But my Quince isn't until August!

Six snow days in two weeks. Ah, yes, the beauty of living (and surviving) a Kansas City winter. With snow-covered hills and sledding abound, summer time swimming is far from the minds of many teenagers. Also far from their minds it summer time quinceañeras. Sure, thoughts of being MTV's next "Quiero Mis Quince" superstar are forever in the thoughts of young ladies on the brink of celebrating their quinceañera, but have they taken a break from sledding to think of their summertime fun? In many cases the answer is no.

As many know, planning a quinceañera can be the equivalent of planning a wedding. It's a once in a lifetime event. And let's face it, the money being spent is no drop in the bucket. While most families have padrinos, it doesn't mean the family should, or will, get off penniless. The best way to make sure families don't end up selling kidneys on the black market to pay for the quinceañera is smart planning.

Smart planning - what a new concept, right? Well, quite honestly for some it is. You'd be surprised at the number of people calling me for a cake for 300 people less than a month before the quinceañera. Once I had someone call me, wait for it, TWO DAYS before the quinceañera. Sadly, I saw her at a wholesale club the next day in the bakery department. All signs of poor planning. Smart planning doesn't just mean going the cheapest route, it means making the smartest decision. For example, some dresses can take up to six months to order. This means that if your quinceañera is in June and you haven't ordered it yet, you may have to settle for something less than was initially envisioned. It would also mean more money. Ever heard of a rush charge? Yup, they exist and they are high.

Smart planning will not only save you money, to a certain extend of course, it will also alleviate major headache and stress. No one wants to wiggle into their dress while lamenting whether or not all the damas and chambelanes know the choreography they rehearsed for the first time two days prior.

While planning a quinceañera for 150 people or 500 people is no direct path, the concept is the same.

1. Get you priorities straight Is it critical that you have the ceremony at a particular parish? Book it now. The the devastating dismay of all those girls out there who thing they have the only quinceañera of the year, I have news for you - you are not. Others will plan and BOOK vendors without your consultation. Sorry to break your heart.
2. Start early Again, sorry to break your heart, but others will plan and book without any consideration for you. The earlier you start, the more time you have to research what you want and what you can afford.
3. Shop around Remember, just because one vendor is financially cheaper doesn't  mean they are automatically the one to chose. Pick a vendor that offers you what you want. What's the point of picking the cheapest DJ if all he plays is country and all you listen to is hip-hop?
4. Be honest, you don't have $100,000 to spend If you do, don't listen to me and listen to that high priced party planner you hired. For the rest of you, the notion of have an individual cake for every table, stretch limos, a mariachi, DJ and live band, are great, but they come with a price. A big price. Oh, but you have padrinos? Well, that makes it okay then, right? Yeah, not so much. Any money being spent or time being occupied, is someone's hard-working time and money. Don't take advantage of that or be greedy.
5. Don't lose sight of what a quinceañera really means. The puffy dress, a day of feeling like a superstar model, having the 'one' guy ask you to dance. You'll be hard pressed to find a girl that has not thought of these things. Yet, the quinceañera is centered around this girl becoming a young lady. It's about her parents celebrating their daughter and saying, "This is our daughter. Our young lady." Honor that. Honor and respect what this moment truly means.

Does your head hurt just to think of everything entailed? It's okay. It happens to the best of people. The key is not to sweat the little things. Do and accept what can be done. Enjoy the process as much as the quinceañera and that special day will be as carefree as sledding down these piles of snow.

Icings with a Purpose

As I uploaded some recent photos to www.flickr.com/kreacioneskity I noticed something. The more I use fondant, the more I love it. It’s an absolute great medium to be able to use. It allows for a more smooth finish and in some cases a more realistic depiction of a particular item. However, this doesn’t mean I love using it more than I do whipped frosting. As a matter of fact, frosting a cake in whipped icing is one of my favorite things. I can give a 14” round a smooth coat in about 7 minutes – start to finish. But each icing serves its purpose – a different purpose.

 

 

Look at the cakes below. Rachel’s “Ashtray cake” would have never come out so realistic if it had been done in the whipped icing. Likewise, if they had been done in fondant, Gaby’s “Baptism Wings” wouldn’t look like they are indeed about to fly away.

 

 

 

In the case of the pink ashtray, it called for a very specific smooth look. The black and white sanding sugar used to form the ‘ashes’ could have soaked into the whipped icing, and once removed the fondant cigarettes would have also left their mark. Neither one of these things happened with the fondant-covered cake.

 

 

The whipped icing gives the wings an airy and soft look. They truly look like wings. Had the wings been done in fondant, it wouldn’t have been able to give that same airy and soft look. Also it would have been very heavy. The weight of layers and layers of fondant would have definitely added additional weight to the cake.

 

 

Now, even though each icing serves it’s own purpose and produce very different results, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be combined. Val’s and Mike’s “Ball & Chain” is the perfect example of combining the best of both worlds. The ball is covered in fondant and the chain is made of a gumpaste/fondant mixture. Placed atop whipped-covered cakes with flames, the ball and chain look great. The whipped flames give the cake a certain texture and feel. The cake as a whole highlights the best of each icing’s purpose.

 

 

The use of fondant, whipped or buttercream, icing can make a difference in the design of a cake. A knowledge and capable baker should be able to tell you what will work best for the cake you have in mind.

 

 

As always, much love. Hit me up for your cake and cupcake orders. Peace out!

Talk about busy!

It's been a while but boy has it been busy!

First have you checked out the new flickr account? Check out www.flickr.com/kreacioneskity. I'll slowly be moving the entire photo gallery there. It's been a slowly but steady process. It's MUCH easier to access and much more user-friendly than the Myspace gallery. I won't change anything from the Myspace account, so consider the flickr page a supplement.

Secondly, don't forget to follow me on Twitter. Go to www.twitter.com/kreacioneskity. When you login you be sure to send me an invite to cristina@kreacioneskity.com so I can follow you as well.

Thirdly, Jose Fiestas Rental is almost opening. Anyone that has opened a storefront knows that opening is much easier said than done. Trust me though, it is going to be AMAZING! Imagine one place to get all your party party rental equipment, party supplies, cakes and so much more. It's going to be unbelievable! Trust me on this one.

And finally, mark your calendars. Kansas City Quinceañera is working to put together a quinceañera expo. This is the perfect opportunity to meet a great group of vendors all working to give you a great event! Not planning a quinceañera? No worries. If you are planning any sort of event, you need to come to this. DJs, reception halls, musicians, photographers - you name it - and there will be a vendor there. It's tentatively scheduled for September 26, 2009. Once I have all the details, I will pass them along. In the meantime, check out Kansas City Quinceañera at http://kcquinceanera.ning.com/. This is a GREAT resource for anyone have a party.

Sorry for the lack of pictures this time around. I do have one special treat - an oldie but a goodie. Theya's Surprise cupcakes. I LOVE these cupcakes!!! Remember, you can only get these from Kreaciones Kity. :)

As always, much love. Hit me up for your cupcake and cake orders. Peace out!

P.S. On Sept. 22, I'll be taking a class with Bronwen Weber! Yes, Bronwen Weber - Food Network Challenge competitor and winner. I am super excited about it! I'll be creating a 3D Cowboy Cake. AWESOME!!!! I'll definitely be posting after it happens.

Now really - much love and peace out!