Ladybug A Palooza

My friend's niece is turned one.  Her sister-in-law contacted me last week about putting together a few snacks in honor of the big occasion.  I have been known to throw together a ladybug project or two, so I got buzzzzy.  My house was soon infested. 
I made a ton of lady bug cupcakes for the guest, which I did one time in the past for a Very Hungry Caterpillar Cupcake Event.

 Let me pause for a minute and say I love this cupcake holder, it's so deep that the icing actually stays in tact for cupcakes like this, thanks Taylor!

I also made a baby cake for the birthday girl.  I decided to go with pink icing b/c I could see red icing being a problem if she ate with her hands, which most one year olds do....ahhh....those were the days! 

I added one of the cake balls to the top that I posted about last week.  I bagged these up for the favors they put together for the party. 

Last up.....ladybug pretzels-I blogged about the process to making these here. 

The one tip I'd administer, mostly to my future me, is to go ahead and  buy chocolate covered pretzels.  I didn't last time, but I was making fewer bugs on that occasion.  This allows one less dipping (which can be a little labor intensive if given the time).

 I was able to just melt the red chocolate, and a LITTLE milk chocolate to make the dots.  I skipped the eyes this time....it just creeps me out a little when they are little eyes. 

Lady Bug Cake Balls

I love cake balls.  They are really simple to put together (though the 'decorating' part can be complex), and I think they are some of the tastiest forms of cake on planet earth....and I know my way about a good cake, trust me.  I made some ladybug shaped cake balls for a lady bug themed party this past weekend...more pictures to come on a few other desserts, but....I thought I'd post these little gals along with the simple cake ball makin' steps....there are several different methods, but this is my favorite! 

Step One:  Bake up your favorite cake in a 9x13 pan following whatever directions your recipe calls for.  I baked up red velvet.  You can make homemade icing, or....just a can.  I grabbed some cream cheese frosting a la Betty Crocker this go round. 

 As soon as the cake comes out, while it' shot, grab a fork and start shredding. 

 I  mean, dig that puppy apart....

 Until you have a pile of crumbs.....unfortunately I've had a few cakes do this when I tried to remove them from the pans....if I had only known there was a way to salvage them. 

 While it's still hot dump in the icing and just stir it until it's a big gooey pile of...

 ...icing infused....

 ...cake....

 You can let it cool a bit at this point, or if you have pot holders for hands, now is the point to start rolling.  I roll the balls about an inch in diameter.

I layer them up between wax paper, and then throw them in the freezer for an hour or a month.....whatever my needs need. 

Once I'm ready to decorate, take white chocolate and melt it down at 30 second intervals between stirring.  It takes mine about 1 and 1/2 minutes. 

 While the balls are still frozen I sometimes roll them around a bit more to try to make the balls a little more perfect.  Drop them in melted chocolate. 

 I scoop them out with a fork so I can tap, tap, tap off the excess chocolate. 

I usually use a butter knife to scrap them from the fork to the wax paper to dry...which happens quickly when they are frozen. 

 Decorate and dry. 

 Bag 'em up and bring 'em to a party. 

Lady Bug Favor Pinata

 A few weeks ago I made a bunch of mini pull tab pinatas.  I love these individual size pinatas, and I heart the idea of filling these with something other than the traditional candy.  I delved into the world of less traditionally shaped pinatas, and made lady bug party pinatas after the initial wave.  Instructions for making these pinatas are here.  Instead of beating these bugs open with bats, you can add a pull tab to the bag to pour out the treats. 

 I decided on the ladybug theme before I went shopping for ladybug supplies, apparently it's more of a spring thing.  I found a few things, but I also made a pop with tissue, permanant marker dots and pipe cleaner. 

 I filled another bag with colored 'bug bites'.

 I also made some lady bug pretzels, the instructions for these pretzels are here. 

I filled my pinata with these goodies.  Add the names of the guest to each mini lady bug, and ta da-a uber cute party favor that goes beyond the traditional bags. 

A few other party pinatas.....here's a cupcake. 

I used the instructions on the above link, but I covered the bottom half of the pinata with a coffee filter for the baking 'cup.'  A bunch of these hanging from a ceiling at a party would be precious.  The guest could even decorate their own cupcake pinata. 

 And some mini-mini pinatas.  I made these little bees.  Instead of a balloon I used an Easter egg.  Fill, decorate, crack open. 

 These would also be fun on a table housed in little cloches.  I made this one with finds from the thrift store.  Tutorial here. 

Linking To:  Fireflies and Jellybeans Fun to Craft HOH Tatortots and Jello

Lady Bug Pretzel Bites....and Some Fun News

 I have some fun news...more on that in a minute, first....about the bugs.  I've seen this post a bazillion and 4 times over the last few months on various sites, but I don't know where the original post came from?  Does it count if I just say it's not 'me?'  I put it on the back burner of crafts I want to try someday, but it got bumped up to my list today because I have a pop up project I need to get done for something fun....
I will say these bugs have a bigger purpose I'll be posting about in a few weeks, and hopefully their home will be a cute one.  These bugs are so easy to make.  Pretzels, red, and milk chocolate...(and white chocolate if you want to add eyes, which is not necessary). 

 Melt the chocolate (I just place this in the microwave for 30 second intervals between stirring, and it is usually melted within a minute.  The white (or red) chocolate takes less time-45 seconds or so). 

 Dip the bottom of the pretzel into the milk chocolate.  Tap off the excess.

 Let these dry on wax paper.  I usually toss them in the fridge to speed up the process. 

 Melt the red chocolate, and dip the double looped half, the 'wings' if you will....and if you won't.....why?  Ignore me, it's almost 3 am.  I'm delirious...and I've been around glue all day.  Granted, it's only Elmer's, but still...I'm coated in the stuf. 

 Repeat the drying process. 

 I then shoveled my left over milk chocolate into a ziplock bag, and I reheated this for a few seconds (just long enough to get hot).  I made a TINY slit in one corner, and piped on my dots.  (You could also add dark sprinkles while the red chocolate is still soft if you don't want to play with piping dots.)  I repeated the process with white chocolate to make two eyes. 
*One thing I've learned (and maybe I'm the last one on earth), but I put any left over chocolate in a ziplock bag, or a blob on wax paper.  Once it dries, I dump it back into the bag to reheat for another project. 
OK....and before I get to my news....when I got home today.....my chihuahua, Peanut, had found a pack of matches I had next to a candle and chewed them up.  They were all over the carpet, and near his favorite spot to bury things....couch cushions.  He's still alive to tell the story, but I am disturbed that my dog is playing with matches now, he's only two after all....lesson learned. 

....and last.  I got a call from a producer of Good Morning, Texas who found a post about pinatas I popped up on the blog last May for my Week of Cinco de Mayo projects.  I'm heading in Tuesday morning to do a segment on 'how to make a pinata' live, sometime between 9-10 am (pending interruptions by national news stations, I'm sure).  I'm trying not to think about everything that goes with that, but I'm really excited to have this opportunity.  I've been paper maching for two day's straight now to get all my pieces together.  The ladybugs (I know...this is a stretch) are my back up if I need to fill any time, it'll make sense when I post the rest of this project....if all goes well, I'll post about the experience, and maybe even link up to a clip.  If things fall apart, I'll be deleting this portion of the post and pretending like I never said this....ever.  ;o) 

Linking To:  Sundae Scoop Under the Table and Dreaming Saturday Shindig Sunday Showcase Nifty Thrifty Lines Across My Face Savvy Homemade Messy Help a Mama Out Blue Cricket Creative Spark Trendy Treehouse Night Owl 7-33 Free Things For You Tea Rose House