You’ve just baked the perfect cake, and the time has come to dress it up! Flowers are blooming outside, so why not decorate your cake with the season in mind? Edible flowers are an easy way to add character and flair to any dessert, and with just a few simple steps, you can create beautiful flowers using everything from frosting to fruit leather!

Your guests will be in awe at these two-toned Piped Roses. For those who want to try their first frosted flower, this tutorial is perfect. (via Zoe Bakes)

These Fondant Roses will dress up any dessert you have in mind. (via Simply Delicious)

Everything is prettier in pink, and these Five Petal Fantasy Flowers are no exception. They are an elegant accessory for birthday and anniversary cakes. (via CakeJournal)

For a simple design, try this Fondant Frangipani tutorial. Their cute size is perfect for cupcakes! (via Bakingdom)

These Fondant Mums will bring elegance to any dessert. With this simple tutorial, you’ll be adding mums to everything! (via Bakingdom)

What’s your favorite way to make edible flowers?

Think activities for kids that don’t include video games and Angry Birds are stuck in the Stone Age? Think again! There are so many interactive (and non-virtual) things for your kiddos to do these days…All it takes is a little imagination and some resourcefulness! Help spread the love for crafting with these DIY ideas for kids to try.

Turn even the most ferocious predator (including your trotting toddler) into a lovebug (and DIY extraordinaire) with this Heart-holding Dinosaur. (via Lovely Indeed)

Make art fun for all ages with Cool Whip Paint. No Picasso-like skills necessary. (via Create, Play, Teach)

Let your kids claw it out with Dinosaur Feet Slippers — but prepare yourself for some loud ‘RAWRs’ ringing in the hallways. (via A Bird and a Bean)

Have your kids turn milk cartons into cityscapes with this DIY project that will do their bodies good. (via Mormorsglamour)

Add personality and flair to a child’s room with these Glittered Animal Canvases, which can be easily mounted for a 3-D wallpaper effect. Get kids in on the fun by having them decorate the canvases themselves! (via Papery & Cakery)

What was your favorite childhood art project?

Spring has sprung. It’s time for fresh flowers, warm nights, and cleaning out your closet! After your spring cleaning is complete, or maybe before you even start it, treat your space to some adorable DIY crafts. These DIYs with bright colors and savvy styling will give any space a pick-me-up.

Paint these Mason Jars on the inside and fill them with flowers to create a rustic romantic theme on your countertop. (via Beach Blues)

Colorblock Dipped Coasters are a simple and elegant way to dress up any drink! (via Poppytalk)

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream with this DIY Ice Cream Cone Garland. (via Oh Happy Day)

This DIY Mini Tassel Garland is sure to add an extra special touch to your next party! (via Studio DIY)

Welcome the warmer weather and keep things fresh with this earth tone DIY Magnolia Leaf Garland. This would be such a great outdoor embellishment for a patio party! (via Handmade Charlotte)

Do you have a fun spring DIY project on your list to try? Let us know about it!

Do you love to bake cakes but are sometimes at a loss for decorating ideas? Here’s one: why not use sugar cookies? With these step-by-step instructions, alphabet cookie cutters aren’t necessary. You get to design your own lettering in your choice of font! All you need is access to a computer and a printer, as well as a delicious cake in need of a little extra pizazz!

These adorable cake toppers are completely customizable, and even better: they’re edible! Use them as a fun twist on spelling out a name on a birthday cake or as a way to send an especially sweet message to a loved one!

You’ll Need:

• A cake in need of a topper
• A computer and printer
• Your favorite sugar cookie dough (Pick a recipe that’s good to use with cookie cutters, not drop cookies)
• Parchment paper
• Rolling pin
• Paring knife

Directions:
1. Think of a short word or set of words that you would like to display on your cake. Initials work great for engagement parties and wedding showers.
2. Using a word processing program or simple image editing program on your computer, type the wording out in the font of your choice. Try to keep the font semi-simple, since you are going to be cutting these letters out by hand.
3. Enlarge the font size as much as you can while still keeping the lettering small enough so that it will fit across the top of your cake. For an 8” round cake, design something that will fit across a regular 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper, in portrait view (Don’t worry about the extra ½ inch, because you can space the letters closer if necessary, and you won’t have margins).

4. After you print out your template, you can use one of two methods to transfer the template to your rolled out dough. The first method is to cut out your paper letters. Use them as a stencil: place your letters on top of your dough and simply trace the paper letters with your paring knife, thus cutting the shape from the dough.

5. The second method is to place a piece of parchment paper on top of your printed words so that you can trace them directly onto it with a pen or pencil. Next, place the parchment paper on top of your rolled dough. Use the paring knife to trace the lines of the font, cutting through both the parchment paper and the dough.

6. Leaving your letters on the parchment paper, remove the excess dough. After you have your letters cut out, you may want to clean up the edges a bit with your knife or use your fingers to mold the dough in place.

7. Now, take the entire sheet of parchment paper and place it on top of a cookie sheet to bake according to your cookie recipe.

8. Once the cookies are done baking and have cooled completely, you can choose to frost them or leave them plain for a more rustic look. If you decide to frost your cookies, you may also want to use sprinkles for an extra pop of color. Simply pipe the frosting onto the face of your cookie and press the cookie into a bowl of sprinkles to fully coat it.

9. To arrange your cookie letters on top of the cake, start with the middle letter of the word or phrase you’re spelling out, and place it in the center of the cake. Add a little bit of frosting (using a color that matches the cake) onto the bottom edge of the cookie letter, and stick it down onto the cake. Continue to arrange the other letters around the center one.

Can you think of another great occasion that a personalized cake topper would be perfect for?

Magazines are full of dessert, DIY, and entertaining inspiration! Here at BFFF, we love nothing more than sitting with a stack of magazines, a cupcake, and a nice cold drink on a Saturday afternoon. From the classic Martha Stewart Living magazine to the fresh Folk magazine, this list covers some of the best of the best in the industry. Subscribe to these magazines for a whole lot of inspiration!

Sweet Paul Magazine is filled with elegant recipes that are easy enough for any reader. There’s also information on craft ideas, entertaining tips, and shopping tips for food and props. (via Sweet Paul Magazine)

Rue Magazine is all about the latest trends. From market trends to fashion trends, and even home trends, Rue has you covered. (via Rue Magazine)

Folk magazine is all about fresh, youthful, authentic living. This publication features everything from rustic decor to handmade housewares to fashion and travel. (via Folk)

Martha Stewart is the quintessential homemaker in our books. So, of course, her Martha Stewart Living magazine is chock full of inspirational ideas for recipes, decor, and everything in between! (via Martha Stewart Living)

We’ve all heard of Better Homes and Gardens. For us, it’s the incredible spread of home decor, the beautiful kitchens, and the great recipes that keep us coming back for more. (via Better Homes and Gardens)

Planning a great party? Don’t miss all of the tips, tricks, and inspiration you will find in The Party Dress Magazine! Kelly and her team have you covered with everything from DIY projects to holiday entertaining tips. (via The Party Dress Magazine)

For all of you glamorous moms out there, this one is for you!  You are all superstars and deserve something with a little extra sparkle this Mother’s Day.  Today, we are sharing this shimmery, chic Mother’s Day Cake Topper.  Place the topper on any simple cake to jazz it up for your mother or for any of your mommy friends.  Nothing says you care more than pink, sparkly edible glitter!

You’ll Need:

• Edible glitter, in your color of choice
• Tinted fondant or gum paste
• Small rolling pin
• Cornstarch for dusting
• Sharp craft or paring knife
• Template
• Clean paintbrush
• Water, gum glue, or corn syrup

Directions:

1. Make a template: Pick your favorite font and print out the letters you want to create, or draw your own.  Cut the template out of card stock or heavy paper.

2. Dust your work surface lightly with cornstarch and roll out your fondant or gum paste to 1/4″- 1/8″ thick.

3. Place your template on top of the rolled fondant.  Using a sharp craft or paring knife, cut out your letters.  Try to slice straight down, so the fondant does not pull and distort.

4. Moisten your clean paintbrush with water, gum glue, or corn syrup and paint the surface of your letters.  Gum glue is recommended, but the water or syrup may work as substitutes.  Do not use too much liquid, or the fondant may become messy.  Only paint one letter at a time, so they do not dry out too quickly.

5.  Carefully shake or sprinkle moistened letters with edible glitter.  Set aside to dry.

One party trend that seems to be all over the place right now is the mustache theme. There’s just something about adorable fake mustaches and mustache themed desserts that sends us over the edge! Moms everywhere are planning mustache themed parties for their little ones, and today, we’re sharing some of our favorite accessories for your new favorite theme.

These Wooden Mustache Forks from Sucre Shop are the perfect, decorative alternative to plastic. Don’t you think?

Add an extra special touch to your party by etching mustaches on your glasses with this DIY Mustache Glass Tutorial by No.2 Pencil.

What better way to celebrate your son’s birthday than with these adorable Mustache Cupcake Toppers from Catch My Party!

This beautiful Mustache Cake from Cake Central would be perfect for a baby shower or birthday party. Absolutely adorable!

These edible Mustache Cupcake Toppers from Celebrate with Sugar would be perfect for any fun occasion!

How would you incorporate fun mustaches into your party styling? We’d love to hear your ideas!

Kelly Lanza is the colorful personality behind Studio DIY, a lifestyle blog that celebrates all things DIY. Kelly’s blog is an impressive and inspiring collection of tutorials and craft ideas, and we love everything she has come up with. How cute are these DIY Conversation Heart Pinatas? We’re definitely saving that idea for next Valentine’s Day! And while we’re totally smitten with her blog, we also have to admit that we constantly find ourselves turning to Kelly’s Pinterest Boards for DIY inspiration and dessert ideas. Kelly has an eye for wonderful things, and we love to scour her Pinterest boards for fantastic party and decorating ideas. With over a hundred boards and counting, there’s surely something for everyone. Anybody who has a whole board dedicated to donuts is a winner in our book!

Stay inspired with Kelly Lanza on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/StudioDIY/

Vanilla extract is a simple mixture of alcohol and vanilla beans. Over time, the vanilla beans macerate in the alcohol and create the wonderful extract that we use in most of our baking recipes. Vanilla extract is actually very easy to make at home, and I do it all the time. All you need is a bottle of vodka and two or three high quality vanilla beans. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise so that the seeds are exposed but the bean is not cut completely in half. Put the beans into the vodka bottle and shake to mix. Place the bottle in a dark place and store it for at least two months, shaking the bottle at least once a week. Once the liquid is dark and the vodka is infused, your vanilla extract is ready to use.

For more information on making your own vanilla extract, check out these Baker’s Tips from The Kitchn.

If you’re not quite in gear for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration quite yet, don’t worry. Here at BFFF, we’ve got you covered. Today, we’re showing you an easy, fun, and unique way to decorate cupcakes for this special green themed day.

We’re excited to show you how to make these polka dot patterned fondant shamrocks with edible bling, because everything is better when it sparkles, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. This is a fast and easy cupcake decoration for school celebrations, home parties, work, or just for some family fun!

You’ll Need:

• Shamrock shaped cookie cutter
• Small circle shaped cookie cutter or decorating tip
• White fondant
• Green fondant
• Edible glitter

Directions:

1) Roll out white fondant and cut out your preferred size of polka dots. Go as big or as small as you want, but keep in mind that the smaller your dots are, the more time-consuming your pattern will be, and taking too long can result in dried fondant.

2) Roll out green fondant and spray it heavily (without drowning your fondant) with water or vodka (vodka will dry faster than water). Line up your polka dots in your desired pattern. You can make a patterned space for up to 6-8 toppers at a time, but if you plan on making more than that, roll out new green fondant to use for another batch. Using your cookie cutter, cut shamrock shapes out of the fondant.

3) Let the shamrocks dry for a minimum of 4-6 hours until completely dry. When you touch the green fondant, it shouldn’t stick.

4) Once the green fondant is completely dry, carefully paint each polka dot (doing only one topper at a time) with water or vodka. Do not let the water touch the green fondant.

5) Dip your finger in edible glitter, and dab glitter on to each wet polka dot. Let the glitter dry just until they are not sticky to the touch (about an hour). Once dry, your shamrocks are set to use on cupcakes, cookies, or a festive cake. Dress up Oreos, brownies, or cake pops with smaller shamrocks for even more fun.

You can use this pattern and technique to create toppers for any occasion. Use different color and shape combinations for any holiday.

The sky’s the limit, so have fun with it!

What is your favorite part about St. Patrick’s Day?