Shirley's party advice part 6 - don't be afraid to interrupt us!

[Tinkerisdead]

Okay, this is shirley's party advice part 6. Shirley ducked out a while ago and you'll notice us chatting about all kinds of stuff whilst we wait for party planners to barge in.

So, don't lurk, jump in and chat. We'll give you any advice on parties from costumes to cakes....

How do I do superhero invitations?
I was hoping to do a mask that they bring with them (which, when combined with the capes, means no dress up is necessary) but what do I make them from and how do I get the wording on them?
Should I attach a 'note' to the mask with all of the details on? How do I glam the note up, superhero style?

Should I just make steal from google a superhero invite and attach a mask?

I'm leaving the invite idea up to stealth because she has had some cracking novel ideas before.

I need help, cake help, i want to make this for dh cake but my buttercream may be too slack for that level of piping. Whats best recipe to withstand it?

How's your drawing? Could you make a comic strip invite?

OK, easy one first.

DW - are you up for a small investment? I would do your (exceptionally cute) hairy monster with fondant and one of these (there are cheaper ones on Amazon, but this is the one I have and I know it works). You get the fondant really soft (knead in Trex) and it makes great hair - useful for loads of other things as well - I use it for almost every cake.

Superhero invitations - the note bit is easy - you just need a "POW" type image (like this) and then put the details in a similar shape on the back. I would be tempted to do that separately and just attach the mask. If you want the masks to last you could make them out of card or foam sheets, with eyelets for the elastic - or you make them less durable and accept that a number of them will have died before the party and they will need replacements.

Afternoon all, may I ask for some help planning DS2s 3rd birthday party? I was thinking of hiring a bouncy castle for the garden, and getting a gazebo from somewhere for the children to eat under, but otherwise I have no idea!

There will probably be 12 or so 2-3 year old, so nothing too taxing or difficult for them . what kind of food will I need to do?

The party is July 14th so not that far away.

Thanks!

Can I draw?? No. But a comic strip would be amazing.
Good idea about the pow. I was actually thinking because I am mad of doing the masks in felt so that they are comfortable enough to be worn as I have no doubt they will be worn for less than 2 minutes! Also, by doing that, I could maybe jazz them up a bit with gold stitching sewing machine still unopened and make them a bit more unique. Or is that just ridiculous?

Norky, does DS have a favourite colour/book/character? You could do a theme, or you could just do anything really! As its at hoe you could definitely do ice cream. Wraps instead of sandwiches? The usual snacky things like crisps along with bowls of cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes etc. for DS2 2nd birthday in January I did 'colourful' and used different coloured pare plates, napkins and cups. I also made 'sparklers' which were breadsticks half covered in chocolate and then sprinkled with 100s and 1000s. They were a huge hit.

As its at hoMe, not hoe and I had paper plates instead of pare ones!!!

Nonsense you are in the wrong place if you want us to tell you ideas are OTT

Felt masks could work. You could either sew elastic on, or put eyelets in (ones with washers otherwise they would be too scratchy). I think you need to try one out on your small superhero to see how long they will tolerate them for (unpack the sewing machine, woman )

I nearly bought an extruder actually as ive wanted one forever but all the monster cakes i checked were all buttercream and i thought damn it im gonna have to pipe this thing. I love fondant i hate buttercream to work with.

I think i may attempt to pipe it as ive got the multi/grass nozzle but im still getting an extruder then as thats how i wanted to do it in the first place. Hmmph. My friend borrowed my cake stuff saying she wanted to make a cake last week but now it turns out shes doing it this week the day i want to make dh's

Americans don't really "get" fondant (my SIL's niece christened it "English Frosting" ) so lots of cakes will come up as being buttercream, but there is no way I would do that monster in buttercream cos I am rubbish at piping

Boo Hiss to friend annexing cake stuff. I don't think anyone would dare ask to borrow mine .

Ordered it! On express delivery.

Now would you crumb coat the cake and stick the fondant hair to the buttercream coat or fondant the cake and stick the fondant to the fondant?

Am i making sense?

crumb coat and stick hair to buttercream, otherwise it will be too much fondant.

I must admit it was galling me to loan it out but shes becoming a good mum friend in the village so im taking a punt.

Yes, well, if I were to have such a thing as a good friend in the village (Mum or otherwise) I might do the same, if they were to be brave enough to ask...

For the extruder - you need the fondant really soft. Softer than you would imagine.

Extruding fondant sounds like fun!

It's an essential life skill, Blathers.

..and you can borrow stuff anytime. That's different, because if I needed it back I would just tell you.

I am going to be making a puffin-themed cake in a hurry on Friday night/ Saturday. I had ideas about puffins on wires flying, but they need time to dry and I won't be home until Thursday night..

Where are you at the moment?

Cant you do them as cake pops and plunge the sticks in?

DW - I could do sitting puffins as cake pops, but flying puffins need outstretched wings which would need to dry.

I am in Copenhagen, obviously

You could make them flying cake pops...oreos take the tops off cut in half stick eitherside. Look, i apprectaite you wanna make them properly like me creating lilliput lane forcrapunzel.( im leaving that typo as its made me laugh!)
But you cant be debbie brown, lindy smith...jane asher! And flying about the world.

flying puffin on a cake small enough to dry fast if you used gumpaste

There are compromises and compromises, though. It's for my father, who incredibly sweetly made me a birthday cake when I was one handed, and who has spent the last week sitting on a rock on some Scottish island photographing puffins. I can compromise on sitting puffins, but not oreo ones .

LOL that's the puffin I was looking at. Do you reckon he would dry in 24 hours (I suppose he could have 48 if I do him Thursday night...)

If u used gumpaste yeah cos that goes off so fast when i did the boottees they were dry the next day and they were quite thick and the crapunzel house actually.

Have you got a warm conservatory?