HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIS & FINN!

A few weekends ago we celebrated two birthdays in the family. Ellis' second and Finn's (our nephew) fifth. People always say that time flies after you start having kids and are they right. I cannot believe two years have passed since Little Miss Ellis Averee entered our lives. She has brought us so much happiness and we just couldn't imagine life without her. It kind of feels like she has just been here all along.

It was a great weekend filled with friends and family. We celebrated both the kiddo's birthdays together with an underwater themed party. Ashley and I had fun crafting the silly underwater creatures for the decorations. We both just pulled together stuff we had around the house and in our crafting supplies to make them. (It probably helps that I hoard crafting supplies.)

We had smoked chickens, pulled pork, homemade buns, pasta salad, ceasar salad, caprese salad kabobs, deviled eggs, chips and dip, taco dip, veggie platter, cheese tray, pickles, olives, home brewed beer, lemon cake, chocolate cake, trix treats, and cake pops! You name it, we had it! ;)

After a celebration like that, I cannot help but feel so truly blessed. We are so lucky to have so many friends and family who love our little girl.

FREE PRINTABLE: BIRTHDAY CAKE PENNANT TOPPER

A few weeks ago my adorable nephew, Brixton, turned one! I made his birthday cake as a trade of services with his super talented mama for doing my hair! :)

Here is the backstory on why the cake is blue. Brixton loves his blue stuffed rhino named Rupert. Holly wanted the cake to be the same color as Rupert, so she bought the blue icing dye and gave it to me.  I had every intention of making a little rhino out of fondant to place on the top of the cake, but time just got away from me. Imagine that! When that happens, as it often does, I fall back on my graphic skills and make something out of paper! Here is what I came up with!

I made it into a free printable if any of you would like to use it!

Download the free printable HERE.

(print on 8.5x11" paper)

Here is what you will need:

And here is how you put it together:

And here is the birthday boy himself, with Rupert, of course! (Isn't he the cutest?!)

In case you are interested, here is the recipe I used. I got it from my co-worker who said it is pretty much amazing. Another co-worker made it and confirmed - YES, It is amazing!!! so I made it!

(I doubled the recipe and made it in two 12" round cake pans. I put a little bit of the frosting in between the layers to hold them together, then frosted the rest of it with the remaining frosting.)

KADEN TURNS ONE - HIS 'FAVORITE FOODS' THEMED BIRTHDAY BASH

I was so excited when Amanda asked me to design a few pieces for her son's first birthday party. First birthday parties can be hard. One year olds aren't into Superman or Barbies yet, so it is hard to pick a theme. You know what they are into though?! FOOD! :) When Amanda told me her theme for Kaden's special day, I thought the idea was so cute and I couldn't wait to get started. I created his invitation, food tags and a 4ft tall menu board! His party was last weekend and Amanda sent me a few pictures of the day, including one of the fun, blue ombre cake she made him. Kaden is one lucky little man!

His blue highchair was refinished and painted by Oak + Olive, right here in Madison! Didn't it turn out adorable!?
Oak + Olive up-cycles, restores, and revives quality furniture for fun and function. Make sure you contact them the
next time you find a piece that needs a little TLC.

My next birthday assignment is a rhino cake for my adorable nephew for his first birthday.  The theme is this cute little stuffed rhino that he loves. They say he is more like a fat blue hippo that wants to be a unicorn. ;) 

These one year olds are keepin' me busy!

ELLIS TURNS ONE!

Ellis is one loved little munchkin.  We are reminded of that every time we are surrounded by our friends and family.  Her God Father (God-Daddy-Patty) cured and cooked all of the meat and handmade all of the bread and bagels for her special day.  Pat happens to be the Sushi Chef at Restaurant Muramoto and has cooked at Tornado Room and Nostrano (yeah... I know.... totally a big deal ;) and he is one amazing chef!  He made beef pastrami, maple ham, and smoked turkey for sandwiches as well as salmon for the bagels.  Paul, Ellis' other God Father and Uncle, brewed some beer that was a huge hit!  Maybe he will name one of his beers after her someday.  I already have one named after me, but that's a whole other story. ;) My special contribution for her special day was making her cake.  This might sound funny but, I have dreamt about the day I got to make my first child's birthday cake.  I made my Aunt's famous cake that she made for our wedding.  It is TO DIE FOR. Well, at least I think it is and my dad thinks so too.  My mom had to practically pry our cake topper piece out of his hands so he wouldn't eat it after our wedding.  We were storing it in my parent's freezer so, in tradition, we could eat it on our first anniversary.  It is white chocolate pound cake with cream cheese and raspberry filling and white chocolate frosting on the outside.  YUMMMMM!  Anyways, besides the fact that our house is a bit cramped for the entire Trameri/Buell clan, it was a wonderful day! Ellis got so many fun toys and adorable clothing.
Side note: The Buells are pretty much a one stop shop.  We can build you a home, insure it, then sell it, cut your hair, watch your kids, bake you a cake, brew you some beer, take your family pictures, and then to top it off, we will sell you some damn good cheese!  ;)

God Parents - Pat and Nora 

God Parents - Ashley and Paul