Cupcake Birthday #1

We just got through the largest portion of what we call "birthday season".

Kind of similar to the spring season, in that you can "smell it in the air"...in all its sugary, chocolatey wonder.

Or it could be compared to winter. Lots of ice-ing.

Or really, you might consider it autumnal...all the smoke that came from Daddy's candles this year smelled like a good October bonfire.

Yep, any number of seasonal comparisons could be found for our birthday season. Except... our birthday season comes in summer...6 of our birthdays, in fact, fall within the months of June, July, and August. I may post a picture of Grace's cake at a future date. Sam's was an Oreo cake (not too fancy), and Dad had pies. Delicious, but not worthy of a blog post, I'm afraid. So for now, I will chronicle the Cupcake Girls' birthday desserts.

First Kate's.

This is Hootles clan.

First a disclaimer. I would never have chosen to use the horrible store-bought frosting, except that the directions said I had to. *sigh* But admitedly...it did cut down on prep time!

So first of all, the cupcakes! Of various sizes, for big and little hooters of all ages and walks of life. Baked to perfection, smelling delectable.

Thickly coated (of course!) with chocolate.

And what's a cupcake-making session good for if you don't, at least once, drop your chocolate-besmeared knife on the floor?!? Don't worry. I washed it. Who wants to be stepping on chocolate?

And then, once all your fingers, knuckles, and all the cupcake papers are fairly well blotched with chocolate, it's time for some owl faces!

First some Oreos. Painstakingly opened.(Hey, but if a few break...all the better, right?!?)

And a handful of these little guys. Who likes the bananas best? I do! I do! And I was rather disappointed to have to use them all on the cupcakes. Sacrifices.

Ta da!!

They look like I do when I walk out of the big cooler at work on a warm day.

Ah, but we won't leave them that way! These, my friends, may look like little chocolate candies. But in fact, they are little pieces of personality...

This is Ebenezer and his brother Scrooge.

This one's name is Percival. I think he just got a glimpse of the cat.

So many delightful things to be done with eyeballs.
And these owls have EYEBALLS.

And after working with all that chocolate, what's better than a big mug of tea?


Except, perhaps a happy little blue-eyed owlette.


Who's great idea was this? There are only 10 people in our household, for goodness sake! We can't eat that many cupcakes in 3 days! For yes indeed, Carrie's birthday is 3 days after Kate's...and I planned to make another set of cupcake critters. That's what I get for letting them BOTH look at my cupcake book. :)