Birthday Cake and a Cupcake Too

I did it! It's not the most professional looking cake in the world, but I made it and the recipient loved it. Oh, and it tasted great. That's the part I was really worried about. The marshmallow fondant was liked by kids and adults. I put enought buttercream between the layers and underneath the fondant, in case the fondant got picked off. I used a yellow cake recipe from 'The Cake Bible' and it stayed moist and was really buttery and old-fashioned cakey goodness-like.I wish the pictures were a bit more clear.

Here's the front:

Here's a side view:

It took me three hours to do the surface decoration. My hand was sore all day from squeezing a

piping bag. It was worth it though. I like to do it, but as a hobby only. There's no way I could do this all day, every day. I was absolutely exhausted after I dropped it off!

I also made this little cupcake change purse to go with the quilted bag. I filled it with chocolate coins and didn't include anything else with the gift. I feel good about that; it's hard to give something handmade (except to your mum!) and not feel like you're being cheap. It's hard to acknowledge/justify that your time is worth something.

I have seen similar pouches at Mastermind. Very cute, and only $6; but where's the fun in that? You don't get to pore over your stash and decide what to use; you don't get to sew colorful glass beads onto little -girl -pink satin. You don't get to master sewing in a zipper or figure out how to finally sew in a lining properly. I made my own pattern. I only had to make one mock-up. I'm so full of sewing confidence right now: I might just make something else today :)