Cheap Thrill! More Baking Coupons in Todays Paper- Red Plum

Hi Everybody,


Today's Red Plum (September 30, 2012) has a bunch of baking products coupons. Save them now for use during the holidays. Some of the items like Yeast never go on sale so you can start stocking up on it now . You can store it all year in the door of your refrigerator, just let it warm to room temperature before you use it for baking.

Other products like the Karo Syrup and Argo cornstarch will go on sale  before Christmas. You can hold these in your panrty for use all year. Usually they just go on sale for one week between now and Christmas so watch your store flyers for the date. If you go to a store that doubles coupons, like Publix or the Pig and you use that coupon on the sale price ... your baking stuff will be just about free.

As I have told you all before, I use www.couponmom.com to do my weekly shopping  but, any of the couponing sites can help you with your planning.

Happy Bargain Hunting.

New Wilton Cake Classes Start this Week at Michaels on Harbison!

Wilton Cake Decorating Classes start this Week at Michaels on Harbison. Please check out the schedule by coming to my web site at :

http://sweetcakesandsparklythings.blogspot.com/p/class-schedule.html

Pick your class and go down to Michaels and Register. Tuition is on special this month $22.50 for Courses 2-4 and $5.00 for Course 1 if you sign up before October 13.

Gum Paste & Fondant Class Photo from August

Jackie S. Course 3 Cake

Yes, I am so far  behind posting everyones photos. Here is a photo of a Course 3 cake done by Jackie S. in my Sunday class last month. She is so talented..... She made the roses in red fondant and then hand painted each one.. this is her very first fondant cake!

Flowers and Cake Class Photos - August 2012 Class

For any of you who would like to learn to work with Royal Icing and make flowers, here are some of the things you might learn in class. These cakes were made by the talented students in my Sunday class at Michaels! Good job ladies.. you rock!!

Amber S.

Elizabeth M.

Myra R.

Cheap Thrills- Plan for Holiday Baking Supplies Sales Today!

As many of you probably have guessed, I am always the Auntie who does all the holiday baking. Plus I have to have things like confectioner's sugar and shortening on a weekly basis for my classes. Many of you may think the cheapest way to get all my baking supplies is to run to the restaurant supply warehouse, or Sam's club and buy in bulk. The truth is the cheapest way to get my baking items is to plan ahead and use coupons!!

Using coupons has the added benefit of letting me buy sugar in container sizes that work for me.I don't have to work at packaging stuff for class because it is pre packaged in the correct size packages.

So here is how I get a huge bunch of baking supplies on the cheap. Last week the newspaper issued the first of the "holiday" baking coupons , " Domino's Confectioner's Sugar 1 lb., 50 cents off ". Obviously I am going to follow the coupon Mom system and keep this coupon until sugar goes on sale- then use it at Publix where they will double the value and give me a dollar off the sale price. ( Last years sale price was $1.19 so I spent only .19 cents per box of sugar).

You probably are thinking hey that's pretty cool except I only buy 1 newspaper so I only have one of these magical coupons. Here is where the planning comes in. Since they issued this coupon last week- I am going to go to Ebay and buy 20 or more of these coupons from a coupon clipping service. I am going to make sure shipping is no more than a dollar! If they ship them Monday I will have coupons by Friday in plenty of time for all the holiday sales. ( While I am at  it I will also look for Crisco and other baking coupons and pick those up too- if you buy two auctions from one person they can combine the items and lower shipping costs for you). Yes I will have spent a little on shipping but, if you factor in the savings using double coupons and the sale you will still come out way ahead. I buy sugar for all of my classes all year in the months of October and November.

Happy Couponing!!!

Scary Cupcakes from Saturdays Demonstration --- anyone interested in learning how to do these???

Hey Everybody--

Every year I teach a Scary Cupcakes class. This year I do not have one on the schedule yet, if you are interested in me teaching it please email or call me and let me know? If I taught it we could learn to do whichever of these cupcakes you like.

Jack O'Lantern

Spider, Black Cat, Werewolf, Bloody Eyeball

Candy Corn ( Not so scary..)



Just a few more

We do have a Kids Scary Cake Class this next weekend on Saturday September 29th from 1-3 pm at Michaels. Tuition is $15.00 per child and they must register ahead of time so they can come prepared with the right supplies. The cake we will do in that class with be your choice of either the Spider, Black Cat,  or the Jack O Lantern. I have only 2 spots left for this class so if you want to take it sign up ASAP....

Scary Cupcake Demonstration Today at Michaels on Harbison!!

Halloween cupcakes!!

Angela & Seth Scary Cupcakes Class....

If you want ideas for scary cupcakes today is the day! I will be at Michaels on Harbison from 1-3 pm demonstrating how to make a Werewolf, Black Cat and several other party worthy cupcakes for Halloween. Of course, I will also be highlighting our $5.00 Decorating Basics special and enrolling kids for the Scary Cakes Class Next Saturday from 1-3 pm. Drop in and say hello...

Cheap Thrill - Help us win the Publix Pet Photo Contest!! Read on to see why....

Hi Everyone-

As many of you know, I coupon to save our house hold as much money as possible. Couponing has actually helped us keep our heads above water recently. Couponing has also allowed me to help out several other families and family members with groceries and personal items. I also use the coupons to donate to the local animal shelters.

 

Which brings me to why I am posting this photo contest entry. Normally I don't promote personal stuff here on my blog. I am posting this contest because if our dog Coaly's photo wins the contest we could win a $500.00 Publix gift card. Winning this card would not only help our our house hold in a big way for the upcoming holidays, winning could easily help me do a nice  holiday shopping trip for a couple of the families we help out with our couponing. With my coupon skills I am hoping to turn the $500.00 prize into at least $1500.00 worth of grocery and house hold items.

 So vote for Coaly at this link:

Coaly Robinson ( our baby).

http://www.facebook.com/pages/PR1zeL0gic-PPPubl1X/499300433420543?sk=app_385622954827000&app_data=DETd67b5c17-7c89-455c-a22e-049e2b43ebf6

My Butter Cream Icing Recipe for Decorating

Hi Everyone-

I keep getting requests for this - so here is the Butter Cream Icing Recipe I use- it is my personal recipe. The trick is to work with it as cold as possible. If it gets to soft pop it back in the fridge and wait until it is cool again ( if you have it loaded in a bag just stick the whole thing in the fridge).

Butter Cream Icing Recipe

 

6 Tablespoons butter

4 ½ to 4 ¾ cups pure cane powdered (confectioners) sugar

1 Tbsp Meringue powder

¼ Cup milk

1 ½ tsp vanilla

 

In a small bowl beat butter until light and fluffy, gradually add about half the powdered sugar and meringue powder mixing well. Add the milk and vanilla and mix. Then add remaining powdered sugar. If consistency is too thick add more milk & mix, if it is too thin add more powdered sugar and mix until you have the right consistency. This is equal in yield to 1 batch of the Wilton class butter cream icing.

*** Of course if you want to improvise with the flavors you can substitute another extract for the vanilla.

Happy Baking!!

Tara

Class Schedule through December is now posted!

Hi Everyone-


If you are trying to plan your holiday season you can now include Wilton classes- simply go to my blog and check out the "Cake Classes" page. This page gives you all the classes I will be teaching through December 2012. Remember if you choose to take a basics class and you sign up by the end of this month the tuition is only $5.oo!!!


See you in class.

Dipped Cookies class this next Tuesday Cancelled!

Hi Everyone-

Sadly, I have had to cancel the " Dipped Cookies" class for 9/11.

Michaels Special Price on Class and Open House Starts Today!

Today at 11:00 am Michaels on Harbison is holding an open house. Come over and visit us to see what fun projects we have in mind for fall.

Even more exciting than the projects is that Michaels on Harbison is offering Wilton Cake Decorating Basics for only $5.00 if you register now ( The flyer says $10.00 but we will take an additional $5.00 off at the register with a Bounce In Coupon. So now is the time to tell everyone about the Wilton Cake Classes!!! This only applies at the Harbison Store.


If you had a child or friend that wanted to take DECORATING BASICS class today is the day to register them. I will have all my Basics classes through December 2012 open and ready for you to join! REGISTER EARLY BECAUSE WHEN THESE CLASSES FILL WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ADD MORE CLASSES!

This is also an ideal time to come back to class, if you feel like you need more basics practice or Rose practice- you can't beat $5.00 for four extra weeks of training. Also, if you haven't finished all four classes : classes 2-4 are half off this month for a total of $22.50.

As always call me at (803) 319-7217 if you have questions or email me at sweetcakes@sc.rr.com

See you in class!!!!

Thursday Sept 6th Classes Cancelled !

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick update, the classes scheduled to start Thursday September 6th at Michaels have been cancelled. In order for me to hold classes students need to sign up at least  2 days prior to the class.

If you had been planning on attending these classes contact me so that we can schedule a new date for you.

Tara