Sunrise Creations Blog

The focus of any dessert table is the centrepiece and more often than not, it’s a floral arrangement.   While they are beautiful to look at, they aren’t the only type of centrepiece you could choose.  I like the different and the unusual but I also like the practical, too.  That’s why the idea of edible centrepieces appeals to me so much.  They can be pretty or they can be totally wild but they are always tasty.

Fruit Bouquets

I love the look of these colourful and fresh fruit bouquets, don’t you?  They would be suitable for parties for children or adults.  In fact, it might encourage some children to try fruit they would never normally eat.  These arrangements are by Edible Blooms.

Chocolate Centrepieces

How could you go past a chocolate sculpture?  Isn’t this creation amazing?  It’s all chocolate and was created by Sisko Chocolate.  It’s elegant and textural and totally, eye-catchingly unique.  Please go to Sisko and look at their work.  It's divine.  Have a look at the wall of chocolate butterflies.  Incredible.

Macaroon Marvels

At first glance you wouldn’t realise that these displays were made of macaroons and cookies, would you?  These delicious looking arrangements use flowers as an added decoration.  (Perhaps the disguise makes them safe from little fingers for just that bit longer!)   These designs were made by Cookie Couture.

Cheese Cakes

Yes, these really are cakes of cheese – wheels, to be precise.  If you don’t have a sweet tooth, you might prefer an elegant arrangement like these ones from Wheely Cheesy Cakes.  They don’t look like wheels of cheese, do they?  What a pretty way to decorate your table.

There are lots of other styles of centrepiece you could use.  Don’t stick to the usual floral arrangements.  Add some interest and then eat it up. 

 

Your best friend is getting married and you’re the bridesmaid. One of the duties most fun is your responsibility to organise a kitchen tea.

The tradition of the Kitchen Tea or Bridal Shower is believed to have originated in Holland, when a father disapproved of his father’s choice and refused to provide the dowry required. The villagers came to the aide of the young girl and ‘showered’ her with the things she needed to start her married life.  This beginning epitomises the tradition and feeling behind such a special occasion.  They are a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the ties between the bride, her attendants and friends, her family and the family of her husband to be.

When it comes to the style and venue, the kitchen itself is the perfect theme.  With the rise in popularity of old fashioned baking and an increase in interest in all things cooking thanks to reality television, it gives great scope for games, and gifts for the bride to be.

In modern times the Kitchen Tea is meant to provide the bride with all the things she needs for her kitchen, from baking equipment to measuring spoons and aprons.

What a great opportunity to bring out your inner chef! Why not invite your friends to a cooking class or a cupcake decorating lesson?  Or create an icing and decoration station where guests can create the cupcake of their dreams. Who doesn’t like playing with sprinkles and frosting?  It is called a ‘kitchen tea’ but that’s no reason not to offer some bubbly while you are cooking.  If you are feeling more traditional, you could have a tea bar, with a selection of loose leaf teas served in lovely tea cups and tea pots than can be picked up inexpensively at thrift or second hand shops. Or just raid your grandmother’s kitchen!

Whilst some brides see the kitchen tea as boring, they miss the opportunity for an elegant few hours with their closest friends and family, celebrating and preparing for something they will hopefully do only once.

Have you been given the task of planning a party for an elderly friend or relative?  If so, there are a few things to consider when planning the party so that the party recipient enjoys themselves.

Firstly, take into account the time of the party.  Elderly people don’t have as much stamina as they used to so it is often wise to plan the party as a lunchtime affair rather than at night.
Consider the persons mobility levels.  Are they using walkers, wheelchairs, canes etc and does the venue cater to their needs in this regard.  Consider not only entering the venue but also getting around the venue and most importantly the availability of toilets and the ease of use for someone with a walking aid etc.

Another consideration is the style of food.  Most elderly people have lunch as their main meal of the day and only snack in the evening.  Consider this when creating the menu for the event to ensure their needs are taken care of and they can still enjoy their party without worrying about what they need to eat.

Plan any special photos to be taken at the start of the event that way if the guest of honour feels overwhelmed or tired they won’t feel that they are ruining the party for everyone if they leave earlier than anticipated.

Most elderly people love to revisit the things they remember from the past.  Delicious sponges and delicate finger sandwiches always meant elegance.  Music from their era helps to set a mood so look for music from the stage shows of the time such as Showboat.  Singers like Howard Keel or Deanna Durbin are popular too.
Elegant table settings with the fine china tea set that is only used on special days will make them feel right at home. 

If the party is for a special occasion such as a wedding anniversary, a nice touch is to use a photo invitation from our range and include a wedding photo of the happy couple.

When arranging gifts it is always wise to have everyone contribute to one big gift that will be much more appreciated than dozens of small gifts.  Let’s face it – even at 30 we can get too many toasters let alone at 80 or 90!  Think about what the person might need replacing at home that they perhaps can’t afford – do they need a new TV? If all else fails, a digital photo frame is a great idea and you can arrange before hand for everyone to email photos to a central person who could load them all onto a USB drive to be used with the frame.  Be sure to buy a frame that is 10 inches or larger to make viewing easier.

All in all just consider the person’s lifestyle and capabilities and cater to that and the party will be a resounding success.

Images:

Sponge -  recipe and image at Taste
Finger Sandwiches - recipe and image at Taste
Showboat -available from music stores like Sanity
Tea set and Cake stand from A Vintage Affair
Invitation from Sunrise Creations.

Many of us are opting for DIY catering and decorating for our events lately.  Apart from the cost savings, a DIY event can be more personal and often more creative, too.

It's the details that make your occasion look fantastic and one of those details is the napkin.

Quality modern paper napkins are thick, abosrbent and disposable but they are also elegant.  In fact, sometimes it's hard to tell if they really are paper. Their embossing can give the impression that you are using fine linen.

Even if you choose the less expensive paper napkins, you can still create a stylish table setting with a little bit of clever folding.  A simple place setting with a sophisticated folded napkin can really create an impression.

There are dozens of ways to fold a paper napkin and there will be one to suit your event whether it's a wedding reception or a child's party.

Have a look on YouTube and you will find many clips that teach you those different shapes.  I saw this one and loved the look so I thought that I would share it with you.

Buy yourself some paper napkins and have a go.

I have saved this until today because I know that you will want to go out and make it straight away.  Isn't this cake stunning?  It would be lovely at a coffee and dessert reception or at any special occasion that you might have.   The combination of pure white outside and bleeding heart red inside is full of impact.

It's called the Cranberry Obsession Snow Cake and I found the recipe in an American online magazine called Sunset.  Photo: Leigh Beisch

Ingredients

Cake
10 ounce unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pans
3 1/2 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
7 large egg whites, at room temperature
Cranberry filling
3 3/4 cups cranberries, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups cranberry or cherry preserves
Buttercream
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
 Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
12 ounces white chocolate (bars or a block, not chips), divided
1 pound unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature
Assembly
1/2 cup colorless liqueur such as crème de cacao or kirsch
 About 2 tbsp. powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter two 9-in. cake pans; set aside.
2. Make cake: In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together on low speed until light and fluffy. Add egg whites in 3 batches, scraping inside of bowl as needed. Beat in flour mixture in 5 batches, adding 1/4 cup water after each addition (you will begin and end with flour); make sure flour is completely blended each time before adding water. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Smooth tops with a spatula.
3. Bake until center of cake feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pans on a rack.
4. Meanwhile, make cranberry filling: Combine 3 cups cranberries, the sugar, preserves, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until cranberries pop and preserves melt, 5 to 10 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup cranberries, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Transfer to a small bowl and chill until ready to assemble cake.
5. Make buttercream: Fill a 2-qt. pan with about 1 in. water and bring to a simmer over low heat. Put egg whites, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Place bowl over hot water, making sure bottom of bowl isn't touching water, and heat whites, whisking constantly, until hot to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan and bowl from heat.
6. Put bowl of warm whites on the mixer and whisk on high speed until tripled in volume and side of bowl is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, chop 4 oz. white chocolate, put in a medium metal mixing bowl, and set in same pan of warm water off the heat to melt slowly, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from pan and let cool to room temperature.
8. Reduce mixer speed to low and whisk butter into whites, about 1/4 cup at a time, until incorporated. Continue to whisk on low speed until smooth and fluffy, about 10 minutes (mixture may look grainy at some point but will come together).
9. With a rubber spatula, gently fold melted chocolate into buttercream until completely combined.
10. Assemble: Rub tops of both cakes gently with your hands to remove browned outer surface, then carefully invert cakes and rub undersides so that cakes are completely white. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate, top side up. Using a pastry brush, brush top with half the liqueur. Spread about 1 1/2 cups cranberry mixture over layer with a metal spatula, leaving a 1/2-in. empty border around edge. Place second cake layer on top, flattest side down, and brush with remaining liqueur. Spread top and sides of cake with a thin layer of buttercream to seal in crumbs and chill 30 minutes. Cover with remaining buttercream, starting with the sides and covering the top last.
11. Use the palm of your hand to warm remaining chocolate. Shave smooth side of chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler to make thin curls; scatter curls over cake's top. Sift powdered sugar over cake.
12. Serve with remaining cranberry mixture on the side.

Make ahead: Baked cake layers can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature or in the fridge up to 2 days ahead. Cranberry filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled.

If you are looking for something a little bit different and a little bit special for your reception or party, why not put on a High Tea?

High Tea has a colourful history in English culture, firstly becoming popular with the working people in about the 1600’s. It was a more substantial meal than a simple cake or biscuits so it was often called “meat tea” and developed a mildly celebratory feel, as it was served at the end of the working day, shortly after 5pm.
These days, rather than the traditional heavy meat stews and vegetable dishes, High Tea has become a versatile and elegant step up from a simple afternoon tea for entertaining.

No longer limited to a few sandwiches and cakes, the spread can be as extensive and varied as you choose, with a delicious array of hors d'oeuvre and desserts, cocktail snacks and finger foods, all accompanied by traditional cups of tea.

Of course other beverages can also be served too, but tea is the essential ingredient of a High Tea.

This elegant presentation is from Amy Atlas Eventsand if you need inspiration you really need to visit her site and look at her blog.  Her work is stunning.
   
 

The atmosphere of a High Tea can be more relaxed than a formal dining setting, while still allowing for a sense of elegance.  You can choose to have a formal seating plan but the nature of the catering allows for more mingling between your guests as there are no set courses to be seated for at any particular time.
 
You might like to have your event catered for by caterers like Truffled Catering of Newcastle or restaurants that specialise in High Tea catering.

Specialist hire companies like Antiquitea can provide all of the gorgeous china tea cups and teapots and table ware that make a tea party feel so unique. They are the tea party consultants, and they even do all of the washing up.

High Tea can be an elegant and beautiful alternative to a traditional reception.  You might even find it more relaxin and enjoyable.

Cupcakes first appeared about 200 years ago when the original recipe was made known. Since it came out, cupcakes have grown in popularity and have become a trend in the culinary world. It has given rise to many bakeshops dedicated to these little treats. There are even cookbooks that are devoted to them. Clearly, cupcakes are here to stay for a long time.

But what makes these mini cakes great?

One of the reasons is that cupcakes are very convenient to make.  They cook much faster than regular-sized cakes. When you have kids at home waiting, something that cooks quickly is a lifesaver!

You can also do a variety of flavors in one batch of cupcakes. Unlike cakes, you don’t get stuck with just one flavor. You can do chocolate, vanilla, butter, mocha, or strawberry. The possibilities are endless!

In addition, you can decorate the cupcakes with different toppings. It can be colored icing, candy sprinkles, marzipan art, or simple powdered sugar. You can even incorporate chocolate chips, preserved fruits, and jam in your cupcakes to make them more special and unique.

Just have a look at these ones.  They are from a book called Planet Cake Cupcakes.  Aren't they fabulous?  The work in this book is pure art.

 

 

Cupcakes are the perfect size for little kids. They’re not too big and they’re not small enough to leave you wanting for more.  They can be turned into any sort of creation from fun to elegant.

Start making them and give your family a sweet treat that’s sure to put a smile on their faces. You can check out Book Depository for The Planet Cake Cupcake book and a list of other cupcake cookbooks you can begin with. 

 

 

As you know, I believe that by selecting a theme for an event it makes decisions about colours and decorating styles much easier.

When I create a theme for an event I like to gather inspiration from magazines and online.  The images help me develop a picture in my mind about the way I want the event to look.  I want to share an example with you.

This collection is inspiration for a vintage themed christening.

These ideas were collected from the following sources:

 Christening Kids- stunning antique styled christening gown 
Amazon-  fabric Bunting
 Handley Beard Event Planners- a stunning christening design
Vintage Rose Collection - superb rustic elegance
 Favor Ideas- gorgeous crystal stroller bonbonierre
Classic Function Centre - delightfully floataway table setting.
 Kara's Party Ideas-  a blog full of clever ideas including the pretty cake with booties.
Sunrise Creations - the pretty vintage styled invitation.

Love is a beautiful emotion – a child is a gift that allows you to love like you have never loved before. This story is of a beautiful little girl named Ava, who is no longer with us, and her inspirational mother Sheye Rosemeyer. Read the story here.

Ava, the Super Princess, loved tea parties. Every year, in memory of Ava, the Rosemeyer’s hold a tea party. Read Sheye's words below:

This year, Ava’s Tea Party has grown to a new level. Details Details, were inspired by Ava’s story and together with other designers have come up with a range of printable invitations, where 100% of the sales go to Paradise Kids. They are priced at only $10.

So, purchase an invitation, and enjoy taking time with friends and loved ones. Here is one of the invitations that you can purchase:

For further information, please follow the links below:

• The Beauty Full Collection
• Ava's Tea Party
• Sheye Rosemeyer
• Paradise Kids