The Tenacious Optimist

The quintessential Master of None, I love to make things. Whether it's a simple cupcake or an elaborate theatre prop, I find joy in letting my imagination run wild. The results are sometimes disappointing, sometimes astonishing, but always fulfilling. Feel free to look around, comment or ask questions - if you're not inspired you will at least be entertained.

[marlizem-blog]

My nephew wanted a construction cake for his 4th birthday and this is what I came up with.  Being a girl-mom myself it was nice to step out of my comfort zone and into the world of diggers and dirt.  His favourite thing was the portable toilet where (as he puts it) "the workmens go to pee on the floor".

Some of the details like the diggers, little men and road signs were store bought, but everything else was gum paste, including the traffic cones and explosives.  I used the pasta attachment of my KitchenAid mixer to make the black ropes for the dynamite.

[marlizem-blog]

For my nephew's first birthday, I made this Elmo cake with Elmo's arm coming out of the wrapped present to grab a cupcake.  These adorable cupcake holders were made with the Big Shot Die from Stampin Up.  

The Sesame Street Cupcakes are decorated with buttercream icing with gum paste details.  The little eyes are white candies with black royal icing dots.

[marlizem-blog]

“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.” ― Dave Barry

[marlizem-blog]

I made this owl cake for my daughter's 14th birthday.  A self-proclaimed nerd, she hand-painted the fondant book covers herself. The cake was six layers of alternating flavours (dark chocolate, butter pecan and vanilla bean) with buttercream frosting.  The eyes, beak and claws are gum paste.