......My sister Kate and I got to have the day off from school- while we waited at the hospital for Mum to give birth to Alex! It was a LONG day for a 11yr old and a 9 year old. We had our Nanna to look after us in the waiting room, and buy us packets of chocolate biscuits off the tea trolley ;) We waited ALL DAY- until Alexandra Judith Margaret was born at 3.33pm! We Loved her so much- and still do!
So after reminiscing about how it only feels like yesterday that we had our 21st birthdays- it was time for us to prepare for Alex's.
My sister Kate is the master of poetic speeches, she has a knack for being witty and heartfelt all rolled into one- but we went a different angle for our speech to Alex- we went Gen Y! Having been born into a generation who has not known life without modern technology- we decided to make a "speech" for Alex that she and her peers would understand. Kate created a series of quirky "text" messages to be read out, and I created a movie montage. After spending more than 20 hours creating a video that ran for under 6 minutes- I have a new appreciation for movie makers- and the money they cost to make.
All timed to music- I scanned in old photos, and created tittle and credit effects, but I am not thinking of switching careers just yet.
Being the family chef- I also took on the challenge of the food. I had Alex come and help me prepare the canapes, I taught Kate to make Sushi, Mum ran around for all the bits and pieces, while dad erected the Marquee's and got the yard just right! So all in all it was a family effort.
The Theme for the party was Black White and Bling! (Yes we made the invites too!)
The invites were double sided personalised printed Gloss invites- they looked the part!
I knew from the start what "I" wanted for the cake- it was just convincing Alex that her opinion counted that was the hard part. The cake design had been drawn up for months, I was excited by how it was going to look- and so glad when it all came together!!!!
I always warn my clients that while black icing looks very impressive- it really isn't practical- your teeth and tongue go a blue black colour, which is mighty attractive to say the least! Seeing as though Alex was only entertaining around 100 of her closest family and friends- I decided it OK to taint their mouths all in the name of design!
The cake was a three tier cake- each tier double stacked, with a black iced base tier, surrounded by icing pearls and a pearl finish hand cut "A" (thanks Mum!!). The "A" was Alex's own design- and god help us if she is ever a Bride- as she got a bit demanding when mum was cutting it out! LOL!!
Alex Painting her "A" pearl
The Middle tier was my favourite part of the cake- wholly encrusted with 2-6mm cachous- it was the "Bling"! I knew how I thought I would do it- and IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was stoked!
The Top tier was iced white and painted pearl (thanks again mum;)) - well I was busy with paying clients too! with a black sugar bow at the base, and a sugar silver 21 on top- with hand rolled icing pearls just sitting randomly on the top!
Alex was keen to have a cartoon person too- but to me the cake just didn't need it.
Inside was a different flavour in each tier- the Base- Dark chocolate Hazelnut Mud with Frangellico- The mid tier Marble with Grand Marnier- the top tier Kahlua White Chocolate. Each tier was carved, then sandwiched with white chocolate ganache, before being iced in a thin coat of plastic icing.
The Cake weighed a tonne- and despite probably knowing better- I put it together and transported it as one! It arrived safe, so all was well.
The cake, and Savoury food wasn't all for Alex's big night- I also (with a huge Thanks to Karen at Bliss Floral for the loan of Vases) made a Lolly buffet for the party!!!!
I love lolly buffets- and everyone was so excited by it- the Child inside all of us wanted to dive right in and pack a bag of goodies to take home. Choosing Black and White lollies to keep in the theme was hard. I hate Liquorice! We did have liquorice on the buffet- but I avoided having too much aniseed flavour. 
I made Melting moments,cupcakes and white chocolate rocky road- then we had chico babies, bullets, kool mints, sweet popcorn, fizzy chews, Jelly beans and more! Buy the end of the night it was totally empty! A success indeed!
I had been thinking all week about the candles for the cake- I had the sparklers, but totally ran out of time to find some matching candles- The sparklers worked a treat though!
Say one last goodbye to the cake!
Cutting the cake.
It is ready to be destructed!!!!
Alex didn't want to cut her cake- but I made her! hehehe!
This cake was a large scale cake- carved 12" 10" 8" double height rounds- standing close to 70cm tall - including the "21" this cake was a monster!
I cut some of each flavour for Alex's guests to eat- There was more than enough to go around!
So All in All- Alex had a fantastic 21st! A bloody Awesome cake ;?
And a family that still dotes on her and enables her every whim!
When will we learn??? hahaha!
BTW- don't you just love her hair!
Happy Birthday Alex!
Wishing you all the very best for the 21 years ahead!
Lots of Love
SJ
My sister Kate is the master of poetic speeches, she has a knack for being witty and heartfelt all rolled into one- but we went a different angle for our speech to Alex- we went Gen Y! Having been born into a generation who has not known life without modern technology- we decided to make a "speech" for Alex that she and her peers would understand. Kate created a series of quirky "text" messages to be read out, and I created a movie montage. After spending more than 20 hours creating a video that ran for under 6 minutes- I have a new appreciation for movie makers- and the money they cost to make.
All timed to music- I scanned in old photos, and created tittle and credit effects, but I am not thinking of switching careers just yet.
Being the family chef- I also took on the challenge of the food. I had Alex come and help me prepare the canapes, I taught Kate to make Sushi, Mum ran around for all the bits and pieces, while dad erected the Marquee's and got the yard just right! So all in all it was a family effort.
The Theme for the party was Black White and Bling! (Yes we made the invites too!)
The invites were double sided personalised printed Gloss invites- they looked the part!
I knew from the start what "I" wanted for the cake- it was just convincing Alex that her opinion counted that was the hard part. The cake design had been drawn up for months, I was excited by how it was going to look- and so glad when it all came together!!!!
I always warn my clients that while black icing looks very impressive- it really isn't practical- your teeth and tongue go a blue black colour, which is mighty attractive to say the least! Seeing as though Alex was only entertaining around 100 of her closest family and friends- I decided it OK to taint their mouths all in the name of design!
The cake was a three tier cake- each tier double stacked, with a black iced base tier, surrounded by icing pearls and a pearl finish hand cut "A" (thanks Mum!!). The "A" was Alex's own design- and god help us if she is ever a Bride- as she got a bit demanding when mum was cutting it out! LOL!!
Alex Painting her "A" pearlThe Middle tier was my favourite part of the cake- wholly encrusted with 2-6mm cachous- it was the "Bling"! I knew how I thought I would do it- and IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was stoked!
The Top tier was iced white and painted pearl (thanks again mum;)) - well I was busy with paying clients too! with a black sugar bow at the base, and a sugar silver 21 on top- with hand rolled icing pearls just sitting randomly on the top!
Alex was keen to have a cartoon person too- but to me the cake just didn't need it.
Inside was a different flavour in each tier- the Base- Dark chocolate Hazelnut Mud with Frangellico- The mid tier Marble with Grand Marnier- the top tier Kahlua White Chocolate. Each tier was carved, then sandwiched with white chocolate ganache, before being iced in a thin coat of plastic icing.
The Cake weighed a tonne- and despite probably knowing better- I put it together and transported it as one! It arrived safe, so all was well.
The cake, and Savoury food wasn't all for Alex's big night- I also (with a huge Thanks to Karen at Bliss Floral for the loan of Vases) made a Lolly buffet for the party!!!!
I love lolly buffets- and everyone was so excited by it- the Child inside all of us wanted to dive right in and pack a bag of goodies to take home. Choosing Black and White lollies to keep in the theme was hard. I hate Liquorice! We did have liquorice on the buffet- but I avoided having too much aniseed flavour. 
I made Melting moments,cupcakes and white chocolate rocky road- then we had chico babies, bullets, kool mints, sweet popcorn, fizzy chews, Jelly beans and more! Buy the end of the night it was totally empty! A success indeed!I had been thinking all week about the candles for the cake- I had the sparklers, but totally ran out of time to find some matching candles- The sparklers worked a treat though!
Say one last goodbye to the cake!Cutting the cake.
It is ready to be destructed!!!!
Alex didn't want to cut her cake- but I made her! hehehe!This cake was a large scale cake- carved 12" 10" 8" double height rounds- standing close to 70cm tall - including the "21" this cake was a monster!
I cut some of each flavour for Alex's guests to eat- There was more than enough to go around!
So All in All- Alex had a fantastic 21st! A bloody Awesome cake ;?
And a family that still dotes on her and enables her every whim!
When will we learn??? hahaha!
BTW- don't you just love her hair!
Happy Birthday Alex!
Wishing you all the very best for the 21 years ahead!
Lots of Love
SJ
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3 comments:
How lucky is Alex to have a sister who's not only talented enough to make such an amazing cake (HOW did you get the mini dragees to stick??) but who also cares enough to do it, as well as the food, the film.... Sounds like you all had a wonderful time celebrating her 21st!!
Thanks Suzanne!
I iced the mid tier and let it set overnight.
Then I brushed the entire cake in boiled piping gel- a very thin layer- then I poured over 1kg of mixed sized cachous into a deep tray- and rolled the cake around in the cachous- they stuck immediately! I then stacked the cake onto the base tier and let it sit for a day to set rock hard- and voila! a cachous encrusted tier!
Gorgeous Cake! I love all the detail work you did to the cake and cupcakes! :D
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