Heart-Shaped Genius

Sometimes, when I'm in the zone of making and creating... I think I come across a stroke of genius. perhaps it's a throw back to the days when I used to work, and part of my job was to come up with engineered solutions to a myriad of things.


I'm really not one to boast... (ok, maybe a little!) but when I get these 'great ideas', I certainly like to share them. Then I blog about them! (ok.. so maybe I am a bit more than a little boastful!) but it's certainly validating to tell someone (or post about) my great idea or creation and get some positive feedback. Besides.. it's not like my kids are all that interested in what I'm doing. At least not process-wise. to them, it's all "show me the cupcakes!"


At any rate.. I HAVE to share my latest "ah-hah!" moment. Granted.. it's not a pretty sight. in fact... I SHOULD make the disclaimer that I swear I am not making any illegal drugs in these pictures.... despite the appearance otherwise.




Yesterday, I made sprinkles. Lemon-flavored, heart (and circle!) shaped SPRINKLES.


Originally, I was going to take some gumpaste, dye it yellow, add in some lemon extract, roll it out, and attempt to cut out some cute shapes so I could apply them to my newest Happy Jane flavor. but then it hit me..... STARBURSTS!!!



They were SO awesome to shape into veggies when I made Danny's birthday cake... why not melt them down and do the same thing here? So that's exactly what I did. Melted, coated with corn starch to reduce the stickiness... rolled them flat, then used my piping tips to cut out some circles...





and used a heart-shaped hole punch to get the heart sprinkles. GENIUS!





I was so happy with the results, I just HAD to blog about it. I mean.. the color was vibrant! the FLAVOR was perfect in this case... and the hole-punch was just too too easy. TOTALLY worth my $5 hunch I had when I bought the puncher. I can't wait to go and buy more shapes now. The cupcakes, janes, and cakes (as well as pancakes!! and ice cream!!) I imagine waiting to be sprinkled now are endless.


I'm sure I will eventually use the gumpaste with color and flavor to match my occasion.. but if starburst makes a color and flavor... you can bet I'll use them in a heart beat. (get it? HEART beat??)



I love it when a plan comes together!