Gen's Personal Touch

Baby Shower Favors

2012-09-25T00:29:00.000-04:00

I've been slowing down on the cake making and have been using my imprinter machine for making baby shower favors. Of course I can make them for any occasion but there seems to be a baby boom going on around me.

Happy Birthday from a red monster.

2011-04-30T14:27:00.000-04:00

Every little red monster loves parties and what's more fun than a birthday party.

He's so happy to say Happy Birthday.

Bright and vibrant, just like most 2 year olds

March to April

2011-03-31T19:39:00.004-04:00

You've heard the saying that was my inspiration for this pair of cakes.....

March comes in like a Lion....and goes out like a Lamb.

The Friendly Lion pan from Wilton created the shape and a #16 star tip did the body (stars), mane and tail (pull out stars). It's hard to see (should have tinted frosting a little darker) but he's got a goatee and a little tuft of hair between the ears. I wanted to use the Wilton Chocolate frosting but only had the brownie frosting on hand so I blended it with a basic buttercream and the results were very tasty over the vanilla cake.

I made the rectangular cake out of chocolate with plain white buttercream frosting. As first I was going to make a meadow of green for the lambs but it didn't seem right to cover it all in green once I started. One lamb looked lonely so I made 3 since I've got three little lambs of my own.

Wilton Friendly Lion Pan

CK Products 2-Inch Lambs Chocolate Mold

Basket Cake

2011-03-20T19:43:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I worked a basket weave on a cake. I took this opportunity to practice in preparation for my Easter basket cake. I thought the cocoa brown and white color scheme was appropriate for a man ( even though I used flowers to decorate it)

Choo-Chooo!!

2011-02-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

For a little boy currently obsessed with Thomas the Train

A double flavor cake - vanilla at front and chocolate at back. This was carved out of one cake made in the Wilton long loaf pan. The most difficult part was getting the black icing black and drawing in the face with frosting.

I also had to build the black and blue stacks at the front out of fondant on a skewer because the cake and frosting weren't working out (in hindsight a cake pop was in order but didn't think of it then)

Didn't get to put the frosting covered cookies for the wheels but no one noticed except me. It still ended up looking good and the look on his face was precious.

Choooo, Chooooooo!!

Thomas and Friends Carnival Cake Topper

Wilton Choo-Choo Train Set

Gen's Personal Valentines

2011-02-19T01:39:00.002-05:00

We put our Personal Touch on Valentine's Day at home this year.

The kids really got into it with valentines for their friends and classmates and a homemade candlelit dinner.

To transport all those Valentines we made totes (boys) and purses (girls). Lots of fun and not much cash.

Some empty boxes, construction paper, tacky glue, hole punch and fancy scissors were all we needed.

Blueberry hearts were a hit for breakfast then it was on to the chocolate dipping for dinner.

Family, pasta and chocolate, our deliciously personal valentine!

Mostly cake free

2011-02-04T13:32:00.002-05:00

I can hardly believe a whole month is gone from 2011.

I ended 2010 with brownies and cupakes.

Since the year started, I haven't really been doing any baking, except a sheet cake for Sabbath Lunch.

I'll have to do better in February, starting with this weekend.

I think I'll make some football brownies for Super Bowl watching.

In the mean time, this cake from last January pretty much sums up the weather for much of the country.

Wimpy Brownies

2010-12-23T15:09:00.001-05:00

This wimpy kid had a birthday,

so this wimpy kid went to school.

This wimpy kid had a party,

so this wimpy kid stayed home.

Apple Cider Cake

2010-12-01T13:56:00.001-05:00

The name says it all.
Cider, Cider everywhere.
The cake, filling, frosting all had cider.
Yummy Walnut and marzipan finish it off.

Great way to celebrate and give thanks for
God's continued blessings.

The Dress Was the Inspiration

2010-11-15T19:26:00.001-05:00

Of all the Disney Princesses, we live Princess Tiana the best.
Her dresses are great and we wanted to do both the white and green wedding dresses but it wasn't that big a party and we only needed a small cake.

The Green Dress won out.

The birthday princess wore her own Princess Tiana dress, complete with pearl and ribbon embellished tiara, elbow length gloves and "glass slippers".

The table was set in pale lavendar with water lily napkin accents for the girls and the lily pad for the boys. White plates, purple cutlery, clear goblets and party hats rounded out the place settings for each guest.

The buffet was a little bit bayou and a lot little kid wih jambalaya, pizza, grapes, salad and a grape punch fountain.

The cake itself was just the dress, no weird little doll head sticking out the top of it, just the beautiful dress. Luscious pale green buttercream icing over a cream cake was embellished by fondant petals, leaves and flower.

Many thanks to HerculesImages for these beautiful photographs.

Happy Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

This cake wasn't specifically requested for Veteran's Day, but I thought it appropriate for thanking my family members and the rest of the armed forces. Your service is invaluable to this nation.
God Bless You All!

This + That + whatever.

2010-11-06T02:04:00.002-04:00

What to do with that last cup or two of cake batter after the cupcake pans are as full as they should be? I hate to throw good stuff away so of course I find whatever else is on hand and make a cake.

This one was just for me and the hubby and so yummy!

French Vanilla with a Red Velvet heart. Just enough for 6 inches of deliciousness.

Cherry Almond Whipped Topping to frost it (had about a 1/2 cup left from a roll I made for the previous Sabbath, a little more topping made it just enough for this cake. Some plain topping for decoration - one can never have too much practice. Note to self - don't try this with half frozen topping, you get very weird "blurts" from your decorating tip.

Yes! I know you are drooling. It was gooood.

No, I don't normally make these for others, but if you ask nicely, you might get one in the future - I've got a couple mini-cupcake orders coming up ;)

Simply Orchid

2010-10-27T14:29:00.000-04:00

The cake becomes the background to showcase these orchids
modelled after the ones our recipient had growing in her home

Afternoon Tea Birthday Party

2010-10-21T14:28:00.001-04:00

Afternoon Tea Birthday Party

Ivory Roses and Hot Pink Tulips
High and low arrangements
down the center of the table

An elegantly dressed table that included hot pink tulip and ivory rose centerpieces; real china, linens and place settings.

Lots of little nibbles served with Apple Juice Tea

Tea pot shaped cake served with a lemonade toast, in champagne saucers. Mini cake sugar and creamer bowls were included for the birthday girl and her brother.

Princess (and Prince) games and goody bags rounded out the festivities.

Event Styling and Cake by Gen's Personal Touch

Photography by Hercules Images

Reversed Banners

2010-10-21T13:32:00.001-04:00

Banners in reverse colors and flavors.
Hmmm..... Which to try?
Chocolate?
Vanilla?
Both??

Great way to celebrate the Sabbath and some friends birthdays.

Pajama Party Sweety

2010-07-27T13:54:00.001-04:00

Pajama Party Sweety

Cake designed to resemble child's PJs for the party. I even tried to copy the ubiquitos silly bands on the cake. If there's one thing I learned making this cake is that I'm no artist when it comes to faces. I didn't even try to make it match.

Wiiiiiiiii !!!!

2010-07-07T20:26:00.001-04:00

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !!

what else would you make for a party with
3 consoles and a dozen kids??

The Wiimote was just for the Birthday Boy.

KGCN - sweet ending

2010-07-07T19:40:00.001-04:00

A sweet end to Vacation Bible School @ Southpoint

Land of My Birth

2010-05-31T09:43:00.001-04:00

Sing along if you know it...

This is the land of my birth
This is the land of my birth

This is Jamaica
My Jamaica

The land of my birth ....

Super

2010-05-24T16:09:00.002-04:00

You need a super cake for a super Pathfinder Club.

Looking forward to super things from this group.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a90OXpL1jl8

Onesie & Party Favors

2010-05-21T17:13:00.003-04:00

A Onesie for the expected little one, Also examples of party favors with custom printed ribbons.

Here she comes with a ....

2010-04-13T15:57:00.002-04:00

Kicking Birthday

2010-04-01T20:51:00.001-04:00

If you are going to throw a kicking party,
start with a kicking good invitation and
finish with a kicking good cake!

Baptism Trio

2010-03-30T10:57:00.003-04:00

What a better way to start spring than with new life?

Multiple baptisms (7 in one day) meant multiple cakes,
multiple flavors, multiple techniques and
multiple blessings the day of.

Cross - My first completely fondant covered cake,
with a little texture added.
Send a message or post comment if you want to know how I did it.

Open Book representing the Book of Life.

The baptismal candidates names were written on the pages of the book on the left

2 Corinthians 5:17 written on the book on the right.

".... if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!"

I don't usually make flowers but these didn't look too bad.
I tried them in both royal and buttercream icing

Dress Uniforms

2010-02-22T23:32:00.006-05:00

For Adventurer / Pathfinder Sabbath I made cakes for each club and then one for everyone else. The kids loved seeing their uniforms in cake and I had a great time making them. It is so much fun to watch people's eyes light up when they are presented with cake, especially when it is made just for them.

Esther: Courage to Stand
The Seventh-Day Adventist Hymnal