I’m not sure if you heard or not, but last weekend was SNAP here in UT! I was tickled and a bit overwhelmed when Tauni asked me to make a cake showpiece for the first night’s dinner! Eeek!
After a few weeks of brainstorming and playing with various designs I decided on this new Topsy Turvy Style of cake, with each layer representing a current trend in the craft world, in SNAP colors!!
Figuring out the best way to hold each layer up was a really fun engineering project! I had a blast designing the frame!
For the base I created a wood look, representing all the re-purposed wood and pallet projects out there!
For the largest layers the largest trend seemed appropriate! Chevrons (or Zig Zags for those of you who prefer it)
I don’t know about you guys, but I drooled over all the CHA photo’s this year, and I saw a lot of Polka Dots!
Ruffles, ruffles, ruffles!!!! I wish I could have gone further around this layer, but this was by far the most difficult layer to create! The ruffles were just so heavy they kept falling off! I love the way it ended up looking!
And every one’s favorite party decoration, Bunting!!! Who doesn’t love bunting? I adore how this layer turned out.
Words, typography, lettering, etc… All the great stuff we create with letters…
It ended up SUPER tall, like as tall as my 9 YO! JUST like my design… ALMOST!
There was a 6th layer- Ruffled Petals! This layer was actually REAL cake for the special Birthday girl!
Since we weren’t allowed to bring in outside food the cake is styrofoam so I wasn’t as careful creating my structure as I should have been, instead of something strong enough to hold the weight of a full cake It’s a dowel in the center. SO when I put the top, REAL, layer on it fell over!!!!
SO we left the REAL layer on the side for the birthday girl, and added some of Lara’s gorgeous table decor to the top of the 5th teir!
Here is an update with the birthday girl and her cake tier!! She’s just a week younger than my 4th, so it was fun to give her such a treat, and look at that cute pose, could be be more adorable?
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Jennifer
April 26, 2012 at 12:36 amAshlee the cake was, and is amazing! So beautiful! And when I saw you carrying the cake to Lara’s little girl, it was just too precious. You’re so talented, and I am in awe of your skills woman!
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 11:57 amAwwww thank you so much! It was a super fun cake to create! I think it will remain one of my top favorites for awhile!
Gwen @ Gwenny Penny
April 26, 2012 at 6:39 amIt was such a fabulous cake, Ashlee. You knocked everyone’s socks off 🙂
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 12:05 pmwhy thank you so much! I really enjoyed brainstorming, creating and coming up with the design, it turned out just how I imagined it!
Cindy Jenkins
April 27, 2012 at 5:36 amAshlee, the cake truly is amazing! I don’t know how you do it! Beautiful! And when I showed the pics to my kids it blew their minds! Nicely done!!
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 12:25 pmthank you so much!!! And it was great seeing you again and meeting your daughter! I’m so sorry you lost your camera, I hope someone finds it for you!
Lara G {Ellie g}
April 27, 2012 at 10:15 amI kinda think that was divine intervention Ashlee. I mean, she could just take that part, and your creation remained fully intact for tons of pics and tweets! You are AH-MAZ-ING. And Mills will NEVER forget her 5th birthday because of you. I can guarantee she’ll never get that kind of experience again. Thank you doesn’t even seem to cut it. But thank you, anyway!!!!
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 12:26 pmIt did work out perfectly~! And since I had two layers representing ruffly things it didn’t even ruin my concept at all! I’m so glad she enjoyed it!!!
Kari-Ucreate
April 27, 2012 at 3:14 pmThe cake was PERFECT…WOW! You are so crazy talented Ashlee…so fun to see you again!! Oh and your cake pop business cards were awesome, too!
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 12:27 pmthank you and thank you!!! It was such a fun weekend and fun to catch up a bit with friends! I hope to see you at some of the creative guild activities this year!
Tauni
April 27, 2012 at 8:04 pmAsh, Wow. Thank you for this. This cake was among the most incredible I have EVER seen in my life. I appreciate how much thought you put into it – I loved the meaning in each layer. I continue to be amazed at your incredible talent. You’re awesome!
xoxo
Tauni
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 12:31 pmThank you SO much! What an amazing compliment! I appreciate it, and it was my pleasure creating it! It was SO fun to brainstorm and come up with something that in some way represented us SNAP attendee’s and our world!
Heather
April 30, 2012 at 11:33 amAMAZING!!
Ashlee
April 30, 2012 at 2:11 pmThanks!
Ruth
May 1, 2012 at 6:30 amThis is totally totally awesome. Love the bunting layer best!
Ashlee
May 2, 2012 at 1:39 amThanks! I loved that layer as well!
Charlene@APinchofJoy
May 1, 2012 at 8:18 amTotally awesome!!! You captured every trend and so beautifully!
Ashlee
May 2, 2012 at 1:40 amThank you so much! I really spent SO many weeks designing and re designing and brainstorming exactly what to create for this cake. But once I hit on this idea it just took off. I KNEW it would be PERFECT!
Sara
May 1, 2012 at 8:30 pmTalk about the CUTEST cake I have EVER seen!! LOVE the topsy turvy look…and the COLORS!! To DIE for!! Thank you SO much for sharing!
Ashlee
May 2, 2012 at 1:46 amThank you so so SO much! I got the colors from the SNAP conference theme! Lara (the graphic designer for the site and conference) came up with those!
Taylor-Ann
May 1, 2012 at 9:42 pmWow- what a great cake. It looks to pretty to eat but I bet it tasted good. I would love if you shared this on my link party.
https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=blogger&hl=en&passive=1209600&continue=https://www.blogger.com/blogin.g?blogspotURL%3Dhttp://www.kampenlane.com/2012/04/hope-everyone-had-great-weekend.html%26zx%3Dv02h7px9m2y1<mpl=private
Can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
~Taylor
http://www.kampenlane.com
Ashlee
May 2, 2012 at 1:47 amWell only the top layer was real cake, We weren’t allowed to bring in outside food so it HAD to be fake. but NEXT year I’m hoping I can bring in real, I totally prefer working with all real cake, makes it much cooler I think!
Debbie {visual eye candy}
May 2, 2012 at 8:09 amCutest cake ever! I can’t believe you made that, it looks incredible!
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:02 pmThank you so much! It was a lot of work,but so worth it, I’m still THRILLED with how it turned out!
Shiloh
May 2, 2012 at 2:23 pmWhat an awesome cake! you had some great ideas:)
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:06 pmThank you so much! I know I didn’t get EVERY craft trend in the cake, but I did get quite a lot!!! I’m glad you like it!
Jenn/Rook No. 17
May 6, 2012 at 4:33 pmI absolutely love it! So original, wildly imaginative, and beautifully constructed!!!
Jenn
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:30 pmThanks Jenn! I love hearing from other decorators! You know what kind of work goes into it and your appreciation is so wonderful!!
michelle@somedaycrafts
May 6, 2012 at 7:07 pmGreat job! You are TOO talented! Amazing!!!!
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:31 pmThanks so much Michelle! It was great to see you again and your little guy too! Are you coming to EVO this year as well?
Jodi
May 6, 2012 at 11:58 pmWow! You did such a great job. I do cakes too, so I can really appreciate what it took to make this. I am super impressed! Jodi @ http://www.meaningfulmama.com
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:33 pmThanks so much!!! I love making cakes, and coming up with new ways to create something special!!! Thanks for commenting!
Kendra
May 7, 2012 at 9:04 amHow fun to read about how you came up with the design for your masterpiece. I took pictures of it at SNAP, but each picture has people taking pictures of it. It really added to the atmosphere of the event! I can’t believe you did this AND made all of those cake pops to hand out! You really are amazing!
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:35 pmThanks Kendra!!!!! It was SUCH a fun cake to make! and I did NOT get enough time with you!!! NEXT conference I need more fun Kendra time! I loved your book party, my oldest, The Reader would LOVE something similar someday!
Tam @ Sew Dang Cute
May 7, 2012 at 10:03 pmAshlee you are so insanely talented!!! Love you girl and so glad we got to see each other again (wish it could have been longer)!!! Plus your sweet little boy was a joy to see!!! XOXO, Tam
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 2:42 pmThanks so much Tam! You are ALWAYS so kind and I admire it! I always enjoy times I get to spend with you and I hope it’s sooner rather than later (and I agree, more time to talk!)
Beverly {Flamingo Toes}
May 11, 2012 at 1:08 pmAshlee you are a cake decorating genius!! I featured you today – http://www.flamingotoes.com/2012/05/crush-of-the-week-think-pink-features-49/ Thanks for linking up!
Ashlee
June 11, 2012 at 3:36 pmYou are so sweet as always! I’m tickled to be featured by you! And it was great to see you at SNAP as well!
Mary
January 5, 2013 at 9:52 pmI’ve been reading many of your posts and I only have one question…how on earth do you have time to do everything you do? I only have one son (9 months old) and I can’t even seem to find time to do the dishes before they crust over. You are amazing!
Ashlee
January 6, 2013 at 3:31 amI remember how time consuming one baby seemed. the more you have the more busy you get and the more you need to be well organized. the more well organized you are the more you get done 😉 lets face it we all MAKE time for the things we care about, the things we don’t care about get dropped, like cleaning (ha) I love to cook, bake, craft, blog, read, etc.. so it gets done, I’m not the biggest fan of exercising or cleaning so it doesn’t get done as often or as well.
Janire
November 11, 2013 at 7:18 amIt’s lovely! Ejerce do You buy topsy turvy stand?
Regards
Ashlee
November 15, 2013 at 11:45 pmnope I built my own stand, I always do.