Future Mrs. Frank :-)

Here are some pictures of a recent Bridal Shower Cake that I made for one soon-to-be-mrs.-frank :)

This delicious cake was marble with vanilla and chocolate swirl filling (ya know, to keep with the whole swirled flavor theme!)

Best of luck to the future Mr. & Mrs. Frank!

Captivating Creations has also recently added an updated pricing sheet! Check it out here.

Monkey Themed Baby Shower!

A few weeks back, Captivating Creations announced that we now take Special Orders. What type of special orders, you ask?

That is where you come in! We will take into consideration any and all suggestions of special orders, some of which include: cookies, cake bites, and unique cake flavors that we don't have listed on the website.

Here are some pictures of the most recent special order: Monkey Themed Sugar Cookies for a Baby Shower! *collective awwwww*

The cookies were modeled after this picture and theme. The mom-to-be is decorating the baby's room in these accents! :)

And here is how the cookies turned out:

Yum!

Birthday's for two different Samanthas! Girlie flowers and a tree themed cake!

Happy Birthday to Samantha #1 (turned 8) and Samantha #2 (turned 6). Although you're both #1 in my heart *tear*

I so enjoyed making BOTH of your birthday cakes last week! Samantha #2 even presented me with a challenge: make a cute, yummy, tree (yes, tree!) themed cake that would be fun and appropriate for a 6 year old girl's birthday!

Do I incorporate camo? twiggs? forrest nymphs? Nope. How about sugar trees and flowers amidst a stream in the woods? Bingo.

Side note: I created a new filling flavor for this cake! Nutella lovers unite! I made a surprisingly delightful Nutella & Chocolate filling that left Samantha very happy!

_______

Now for Samantha #1. She was very specific: bright blue, bright pink, bright yellow, and lots of flowers and butterflies. Oh, and glitter too - yeah, glitter. Maybe bright blue and pink glitter?

Kids + sugar + edible glitter = two awesome birthdays.

Check out more of Captivating Creation's cakes here!

Congrats Jake & Erin! Wedding July 10, 2010

I may be biased, but I think Jake & Erin are going to have a bomb wedding with an amazing cake.

But, those are just words coming from a sister-in-law-cake-decorator who is ready to celebrate their wedding and eat some delicious cake (straight from the Captivating Creations kitchen no less).

Chocolate cake + vanilla frosting = wonderful bridal shower cupcakes for Erin!

And what says love like sugar hearts? Yeah. Thats what I thought.

I have to say that the white chocolate butterflies are some of my all time fav decorations. Note to eaters: everything is edible! Except for the butterfly feelers. But I think it's safe to say that we wouldn't want to eat feelers anyway.

Enjoy! For more information, check out my website here!

Finding "The One" - Yummy Cake & a great time!

"The One" Wedding Showcase was a huge success this past weekend! Brides and grooms alike got to sample delicious food from wedding caterers, sample wine, talk with photographers, and get to enjoy some of my yummy cupcakes!

It was a great event in all. I got to share a table with Lavender Valley Farm, located in Seattle, WA. They had lotions, soaps, lavender sachets, and lots of other things that are absolutely perfect for brides to pamper themselves, use as wedding favors, or give out as gifts for their wedding party!

I also got to represent Bella Cupcake Couture at the event - their gorgeous wrappers on my cupcakes just brought it all together! Check them out here.

On a personal note, I loved getting to chat with the other vendors there! It was great to see so much talent under one roof.

I had the opportunity to get to know brides at all stages of wedding planning, and for those that chose me as their cake decorator I just want to say THANK YOU and I cannot wait to make your delicious and beautiful cakes!

If you were a bride, groom, or a friend at the event, I'd love to hear what you thought of it! For more information about my cakes, visit my website here!

CupcakeCamp Seattle!

*drum roll please*

Captivating Creations placed 2nd in CupcakeCamp Seattle's Best Seattle Themed Competition!

CupcakeCamp Seattle was a great experience - it all came together and so much support was shown from the public! About 800 people from around the Seattle area showed up and enjoyed cupcakes! There was cupcakes galore - over 5,000 donated! Not to mention all the proceeds went to The Hope Heart Institute - a non-profit that researches/provides info about heart disease! I also heard that over $5,000 was raised - $1 for each cupcake!

I was able to take a lot of pictures, which you can see below! For more pictures, check out my facebook fan page.

Shout out to this "cupcake" (above) that was entered into the Best Seattle Theme - seriously!? Best.idea.ever. I love it. In case you can't read it, the caption reads: "The unhappy hipster cupcake did not enter himself into the competition. He thinks cupcakes are SO three years ago. He left about twenty minutes ago to listen to She and Him on vinyl."

Let me know if any of you guys made it out to the event! If you did, let me know what you think :)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!!! :-)

Being Healthy AND Loving Cupcakes

As I just finished another work out, it dawned on me that it is both possible to love sweets (in this case, cupcakes & cake) and be healthy.

I read an article yesterday that gave women advice on how to lose weight 'like a man'. Men have the natural ability to burn 30% more calories than women on any given activity (yikes! no wonder my husband can pig out and still lose weight). But the one thing that stood out to me was this: Men are more likely to indulge themselves in food that they like whereas women may cut out sweets all together then end up binging on them later.

So, being the nutritional expert that I am (making cakes has to count for something, right?), I realized that we should not starve ourselves of food that we love, but rather, enjoy it in moderation. This is something that I have begun applying to my life and I have found that I truly enjoy food more and I feel better! I have cut down on portion size, but I still enjoy the yummy food that I love!

I absolutely believe that we are to take care of our bodies. God has given us these intricate bodies that we can do so much with! This blog is also the beginning to my development of delicious, and healthy treats that I am working on, but thats for another day ;-)

You may be wondering why I am blogging about this when I make cakes for a living. Well, that brings me to my next point...

We are not to deprive ourselves of good things (in moderation, within reasoning) and studies have shown that people who enjoy life live healthier! I read once about a 105 year old woman who ate an entire Cadbury chocolate bar everyday - for the past 40 years (hellooooo sponsorship deal?)! It helped her to enjoy life!

And, not to mention, how perfect our cupcakes for portion control? You can enjoy one and then you are done, and you aren't left with a giant cake that calls out your name at all hours in the night. This, my friends, is how you can both enjoy cupcakes, cakes & sweets AND still be healthy!

So go outside, enjoy life, and enjoy a cupcake or two ;-)

Introducing Our Newest Flavor: Cookies n' Cream!

Chocolate + Cookies n' Cream = Hallelujah Chorus in your mouth.

Captivating Creations has just added this delicious combination to our menu: moist chocolate cake baked with cookie pieces right in it, topped with cookies n' cream frosting! How could something so simple be so delightful?

Check out these cupcakes, and other amazing treats at our website! Order today so you too and enjoy these delicious cupcakes!

White Chocolate Creations!

Yum! Take a look at these beautiful butterfly-themed cupcakes that we made for Robin's Birthday!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

I'm so proud.... my husband made this cake! (Although I did get to decorate it ;-) )

This is a delicious Guinness Chocolate cake with marshmallow fondant - yum!

Just because St. Patricks day is almost over, doesn't mean that you can't enjoy one of these deliciously flavored cakes! Check out what else you can order at our website!

Auctioning off Cherry Blossom Cupcakes!

Just finished making these cute and yummy cupcakes and I couldn't help but share them with the world! They are being donated (with the cake stand) to the Mexico Mission Auction this Sunday at Maple Valley Presbytarian Church to raise money for the youth group to go serve in Mexico!

Cupcake Wrappers courtesy of Bella Cupcake Couture

Mark your calendar! Captivating Creations at The One - Wedding & Events Show!

Newly Engaged? Planning a wedding? No matter what stage of wedding planning you are at, you will benefit from 'The One' Wedding & Events Show!

Thanks to All the Flutter and Anticipate, The Sole Repair Shop will be hosting 'The One' and you can find everything from amazing photographers, make-up artists, and of course - yummy cakes and cupcakes brought to you by Captivating Creations!

So, you're probably asking yourself where you can get the details to come to this amazing event - well look no further!

When: Sunday, April 18 at 3:00pm-6:00pm

Where: The Sole Repair Shop - 1001 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122

Cost: $5.00

Did I mention that anyone who books Captivating Creations for their wedding at the show gets a 5% discount!

For a full list of Vendors, please visit the vendors page on 'The One" website.

I will be sharing a table with Lavender Valley Farm - a local lavender farm that provides flowers and favors (not to mention offers a calming effect and what bride wouldn't appreciate that?!) and for more information, please see my preferred vendors list.

Looking forward to meeting you soon-to-be brides and offering up some yummy treats :)

Captivating Creations at CupcakeCamp Seattle!

What is CupcakeCamp Seattle you ask?

Just about the best invention ever.

It started in San Francisco and has taken off to a global level. Captivating Creation is a sponsor at this year's CupcakeCamp which means we will be part of a group of local sponsors donating cupcakes at the FREE event. More details below, courtesy of CupcakeCamp website:

An event for cupcake lovers: Bake or buy cupcakes to bring -or- just come to eat and help a good cause. Activities include cupcake eating contests, cupcake wrapper decorating, bakers competitions, Hope Heart Institute fundraiser and more. Best of all … it’s FREE.

WHEN: Saturday, April 10, 2010 11am-2pm
WHERE: 415 Westlake Ave Seattle, Washington, 98109
WHY: Because who doesn’t love cupcakes? Plus we will have some fun competitions and a fundraiser for Hope Heart Institute

The concept for Cupcake Camp originated in San Francisco and promotes a true spirit of community and sharing, and Cupcake Camps now happen around the world and come in a wide variety of flavors and sizes. The most essential feature of a Cupcake Camp is that it brings together people to share their love of cupcakes!

Cupcake Camp Seattle is presented by Bella Cupcake Couture as a delicious celebration of this small coveted treat. Completely volunteer run and organized in an open and participatory manner, our first Cupcake Camp Seattle raises funds for Hope Heart Institute.

Heat Wave Inspiration

Yes it is still February.

Yes it isn't truly a heat wave.

But it's February! And it's been in the 50 degree range! And this is western Washington! That counts as a heat wave in my opinion.

As for the inspiration, the weather is tricking me into thinking that it is already Spring (my fav season for many a reason.... I won't even dignify that with a comment about how it rhymes...)

Anyway, I created some Spring-themed cupcakes/cakes and couldn't help but share them with the world! Enjoy :)

To visit our website, click here.

Captivating Creations!

Welcome!

It is Official - Captivating Creations is Underway! Now for a little bit about us:

Captivating Creations

Captivating Creations comes from the idea that each celebration, each moment, should captivate your senses. Enjoying your first moments as husband and wife, welcoming a beautiful new person into the world, celebrating a joyous birthday, looking back over 15, 25, 50 years of marriage, and so on.

My desire is to captivate you with your custom made cakes - that they would be the "icing on the cake", so to speak, on your special day. People have always come together over food, so why not treasure your special occasions over dessert?

Melynda O'Brien

I have spent most of my life in Washington state and have grown to love it's natural beauty. It is here that I learned how to be creative, to use my skills to create joy in the life of myself and others. I love working with people, learning other's stories, and discovering more about the journey that we are all on.

I earned my degree in Public Relations, with a minor in Religious Studies, from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA. While I was there I had the opportunity to discover myself and learn to use the skills God has given me, for my strength comes from Him alone. So, after many-a-night spent studying while watching Food Network shows like "Ace of Cakes", I decided that I too would like to be a cake decorator.

After graduating, I began taking cake decorating class and am trained through Wilton. I currently live in Bellevue, WA with my husband, Tim. It is my hope that I could be a part of your special day, whether it be a first birthday or a 25th wedding anniversary, and use my skills to captivate you by my cakes and cupcakes.