Happy Valentine's Day, Sacramento!!

I think Valentine's Day is arguably the most loved and hated holiday of all time. I kind of love it, single or not. All the red, pink, purple, flowers, candy, cards...

Perhaps it is silly to spend money on sweets that aren't really good for us or plants that will die in 3 or 4 days, but the frivolity of it reminds me of grade school--buying Valentine cards (with whatever cartoon character that was popular that year printed on them) and filling them out for all my classmates--and reminders of my childhood make me happy.


We would tape a brown paper bag to our desks and the go around and drop our cards in each bag so that everyone got one from everyone else. I recall waiting until I got home to read each and every one of them. Naïve as it sounds, I felt truly loved by everyone on Valentine's Day! :) Maybe I was just high on red lollipops and cupcakes with pink frosting.

This holiday still makes me smile, and being single there is actually less pressure on a day like today. I can just pick a few friends for whom to do something nice, and I will definitely by a present for myself. No one will be let down by my gift and I don't have to kill myself to impress anyone this year. I was at the market this morning and saw so many people in line with their arms full of bundles of flowers and boxes of candy. I sure hope their loved one appreciates them, even if their gifts were purchased last minute.

Today, I did send out a Valentine's card to my Grandpa (who is an 80-something year old veteran living in Kentucky). I know he'll get it a little late, but I also know he will be elated to receive it. I must say, it was bizarre to get a $100 dollar check from him in the mail a few days ago. I was sort of stunned because I rarely talk to him--last saw him two years ago. Also, he has been ill (and perhaps not all in the game mentally). didn't even think he remembered me much less that I am living in California and my address.

My friend SVH surprised me with flowers last night. I forget how much I really need to interact with other people. It was so fun to see her and send her home with a bunch of cupcakes!!

Her gift to me.

My gift to her!! Thanks to Seattle Chocolates for the candy extras. :)

So this is a cake I did for delivery today... I am sharing it with you for two reasons...
1. It was ordered by someone in Oregon for delivery for her son here in Sacramento. So sweet!
2. I used some products that were sent for me to try and I would like to endorse/recommend them.

The cake was a red velvet with cream cheese filling and raspberry/strawberry buttercream (alternating between the layers), all layers brushed with raspberry syrup, iced in buttercream and covered in fondant.

 

 Started as a 10-inch 4 layer circle...then I carved the shape I wanted.

Then iced it in buttercream so that the fondant would adhere...

I went the extra mile with the cake because I had some products to try out kindly sent to me by Duff Goldman and Gartner Studios.

I used the red and white fondants, to make a tie-dye pattern.
(Because this cake was intended for a guy and we don't want to be too girly!!)

 

 

Rolled it out and placed in on the cake, smoothing it all out.

 

 

 Then I used the graffiti spray to make the cake shine!

Delivering this cake made me happier than I would be receiving it. Of course, I was paid to make it, but there is nothing I can compare to the feeling I get when someone is happy with something I've made with my own two hands. If you are creative and sell or give away what you make, you know exactly what I mean.

Happy Valentine's Day, to my readers, family
and friends whom I love very much!!