Wednesday, February 29, 2012

DIY flower cake

i made myself a birthday cake!

out of flowers.
no calories!
unless you eat them.

my birthday isn't until next week.
it is o.k. to celebrate early  all month.
promise.
i do.

i have made this kind of flower cake a couple of times before.
once for a friend's birthday
and another time for a garden club demonstration.

i am sorry i can not remember where i found this idea.
most likely from martha?

it is so easy.
pretty too,
and lasts a long time.

and because it is my birthday month
and i am celebrating...

i have put together a little tutorial on how to make this cake...
enjoy!

here goes...
you will need two pieces of rectangular florists foam,
cut the ends off to form a square to fit your cake stand.

you will also need fresh flowers with strong stems.
 carnation's and daisy's work well.

i found bunches of flowers on sale for 50 cents at my local grocery.
total cost $3.50!
  i'll have to remember to buy my flowers on thursdays when the not so fresh ones are sold on clearance.
just found that out ...yippie.
50 cents!

i used the bottom of a plate to depress a circle shape guide into the foam.

cut away the foam to form a cake shape.

make sure your foam shape fits the cake stand,
 with about an inch of space for the flowers.
the 2 foam pieces do not have to be attached to each other, rather just standing next to each other.

completely soak your foam in water.

place soaked foam back on stand.

cut flowers leaving about 2 inches of stem.

 start poking flowers into foam, starting on the bottom row.

add rows of flowers overlapping slightly.

fill in the top layer with flowers.

that's it!
pretty.
at this point, i decided to transfer my flower cake to a different, more sparkly, silver cake stand
 and i changed the rows of flowers slightly.

i welcome
 and
embrace
 the month of march.
for my birthday
for flowers
for cake
for st. patty's day (erin means ireland yunno)
for longer days
and
for
spring.

and i am grateful.
you
 are
 
my gardeners.

26 comments:

Olive said...

Erin, it is charming and calorie free. What is not to love? olive

Olive said...

I nearly left before I said:


♫♫♫ Happy Birthday ♫♫♫

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

Happy Birthday Erin!
My sister has a March 4th bday and my Danny boy was born March 18th so we love March too!
Love your flower cake idea...so pretty! Perhaps I will attempt that for my sis! :)

It's me said...

Beautiful !!!!!!....xxx....

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

THIS IS GORGEOUS and of course, your photos of it are STUNNING! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!!!! Anita

Donna said...

Erin,
Happy Birthday!! Love your "cake"! Thanks for sharing how you created the calorie free cake. The pics are gorgeous as always.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating your b'day the entire month!
Hugs,
Donna

Vickie @ Ranger 911 said...

It does look good enough to eat!

I taught our daughters that they should celebrate a birthday week, but I like your idea of a birthday MONTH!

Happy Birthday Month!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Happy Birthday! I don't see a thing wrong with celebrating for a month. :D Your flower cake is so pretty - thanks for the tutorial. As always the photos are so pretty.
Enjoy your evening.

Cindy said...

That is so charming and so sweet that you called us your gardeners. Your cake is delightful, I'm enchanted, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Cindy

koralee said...

Happy Early birthday...your cake is beyond adorable!!!!! I soooo want to make one. Love to you my friend. xoxo

Cristina Deboni said...

Intanto buon compleanno in anticipo e poi questa idea è bellissima e senza compleanno si può copiare lo stesso per arredare la propria casa. Brava! ciao Cri : )

lucy said...

happy birthday! beautiful cake and pictures! and today must be 'refresh your blog day'as yours is the 4th one I've read with a new header! Lovely!

miabellavintage said...

that is the most awesome idea around!!!!!!! I love it!

poppilinnstudios said...

Happy Birthday Erin! Enjoy the month long celebration! I'm going to make that beautiful cake for Easter. Thanks for sharing the idea.
-Lynn

Nella Miller said...

Erin, Wishing you a wonderful birthday. Love the floral cake, it is so sweet( not figuritevly!). Shall try it sometime...
Love when you drop in. N.xo

Carole said...

Happy Birthday Erin you have made yourself a beautiful cake. I love it more then the sweet sugary kind.
Thankful for you too sweets.

x
Carole

KarenB said...

It's a beautiful cake and unlike a baked one, it will last a lot longer. ;-) I'm saving this tutorial. Thanks for the lovely inspiration. Hope your birthday month is awesome! Mine is April, so I think I'll take the whole month as well. Why not?
Love,
Karen

Tammie Lee said...

how very lovely! i bet it smells nice too with those carnations. i love that you gave yourself this gift. your birthday is soon and i wish you a lovely celebration on your birthday and each day beyond~

Deb said...

Wishing you a Wonderful Birthday Erin ♥
Love the Birthday cake idea!!

flowersandhome said...

We have several birhtdys in march here. I wonder if they'd appreciate a flower cake...??? Well, I know I would! What a great idea. I just want to make one right now (oops, have to buy flowers first) Could I start celebrating my birthday 5 months in advance? ;-)
Bye,
Have a great weekend
and of course....
A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY/MONTH,
Marian

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Good morning gorgeous one!!!!!

30.5 years for you and that fabulous man of yours???? SUPER!!! I know, it is a rare thing these days and I just thank GOD ABOVE for every day and moment of this blessing!!!!! Oh may you enjoy MORE MORE MORE my dear and talented erin!!!!

THANKS FOR VISITING! Anita

Melanie said...

Hello, found my way here from Georgian a Lane's blog. Love the idea of the flower cake. Will work great for a decoration idea at our church. Thank you for sharing when the flowers go on sale. I will have to check that out.

Cobalt Violet said...

Learned this (below) in Italian class.
~to the tune of "Happy Birthday"

Tanti auguri a te!
Tanti auguri a te!
Tanti auguri felice!
Tanti auguri a te!

Happy Birthday, my friend!
Many Blessings and light for a year filled with joy and many many blessings!

p.s. love the cake! :)

Chrisy said...

It's a beautiful thing...and yes a birthday must last for at least a month I think! Enjoy....

Don said...

Happy belated birthday, Erin!
I tried doing the flower cake.
I think I need some Roundup.

Jill said...

I hope you have/had a happy birthday!! This is so pretty.