Tis the Season...

Since Christmas is nearly upon us, I wanted to step outside of the traditional blue and pink box and explore other theme options. Now, one problem I have run into is that there seems to be a lack of Christmas-themed (or other holidays for that matter) baby blankets. These provide a key component in what makes my diaper cakes stand apart from many others. Blankets, towels, sheets, or similar baby items create the design and main decoration for my diaper cakes and often form the foundation of a theme.

I decided to create a sample cake using some items I had to create a concept for future holiday themed diaper cakes. I was lucky enough to have a Christmas receiving blanket which provided the foundation for the cake. Another thing I wanted to experiment with was the size. I wanted to see how a smaller cake would look and see if it held the same appeal as the larger cakes. This could provide a spring-board for mini diaper cakes to fill the gap of customers that desired a less cumbersome cake or needed multiple cakes but needed to keep within a tighter budget.

Like with all of my diaper cakes, I started with hand-rolled diapers. The tiers were smaller in circumference, but I felt that the cake still needed at least two of them to give the same look as a larger cake. I used the Christmas receiving blanket on the lower tier and a red wash cloth for the upper tier (although, truth be told, it didn't quite fit and a future cake would benefit from two wash cloths). Holiday specific baby items are fairly easy to come by, but the variety is limited compared to what is typically found. I chose to use items that can be found year-round (with the exception of the topper) since I had them in stock - after all, this cake was for display and experimentation. White socks and a green pacifier provided decoration. A snowman topper was added as the final touch along with appropriate colored ribbons.

Over all, I'm happy with the way it turned out. The topper is a bit large, but still within an acceptable range for this size cake. I also like that despite that fact that this cake is much smaller, it still holds a lot of the same appeal that a larger cake would have. Major differences between this 2-tier cake and a standard one are fewer diapers (at least 10 less) and blankets or towels used (as this cake only allows for one larger item). The size mandates either a burp cloth or wash cloths for the top tier, which are, of course, wonderfully usable baby items. Smaller baby items like toys, teethers, etc. can just as easily adorn the sides of these cakes just as they would on the larger cakes, though size of the individual accents would need to be a factor so as not to overpower the whole cake. I believe this trial of mine was a success and in the future, I may continue to produce these mini cakes along with the larger ones and other gifts I make. And, of course, I'll continue to try out new gifts on a continuing basis.

Buggy Order!

It seems the more the baby buggies are seen, the more popular they are becoming. Diaper cakes are still popular as gifts and centerpieces, but I think that the novelty is starting to wear off. It is hard to attend a shower without seeing one somewhere. So, while their popularity is wonderful, it certainly encourages new ideas and gifts. My buggies got a lot of oohs and ahhs at the craft fair I had participated in and a buggy sale was the only one I made that weekend. They are less common and since they are a little smaller, they fill a niche that was previously void - small, affordable, adorable, and clever.

I recently received an e-mail from a friend wishing for a small cake or gift to act as a centerpiece at a shower. She opted for a buggy. I was limited for time on this particular gift, so it made matching the mom-to-be's character nursery theme a little difficult (most of the character items had to be ordered online). Instead, we decided it would be best to create a basic boy buggy.

I approached this project with the idea that I'd use a basic non-themed design so as not to conflict with the chosen theme. I avoided items with pictures like cars and sports items and selected a simple striped design for the main portion of the buggy. I hand rolled the diapers to form the structure and added the details. To this buggy, I added a teether as well. I printed up character sticker labels which matched the nursery theme to apply to the decorative ribbon around the buggy. This gave it a personal touch for the expectant mom and allowed the additional detail without ordering specially made baby items (since I didn't have the time before the date of the shower) or ruining any of the items included in the buggy.

Overall, I think my friend was pleased. She mentioned that the buggy was for a centerpiece so I asked if she wanted it shrink wrapped. She said to go ahead and wrap it and they could undo it if they felt it would look better as a centerpiece. She picked it up a few days before the shower. I sure hope the expectant mom liked it. I'm happy to get those extra little challenges to see what I can come up with!

My First Craft Fair!

I seriously thought I had typed this up already, but apparently, I was wrong. About 3 weeks ago, I participated in my first craft fair with my baby items. I had done this craft fair in the past with my jewelry and dream catchers, but this was the first public event for my baby boutique.

My mom and I had worked this craft fair together for the past 3 years. She had worked it for years before that, but I joined her more recently. I like this one because there is a minimal fee for booth rental and then a portion of your sales goes to help the youth group (the craft fair takes place at a church/private school). If you don't sell much, you aren't out any more than the small investment to rent your space.

We like to set up in booths that run between aisles. This gives us extra space to display our wares, one table on either side of the booth area. One of my tables was dedicated to my diaper cakes and baby gifts.

The weeks preceding the fair, I drove up to the Dallas area where my mom lives and the fair took place. I didn't travel with many diaper cakes but worked on the projects there and ended up with three each of 3-tier cakes, 2-tier cakes, and baby buggies. For each type of baby gift I had a girl, a boy, and a gender neutral gift. I arrived with only the 2-tier gender neutral cake and the girl buggy which was my first inventory item.

I'll give a short description of the items I created for the sale.

Baby Buggies:

The baby buggies are made with hand rolled diapers to make up the shape. A receiving blanket, wash cloths, and burp cloth are added for the outer shape and pattern. Ribbon finishes off the buggies. I have made buggies with extra baby items on them, but all the ones I created for this craft fair were the basic buggy design.

2-tier Diaper Cakes:

I arrived in the Dallas area with a gender neutral 2-tier diaper cake. This cake was a bath themed cake that included hooded bath towels, wash cloths and baby bath items. To add to that, I built two additional 2-tier cakes: one boy cake and one girl cake. The girl cake  was a mint green, pink, and lavender cake that had receiving blankets, wash cloths, teethers, and a rattle included to decorate the hand rolled diaper structure. The boy cake meant entering new territory for me since it was the first time I had incorporated a bottle into one of my diaper cakes. The boy cake included receiving blankets, wash cloths, and pacifiers plus the bottle to decorate the hand rolled diaper base.

3-tier Diaper Cakes: 

I had to start from scratch on my three 3-tier cakes since I didn't even have one to start my display for the fair. The girl cake included the most diapers since the blankets used were larger than standard receiving blankets. Hand-rolled diapers formed the tiers for the cake which were then decorated with the blankets. Teethers, socks, and wash cloths were added and a carrier toy topped the cake off. The boy cake looked to be the largest because the diapers I used for it were size 3. I will typically use size 1 diapers in my cakes, but occasionally there will be a reason to use larger ones and that is what I had in stock. The boy cake, again incorporated hand-rolled diapers that were stacked for the tiers. I had a great set of navy blue blankets for this cake and I love the way they look on the final product. I added socks, wash cloths, baby powder, and a carrier toy to finish the cake. My 3-tier gender neutral cake was the standard green and yellow. Hand-rolled diapers created the structure which was then wrapped in coordinating gender neutral receiving blankets. I added teethers, wash cloths, baby bath products and a carrier toy to finish this cake.

 I was happy with the inventory I created for the craft fair and I only hoped it would be enough. I also brought along with me, my product catalog which demonstrates the other baby gifts I can make and a description of the items typically included in each one. My original plan was to bring shrink wrap with me and package the diaper cakes as they sold. I felt, and still do, that once they are wrapped, it is harder to see the detail on each cake, but that the wrapping is really necessary for the finished look. Since electricity was a potential problem (as in, we may not have any), I went ahead and started wrapping as many as I could. Unfortunately, I had a shortage of the shrink wrap, so only a few of the cakes were done. In the end, I decided it worked out better that way so customers could see the detail on the cakes without the wrapping and how the finished product looked. Each of the cakes was also accompanied by a card that listed the items included so recipients would have that information as well as my information which was printed on the back.

At the fair I felt I had a pretty nice set up. My display took of plenty of space without being too cluttered. I had a lot of positive response for my diaper cakes and multiple people asking for my card. Unfortunately, I didn't have any business card with me, but I figured it was just as well since I wasn't local to the area. Many of those interested loved my work, but said they didn't know anyone who was expecting currently, so I missed potential sales in that respect. I do wish that I had done a little bit better, but most of the vendors had low sales over the weekend. The most popular cake seemed to be the 3-tier gender neutral cake. I sold the boy buggy to a young woman whose boss is expecting a baby. I did enjoy my time there and I definitely hope to return in the future with my diaper cakes. In the mean time, I have a decent inventory in stock ready and available for sale. I also hope to find some local show and craft fairs that I may be able to participate in where I can get my name out, and this time, I have business cards ready to go!

In search of diaper cream

My latest order came from a friend who has an expectant cousin. Unable to attend the shower, my friend asked me to make a diaper cake to deliver to the mom-to-be a couple of weeks before her due date as a final, "Surprise! Here are some last minute supplies!"

We experienced a bit of a disconnect when it came to what would be incorporated in the cake, however. The expectant mom wanted some Butt Paste and my friend thought it would be a great idea to include several of the large tubs that are now available. In the structure of a typical diaper cake, there is no place for a tub of diaper cream, let alone several. However, determined to create a gift that my friend would be proud to present, I decided I could use the large tubs on the inside of the cake so they didn't create extra bulk on the cake. There were a few issues with this solution, however. One problem would be the fact that the diaper cream wouldn't be seen. I like for the items in the cake to be seen so you know "what you are paying for" so to speak. Another complication is that with tubs in the center, it would sacrifice the structural support that is typically hidden within the cake. That problem I decided I'd figure out when the time came to build the cake. Yet another problem was the fact that with tubs of diaper cream in the middle of the cake, fewer diapers could be used for the overall structure.

As it turned out, my problems were solved when I went shopping to collect items for the cake. I discovered that the tubs of diaper cream cost a significant amount. Just 2 tubs would use up most of the funds I could put into the materials of the cake and still provide it at a reasonable price for my friend. I opted to pick up smaller tubes of the diaper cream and hope that it would be ok. They did however help inspire part of my color scheme for the cake, giving me a nice yellow to match with the blue that would be used as the cake was for a boy. The cake happened upon a safari theme because of the receiving blankets I used and the carrier toy I selected to match.

The cake was built with hand rolled size 1 diapers (in the brand registered for by the mom-to-be). Receiving blankets created the finished "fondant" look of each of the two layers. Wash cloths, diaper cream, and pacifiers decorated the sides of the cake secured with curling ribbon. The topper for the cake was a coordinating lion carrier toy. I've been doing a lot of double ribbon bows for the main tie around the layers, but I opted for a single decorative ribbon to prevent this cake from being to busy. The wash cloths were a bit of a last minute addition, but I think it balances out the cake.

After completion of the cake, I sent a picture to my friend that ordered it. She liked it and was understanding about the diaper cream issue I had. I delivered the cake a few weeks before the mom's due date and she was, of course, surprised to receive it. I only hope she liked it!

My First Order (Part II)

So, now that I've kept you guessing, I can continue on with pictures and more information on the building of my first order (especially now that the sip 'n' see has passed and everyone that was there has hopefully now seen the diaper cakes).

I'll start with the bouquet. The bouquet created a bit of a challenge as I found that the materials I had did not in fact provide a lot of lavender to go along with the colors chosen for the sip 'n' see. I had black, white, and lavender tissue paper for decorating around the bouquet and created a lavender bow to decorate the vase. The "flowers" however, needed a bit of tweaking to go with the color scheme. I solved the problem adding lavender ribbon to the wash cloths and diapers to bring in the extra color so all but one of the flowers was not white. These all came together nicely in the beautiful vase I had selected. The bouquet included 2 wash cloths, 2 diapers, and 2 body suits.

As usual, the cakes started with hand-rolled diapers. Size 3 diapers were selected for this cake since the baby had been born and this provided the mom with some larger size diapers when the baby grew into them. The layers were sacked and the blankets and sheets were wrapped around the layers. The added bulk of the crib sheets meant that to give a better varied layered look, I had to remove some diapers from the top tier, but I left as many as I could so as not to sacrifice the value of the diapers in the diaper cake.

Adding the extra decorations proved a little bit difficult. First, the cakes needed to match. Second, since the cakes were going to be used as centerpieces, possibly at a table where people would be sitting, I needed to decorate them all the way around. While the other cakes I had made were decorated only on the front and immediate sides, this one needed more added touches. Add in the lack of lavender and white items I was able to find and it proved to be quite a challenge.

I improvised a bit and created my first ever hair clips to add to the decorations. These were made with ribbon that coordinated with the diaper cakes. I made four hair clips. 2 each of white ribbon with lavender flowers, and 2 each of black and white striped ribbon. They made a perfect addition to the cakes, allowed me to match the cakes and added to the other decorations.

Another decoration I selected for these cakes was wash cloths. I had seen the technique used on diaper cakes before, but only in pictures and never on an actual cake. The effect turned out quite nice, and I'm likely to use it again in the future. For these cakes, I used two rolled wash cloths which were strategically placed along the seam of the receiving blankets on the lower cake layers. This is how I was able to provide attractive views not matter the angle the party guests were coming from.

I added yet another new decoration to the cake. This one included sock "roses" that adorned the bottom and top layers of the cake. One sock from each pair was used on each cake so the cakes matched. Together, the new mom had a total of 8 pairs of socks. 7 were used as sock roses and the 8th pair was used as additional decorations on the sides of the cakes (one sock per cake). I had used sock roses before in one of the bouquets I had made, but never as a decoration on a cake, but I like the effect it provided.

The cake toppers stumped me since the party was a France/Paris theme, I really wanted to do Eiffel Towers on the tops, but I didn't know how I'd be able to pull it off. Finding Eiffel Tower figurines is not terribly difficult, but most would be too big or heavy to act as the toppers. I also considered doing a small bouquet of sock roses, but I had difficulty arranging them so they looked right. I finally found some paper art that could be printed out and put together and thus, I was able to create the toppers I wanted. It provided and economical and attractive addition to the cakes. I printed it out on card stock so it would be sturdy and then built them up for two 3-dimensional towers. I used a longer dowel rod in the center of the cake than I normally would for a 2-tier cake, but it provided the support for the toppers and with the help of some lavender tissue paper, the wooden rod was hidden from view.

As you can see in the sneak peak from my previous post (as well as here to the side) I also included some extra embellishments in the form of plastic decorative pacifiers on the bows. I typically like to use mostly usable items to decorate the diaper cakes, but used in moderation, these types of additions can really add to the "wow factor". Since I'm constantly trying to add more aesthetic value to my cakes, I am likely to continue using some of these types of small additions in the future.

I used so many new decorations and embellishments on these diaper cakes, that I almost feel like I've reached the end of my creative rope, but I'm hoping that is not the case. I like to think I'm just building my skills for newer projects and improving on what I've done in the past. In the end I was very proud of how the whole project turned out and the friend of mine that ordered them seemed to really like what I had done. I asked for some pictures of the cakes at the event so with any luck, I can post some to see how they worked in with all the other party decorations. I hope they were well received by the guests and especially the new mom.

Here is the entire "collection" - the two cakes and the bouquet.

My First Order (Part I)

Not long after I set up my Facebook page and completed my big baby bouquet I received my first ever order. And it wasn't just a simple cake. This was a big order. I was super excited.

A friend of mine was planning a sip 'n' see for mid September and wanted two 2-tier diaper cakes for a large table and a bouquet for the guest book table. She wanted the cakes to be a low enough height that they could be seen over. The theme for the party was a French/Paris theme with the colors lavender, black, and white.

I was so excited and instantly had my ideas for the cakes. All it boiled down to was whether or not I could find the materials. I wanted to use lavender receiving blankets for the layers and decorate the rest of the cakes with lavender and white baby items. Black would be incorporated with the decorative ribbon, as finding baby items that are black is a difficult task.

Little did I know that finding lavender baby items seemed almost as difficult. This confused me a bit, since when I think of baby girl items I automatically think of pink and purple, but to my surprise, it is harder to find a large number of purple items than I originally thought. Most can be found in various shades of pink, even teals and mint green, but rarely purple. After much searching, I was finally able to find items that worked for the cake including receiving blankets, crib sheets, pacifiers, wash cloths, and socks.

Building the cakes came with its own challenges. I'd never worked with crib sheets before. They are thicker and more flexible than receiving blankets so it is a bit more difficult to give that smooth finished appearance that the blankets provide. Also, I needed to make both cakes the same, so balancing decorations and paying close attention to detail was a must.

I'll give more detail and provide many more pictures in the second part of my description of my first order, but for now, here's a bit of a teaser. A glimpse of part of the finished product:

A New Kind of Bouquet

With yet another expectant mom among my friends, I had another project ahead of me. I was asked to make a centerpiece for her shower and I was happy to oblige. This time, however, I decided that rather than make a diaper cake, I'd make a bouquet to go with the theme of the shower which was roses to welcome the baby whose middle name was to be Rosalinda.

I wanted to make a large bouquet as it was to be a centerpiece. I was excited to pick out some girl items (this was my second diaper gift for a girl) selecting purple, pink, and white socks to make roses, as well as purchasing diapers and wash cloths to make additional flowers.

To assist with the size of the bouquet and to add value, I decided the basket would be made of diapers rather than just purchasing a basket. I hand rolled the diapers and wove them together with pink ribbon to form a ring. I used a cake board as the base. I lined the inside of the basket with tissue paper, opting for purple to counter balance the pink ribbon in the basket, and then filled the inside with shredded paper in several shades of purple and pink and white. I then pieced together the bouquet of "flowers". With 6 pairs of socks, 6 wash cloths, and about 9 diapers (not counting the basket) the bouquet was rather large. During the process of building this bouquet, I did have to go through a little bit of trial and error to get the look just right. The diaper "flowers" had curling ribbon to spruce them up a bit and green ribbon was tied to the "stems" of several of the other "flowers" to give the appearance of leaves. The extra embellishments were well worth it, but I think they may have gone unnoticed because of the size of the bouquet and the presence of the tissue paper - basic visibility problems.

In the end, I was happy with the final result. I think if I repeat this concept of the diaper basket, I may make some alterations, but otherwise I was pleased. The expectant mom seemed to like it, so that is what matters in the end.