CELEBRATING HER 3RD ANNIVERSARY!

This is sure to be another good reason to celebrate! My good neighbor Lisa is celebrating yet another cherished year ,as she and most of her friends and family's are also grateful in participating, of her successful recovery from an almost fateful aneurysm. We are so grateful for her recovery and for the outstanding doctors and paramedics there at Mission Hospital! As Lisa has every year so far, asked me to share in her gratitude to all the people who had assisted their healing hands that day and throughout the duration of her recovery. And so this year, I am excited that I was able to change it up a little from the still fabulously good cupcakes to the truffle brownie pops this time!
I thought that we ought to make it personal ~with a wonderful note and Psalm suggested by Lisa ~would make this Easter Basket a perfect touch to the occasion. This is a personal thank you for all of you with the magic touch of compassion , care and healing that you constantly give to people in crisis and need. I truley Thank You too!
So I just followed up Lisa and she let me know that the truffle brownie pops were a hit! She decided to divie them up to those who were an integral part of her healing and these people were:
Dr. Lampert and Angiogram team(Lisa's 1st surgery to stop the bleeding)
Dr. Jackson, Darren (his PA) and Wilda(Office Mgr.)- Dr. Jackson is her Neurosurgeon
Mark Stevens and Mitch Ocasio (paramedics)
Terry, Kelli and Tane Sedgewick(personal trainer, wife and son)
Peter Bastone and Executive Team (CEO of Mission Hospital)
SICU Team of Nurses( she left a whole basket for them!!!!)
Her personal small group of friends!
.......She had fun!!! And that make me a happy baker!!!

ROMANTIC BRIDAL GARDEN SHOWER!

A wonderful neighbor of mine just down the street from me had a very good reason to contact me! Her son is getting married and she and her best friend Donna were going to put together a fabulous bridal shower for her daughter in law to be. It was so funny that they mentioned that they wanted it to exude a romantic garden and went to Pottery Barn to fetch some of those adorable watering cans! When they mentioned it, I had to tell them that I just got a few of those myself for the Easter which I was planning for. They would be great for those other splendid occasions that need to express a romantic "in the garden" look too! Aren't those water cans the sweetest things you have ever seen? Love them!

ESTANCIA IN LA JOLLA

If there is any resort here in California that has the most beautiful and ideal setting, it is the Estancia Resort in La Jolla. I had the opportunity to discover this gem when I catered Emily and Brian's wedding last October. Miguel Pola was an additional photographer that day to Marc Weisberg and took these gorgeous photos I, oh just nabbed from his blog....hope that's ok Miguel? Aren't they beautiful though?
Well, last night I was doing a little research and came across a lovely blog posting from the event coordinator from the Estancia Hotel! I was thrilled to get just more than an admirable mention (posted here) from the Director of Catering, Erica Hinshaw. She actually used some of my photos that were from the Wedding that day! Anyway, thank you so much for mentioning my cupcake business amongst the elite services there in San Diego! That's just Fabulous!

AURELIA'S QUICKY BRIDAL SHOWER!

Aurelia and her finace' Josh are eloping this weekend and they will be tieing the knot up in Vegas! Well, the girls here at work just couldn't let her off so easily so we decided to have a surprise party for her before she just took off leaving us like that!

Good thing too that she hates surprises..... Well, this one brought tears to her eyes and we were all pleased that it went over really well! She loved it! We are all really happy for you Aurelia! Best wishes to you both....hugs!

LAURIE'S BABY SHOWER!

Four more days and the little arrival of Lucy will be cradeling in her new mothers arms! My dear customer Laurie whom I have known since the year I began this cupcake business is celebrating again with a lovely little girl which the family is adopting from Korea. She most definitely will be loved and will have a big sister to watch over her too.
Laurie's close friends Tina and Kristen made her place of the party look amazing. And I mean close too...Kristen is about a house next door and Tina just lives a few blocks away. I would love to have my BFF that close! Anyway, I am hoping that they can send a few pictures because I would love for you to see what they did with the hot pink and lime theme! Truely, after seeing the diplay, they ought to consider going into business because it looked that incredible. So, I hope to have pictures that they will show me soon? I do go on ...but Tina and Cynthia should really consider it...... just wow!
So all of my best wishes go out to the family with your new bundle of joy! Lucy couldn't have picked a better family to be apart of!

HOPPITY HOP HOP... THE EASTER BUNNY IS ON IT'S WAY!

Hoppity Hop Hop......on over to ditzie cakes for some fabulous ideas for some sweet endings with you perfect Sunday brunch. I have shown a few ideas for the theme this year for Easter, but as you know, anything can be created to make your Holiday a perfect one. Let Andie create something fabulous!

PEPPERMINT WITH LOVE!

Wishing you all a very heart warming Valentine's Day!
XOXO - Andie

SNICKERS! SNICKERS SNICKERS!

Who doesn't like a good hearty Snicker's Bar with that perfect balance of caramel,nougat and salty peanuts? I never thought that I would be attempting to make it in a cupcake but someone put me up to the test. Not bad for my first run.....but I know that I can make it better the second time around. I put a nice fluffy caramel filling and cut a handsome piece of snickers for the filling inside the center of the cupcake. Next time around, I want a gooey caramel! Needs to be gooey!
The frosting turned out acceptable. I think it had a nice fluffy marshmallow consistecy that recreated well to the snickers mousse center. So, it needs a little more work....but if I had just a few more extra Snicker Cupcakes around I would have inhaled them! So I guess I am glad that they are gone.... I think =( !

GO CHARGERS! GO COWBOYS!

GO TEAM! Well, it looks like it is going to be a fun evening tonight for a wonderful lady I have been wanting to repay for the longest time. I was so happy to hear that she would take me up on my offer for a dozen of her choice for graciously taking the time advertise ditzie cakes on her blog! I came across Shelley Bostrom's site named Patricia Ann Design's when I saw my "Girly Skull" Pattern advertised in the Hernshaw's children clothing magazine. I had to check the PAD website out and see for myself the many sweet ideas she had done with my design....
LOVE them all! At one time, I had managed to give a few examples you might have all ready seen on my side bar. I couldn't resist buying up a few of these cute travel blankies as well! Check out her lovely store here in Lake Forest.... the celebs seem to adore her line as well!

SWEET VALENTINE!

Romance is in the air and that special day is just around the corner! Well for those of you in love, you just happen to be smitten every day. What's nice about this occasion though, you can express it lovingly with whom you adore and you can even make your sorrowful breakup a bite sweeter! Oh! I mean a bit sweeter! Shower your love with cupcakes topped with red roses or give your BFF the support they need after just mercilessly being split up..... like a cupcake she will remember! I call this one the "Voodoo You Love". Go ahead and give it a nice spell as you take a bite out of the "Him"! See... Ditzie Cakes can "Say it Best with Cupcakes!" XOXO

PEPPERMINT KISSED DITZIE POPS!

There is a constant need to make something better than the last time! I really liked how my brownie pops looked the day of my Halloween party.....but I really like the way these taste! It has a nice surprise of crushed peppermint rolled onto the double dipped layers of white chocolate! Uh....yum!

MARC WEISBERG MAKES DITZIE CAKES LOOK FABULOUSLY GOOD!

This has got to be by far the most beautifully captured Wedding I have ever seen! Not only are the couple just as beautiful but so are the people whom I have been so priveledged to work with on this day. The talented Marc Weisberg photographed the day and I was so lucky to have received these photographs from him just recently. This little cupcake baker's battery was not fully charged and I was extremely disappointed living with that thought so I ran up to Marc (as he was busy working!) and asked him for a few good shots for me! After I heard that Amy Kuchta said Emily and Brian hired the best of the best photographer I felt rather intimidated..... but he was so thoughtful and I can't thank him enough!!!! I have to laugh at loud, but I heard that Emily was persistent about getting more shots of the cupcakes that evening. I was overwhelmed to see how many he photographed....LOL!

I also would like to thank the talents of Debbie Jacobson from Flower's Etc. who as you can see the arrangements are just stunning. Debbie has been a great support to ditzie cakes and has also topped my cupcakes an extra notch with those beautiful fresh flowers! I owe her big time!

And here is the beautiful Amy Kuchta......the event planner extrordinaire! These fine people made this day perfect! My gratitude to you all for being able to be a part of working with the best people! My only wish is to be able to have another chance to do it all again someday!

AN ANTHROPOLOGIE CHRISTMAS WHIM!

I absolutely love my darling four foot Christmas tree this year! Every year there seems to be a new way to decorate the little West Elm silver branched tree. It was going to remain all silver until I made a small purchase from Anthroplogie. It started with the two girls and then when I saw that they were on Sale .....well I just couldn't resist to obtain a few more that I had my eye on!

Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday and may health and happiness continue throughout the New Year!

THE MCLAUGHLIN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY!

These bottle brush trees came a little too late for the photoshoot I did for last's Christmas holiday website.....however they are still so darn cute! Yes, I bought them off of Etsy once again and they came all the way from Ontario, Canada. They are nice little vintage pieces that I might use again for next year's holiday.
So, it seems every year that the McLaughlin's like to celebrate "huge" for Christmas. This is my second customer order from this terrific lady who let me plan the menu for all of her 175 guests!
Happy Holidays and hope that I see you again in the New Year! I really think that would be terrific!

HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I just can't stand it! This adorable reindeer which I bought from Ebay just makes my heart sing! There was never a bad shot taken with this cute deer which made it difficult to pick and choose from. Hope you will all enjoy the new Holiday website as much as I had making it!

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful friends and customers that I hav had the pleasure of getting to know throughout the years. You have added so much joy to my little business that I have proudly named ditzie cakes! May your Holidays be Merry and Bright.... and may yummy cupcakes be sure to Delight!