Freebies

Free Tutorials:

Here is a Photo tutorial of This Football Helmet Cake  (Please find me on Facebook if you have any other questions about it! :) Click Here to Go to Cake Adoration on Facebook and become a Fan!

 I started with 5, 10" round cakes, chilled but not frozen!! Filled each one and then began shaving... shaving... shaving away - be careful - you cannot add back on once you have shaved it off!  This process takes a bit of time and patience. You can also print up a picture of the helmet - full size (or use a real one) and hold it up next to it often as you shape the cake. A real helmet may possibly be larger than this so you may need to use 12" round cakes.

 Crumb Coat and frost - I used the paper towel (Viva brand works best) to smooth out the buttercream once it crusted over so I could cover it with fondant.

 I started with the inside - used Black fondant

 Then I covered it in white fondant - notice I did it in two pieces. Much easier to cover and I always have a thick strip going down the center of the helmet anyway (see next picture).  I used just a small line of white chocolate to hold it together. Make sure your cake is not too cold and for sure not at all frozen when you cover it with fondant - because after it warms all the way up it will begin to loosen and separate. (you can tint your fondant first and then just paint another coat over it if you want - that would actually work out good just in case you do see any brush strokes)

 For this helmet I used Forrest Green and added a little silver luster dust to it and mixed a ton of that (maybe half the bottle of green) with lemon extract - or you can use vodka. Then took a 1" soft paint brush - brand new or one that has only ever touched cake, and I carefully painted it.  You have to be careful when painting something like this because you can't go over your same brush strokes too much or it starts to look funny - pulled (kind of like if you smear paint that is almost dry) if you have a spot that does this just leave it instead of trying to fuss with it - the more you paint in one spot the worse this technique works - I'd suggest trying out the technique first on something else that is large enough to get a good idea of how it works.  You could use an airbrush, but I didn't have one and this technique turned out good so I've stuck with it.

 I used a fondant extruder to make the face guard.  But I used 2 parts gum paste to 1 part fondant so that  it would dry quickly.  I star with the piece that goes up above the forehead (using melted chocolate in a pastry bag to adhere) Then I do the long piece that goes from each side of the forehead down to the cake plate.  Lastly I do the middle face guard piece - using toothpicks to hold it and then once it's semi dry I measure out little pieces, which I extrude, measuring to the correct height for it.  First I put toothpicks - cut to size) inside to allow for the weight of the middle piece (see below picture)

 I then use tin foil to hold it in place over night and paint that part the next day (keep cake chilled overnight or for longer periods in a refrigerator)

I also used just a basic paper tower to get the wing pattern the size I wanted it and cut that out of fondant - placed it on and then painted it with a mixture of food coloring and lemon extract.

 I hope you enjoy!  And good luck creating!

 

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Here is a great How to Video on making Fondant Bows, they turn out cute no matter how large or small you make them! 

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This will give you a quick and very basic example of how to make a fondant bow. I make my bows from 3 parts Gum Paste to 1 part Fondant.
Here is the size I used again in case you missed it: 11" long by 3" wide - Actually - I made a 12"x 3" long piece, and then cut off a 1" piece so that the final piece is 11" x 3" long.
Make sure to let your Bow dry in a dry area - not the freezer and not the oven just a dry area. But if you need it to dry faster, I have tried putting it in the oven with JUST the oven Light turned on and that seems to make it dry faster. Remember - The thicker your piece the longer it takes to dry. There are many ways to make bows - this is just the easiest way that I've done it. Hope you like it.

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LDS Young Women's Items  - Now I realize this is not cake related... but I have a few items that at times I have created and want to share. Feel free to Copy and paste or save these YW items and use them.  Thanks! Contact me on FB if you have questions. 

 LDS YW New Beginnings - Dr. Suess Style
Our Theme for New Beginnings was Dr. Suess "Oh the Places You'll Go" - Likening it to this years Youth theme: Stand Ye in Holy Places.   We took a few ideas from Hatch Patch (link: http://hatchpatch.com/new-beginnings-dr-seuss ) and then we did our own version.  I was asked to give the talk / introduce all of the values to the YW and parents.  Instead of just writing up a regular talk, I decided to Wear a yellow Fluffy wig and a yellow shirt with a Blue Star on it (Like the Sneetches) and then I wrote my talk to be like a Dr. Suess Poem. It just all came to me and flowed and flowed... (only took me 3 hrs lol) but it was fun and I really hope some of you can use it! I brought each Dr. Suess book that went with a Value (see the poem below)  in a suit case and pulled them out on que.

After I gave my part, the YW president spoke for a bout 5 min and tied the Youth Theme for 2013 into the Dr. Suess theme and then we had the bishop close up with some remarks.  I believe the my part - introduction of the values took about 18-20 minutes and I had 8 Young Women help me out with it, reading the scriptures that went along with each Value.  Since I was kind of in Character and being silly, I didn't want to have the spiritual part be silly either. And it really seemed to work! A few of the things I wrote in my "Poem" would need to be changed to fit your needs (a few of my young women's names were used so you would have to re-write a few small little lines) And I also wanted to mention that with each book we chose to use, we took a small phrase or saying from each of them and tied it with each Value that went with that book. (8 Values - 8 of Dr. Suess' books) 

For decorations we color copied and then blew up pictures of the front of each of the 8 books I used for the Values.  And had a banner at the front that said: "Oh the Places You'll Go" We also had a few other Dr. Suess Books and a couple stuffed animals that are Dr. suess Animals.
We had Truffula Tree cake Pops for dessert. But we put a small brownie on the bottom of a clear glass, then a scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice cream on top of that, and then stuck the Truffula Tree cake pops into the top of them... turned out so stinking cute!  And yummy! I was temped to make some yellow mustache cookies (like the Lorax) but refrained - simplify right?

Hope you like the "poem" and can use it.  Thanks! 
 Here is the presentation of the Values - Dr. Suess Poem Style: 
Be-ware - It's LONG!
Dr. Suess Books: Faith "Horton Hears a Who", Divine Nature: "The Sneetches", Individual Worth: "Happy Birthday Book", Knowledge: "I can Read with my Eyes Shut", Choice and Accountability: "The Lorax", Good Works: "Yertle the Turtle" Integrity: "Horton Hatches the egg", Virtue: "I had trouble getting to Solla Sollew". I also used the book: "Oh the Places You'll Go" for the last little paragraph in this poem.

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New Beginnings

Dr. Suess Poem to Present the YW Values

Hello Every one, how do you do? My Name is Salinda Sordova de doo! I’m a Sneetch you see, a beautiful sneetch golden hair and all… I welcome you here and hope you have a ball!

I came here tonight, to share with each one, my adventures and all of the places I've been. Places from here to there, from top to the bottom all over the world…from earth down to heaven... so now that I'm here let’s being… as long is it is a quarter past Seven.

OH hogwash, “do tell”, is, I know what you are saying... so here we go now, let's begin and quit playing!
In my suitcase I have quite a few little gems, a few things I hope will excite you ladies and gents.

Faith- now faith is the thing that I want to say first just come hear about Horton he is the best, yes the best 1 with faith is the best not the worst.

Now this is a story of faith that is true. The faith of an elephant in some small little who's.   
But our faith though at times it is small… it’s not in the who’s… but in the greatest one of all!! That great one, you know the one that I’m meaning, he's the one we believe without even seeing.

So keep faith like Horton, ya know… don't ever give up and your faith it will grow!  Just listen to Horton... his wise words will help you recall:  "don't give up, I believe in you all.  A person's a person no matter how small"

Now, I have a few friends here to help me on out, come up here dear lassie, I don't want to shout.
She's here to help, what ever I need. Her words are important so please do give heed.

Have a YW come up and read:  

 Alma 32:21

Thanks for that help my dear lassie, so true! We all owe a great deal of Thank you’s to you.

 

Next up my dear friends is this fun little tale… about my friends the sneetches... we’re all such wonderfully strange little creatures... Who stand on the banks of the beautiful beaches.

Now what was the thing that we learned that fine day? 
Divine Nature, is what... so they all came to say... "that sneetches are sneetches and no kind of sneech is the best on the beaches. That day all Sneetches forgot about stars and whether they had one or not upon thars.”
I have yet another sweet chap here for you, she will share with us words that are certainly true!

2 Peter 1:4-7

Thanks dear sweet chap, now go sit on down... But don't you forget there is no need to frown!

Now this next part of my fun filled up journey… is one of my very most favorites... so sit back, relax, listen and learn-ey!

This book will show you what they do in Katroo, for in that fine place they sure know how to say: "happy birthday to you!" 
It's wonderful what I’ve learn all around this big earth... I’ve learned that each 1 has great individual worth!

Now here's what you'll learn if you visit Katroo... You will learn that "today you are you...that is truer than true!  There's no one alive that is youer were than you!"
Come down here my buddy, my gal, my pal,  come down here and Tell us, please tell us just how!

Have a YW come up and read:  

D&C 18:10

(And Read poem my individual worth)

 

My Individual Worth
by: Jennifer Slyh

 I look into the mirror
And staring back at me
A beautiful young woman
Who sometimes I can't see.

A soul so great in the sight of the Lord,
I'm a princess of royal birth.
Why can't I push away worldly ideals
And realize my personal worth?

I've been given a mission divine,
For which I must strive to fulfill.
And Celestial glory shall be there for me
If I live and obey the Lord's will.

Then why does life seem so tough at times?
It's so hard to see how I'll get through!
Satan is strong, but the Lord's even stronger
And He'll be there in all that I do.

So next time I look in the mirror,
I must always remember God's love.
Then I will see my true beauty
And know I've got help from above.

Thanks for that lesson on each persons worth, now onward we go... With gusto a girth!

The next book I have will for sure keep you yearning... It will show us all how to gain knowledge and learning!
This book is a great one to read, weather you read it in a home or a hut... I bet you didn't know, that I can read with my eyes shut!
In this book we hear about all the things you can read about... I'm sorry, I'm excited, I hope I don't shout!
But the best little tid bit from this book you'll see…is: "The more that you read, the more things you'll know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
And take it from me, going places is fun, learning is too... Just listen up now to my dear little friend…. Rylee-ka-roo!
D&C 88:118

And next, from my suitcase I bring...  This adventure...But it was not taken with ease... Although mile after mile in the fresh morning breeze... as I walked along past the truffula trees.  Here is what I learned from this one.. This is the adventure of the Lorax you see... my lesson was learned with much difficulty... for it taught me about choice and accountability.

The true lesson that we must all learn from this book...  to each of you now I say take a look... "unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not"
the choices we make are important so see, come listen to my dear tiny friend little miss Ashley McPhee.  
Have a YW come up and read:  

 Joshua 24:15

Thank you Ashley McPhee, I'm so glad you helped us understand  choice and accountability!

But there's more that I've learned from my adventures you see, this next ones about Yertle the turtle... what a pain HE could be!

Now yertle was King, a demanding one at that... upon tons of turtles he sat and he sat! Ruling with rudeness... he gave quite a fuss, until 1 below stood up for us!
“That one little turtle his name was just Mack... from way down below in the stack... he decided he'd taken enough and he had. And that plain little lad got a little bit mad, and that plain Little Mac did a plain little thing... He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king. And today the great Yertle that marvelous he, is king of the mud.  That is all he can see. And the Turtles of course... all the turtles are free, as turtles, and maybe all creatures should be.”

Listen now my friends to a little young women, tune in your antennas for it is time we hear form my friend McKenna!   
Have a YW come up and read:  

 3Nephi 12:16
(And have the same YW Read this story also - Pick someone who is a good reader or possibly another leader)

Each day is a gift...
and you never know
how you can make the difference.
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.  His name was Kyle.  It looked like he was carrying all of his books.  I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?  He must really be a nerd."  I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.  His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.  He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.  My heart went out to him.  So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks.  They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"  There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.  I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.  As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.  He said he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.  We talked all the way home, and I carried his books.  He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.  I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends.  He said yes.

We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.  Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.  I stopped him and said, "you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"

He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.  When we were seniors, began to think about college.  Kyle decided on Georgetown, and was going to Duke.  I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.  He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.  Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.  He had to prepare a speech for graduation.  I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.  He looked great.  He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.  He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.  He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!  Boy, sometimes I was jealous.  Today was one of those days.  I could see that he was nervous about his speech.  So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began  "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly your friends.  I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.  I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.  He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't

have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.  He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.  "Thankfully, I was saved.  My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.  I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.  Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.  With one small gesture you can change a person's life.  For better or for worse.  God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.  Look for good in others.

Thank you McKenna, for that story with perks it taught us all about how to have good works!

Now this next one I share, I'm sure that you know, its about my friend Horton... That grand little fellow.
That Horton he's great! He never gives up! He can always be counted on, when you're down on your luck!  Wise words that he spoke were never more true... listen my friends as I tell them to you. For Horton, sure has integrity that truly shines through......
"I meant what I said and I said what I meant, an elephant's faithful 100 percent!"
So do all that he does, follow Horton's lead. Be faithful to others when they are in need!
By doing this I know these things to be true... your integrity will also shine through!  
I have yet another young friend who is wise... she comes from the town of von-disa, you see... her name is Clarisa von-disa de do... so listen to what she is telling to you.  

Have a YW come up and read:  

 Job 27:5

Now 1 last good thing that I'd like to tell you, before you get up and stand on your shoe... this one is all about having virtue...
This story is mixed up and tricksed up and true... it's about all the trouble I had getting to solla sollew.
But a-mid all the troubles the big and the small, I learned to have virtue to battle them all. In this adventure I learned, that “there are troubles of more than one kind some come from a head and some come from behind...(get out Bat) but I've bought a big bat and I'm ready you see.  Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”
(Bring a bat)

Now, come join me my final, last friend, help me.. tell what is true... What scriptute will help get us to solla sollew? 
 

Have a YW come up and read:  

 Proverbs 31:10

 And now it is time for me to go, more adventures are waiting for me.  This life is interesting as all of you know. You'll get mixed up... with many strange birds as you go.. so be sure when you step.  Step with great tact… and remember that life's a great balancing act. The values I’ve learned in my travels are true… please remember them until you are one hundred and two! Remember them, live them and keep them with you!
Now I must go, farewell all of you!

You're off to great places today is your day, your mountain is waiting so get on your way!