.Amanda Cupcake. Sweet Dreamer ♥: 1/1/12

It's 2012, and I was going to write a traditional "reflection" blog dedicated to New Years.

I've been so busy.

I've mainly been superhero-cupcake-ing it up as Amanda Cupcake.

But..I've also been working a second job as a cook at an assisted living home to save money to finance a possible bakery..or a really fun recipe book? or who knows what's next? for my cupcake business. The job at the assisted living home is more than just a job to me though. I've always loved working with the elderly, and I was even considering volunteering just to visit with them, and get out of my own little bubble. When I saw that the nearby assisted living home was hiring a cook, I applied. It must have been destiny because I got the job. I go in wearing scrubs, a hairnet, and purple eyeshadow (sometimes glitter too), and try to make somebody smile. Plus-I've been learning mad cooking skillz.

♥

On top of that I've been teaching cupcake classes at Fox Valley Technical College. I even taught four hours of cupcake classes recently at Waupaca High School. Here are the cupcakes I taught the high school students to make:

When I talked about adding glitter to my cherries to turn them into "disco" cherries, one of the students exclaimed, "That is the best thing I have heard all day!" I was beaming with joy all day after that, really.

My point is, I wanted to make all these ahhmazing New Years cupcakes. You know, like champagne cupcakes or cocktail celebration cupcakes with pearls and sparkles on them.

♥

But what I came up with the other day for a really special order pretty much defines the past year of who Amanda Cupcake is, and who everyone that I've come in touch with in the past year is as well. They are the absolute perfect Amanda Cupcake New Years cupcakes, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Let's call them Lovecakes.

Meet the lovely recipient.

Her name is Teal. She found love, and is getting married! So I made her cupcakes filled with LOVE for her New Year's Eve Wedding Shower. ♥

This is a photo of her cupcake buffet fit for a queen that was sent to my Iphone. It made her so happy, she cried. This text message made me so happy, I cried!

I handcrafted banners of love and color and bows that connected cupcake swirls.

Vibrant colors for a beautiful & vivacious person!

You know, there are miniature pies hidden inside each of these cupcakes too. This one has an apple crisp pie on the inside.

(I found this adorable polka dot cupcake platter at Lucky Tree Home Decor in Waupaca)

And I baked a mini raspberry pie inside of this lemon cupcake. The little "jewel" is an edible M&M that I blinged out. I made a cupcake topper by hot glue-ing a feather onto a wooden stick! (this way the feather pieces don't get stuck on the cupcake frosting).