Make these yummy cupcakes with easy-to-find materials.
It’s been way too hot in the kitchen for any baking, so we’ve cooked up a no-sweat cupcake craft and a sweet giveaway. Our ingredients: ribbon, sequins, straight pins, and STYROFOAM Brand Foam. The giveaway: the fun and beautiful, no-cook book of faux pastries and other yummy designs – A Notion to Celebrate by Melissa Bickle.
Last week, I attended the CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) trade show, where craft companies show off what’s new. As I walked the aisles, admiring the beautiful papers, ribbons, paints, buttons and glittery supplies of all kinds, I had to stop at the mouthwatering display made by Melissa Bickle, inventor of the Ribbon Ring, a fabulous way to organize and store your ribbons.
Make no-cal "chocolate truffles."
You see, Melissa turns the most basic of craft materials into irresistible faux cakes, cupcakes, donuts, truffles, and other confections. In fact, after viewing her display several years ago, publisher Leisure Arts asked Melissa to author a book with her sweet creations. Today, we’re giving away a copy of her book A Notion to Celebrate.
The full-color, 56-page book is packed with 90 projects, and you’ll find step-by-step instructions and photos for beautiful cupcakes, layer cakes and a box of bonbons. There are even more goodies for holiday and seasonal decorating, like a sherbet button bouquet; chocolate truffle wreath; pumpkins, ghosts and bats; Thanksgiving cornucopia; holiday gingerbread house and topiaries; and more.
Halloween Balls
Christmas House
Here’s a small taste of what’s in the book – the Chocolate Curl Cupcake. Pile these on a cake stand for a luscious centerpiece, use them as party favors or gifts, or add a ribbon loop and hang them on your Christmas tree. The technique is easy, the results are beautiful, and you never have to turn on the oven.
Here’s what you need to make a Chocolate Curl Cupcake:
Chocolate Curl Cupcake
- STYROFOAM Brand Foam: 3” ball
- 4-3/4 yds 3/8” pink ribbon
- 3-1/4 yds 3/8” black ribbon
- Straight pins: 100 white and 55 black
- 15 – 20 silver, 8 mm sequins
- Felt, scrap of white
- Resin cupcake holder
- Thick white craft glue
- Tools: scissors
To make a Chocolate Curl Cupcake:
1. Cut ribbons to 2-1/2” lengths.
2. Cover the bottom quarter of the ball with white felt, secure with white pins.
3. Roll ribbon lengths into loops, forming a “curl.” Pin to foam ball, securing pink curls with white pins and black curls with black pins.
4. Use white pins to secure silver sequins in the center of several curls.
5. Display in the cupcake holder.
We have a few other crafty recipes for cupcakes on www.styrofoamcrafts.com . Click on the photos below for the project instructions.
Too-pretty-to-eat cupcakes by Lisa Tutman-Oglesby
Mouth-watering needlefelted cupcakes by Debra Quartermain.
We're giving away a copy of the book A Notion to Celebrate.
A Notion to Celebrate is a fun book with projects that make every day a special celebration. To win a copy, post a photo of your latest craft on our Facebook page, or, post a comment below and tell us about the crafts you’re cookin’ up this summer. We’ll announce the winner next Tuesday, August 2 (yikes, August!).
And if you don’t win, here’s where you can buy the book A Notion to Celebrate. (And Melissa tells us that she has another book in the works, this one all about cakes. Stay tuned!)
Happy crafting!
Sharon
This books great. This summer I have been experimenting with jewelry and all types of wire/beads/etc.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
I would love this book! I just made a teacup pincushion for my mom’s birthday. Check it out on my blog!
Hi Carrie, Thank you for your comment. I visited your blog and I love the classic, black & white color combo you used for the teacup pincushion. I’m sure your mom will cherish the handmade gifts from you and the kids. Tell her we said “happy birthday”! Sharon
love your site. such cute things.
crafting – well, today was spent with a girlfriend and power tools. we cut apart 2 wooden pallets. made a porch swing for her and a wall shelf for me. not too shabby for having 3 small helpers. we’re each about halfway through our outdoor tile scrabble sets – waiting for the rain to stop before grouting. have more pallets to destroy, um, repurpose, tomorrow. am planning christmas gift for my grandmother – a birthday board with the extended family birthdays.
It sounds like you are a “power crafter”, ten b! I love that have power tools and you’re not afraid to use them! It’s great to see that you’re repurposing, too. Have at it! And, thank you for sharing. Sharon
I’m busy knitting Christmas stockings. I also am trying to knit an advent calendar.
Hi Emilee, Hand-knit Christmas stockings are very special — are you knitting these for gifts? And, I love your idea of an advent calendar, they are such a wonderful holiday tradition. Thank you for your comment! Sharon
Such great ideas! I have been doing lots of crochet and embroidery this week, but soon I want to do some Christmas ornaments involving styro balls with lots and lots of baubles and beads!
Hi Christine, Thank you for your comment. It sounds like you’ve been busy this week. Great idea to get a head start on your Christmas crafting. I hope you’ll share photos of your Christmas ornaments on our Facebook page @StyroCrafts: http://www.facebook.com/StyrofoamCrafts#!/StyrofoamCrafts?sk=app_112493455447504. Sharon
I love it , or crafts so beautiful, I love so mush and look so good to eat,
thank you , for sharing or good idea…
Thank you, Danielle. It is a beautiful book, indeed, and the projects are beautiful, too. Sharon
How YUMMY! I will be crafting up a summer storm this August. I will do some fun knitting projects, like scarves, hats, and bags so I will be prepared for the winter gift giving season for family and friends.
I would LOVE to craft these cupcakes too!
I like how you’re planning ahead, Lili. And I’m sure your recipients will cherish their handknit gifts. Thanks for posting! Sharon
How adorable and you are right it is too hot to bake!!
But it’s never too hot to craft, is it? Thank you for commenting, Tonia. Sharon
I’m hungry after seeing these photos – very creative and looks so real !
Thanks, Diane!
These look yummy enough to eat, but no calories. LOL. Very adorable projects!
Thank you for the comment, Brenda. FYI, this author is starting a second book — all about cakes!
We’ve been traveling and making home-made postcards- a great way to get the kids making art and really observing their surroundings!
Happy travels to you, Jenny. Thanks for visiting!
This looks like a great project book with adorable projects. !Have been thinking about stuffed snowmen (great way to cool off in this heat)!
And vice versa, Pat — you’ll have to remember this heat wave when it’s snowing outside! Here are a few snowman crafts for your enjoyment: http://www.styrofoamcrafts.com/project/category.asp?keyword=snowmen