Cotton Candy Chronicles - Part 1

This is the first post in a series called "Cotton Candy Chronicles."  It's meant to offer a glimpse into the crafting process and show how an idea turns into a (hopefully) sellable product. 

Cotton candy party favors created by Martha.  She's like Madonna - she doesn't need a last name.

For the past few months, I've been wanting to make miniature cotton candy pendants because cotton candy is the perfect food.  It's sugar + air and really, that's all you need to survive.  But how the heck do you turn a hard, dense substance (clay) into a puffy, fluffy, bundle of goodness?  This is the first step in the Bit of Sugar crafting process - brainstorming!  

Cotton Candy Brainstorming List:

- How do we replicate the texture of cotton candy?
- If we can get the texture right, will we still be able to secure a head or eye pin in it?
- How do we make it waterproof?
- Do we need to look for another medium other than clay?
- How do we make the stick?  If we use clay, will the stick be thick enough to handle wear and tear?
- The list is a lot longer, but we'll stop here.  It's pretty boring.

While googling/researching cotton candy, I came across this:

Scrumptious Delights Cotton Candy Twins.  Buy yours at http://schmancytoys.bigcartel.com

Poor monsters.  Can you imagine how sticky and miserable they must feel when the cotton candy gets stuck on their fur?  Ewww crunchy fur ewwwww.  I can't stand the feel of cotton candy on my face, hair, and fingers so I will only eat it nekkid in the shower.  I'm not weird, I'm clean . . .


3 down, 362 to go to goal

- Lei

REAL Cupcakes

I spent the better part of the afternoon shooting and editing pics of our new cupcake pendants:

Bit of Sugar Cupcake Pendants

Lemon Meringue Cupcake Pendant - $14 at www.bitofsugar.com

This brought on a craving for some REAL cupcakes.  Luckily, I had some leftover Sprinkles vanilla and banana cupcakes from a couple of nights ago - oh happy, happy, joy, joy!  At $14/can, the Sprinkles cupcake mix is pretty pricey, but heck, it's cheaper than flying up to Beverly Hills!

$14 at www.williams-sonoma.com

Here's a few shots of the ones I made.  The dots are pretty little nothings.  Really, they taste like nothing.  Except maybe cardboard.  And they sorta look like nipples . . .

Sprinkles Vanilla Cupcakes have a hint of almond flavor.

I am a self-acknowledged over-froster.  My golden ratio is 50/50 - 50% frosting, 50% cake.  What's yours? 

Oops.

And finally, here's a pic of the red velvet cupcake I had at the original Sprinkles bakery a few years ago. 

Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake

2 entries down, 363 to go.

365 Blog Entries

The first thing I've learned this year is that the hardest part about blogging is remembering to blog.  While blogging may be second-nature to those who do it often, as a first-time blogger, I'm finding it very difficult to:


1.  remember that I have a blog

2.  find something interesting to write about (really, does anyone care about the green onion and pineapple flavored mini cakes I saw in Chinatown?)

3.  translate my thoughts (aka brain pictures) into words.  In my head, I know exactly what I want our craft fair booth to look like, but I don't know how to draw that image with words.  Nor am I able to create a diagram - I've never progressed past Remedial Drawing 101 - Stick Figures. 

So to focus my spazzy, ADHD mind, I decided to make a blogging goal - to write 365 entries this year.

1 entry down, 364 to go. 

And just in case the green onion and pineapple mini cakes had you salivating, here's a pic:

Green Onion Pineapple Cakes spotted in a window in Honolulu's Chinatown.

Question of the day . . .

Do gummy bears stick together when they kiss?  

Yes, but only if the kiss is really hot!  Hahaha! Because gummy bears melt in heat, ya' know? Like when you leave a bag of gummy bears in your car on a hot day only to come back and find the bears have fused into a single blubbery mass . . . okay, nevermind.  Lame :)

Speaking of melting, we've got a little something that's sure to melt that someone special's heart - the "I Love You Beary, Beary Much!" key chain.  A limited number are available now on www.bitofsugar.com or www.etsy.com/bitofsugar   

Valentine's Day Gummy Bear Key Chain - only available until February 14th!

**MUAH**