aka The Crafting Chemist

When I started this blog I had no idea what direction it would go... I'm a Mom, a Chemist, and a Crafter. This is my place to share my creative side and ocassionally brag about my kids. I hope you enjoy my creations and find some inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Shimmering Shamrock's Blog Hop

Welcome Crafty Friends to the Shimmering Shamrocks Blog Hop!




Today's blog hop is being hosted by Tanya at Scrappy Scavenger. If you've just happened upon my blog, and would like to start from the beginning, go here. Thank you Tanya inviting me to participate!

If you've come from Kathy's blog, then you are on the right path. Wasn't her project just great?!

For my project I was asked if I could make a treat for you using the Cricut Cake, so I made some cupcakes. I have the Martha Stewart edition (isn't it beautiful?!) that I won from Everyday Cricut last summer. (If you don't follow them, you should. They have beautiful projects everyday, and giveaways each week!)


I've used my cake a few times. I mostly decorate cupcakes, and I've made one cake. I've always loved to decorate cakes and cupcakes the "old fashioned way", but this machine allows you to take it to a whole new level!

Here are my supplies:


Cake mix
(Yes, I use a box. We love this flavor, and with 3 active kids it's just easier)
Frosting
(again, easier and convenient)
Duff Fondant
(I've tried making my own-too much work and mess. I've also tried Wilton brand-not pre-flavored and takes longer to soften and color. Duff brand is easy to soften and color; it only takes a couple of minutes. And, it's already flavored so there's no need to mess with flavorings.)
Food coloring
(I used the liquid drops to color the cake mix, and the paste to color the fondant.)
Green sugar sprinkles to add some shimmer and sparkle.

If you make cakes, frosting, and fondant from scratch, I applaud you! I love to bake for my kids, but I don't have a ton of time, so pre-made is the way I go.

Cricut Cake details:


Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge
(I used "Real Dial Size" at 2 inches to cut the shamrocks, pg 40)

Add a thin layer of shortening to the Cake mat. I roll out the fondant a little thicker than a dvd directly on the mat. I find it easier than trying to transfer it when it's all rolled out. Then place the mat (with fondant) in the freezer for a few minutes. The time will depend on your climate. You want it a bit stiff (but not too hard) so that it cuts nicely.

Once your images are cut, place the mat back into the freezer for a few minutes. This will make it easier to remove the pieces.

Now that you're done, it's time to enjoy!


Mmmmmm. Wasn't that yummy?!

These won't last until St. Patrick's Day. My kids have been eyeing them since I started baking. I'll try and limit ourselves to one a day, but they are so yummy that may be hard!

Are you wondering about blog candy? I have for you an assortment of crocheted mini flowers, hearts, and shamrocks. I love to crochet and have been having fun making these for cards, scrapbook layouts, and hair clips. The hearts and shamrocks are about 1 inch across, and the flowers are a little bigger, about 1 1/2 inches across.


The prize is about a dozen assorted and will vary (in number and color) from the picture slighty. All you need to do is be a follower (only if you'd like to) and leave a comment on this post and let me know if and how you celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The hop ends on 3/19 and a winner will be chosen on 3/20, using Random.org. Don't forget to check back to see if you've won!

Now that I've given you a sweet tooth, hop on over to Theresa's blog. I'm sure she's got something spectacular for you!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my cupcakes!




59 comments:

  1. Yummy, Yummy! I love this. I just bought the Duff Fondant and can't wait to try it now. Your clovers came out perfect!

    Cricut Chick
    www.cricutchick.com
    cricut chick at rocketmail dot com

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  2. I love your cupcakes. They look yummy!! I love the blog candy too. Where do you find the patterns for these? My mom crochets (I never learned how to) and she would love to do them but cant find a pattern! Thanks for the chance to win them!
    Tracy
    jtg0398 at sbcglobal dot net

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  3. Oops...I forgot to tell you about celebrating St Pat's. I only wear green...that is about the extent of my celebration! I also decorate the house with some crafty St Pat's day creations

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  4. Oh I wish I had a Cricut Cake now.........how cute they are!! I celebrate with Corned beef and cabbage and LOVE it! TFS
    Happy St. Patty's Day & the Luck of the Irish to ya!
    Kathlee
    kathlee154atgmaildotcom
    http://kathleessnippitsncricuts.blogspot.com

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  5. Cupcakes look yummy and blog candy look gorgeous - you are a super crafter! We always wear something green on that day to show Irish pride! TFS!
    pam_lash at yahoo dot com

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  6. Your cupcakes are adorable!!! We have corned beef and cabbage, soda bread and green beer (green milk for the boys) on St. Patrick's Day.

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  7. All I have to say is Yummy. Great job.

    Happy St. Patrick's Day

    jennlbrown1977@yahoo.com
    jlbzlittlecorner@blogspot.com

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  8. Those cupcakes look soooo cute and yummy!!!!
    We celebrate by wearing green and drinking green beer!!!
    SherriC103@aol.com
    http://crafty1mommy.blogspot.com/

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  9. Yummy is right...and calorie free since I cannot get my hands on them. Very pretty! TFS!
    jennyplace26@gmail.com

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  10. Green is the color of spring of all things NEW.. Thanks for doing this Blog Hop
    Rebecca Minor
    buzzybeedesigns(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
    http://buzzybeedesigns.blogspot.com

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  11. This is the first project I've seen using the Cake (I live in a cave, lol). Love it!

    April Nourse
    rejoice @ myctmh dot com
    curlsngrins.blogspot.com

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  12. Love that the inside of the cupcakes is green. I celebrate St Patrick's Day with corned beef and cabbage.

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  13. Cute cupcakes! I love to bake too. We don't do much for St. Patrick's Day other than wear green. I might bake some green treats this year!

    -Lauren B
    lbrocchi(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. Yummy!! Love them! TFS!

    amandawoodau at hotmail dot com

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  15. Great cupcakes. Yummo!!!
    We don't do St Patrick's day but if I think about it I will tease my GD that I will pinch her if she doesn't have green on.
    I'm a follower.
    Thanks for the chance to win.
    annadowdy at gmail dot com

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  16. Looks Yummy! I'm with you when the box is that good why spend the time to make a cake from scratch??? Plus there are a lot of add ins you can do to change it up a little.

    Great Job!

    Teresa H

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  17. Super Yummy! you left me craving a cupcake..thank you for sharing.

    AnnetteASalinas@aol.com

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  18. these look really yummy I could go for one right now having wanting some sweets for the last hour now lol thanks for sharing and its nice to be in the hop with you Hugs Debbiew

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  19. YUMMY!! Thanks for the chance to win.
    Hugs,
    Melissa D
    mkds312@hotmail.com
    www.sleeplesswonder.blogspot.com

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  20. cupcakes..yum!

    mitch1066@gmail.com

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  21. Yummy.
    http://lorisartsyobsession.blogspot.com/

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  22. Those cupcakes look soooo goood!!
    cindy
    miller896042 at bellsouth dot net

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  23. I am telling you if I eat anymore cupcakes...I won't be able to move from my chair that easy anymore...hehe...the cupcakes looks so yummy! TFS and became a follower! :)
    Kari
    purplefuzz06@yahoo.com

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  24. So cute! Now I want a cupcake! It's cool that you used your Cricut Cake machine for this, I haven't really seen any blogs using the Cake machine!


    http://www.createserendipity.net
    createserendipity@gmail.com

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  25. Your cupcakes are so cute and look YUMMY too!

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  26. MMM Cake :)
    http://www.kathyand3kids.blogspot.com/

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  27. It really looks yummy!!!

    I'm a new follower. Please visit my blog: http://barbaras-crafty-corner.blogspot.com/

    barbara@allthignsperuvian.com

    Thanks!!!

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  28. Your post looks good enough to eat! We always celebrate St. Patricks day with friends (usually watching basketball). Excited to start following you! TFS

    Tiffany
    tiffanymarierice@yahoo.com
    http://sparkledmemories.blogspot.com/

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  29. Hmm those do look yummy! Glad my kids didn't see this!
    St. Paddy's Day is a bit of a big day - my cousin's son will be 2 and he is a sweetie! I have Irish ancestors and one of my twins has a Gaelic spelled name - Gillian. Of course we will be wearin' O' the Green!
    I am a new follower :)
    ScrappinAnn at gmail dot com
    www.annlenth.blogspot.com
    please visit my blog and help reach 150 followers :) thanks.

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  30. Love your cupcakes. Made me want to eat one. Here it is 10 pm and I'm craving a cupcake. Thanks a lot.

    Smiles Sher
    ShersL84bed@aol.com

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  31. MMM....yummy project and blog candy.

    TFS,
    Erin
    spantastikreations@yahoo.com

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  32. Cute cupcakes!

    karenskapin at yahoo dot com

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  33. Adorable! I am scared of using fondant and stuff...lol

    I celebrate St Patricks Day, but wearing green and making my husband kiss me cause I'm Irish. :)

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  34. Oh my goodness, those are so cute. They make me hungry just looking at them-yummy!
    I am a new follower
    mary3mom at yahoo dot com

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  35. Oh yummy! These look so good :) When my kids were little, we made roll-out cookies for every holiday including St. Patrick's Day. These days, now that they are teens, we don't do much besides wear green and eat corned beef and cabbage :) Not much of a celebration.

    rebeccadunham at hotmail dot com

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  36. Okay, you've made me hungry. The cupcakes look so yummy. Thanks for sharing and the chance to win. I'm already a follower.

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  37. Oh these look so yummy! Love the toppers!

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  38. Yum! What a great project! Thanks for sharing.

    I hope you'll consider stopping by my blog .. dawnsdesignsthatdelight.blogspot.com

    Take care, and thanks for the hop!
    Dawn

    designsthatdelight.gmail.com

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  39. Great project!! Thanks for sharing it!

    Shawnee
    http://quiverofangels.blogspot.com

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  40. Wow that is so neat! I havent done any cakes or food decorating with my cricut, this is a GREAT idea though!
    Theresa
    tmdettloff@gmail.com

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  41. Man I want a cupcake now ... awesome post love your cupcake tower..
    The Queen

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  42. Ooooh, those look so yummy! For St. Patty's day I always cook corned beef and cabbage, but this year, we went to a small (early) St. Patty's day party and our friends cooked a Wonderful feast! They made the corned beef and cabbage just like I do so I don't have to do it this year. Yay! It was fantastic and very much fun. :0) Thanks for the chance to win!
    XO ~ Amy Jo (follower)
    amyjrockstar at gmail dot com
    http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com/

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  43. Mmmm yummy cupcakes!!!
    We don't celebrate St. Patrick's day, but I do wear something green on the 17th don't want to get pinched by my kiddos! LOL

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  44. Love it!!!! Great idea!!!

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  45. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  46. Sorry about the other post dont know what i did.:-)Okay

    I don’t have the cricut cake. But I love every bit off your blog. The cup cakes loook sooo yummy. I love to cook and bake also. Cant wait to see what else you make.


    For St. Patrick’s Day I love to cook up an Irish Stew and bake a fruit cake w/ green filling yummy and do crafts with my girls. And everyone know to where green

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  47. Cute cupcakes. They look MMM MMM good. It seens like I am always workin on St. Pattys day so I wear one of my green scrub sets (I am a medical lab tech) and the cafa at the hospital where I work always has a Very Irish menu that day with special decorations. They usually have some sort of fun word search or game of some sort with door prizes too.

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  48. Yummy!! Wish you lived near me! Actually I usually work on St Patty's Day but I give my Scotch-Irish husband a HUGE kiss! ;0)

    Kris in Alaska
    funamom at yahoo dot com

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  49. Now I have to make green cupcakes (from a box)!

    Hummer Hugs,
    Misty
    http://deliteful-gifts.blogspot.com/
    hummingbird204 at comcast dot net

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  50. think i need to make some cupcakes great projectTFS!!!!!!!!!!!

    cathie
    scraphappycat@gmail.com

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  51. Mmmmmmmm, I'm hungry for cupcakes now!

    Laura
    http://lifeasanarmywife-lauradietsch.blogspot.com/

    laura.dietsch@rocketmail.com

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  52. omg i so want a cupcake or 2 or ok all of them!!! and those crochet yummys..cute!

    reach me lacie @
    yellowrubberducky_22@msn.com

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  53. Yummy! we wear green, and make green goodies too! cookies and cupcakes for school!
    kacee
    mcvicwif@yahoo.com

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  54. Looks yummy! Love the crocheted flowers.

    April
    nginerd at gmail dot com
    http://ajoy2scrap.blogspot.com

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  55. Your cupcakes look so good and pretty. Thanks for sharing details. I am a follower. patnbobcuddy at gmail dot com

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  56. Your cupcakes look so delicious. I also love the crocheted candy your offering.

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  57. Hope you had a great St. Patty's Day! I'm so lucky I found this hop. So much fun and great prizes. Thanks for the chance to win :) I'm also a new follower!
    -Suzy suzyq28024@gmail.com

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  58. Thank you everyone for hopping along! I'll be posting a winner soon!

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