 'shug' a lot, though.  She showed us how to make homemade icing, how to ice a cake, and how to make the little star details you see on some of the cookies above.  She also gave us tips for baking a cake, then leveling it off, and then icing it.  My favorite thing that she showed us was how to transfer a stencil to the top of a cake.  Also, did you know that you are supposed to always freeze cakes before you decorate them?  Not only does it make it easier to decorate but apparently it also makes it taste better.  Next week we are supposed to bring in a cake and some icing that we've made and then we are going to ice it and decorate it in class.  I can't wait!!!

Turns out I had too many cookies to really practice just that one little star.  But I practiced and then I brought it home and showed Jonathan what I had learned. Then he practiced (he's a natural!) and then I just started playing with the icing... It looked a lot better before I squirted icing all over ever cookie.  Hopefully next week I'll have something even better to show you guys!