Simple But Super Cute Frog Birthday Cake

My little Ty guy turned seven this summer.  He is all things frogs, snails, hammers and nails.
So of course it was fitting to make him a froggy cake.  This was so simple!  I just baked a cake in a round pan, and saving some of the cake batter out, made two cupcakes for the eyes.  Each cupcake is cut not quite in half and laid down on it's side.  My malted milk ball candies didn't stay put real well as pupils, so I also "carved" a little crater out to set them in.

Sorry for the bad lighting in these photos!

What I used for this froggy cake:

1 round cake
2 cupcakes
2 Whopper Malted Milk Balls
1 twizzler
a stick of Trident gum
green frosting



And since the party was frog/toad/turtle/snake/whatevermakesgirlygirlsshriek themed, he had to bring his aquarium full of toads, frogs, slugs and his little turtle to the party (party was at Aunt Teresa's house! Not sure she was real thrilled with the extra guests but she's cool like that).  It was pretty cute when there was a little crowd gathered 'round his aquarium and the little shell-backed guy decided to perch on top of Croaker for a better view!

Want the perfect birthday gift if you have a little guy like mine?  

I found this aquarium with a screen top at a garage sale for $3.  One of the best birthday presents ever!  And they are easy to find at yard sales and thrift stores.  Always look for a cheap used one before spending the money for new! :)

Tuxedo Kitty Cat Birthday Party

It's been a big deal around here.  Little Miss Sassy Pants turned four!

She's been asking for an alligator cake for months and finally decided a cat (a tuxedo cat just like our beloved Taffy) would be better.  Yes! (Hey, I was totally prepared to look up alligator cakes on Pinterest!)

So, not being one to go crazy with a party theme, I found just enough touches of "kitty-cat" that our guests would know this was a kitty party.  Tori, of course, insisted on doing "the work".

I've long ago decided that things like this are better for bonding time, than making sure things are "pinterest worthy".  She had a blast and amazingly - we actually worked okay together.

I had bought a HUGE turkey at thanksgiving time when they are super cheap and stored it in the freezer until now.  Yup, I really do that.  I baked the whole bird and used most of the meat for turkey salad sandwiches.  The skewers I actually bought (unopened) at a garage sale for 25 cents last fall.  I knew I'd need them for something someday! :)

The kitty-cat ear plates are an idea I found on Pinterest HERE.  Mine are not near as cute however, since again, my little girl wanted to do them!  :)

We also played a cat-themed game of Pictionary on a large chalkboard.  

Some of the words we had to draw and guess in the allotted time were:

hairball

catnap

litter box

Siamese

paws

whiskers

claws

hiss

tuxedo cat

calico

kitten

purr

Since we were also celebrating Tori's great aunt's birthday, I decided she needed her own cake, too.  Especially since she has a schnauzer named Lindsey.  

So it was a Taffy (our cat's name) for Tori, and a Lindsey for Lois. 

The "real life" Taffy and her adoring "big sister" Tori: