dried cherry toppers
Originally uploaded by not martha.

Birthday Cupcakes Test Two -- more about them here.

star cupcake
Originally uploaded by not martha.

This is a test cupcake for Scott's birthday. See extensive personal notes of trial number one here.

Cupcakes, in Chicago, has a nice little History of the Cupcake.

Apartment Therapy has a thread on how to frost glass temporarily when you are renting. Readers from years back might remember I had a page about using squares of clear contact paper to create this effect. However, the third place I used this in the contact paper didn't pull off cleanly, much to my dismay. The adhesive was left stuck to the window and I spent an entire day with plastic scrapers and various Goo Gone products getting it off.

The thread has some first hand experience from people who have applied the frosting film you can find at home improvement stores, or used glass frosting sprays. I'm also going to point out Ikea's Amorf Frost, someone wrote to tell me this is applied with a little bit of soapy water.

In the family of elf shots (made of candy cane) and gummi shot glasses is Ice Shots, shot glass shaped ice cube trays. The possibilities! They also mention using them to make chocolate shot glasses. via Uncrate.

Adorable and delicious looking mini bagels, with a recipe and par-baking and freezing instructions at Brownie Points.

swiss meringue buttercream
Originally uploaded by not martha.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream made from this recipe at The Food Palate adapted from The Joy of Cooking.

This was yummy, not too sweet, but fluffy and slightly spongy, not slimy. Mmm. It got the color-and-Non-Pereils treatment.

Next up: rolled fondant shapes, in my case red stars, on top. See the new-ish Wilton cut-outs which come in many small shapes. I also find the interchangable people cutters rather cute.

plush you!
Originally uploaded by not martha.

Sew Dorky donuts at the Plush You! show in Schmancy

plush you!
Originally uploaded by not martha.

Loobylu's Big Kitty at the Plush You! show in Schmancy

This Friday is the opening of the Plush You! show at Schmancy, featuring a bunch of artists including Stuart, of Sew Dorky, maker of fine felt donuts, and Claire of Loobylu and all that Month of Softies goodness. The opening is this Friday, August 12th from 5 to 9 p.m. at Schmancy, 1930 2nd Ave., Seattle. A bit more about the show at Tablet and Seattle Metroblog.