Ziggy Update v.4

I've been slacking in the Ziggy department but I have a good excuse.  Someone has been sick with the croup!

Not to mention some bad behavior thrown in there and our poor Elf has been afraid to come back from the North Pole!  Santa even emailed me this week.

I'm happy to report that we're back on track and I've got a happy kid again.  And to allow me some time to work, I let him play on my Mac.

So what has Ziggy been up too?

 He brought back a letter from Santa (on official letterhead thanks to Pinterest)

 He saw that we were behind on our Lego Advent Calendar so he caught us up.

 I need to edit this one before I print it!  This is an early present from my Mother In Law.  Its Toothless from the movie How to Train Your Dragon.

Reading the Lionel Train Catalog.  This is Nicks favorite book lately.

Taste the rainbow

Lets just say my last twine storage left a lot to be desired.  It was in a container and it came unraveled every time I pulled some out.  I kept saying I was going to do something about it.

It wasn't until someone ended up in the ER at 1:30 am with croup that I found myself with some extra down time.  While we cuddled and watched movies, I wrapped twine on these cardboard cards.  I cut some chipboard into 3x4 pieces and then cut out a notch on each side.

I wrapped all of my Divine Twine and Twinery Twine.  I'm a huge fan of Divine Twine mostly because its small and it doesn't knot so easily.  The Twinery twine tends to knot up as you unravel it, no matter how careful I was.  Frustrating.  But thats also why I have it on these cards now.  Maybe I'll use more of it.

Candy Cane Cupcakes

I modified a recipe I found on Pinterest.

Original idea from Pinterest

I did two versions of this idea.  One identical:

I like her frosting better but for the life of me, I couldn't get my hands on *that* Wilton tip.  Its on backorder but I will have it for future decorating sessions.  I thought they looked 'too white' for what I was trying to do so I got the idea to crumble the candy cane and sprinkle it.  

To make the poles, you buy regular size candy canes and break the hoop off.  That leaves you with almost half of the candy cane.  Unless you like them (I'm not a big fan) then you need to do something.

Tip #1 - Do not use your food processor.  well, don't use the mini one because you're too lazy to get the big one down from the top shelf.  It broke.  There was a burning smell and some smoke but everything is cool.  

Tip #2 - rolling pins only crush so well before it just gets messy.

Tip #3 - check your local baking center at the grocery store for these super cool, already crushed candy cane dust.

So, the cupcakes....

I made a white cake and chocolate cake from scratch.  I baked half of each kind plain.  The other half of the batter I mixed in some peppermint flavoring and some of the larger candy cane sprinkles.  They give a really cool effect when you bite into them. (Nope, I didn't get a picture.  I will be making more and will get pictures then.)

For the chocolate cupcakes I just left the batter as is.  But for the white, I mixed in some red food coloring and swirled it with a stick to give it a cane cane swirl look.  Again, no pictures but they were really cool.

They bakes up really cool.

For the frosting, I made a basic buttercream frosting.

Real Buttercream

1 box of powdered sugar

1Tablespoon of vanilla

4-6 Tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (works better than milk)

2 cubes of salted butter (you can use unsalted but I prefer the salty sweetness of salted butter.  It cuts down on the oversweet of the powdered sugar.

Cream the butter and sugar.  Tip for the butter.  DO NOT Microwave.  Let it sit out for a couple of hours to get really soft.  You want it pliable but not melted or hard.  It needs to mix well with the sugar.  I recommend using a hand mixer or a stand one if you have it.  For small jobs like this, I use my hand mixer.  Blend until the sugar and butter are chunky but mixed.  Pour in the vanilla and 1-2 Tablespoons of the cream.  Blend and test consistency.

Here's where you just have to test it.  IF the frosting looks good to you - like you could pipe it easily.  Stop adding ingredients.  You're done.

If its still too thick, add another tablespoon of cream and mix until it comes out the consistency you're looking for.  I prefer a softer frosting so I use 4 Tablespoons.  

Varient - Color or Flavoring

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Before the frosting gets too runny or soft, you need to add these.  I recommend  colors like the Wilton brand ones.  You can use regular food coloring but you'll need to figure in that this is a liquid and it WILL change the consistency of the frosting.  Same with the flavoring.  They are liquid as well.

If you need to add one or both (Flavoring and color) cut back on the cream until you can see the consistency.  You do not want to work with runny frosting.  

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Next, fill a disposable bag with your desired tip.  I use the Wilton brand ones.  I have couplers and a box of tips that I collect. 

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Tips

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I try to use the larger openings because it pipes out cleaner and quick.  You want a quick wrist motion as you do these.  You want to hold the cupcake up and pipe the frosting on.  Do not sit it on the counter and try to pipe straight down.  You will never get a perfect circle.  I learned that this time.  I was pretty tired after baking and mixing all evening that I sat down in front of the tv to watch a show and pipe frosting.  If you want perfect looking frosting, hold the cupcake at an angle and pipe it on as you turn it.

I lost my big 2A tip so I ended up using a 12 tip.  I wasn't happy with the frosting but I made it work.

And those Candy Cane Sprinkles?  They make a great decoration as well.

You can't really see the gorgeous swirl of red and white cake but its there.  I promise to get pictures.  I want to make another batch before Christmas and there will definitely be a Valentines version of this.  I also stocked up on the Candy Cane sprinkles.  I have 2 more bottles.

This is so much fun!

We love Ziggy around here.  He keeps a cranky 4 year old in check when tantrum loom and when cranky pants gets up in the morning, just a quick mention of Ziggy turns the frowns into a smile as he goes looking for him.

Ziggys latest antics.....

 Found at the top of the tree snacking on a candy cane.

 Ziggy is totally a crafty elf.  One night he made a paper chain for the tree with my scrapbook paper.  Wasn't happy that he stole my stash but I have too much of a stash so I forgave him.

 Made a candy necklace.

Santa sent an early present for Nick.  A Build a Bear Snoopy dressed as a hockey player.

Anatomy of a school party

Once again, I got beat out for the cupcakes on the sign up sheet.

I already had my ideas and half of the ingredients so I went ahead and made them.  Hey, my kid likes cupcakes!  And I figured its a cool treat for the teachers and staff.  The moms that beat me to the sign up sheet usually bring in store bought cupcakes or attempt to make cupcakes that don't turn out.  The last time, the mom put a thin layer of frosting on and the kids refused to eat them.  Come on, kids like frosting.  Its the ONLY reason to eat a cupcake right?  The cake is like the plate for the frosting.

All ideas are from Pinterest.

By the time I got to the sign up sheet, the only things left were cheese sticks, napkins and plates and goody bags.  Again, all the fun things were taken.  At first, I thought about just taking the month off and enjoying the party.  Then the room mom asked me if I was going to bring more of the 'cool goody bags' like Halloween.  Uhm, no.  I'm tired of those.  I really want the cupcakes.

I know, I'm worse than my 4 year old in the whining department.  But I really like cupcakes.  The crafty side won out and I made the goody bags.  The day before the party, the plates/napkins and cheese sticks were still outstanding on the sign up sheet.

I went around and around on the goody bags and finally came up with this.

I used a shape from the Silhouette store to cut out the little boxes and then I filled them with holiday stuff.  I couldn't find Christmas pencils or anything so its all candy in there.  And a sheet of snowflake stickers.  The snowman box is for the teacher.  The rest are for the kids in the class. (Note, the Silhouette notches the folds for you.  These boxes went together very easily and the snowflake was part of the set.)

Bakers Twine: Divine Twine
Mist: Studio Calico Mister Huey White and Shine
Papers: Echo Park Seasons Greetings

The parties are always a success.

 The school even hires a Santa to come around to each classroom and hand out candy canes.

I  had to get a picture.  THOSE were the cupcakes.  

And the sing-a-long is my favorite part.