Ahhhhh yes -- another obsession to focus on!

Say hello to my Sunday afternoon obsession:

I couldn't just stop with the shimmered shells. Something in me just wouldn't let it end there. So Erik was insanely sweet and bought me a half-dozen more candy molds featuring all kinds of shells, starfish, etc. And some extra shimmer dust. He's an enabler!! How on Earth could I let these raw supplies sit there in their unassuming packaging? They were made to be used, and I could feel them taunt me.

Saturday night I made a 6" round cake 3" high. I figured I would ice that and see how the shells/starfish looked on that one layer. Right. Like that would have been enough. I was sick most of the day Sunday, not even getting out of bed until like 3pm. But promptly at 4pm, I was rolling fondant on my granite island. What the hell was I thinking? I've never used fondant before. And it seemed like way too much for my tiny little 6" cake. :::light goes on inside my head at this point::: Hmmmm, let me invert a larger cake pan and put the 6" cake on top - and ice both of those with the rolled fondant. I'm a genius. It worked perfectly. Then the obsession continued.... Meticulously hand painting the additional 50 shells I made from white chocolate, shading each one time and time again until it was "perfect".... like anyone was ever going to say, "Lisa, you should have shaded the top 1/8 of that shell in an oyster color and the right 1/4 in a bronze." Regardless, some of them truly look real - so it was well worth the effort. But again, like I really need to point out, the obsession continued... Yep, shell by shell, strategically placed. Removed. Re-placed. Removed. And the ugly cycle continued for a good hour and change. Until every shell was shaded just right. And every perfectly shaded shell was nestled into position like it was meant to be. Ahhhhhhhh. It was time for bed.

Yeah, right. You ALL know me better than that! Off I went to the precinct to show Erik my incredible piece of art. Secretly crossing my fingers the entire way and refusing to put the heat on in the truck because of the fear that the icing would melt and the shells would slide off -- I drove carefully -- as if I had an unsecured puppy next to me. The looks on their faces was validation that my masterpiece truly was impressive. I know, I know.... don't quit my day job and think I can go work for Ace of Cakes... but this is the FIRST cake I've ever made of this magnitude and it rocks!! There were pictures taken by the police. Not for future evidence of tampering/poisoning.... but to show others who weren't around to witness. And nobody could believe the shells were edible. I finally took my prize home and then to work with me today. While everyone was asking when we could eat it, I was thinking how the hell can I cut this??

So this will become the inspiration for our At Home Reception cake. I'll ask Mom on Saturday if she can make a 3-tier one and I'll do the shells (of course I will....). Another item to cross off my to-do list!!