Giftmas in July

As I mentioned in my last post, Every year I work on a gingerbread project to be auctioned off at the Festival of Trees. The proceeds go to the University Hospital. I absolutely love this project. They accept offerings from anyone, any skill level is welcome to donate. I think everyone should sign up! A tree, a wreath, a cake, or gingerbread, whatever inspires you. I look at it as an opportunity to learn and stretch my myself. I start planning next years project as soon as i drop mine off!  Every year they have a theme, but I tend to just find a cool idea I want to make and that will fetch a a nice chunk of change for them. I don't think they mind my non conformity.

these are the two photos are from my introduction to the festival. I worked on Charlotte's web with two other gals in my class. there was a photo of the finished product published in the Edmonton journal, which was very exciting. the other project was shrek's marsh. I won a peoples choice award, and i was floating on air. I had enormous amounts of fun creating the disgustingly delicious marsh.

A close up of Wilbur and Charlotte. The web was quite a challenge, but i think it turned out pretty we considering my lack of experience at the time. making all the farm animals was a hoot. 

I liked playing architect, and trying to figure out a design for this funky house. of course my scale is terrible, but how cute is Gingy peeking out of the out house?!? I get better with the scale of things as I go along, and since I cant just make a normal house it seems, I have to play architect fairly often! I made the "Beware Ogre" sign out of royal icing, and painted it with food coloring, it really finished the scene.

  

the next year I did a favorite of many, the Simpson House. Mosty I just really wanted to make Maggie in her cute little star snowsuit. I pushed myself, and almost didn't finish this one in time. While we were delivering, Bart's tree house fell over, and the cat fell out, and Marge's head fell off. HER HEAD FELL OFF! i was freaking out. As a good baker, I had a repair kit with me. I did my best to repair the tragedy. It was humbling, and I learned alot from my mistakes. the faces of the family were abit off, which bothered me,because they are so iconic. but i had fun with it. I love Homer hanging off the roof tangled in lights. I don't have many pictures of this one though, which is too bad, there was some cool details.

  after my misadventure with the Simpsons, I wanted to do something i loved. Enter...ZIM! Invader Zim never fails to make me laugh. This was no exception. I had a blast making all the little details for this house. I knew not many people know of this amazing animation, but those who do watch it with obsession. I know i do! 

So I set the scene of Zims house, with all of its regular decor. Dib watching zim from behind the house

 GIR playing with a squirrel, Gaz hanging out. and to make it abit more christmasy i added the robot snowman from the holiday episode, and Santa's sleigh pulled by a team of mooses. I am very proud of this one.

And the piggies. I loved the piggies soooo  much. they were tucked in all over the board. 

So that brings up to last year. I made a Mario Bros themed gingerbread. Princess peach's castle surrounded by all the characters and scenery from the games. This is another favorite. I worked very hard on this one, it took more time and effort than any other, but my skills have improved. I was so proud of everything! The princess seems abit off to me, but the rest I was so very thrilled with. I stood near it while kids went by ooooohing and aaaaaahing. I was so filled with joy.  see their faces light up was the best part by far.

 I took alot of time to work on all the little details, and the supporting characters. 

Luigi was behind the castle, surrounded by the villains. there was so much going on. I really tried to make it fun, and set a scene. 

What am I going to do this year? well there is a plan. But I'm not going to tell you yet. You're  going to have to wait 8) and maybe start planning your own. you get the be a baker, and architect, a decorator, and artist, and a volunteer, all at once. try it, you might just get hooked like i did! It doesnt matter how good it looks, all you have to do is put in some love, and time.