Poppin' like CRAZY!

I've been meaning to share some of my most recent CAKE POP CREATIONS with you all...but time just KEEPS getting away from me ;) Guess I'd rather be busy chasin' kiddos and playin' in the kitchen than NOT though right?!?!

I've had a TON of SUPER FUN requests lately for Cake Pops which is awesome since I love getting the chance to try new designs!

Sassy Skull Cake Pops for the Cedar Rapids Roller Girls!

These Bowling themed Cake Pops were for a little guy's Bday Party!

Cute widdle baby footsies for a shower ;) LOVE these!

Alligator Cake Pops! The teeth were a little wonky - LOL! Still cute though right?

Lions & Tigers & Bears...OH MY!

That's all folks!
Audrey

Easter SPECIALS!

My EASTER SPECIALS are SIMPLE but SUPER SWEET!

You can PRE-ORDER from the listings below OR visit my table at the Macaroni Kid Family Fun Day & Egg-stravaganza at Westdale Mall on Saturday, April 7th and purchase what's available!

ALL pre-orders will be available for PICK-UP between 10am-2pm at Westdale Mall on April 7th. If you are unable to pick-up during that time you can also stop by my home later that afternoon/evening.

Here we go!

Easteriffic Cake Pop Arrangements!
$30-1DZ arranged Cake Pops*

I'll be making a LIMITED number of Easter-themed Cake Pop arrangements! These make ADORABLE centerpieces, gifts or would even be an EXTRA SPECIAL delivery from the Easter Bunny ;) Each arrangement will include 1DZ Cake Pops (6 Specialty Pops, 6 Standard Sprinkled Pops) in Vanilla and Strawberry.

*Assortment of Cake Pop flavors and designs can be changed without notice. Due to the handmade nature of these items there can be slight variations in the final product...don't worry though...they'll ALWAYS be CUTE!

Easter Cake Pops Ala Carte
Prices for individual Specialty Cake Pops

$3 -      Easter Bunny Cake Pop
$3 -      Chick Cake Pop, with bow or bow-tie
$2.50 - Chick Cake Pop, plain

Cupcakes!
$2 each or $10 per 6PK

I'll have a variety Cupcake flavors on-hand at the Egg-stravaganza! You can pre-order to ensure you have the cupcakes you NEED for Easter dinner ;)


Flavors on the Menu Include:
Orange Dreamsicle
Cookies & Creme
Carrot Cupcakes
Strawberry Cupcakes

To order contact ME via email at sweetcheeks at southslope dot net or via FACEBOOK!
Any questions you can also call 319.241.8647.

Thanks everyone!!!

Harper's 2nd Birthday! Featuring ELMO

I know I say this EVERY time one of the kids' birthdays rolls around....but seriously....WHERE does the time go? I cannot BELIEVE that our little girlie turned 2 this weekend!!! The past year has been full of BIG changes for our family, not the least of which has involved watching our BABY turn into a BIG girl ;)

I usually try to come up with a fun and unique party theme...but this girl LOVES her some ELMO...I just knew that HAD to be our theme, no gettin' around it! I found the CUTEST party printables at Pink Pickle Studios in the exact color scheme I was working with...SCORE! I wanted a pink, orange and red color scheme, first because I have a slight obsession with that color palette...and second, because I plan on re-decorating Harper's room in said-colors so the party "extras" are going to be room decor!

I kept the dessert table SUPER simple this year...cake & Cake Pops, that was it...but I really LOVED the end result.

 I made all of the Cake Pops (duh-right!?!?) I used some hot-pink paper straws for the sticks on the Elmo Cake Pops, and juicy-orange sticks for the others. Using the paper straws is FUN way to make the pops THAT much cuter ;)

The UBER-ADORABLE Elmo Cake is the creation of Cakes by Kimberly! I told her what I had in mind, sent her a few inspiration photos...and then she created something that was BEYOND my expectations! Harper LOVED it!!! Now when people ask me if I do cakes (which...I don't...the stress...can't handle it)... I'll have a GREAT, LOCAL baker to send them to ;)

The favor-bags included Elmo baskets (bought on clearance after Halloween) and Elmo library bags (from the $1 section at Target) filled with Elmo books and a few treats. They were arranged on a FUN shelf that I rescued from Goodwill! A few coats of PINK & WHITE paint and it looked BRAND NEW (it was originally a scuffed-up, brick-red color)...it'll be perfect in Harper's room post-party!

I also rounded-up ALL of her Elmo paraphernalia before the party...books, stuffed animals, toys...you name it, we have it...and added it to the shelf  for the party guests to play with! I have to admit, it was a little SHOCKING to see how much ELMO we have in our home...Harper might need an intervention ;)

The tissue monogram is another item that will be decorating her room! The original inspiration for this project came from a SUPER easy tutorial posted by Prudent Baby (HERE!) The only thing I did differently...I glued the tissue flowers to a chipboard letter and attached it to the canvas.

An AMAZING local seamstress, Cynthia of Puddin' Pies, took-on an extra special project for me...making a custom Elmo Snuggle Blankie for Harper! I collected an assortment of fabrics and had a general idea of what I wanted...but left the real details to the PRO! Harper is seriously OBSESSED with this blanket...I had to literally wrestle it away from her to get a few pictures. It's SO soft and snuggly...and BEYOND adorable....also going in her room...well...when she's not attached to it anyways ;)

The party was great and Miss Harper was a HAPPY-HAPPY girl!

I want to thank ALL the AMAZING creators that made this party such a success...items that are lovingly created really have their own special VIBE don't they???
Now...let's see how long I can get away with leaving the party lanterns up...LOL ;)

~Audrey

Sources
Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats Party Styling, Photography, Elmo Cake Pops, Paper Straw Cake Pops
Cakes by Kimberly Elmo Party Cake
Puddin' Pies Custom Elmo Snuggle Blankie & pillow
Hug Wear Custom Elmo Party Outfit
Pink Pickle Studio Elmo Party Printables
Shop Sweet Lulu Paper Straws
Best Dressed Bridal & Linens Paper Lanterns

Name That Cupcake CONTEST: Mom's Night OUT Edition!

I know how you all LOVE a good contest...and this one is really going to be FUN!

I'm participating in what promises to be another AMAZING LOCAL EVENT hosted by Macaroni Kid Cedar Rapids. The MK Kid Mom's Night Out is scheduled for Saturday, March 3rd from 6:00 to 9:30pm at the Hillside Wesleyan Church in Cedar Rapids.

Your ticket (cost is ONLY $15....purchase HERE) includes a sit-down dinner, performance by comedian Travis Hempstead, door prizes, shopping from over 30 LOCAL VENDORS and much, MUCH more!

I am a TOP SPONSOR of this event! I'll be providing YUMMY desserts for you ALL to enjoy...who doesn't LOVE samples right??? Mini-CUPCAKES & CAKE POPS so you can indulge on YOUR night out...SWEET right?!?!

Oh wait...I mentioned a CONTEST didn't I? ;)

Name That Cupcake Contest: Mom's Night OUT Edition!

The Name That Cupcake Contest is ALWAYS a fun one for me to put-on. I LOVE getting so many amazing flavor suggestions from you all ;) It's a great way for me to find out what YOU want to see on my menu. Usually the hardest part, for me, is selecting a handful of FINALISTS from SO many DELICIOUS suggestions.

For the Mom's Night Out Edition of the Name That Cupcake Contest, things will be a little different...so be sure to read below for ALL the details:

HOW TO PLAY:
1. Submit a Cupcake flavor suggestion on the Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats Facebook Page {HERE}!
   -Make sure to look at my MENU before you submit your suggestion to make sure it's not a flavor I already make!
   -If you have participated in The Name That Cupcake Contest before, but didn't WIN, feel free to resubmit your previous flavor suggestion; but PLEASE NOTE: this is a NEW contest, I do not have record of entries in past contests!
 2. Get your FB friends to "LIKE" your flavor suggestion!
 -"LIKES" may help us determine finalists, but are not a definite determination of the final selection.

HOW TO WIN:
1. Finalists will be chosen by Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats & Macaroni Kid Cedar Rapids.
 -Again, "LIKES" will be taken into consideration, but they do NOT determine the final selection.
2. BALLOT-STYLE VOTING will take place AT the MK Kid CR Mom's Night Out event on Saturday, March 3rd!
3. If YOUR flavor suggestion is selected as a FINALIST be sure to recruit VOTES & ATTEND this FUN event!

***The FINALISTS' flavor suggestions will be available for TASTING at the Mom's Night OUT event!!!****


THE PRIZE:
The flavor suggestion with the most VOTES will be added to MY menu!
The person that submitted the WINNING flavor will win 1DZ CUPAKES in the newly created flavor!

GOOD LUCK & HAVE FUN!!!

I was fortunate enough to connect with Charlotte, our local MK Kid Publisher, early-on. We were both in the early stages of pursuing business paths that were near and dear to our hearts. I love what she is doing for our community, and have appreciated her support of my business more than I can express! I always say how one of my FAVORITE (and most unexpected) rewards that has come out of me starting Sweet Cheeks, has been meeting SO many AMAZING and INSPIRING people...and Char is definitely at the TOP of that list!

~Audrey

Popcorn Cupcakes!

Well....sort of...these are actually Vanilla Cupcakes topped with MILLIONS (not quite) of tiny MARSHMALLOWS, cut and then hand-painted with food coloring to LOOK like they're covered in POPCORN!

Cute RIGHT?

I made these for a Carnival-themed Birthday Party and was really pleased with how they turned out! I found INSPIRATION at Under the Table & Dreaming by Stephanie Lynn. She gives a step-by-step tutorial if you want to try your hand at these! They are time consuming, but really easy and the effect is SO super cute! I found I didn't even need to cut the marshmallows all the way in half, and some I snipped in fours for a varied look....play around with it...that's the FUN part!

Of course...I HAD to make some coordinating Cake Pops...nothing too fancy...but sometimes SIMPLE & SWEET make a BIG statement too :) I LOVE using paper straws as sticks for the pops...it gives them some added WOW factor...don't ya think?

That's all for now folks!
Peace out ;)
Audrey

Virtual Valentines Party!

I was invited to participate in a Virtual Valentines Party, hosted by Lindsay Ann, the owner and founder of Dollhouse Bake Shoppe!

If you are one of the MILLIONS of people addicted to watching Cupcake Wars on Food Network....you will probably remember Lindsay as the WINNER of the series premiere. I LOVE watching the show and find SO much inspiration from the bakers...BUT I seriously break out into hives from sympathy-stress for the contestants ;)

I'm bringing my LOVE POTION FLOATS and ROSE CAKE POPS to the party....DRINKS & DESSERTS....that's what it's all about right?!?!?

Love Potion Float Tutorial: HERE!

Rose Cake Pop Tutorial: HERE!

Both of these treats are sure to bring some SWEET festivity to your Valentine's Day table this year ;) If any of you have tried either of these, or are planning to...I'd LOVE to hear from you!

I hope you'll ALL pop on over to the Virtual Valentines Party THIS Sunday to check out the FUN ideas and tutorials! I know I'll need something to do while the rest of my house is glued to Superbowl-vision :)

~Audrey

My Cake Pop Journey...

So...unless you've been curled up, nice and cozy style, under a rock somewhere....you've heard of Cake Pops right??? Hopefully, you've even had the chance to taste or make your own.

A mere 4 years ago (TODAY) Bakerella shared her unbelievably sweet and inspiring Cupcake Pops on her blog...and the rest...well...you know ;) She graciously asked her followers to share their Cake Pop experiences on her POST declaring today NATIONAL CAKE POP DAY....and I wanted to share MY Cake Pop journey with all of you.

In 2010 my daughter was born, so that meant we had 2 kiddos under the age of 2 in daycare, and I was looking for a way to make a little extra money. I worked a full-time job, but was hoping I could start doing something I really LOVED and make it profitable...just enough for me to be able to stay home with the kiddos and offset the cost of daycare...I wasn't looking for world domination here ;)

I founded Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats that summer. I started selling baked goods, cookies, cupcakes, pretzel dippers...really anything that I liked to bake was on the menu. It was GREAT because it gave me a real excuse to get in the kitchen and bake my little heart out...my friends and family had been telling me I should for YEARS!

I stumbled upon Bakerella's AMAZING baking blog about one month into my little venture...I was instantly SMITTEN! The Cake Pops seriously STOLE MY HEART! I started simply, making basic pops....even then I doubted that I could tackle the detailed character pops.

I had a friend who relentlessly badgered me into attempting some Elmo Pops for her daughter's birthday party....they turned out SO stinkin' cute! It really was a LIGHTBULB moment for me! Trying to tackle something I thought I couldn't do, and succeeding....I wanted to try SO many more! I realized that that was it...I felt like I had really found my niche!

That fall, I participated in a Cupcake Skewer Contest hosted by Pizzazzerie...for which Bakerella was a judge, and  part of the prize package included a SIGNED COPY of her book! I entered....and WON!

Then, when a signing tour was announced....I was BEYOND giddy! I traveled with my sister to Chicago (from Iowa) to meet her! I was so excited I seriously could...barely speak....for those of you that know me personally, it may be a hard concept to get your brain around...me...without WORDS - LOL!  I felt a little stalkerish to be honest....I wanted to THANK her....for inspiring me...for making me feel like I could do this...but instead, I spoke a handful of words and giggled - LOL!



See...I look CRAZED...I'm surprised I was allowed to get that close to her - LOL!


Later that year I had some of my Cake Pops selected to be in Bakerella's POP STAR section! This was HUGE for me...to have something I created on HER site, where I continue to find inspiration...well I'll just say...it was kind of  BIG DEAL!

After I had been taking orders for a little over a year, my husband and I decided it was time for me to take the plunge and stay home! I felt SO blessed....blessed to have found a way to be home with my kiddos during the day, blessed with the support of AMAZING family and friends, blessed to have met SO many amazing people online and in person through this business....the Cake Pop community is one of the most supportive and generous that you'll find ANYWHERE!

I try to post new Cake Pop creations as I make them...and have even posted a couple of Cake Pop tutorials myself! I've had people ask WHY I posted tutorials...when I make a living SELLING my Cake Pops...why would I want to show other people how? It's one of those things....when you find REAL JOY and PASSION doing what you do....I think it's only natural to want to SHARE that...to put a little bit of it back out into the world....I mean really, what would Bakerella do? LOL! Sidenote...when I'm working through a new pop I ask myself that ALL THE TIME...WWBD...maybe we should get bracelets ;)

TUTORIAL: Apple Pencil Cake Pops!

 

TUTORIAL: Rose Cake Pops

So here is a round-up of some of the Cake Pops I've made...I hope you enjoy! Thank you ALL for continuing to support this venture....it has been rewarding BEYOND MEASURE!

If you don't follow me on FB please pop over...I post new Cake Pops & Cupcakes there too!!!

 





classic white cake pops used as wedding favors









~Audrey