creative jewish mom

Simple Cloud Cake Toppers Are Cute For Any Occasion!

I am rushing to post this cloud cake topper DIY as tonight is the beginning of the 9 day mournign period on the Jewish calendar, and we certainly won't be throwing any parties.That said I wanted to post this now as a message to all those who might be trying their hand at illustration or painting: save anything you do on heavy paper, you can cut it up and use it in a pinch! As I was trying to pull together a whole display of fun party decor for my daughter's 18th birthday, I spied a small pile of illustrations I'd made two plus years ago, and realized that the little gouche cloud illustration would be perfect to cut up and use on her cake, and phew, it came together really quickly with sweet as can be results. I also used some watercolor strawberry paintings we'd done together years ago, so really, save those art projects, they don't take up much space, and who knows, maybe you, like me, will be pressed for time and needing something to cut up and transformi into a cake topper! Actually come to think of it, if I hadn't already cut up the watercolor strawberry and used it in a centerpiece, that would have been a really adorable cake topper too! I think I may just repost that tutorial next. Okay, lets take a closer look at these cute cloud cake toppers that would be perfect for just about any occasion that warrants a cake and a message!

And I just realized that this could also be a post about how to make a quick cake stand, like the one you see here, so keep on reading for that!

5 Minute Paper Cake Toppers Using Your Old Art

Today is my daughter's 18th birthday, and so after 18 years of raising her and throwing birthday parties with lots of homemade decorations and cute DIY cakes I got it together rather at the last minute and pulled off a really cute birthday surprise complete with lots of recycling crafts that I can't wait to share. The thing is, tonight is the beginning of a very sad 9 day mourning period on the Jewish calendar, so while I'm posting the DIY birthday cake decorations today, I think the rest will have to wait until after T'isha B'av so that my blog reflects what is actually going on in our minds and hearts during this time. My daughter was fortunate to have been born on the last day of the month of Tammuz, when throwing a birthday party (without music) is still allowed, so phew for her!

Now, lets get down to business! I have always made paper cake toppers using illustrations and cut paper with skewers or toothpicks, so why stop now? My daughter is now the baker in the house, and while she thought of baking her own cake, she didn't have time, so I sent my son up to the bakery to buy one, so that I could spend my time on the decorations! Things were a bit pressed for time, and when I had completed everything, whoops, what about the cake? I almost thought of not decorating the cake, but banished that thought and instead whipped up some five minute cloud cake decorations using a gouche cloud illustration I had on hand from two years ago!

The lesson here is, don't throw away all those art experiments or practice sheets, you can always cut them up to make cake decorations! And boy was I happy at the moment I realized I could just cut out some of the painted clouds, write a few words on them and voila, a cute cake topper was born! Okay, lets take a look at the gouche art I used (or something similar, actually) and get to work!

Simple Cake Topper Banner In A Pinch!

Wow, what a week, five girls in my daughter's class got engaged, and our heads are spinning! (Not to worry Mom, your granddaughter isn't getting engaged anytime soon, as far as we know, but the future is approaching quickly!) When after 3 engagements, the fourth engagement was between the son and daughter of two old friends of mine, we nearly fainted, but there was no time for that, as once the announcement is made there are many preparations that need to happen for the official evening celebration. And now with the Corona restrictions folks are having what we call a "vort" (an announcement) and the actual engagement party (in Israel often done in a wedding hall with many guests, a small version of the wedding to come) on the same night, at the house of the bride. Fortunately the bride has many friends in her class and neighbors all pitch in to make the event happen, which of course includes a fancy desert bar.

Our kitchen became a bakery with sugar and flour and chocolate flying as my daughter worked at top speed to produce many beautiful deserts. Another friend ran to the store to buy some of the necessities as my daughter got to work, and I volunteered to whip up some cupcake toppers and a cake topper. I don't usually print cake toppers, but my homemade versions wouldn't be suitable for an occasion like this, so introducing my first ever printed cake topper! Of course the topper was just the topper, the little two-tiered cake was just as sweet as can be.

Simple DIY Anniversary Cake That Is Great For Engagement Parties Or Newlyweds Too!

It is always a great idea to have a really simple decorated cake idea up your sleeve to whip out when needed, right? And these sparkly cake flags have been a winner lately, having appeared at two birthdays, and now they have made an appearance to honor a newly married couple who joined us for a shabbat meal last week. I took the photos before shabbat, which meant that I was running late, (as time is precious before sundown on short winter Fridays) but it was worth it, as showing the cake flags on the cake surely beats previous photos of just the flags. While I made this cake for newlyweds, it is of course perfect as an engagement party cake, an anniversary party cake, or a sheva brachas cake. And of course with just one letter it can be a birthday cake as well, or a congratulations cake, or a just because cake? The crowns over the letters and the diamonds on the flag poles certainly work with any royal theme, and so this could be a fun cake for Purim as well!

Once you realize how simple it is to make folks happy with a cake like this, I think you'll start doing it often. And if baking isn't up your alley, so buy a cake, or better yet cut a watermelon into a cake shape and add the decorations! (We only have watermelons in the summer here, so have yet to try this, not to mention that my family certainly prefers the sugar filled cake.) Okay, lets have a look at some more photos of this cake, and a list of supplies and tips.

Super Simple Birthday Cake Flags

Above: Just pretend that the number seven sits nicely in the center of the cake, okay? Truthfully I put a raw potato in the middle of the cake to hold the skewer but there was so much white glaze in there that the potato kept rising to the top and toppling the number over a bit......alack alas, perfection was not achieved, and I really don't think anyone noticed. Longest caption in the history of CJM, a great way to start the first post of 2020?

On the first night of Chanukah we celebrate two family birthdays, and this year due to my computer falling very ill I was able to spend a huge chunk of time crafting for this special party and for Chanukah in general, and it was so wonderful, truly. I hope to have a chance to photograph the decorations, and share some of them of them with you, and in the mean time, I thought I'd share my super simple cake flags, which are a breeze to make and truthfully look great. I have neither the skills nor the hours for time consuming cakes, (as you may know if you've been following this blog over the years) but rather opt for a simply delicious chocolate cake with a glaze and cute as can be decorations that don't take too much time to make. 

Despite having a whole month to prepare for this birthday party I was running late with the cake, and so when my three beloved nieces arrived from afar for the party I actually had them put together the sparkling cake flags. Fortunately it is simple enough even for the inexperienced crafter, so take note and be sure to remember this one when you need a simple cake decorating solution, you know the kind you can do in ten minutes or so!

Simple Cake Toppers From Supplies On Hand

Having just posted about our challenge trying edible printable cake icing, I just had to share with you once again my take on the whole cake decorating world, which is go simple! There are those who just love spending hours making a perfect and amazing looking cake, but that is not me, I have neither the skills nor the time, so I prefer simple, cute and from the heart. Using supplies I already have on hand, meaning quick and likely made at the last minute, sigh. Nobody really needs a cake that looks like it was factory made, right, they just want to see that you spent time thinking of them, and them specifically! So dear readers, do not run to buy fancy cake decorating supplies, stock up on colored paper, markers and skewers, and I can promise you that the birthday cakes (or any occasion cakes) you make will truly be memorable!  Okay, lets have a closer look at some of my favorite cake toppers.......

DIY Cake Flowers From Plastic Straws

If you ever find yourself trying to decorate a cake in say ten minutes, you have come to the right place, as this is my quickest (and maybe even cutest) cake decoration idea yet! All you need are some plastic (or possibly paper) straws and some scissors and a few minutes, and voila, cute cake flowers can transform a simple cake into something gorgeous. I'm not sure how I came up wth this idea as I was literally sweating to get the cake decorated, but I think I must have been inspired by those little vintage style plastic flowers used to hold birthday candles! Now, as you may notice, I am photographing this cake after it was half was eaten, namely a full day after the party, so I put the flowers on the side of the cake for the sake of the photographs, when in actuality the flowers were on top of the cake, which looked a bit more sophisticated than this idea, so keep that in mind! Okay, lets make some plastic cake flowers that one could also use to decorate a fruit platter, or even cupcakes of course!

How To Make A Quick Plastic Straw Cake Banner

Introducing the cutest cake banner ever made in about 5 minutes, literally! I had to whip up some decorations as a surprise for my son's birthday, and with shabbos quickly approaching I literally had no time, and yet the results all in all where some of my best yet, go figure! Truthfully sticking with just one type of material, in this case plastic straws in specific colors gave a really nice consistency to the party table, and while it could have looked very childish, I actually pulled it off for a fourteen year old, phew! I love cake banners, and have made sweet paper and washi tape ones in the past, but this one is just a little bit unexpected and when paired with the drinking straw cake flowers, it is a winner! Ah yes, and of course make a bunch of drinking straw starbursts for the table to complete the look, and you'll be stocking up on straws for future parties, I have no doubt. This cake banner is pretty self explanatory, but I'll spell it out for you in case you are so short of time that you just need that extra push.......lets do it!

How To Make Quick Birthday Cake Decorations

Let face it, life is busy and simple solutions to acknowledge family birthdays, or any special occasion, in a fun way are always great to have on hand. Personally, I'm not into spending hours and hours on a birthday cake that then gets eaten anyway, and over the years have mostly relied on simple decorations that can be made quickly and generally at the last minute.....so it goes around here! All you need are some basic drawing skills, a bit of an idea regarding scale and proportion, and very simple supplies. I have used this same technique over the years to make a Lochness Monster Cake, An Underwater Castle Cake, A Penguins Cake, A Merry-Go-Round Cake and many more, so use your imagination and just a tiny bit of time to make something adorable and memorable! Check out this round-up that includes all the cakes mentioned, plus a King Kong Manhattan cake, my favorite, right here.

No Bake Popsicle Cookies Are Simply Adorable

With everything looking pinker than pink in blog land this week, I thought I'd contribute with these super simple and beyond adorable no-bake popsicle cookies! And I'll just add that these are courtesy of my 16 year old daughter who is quite the expert at these kinds of things.......her mother would rather be painting, or making something healthy! Regardless it is great to have a trick like this up your sleeve when another neighbor's daughter is having an engagement party and the desert bar needs to be beyond gorgeous! Ah yes, and with Purim coming up, some of these presented with a summer theme could be an amazing mishloach manot! In fact I think that is what we'll do, just need to come up with the rest of the presentation, like summer umbrella, fruit punch, sunglasses..... stay tuned for that, in the mean time let's learn how to make these cuties!