Janice Hanna's Blog, page 22

Cakewalk, Day Twenty-Four: One Good Turn Deserves Another

Welcome to DAY TWENTY-FOUR of my August Cakewalk, where I’m celebrating the release of my latest romantic comedy, “The Icing on the Cake.” About a week ago I posted a photo of a wedding cake that I made for a friend–a shabby chic cake. It wasn’t my first attempt to do the shabby chic thing or to use burlap on a cake. (Talk about a challenge!) I’d done an earlier one (which you see here) for my dear friend, Sharon Sidwell.

What makes this cake so special? For one thing, the bride is amazing! She’s one of the godliest women I’ve ever known. For another, Sharon and I had an “understanding” about this cake: You bake my wedding cake, I pay you back by giving you a massage. You see, Sharon is an amazing masseuse. So, sure…I made the cake. Had a blast figuring out how to do the burlap ribbons and even enjoyed the hodge-podge way the roses landed (very off-kilter for someone like me who’s usually pretty matchy-matchy). But all the while I had one thing in mind: “When Sharon gets back from her honeymoon, I get a free massage!”

She made good on that promise a few weeks later. (I love a relaxing massage, especially one with worship music playing in the background and a woman of God praying over me as she kneads those tired muscles!)

What does this have to do with “The Icing on the Cake” you ask? I’ve always believed that one good turn deserves another. So does Scarlet, the heroine in the story. She needs someone to run sound and lights at a fundraising event at her church and decides to “play nice” with bad boy Armando Rossi. Turns out, she doesn’t have to play at being nice. His kindness (in helping out) stirs her to respond kindly. Well, there’s that whole “Armando goes missing during the dress rehearsal” thing, but that’s a story for another day.

One good turn deserves another. Good advice for Scarlet, and good advice for us!

Cakewalk, Day Twenty-Three: Strawberry “Short”-cake

Welcome to DAY TWENTY-THREE of my August Cakewalk, where I’m celebrating the release of my latest romantic comedy, “The Icing on the Cake” by posting photos of cakes I’ve made over the years. Today’s entry is pretty messy, so don’t look too closely! I was on such a learning curve with fondant when this one was made!

This was Peyton’s 4th birthday cake-a Strawberry Shortcake extravaganza. I love the colors. The toys on top were purchased in a set and made a cute topper. I remember this cake VERY clearly because I was SO sick on the day I delivered it. Almost didn’t make it to the party, to be honest!

Thinking of Strawberry Shortcake makes me think of Peyton, who has always been on the petite side. In fact, her sisters are pretty small for their ages, too! Runs in the family!

So, back to Strawberry Shortcake. I wonder if she ever gets tired of being short. You know? I can remember being in my pre-teens and hoping/praying I would reach five foot four. That sounded like an ideal height to me. I barely top five-two. Oh well.

I suppose we all have things about our bodies we wish we could change. It seems like we’re constantly working, working, working to improve ourselves. If you’ve read “The Icing on the Cake” you know that Scarlet makes a conscious decision to drop a few pounds. (SIDE NOTE: I actually got an interesting comment from a reviewer because Scarlet decided to drop a little weight. I think the reviewer would’ve been happier if I’d left her larger. I only opted to “shape her up” a little because my concerns over health are SO huge these days. Scarlet has quite a bit of weight to lose, after all.)

What about you? What do you wish you could change about yourself? What have you worked the hardest to improve? What lessons have you learned along the way?

Leave a comment and I’ll draw a name at the end of the day. One of you will win a free copy of “The Icing on the Cake.” For those who’ve already read it, thank you! If you would be so kind as to leave a little review at amazon, I would be so grateful.

Have a blessed day, y’all!

Cakewalk, Day Twenty-Two: Enamored

Welcome to DAY TWENTY-TWO of my August Cakewalk, where I’m celebrating the release of my latest romantic comedy, “The Icing on the Cake.” Today I want to share a couple of photos that mean a lot to me. The first is a picture of a Cinderella cake that I made for an auction at our church. The second is a photo of two of my granddaughters (Peyton and Brookie) eyeing the cake after winning it.

If you’ve been following my daily cakewalk, you’ve probably noticed that this isn’t my first doll cake photo. I actually think the “Tangled” cake I posted a few days back was a lot prettier. But the Cinderella cake has a special back-story, one that really tugs at my heart. You see, just a few weeks before baking this cake, I took Peyton to see the play Cinderella at a local outdoor theater. Afterwards, a reporter from the local paper (the Houston Chronicle) snagged a photo of the two of us greeting the actors. We made it into the paper! That memory was especially sweet because Peyton had the time of her life with me that day. And, as you can tell from the look on her face as she stared at the Cinderella cake weeks later, she was still enamored!

So, what does it mean to be enamored? One need look no further than this photo to get the answer. It means you can’t take your eyes off of something. When we’re enamored with the Lord, He’s our primary focus. We don’t look to the right or left. We stay centered/grounded.

If you’ve read “The Icing on the Cake” you know that Armando (who’s not exactly Prince Charming material) hasn’t always been “enamored” with the right things. He’s looked all over the place for fulfillment. How wonderful, to take his story–his flawed, messed-up story–and offer redemption! And how lovely, to craft him into the perfect hero for my Cinderella character, Scarlet, who has a few flaws and imperfections of her own. Now, that’s a real fairy tale, one that even the big girls will enjoy!

If you haven’t read Scarlet and Armando’s story, the timing is perfect! The book has just released and reviews are coming in. Pick up your copy at amazon or send me an email for a personally autographed copy.

Before you go, give the photo of Peyton one last glimpse. She wants to teach you a little lesson about what it means to be truly enamored.

Cakewalk, Day Twenty-One: I’m Not Bitter

Welcome to DAY TWENTY-ONE in my August Cakewalk. I’m celebrating the release of “The Icing on the Cake” and breathing a huge sigh of relief as the reviews come in. (This is always the challenging part…participating in the blog tour. It forces me to look at what the readers are saying and that can be tough.) Fortunately, the comments have been lovely. (((Janice’s heart goes pitter-pat!)))

The cakes I’m posting today were made for a marriage retreat. Ironic, since I’m not married. Just one of life’s little “gotchas” I suppose. The white cake was three-tiered with strawberry filling and homemade cream cheese frosting. The chocolate groom’s cake was devil’s food with oreos inside. Yum. Well, I guess it was yummy. I didn’t really get to eat any, since I’m NOT married and didn’t attend the retreat.

Okay, so I’m not bitter that some/most of my friends are happily married. Neither is Scarlet, the heroine in “The Icing on the Cake.” It doesn’t bother her a bit that her BFF found a hunky man. Oh, and that Bella has DJ, who’s such a doll. Nah, Scarlet’s not bugged by these things.

Much.

Of course, when she falls for the most unlikely hero of all–Armando Rossi–all of her preconceived ideas about relationships have to go…tossed out the window! (Is there an Armando Rossi out there for me? If so, I’ll happily bake a dozen cakes!)

Guess I’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, please pick up a copy of Scarlet and Armando’s tasty story. It’ll leave you hankerin’ for wedding cake!

 

Cakewalk, Day Twenty: It’s a Boy!!!

So pleased to see reviewers responding so positively to “The Icing on the Cake.” The cake decorator in me is pleased! Speaking of cakes, it’s time to welcome you to DAY TWENTY of my August Cakewalk, where I’m celebrating the release of the book!

The photo I’m featuring today is in honor of my sweet friend, McKinsey Jones. Before her first son Oliver was born, we had a very special baby shower. I was asked to make the cake you see here. When I got to the shower, I put the little plastic pacifiers onto the cake and didn’t realize until after the fact that I’d put one in the “little boy” spot. Seriously? Who does that? Instead of moving it, I laughed and said, “Well, he’s definitely a boy!”

If you’ve read “The Icing on the Cake” you know that Scarlet makes a lot of silly mess-ups, too. She embarrasses herself in a VERY public forum (while on national television, no less)! At least I haven’t done that…yet!

A special thank you to all of my readers who are leaving reviews. You’ve made my day! And to McKinsey…here’s a sweet (((HUG))) from me to you today, precious girl. You’re an awesome mommy!

Cakewalk, Day Nineteen: Imperfections

Welcome to DAY NINETEEN of my August Cakewalk, where I’m celebrating the release of my latest romantic comedy, “The icing on the Cake” (from Revell Publishing). To all of those who’ve sent me private notes and/or left reviews on amazon/B&N/christianbook.com…thank you! You’ve made my day!

Today I’m sharing a picture of a cake that I made for my oldest granddaughter, Maddy. I’ve been hesitant to share this one because it was so riddled with flaws. The fondant (homemade) got too dried out and was barely workable. The topper wasn’t at all what I’d hoped/wanted. In short, the whole thing was a mess, but I took it anyway and the kids seemed to enjoy it.

If you’ve read “The Icing on the Cake” you know that Scarlet goes through a lot of messes/embarrassments. She struggles with self-esteem. I guess us “creative sorts” are never really happy with our finished product, no matter how many hours we pour into it. Still, seeing the smiles on the faces of the kiddos at Maddy’s party put everything in perspective for me. They didn’t see the flaws. They only saw that Nina took the time to whip up a Hello Kitty cake for her sweet granddaughter.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of Scarlet’s story, why not do so today? The kindle price is great! I’m so excited that the print copy looks so great, as well. Let me know your thoughts after reading. Thanks for your love and support!

 

 

Cakewalk, Day Eighteen: Body Image

Welcome to DAY EIGHTEEN of my August Cakewalk, where I’m celebrating the release of my latest romantic comedy, “The Icing on the Cake.” Today I’m sharing a photo of my first doll cake.

When my granddaughter Peyton turned three she asked for a Tangled cake. I wasn’t sure how to go about it, but finally came up with a workable plan. I baked three rounds and then used a paper towel holder to “hole out” the middle of the cake(s). I wrapped the doll’s skirt in plastic wrap and shoved her inside the cake. If you look closely, you’ll see that her hair is also wrapped in plastic wrap. I wanted to make sure Peyton could keep the actual doll to play with.

You might also notice that Tangled’s bottom half is substantially larger than her top half. This, of course, makes me think of Scarlet from “The Icing in the Cake.” Why, you ask? Well, Scarlet is a little on the “fluffy” side. Specifically, her bottom half is like the lower half of this cake-wider than the top. The good news is, Scarlet has a great sense of humor and is able to effectively deal with her body image.

Come to think of it, we all face body image issues, don’t we? If we can learn to laugh at ourselves, the load will be lightened, (at least figuratively). If you want a first-hand look at Scarlet’s wacky story, check out “The Icing on the Cake,” now available in print and e-book.

 

Cakewalk, Day Seventeen: Icy Relationships

Welcome to DAY SEVENTEEN of my August Cakewalk. If you’ve been following my posts you know that I’m celebrating the release of “The Icing on the Cake” (book two in the “Weddings by Design” series) by sharing photos of cakes that I’ve baked/decorated. Today I’m featuring a cake that I loved making, probably more than any other! I must have an artistic side because putting together the little penguins on this one totally made my day.

This colorful cake was made for our worship team Christmas party last December. I took a couple of different Pinterest photos and merged them into one cake idea. To this day this remains a personal favorite. I used a cookie cutter for the body shapes then free-handed most of the detail pieces.

What made this cake so special to me was the addition of the sun-bathing penguin on the top. He cracked me up. I could just picture him sunning himself in the pool. I also loved adding the various snowballs. In Texas we don’t get a lot of snow. Okay, let’s face it, we almost never have snow. (((Picture me shivering!))) So doing a snow-themed cake (in one of my favorite colors/teal) was just delightful!

If you’ve read my newest book, “The Icing on the Cake” you know that Scarlet has kind of an “icy” relationship with her Aunt Willy. The not-so-sweet auntie could use some time in the sun to thaw out, that’s for sure. Leave it to the Lord to “melt” her in the most unexpected of ways! I guess you’ll just have to read the book to find out. In the meantime, please enjoy the pictures of the cake. And while you’re at it, why not mosey on over to amazon to pick up a copy of “The Icing on the Cake.” If you’ve already read the book, I’d be tickled if you would consider leaving a review.

Thanks for stopping by on my cakewalk! Check back every day this month for more photos and stories!

Cakewalk, Day Sixteen: The Learning Curve

Welcome to DAY SIXTEEN of my August Cakewalk. The cake I’ve chosen for today was made for Maddy’s birthday year before last. It’s an “Ariel/Under the Sea” cake. Karen Malone Bailey helped me with the fondant. (Actually, to be honest, she showed me how to make it that night and I’ve been forever grateful!) I loved, loved, loved putting this one together. What fun we had. It took a long time (and working the color into the fondant is tough work) but I thoroughly enjoyed the process.

I love to stay on a learning curve. If you’ve read “The Icing on the Cake” (which released TODAY on kindle) you know that Scarlet is on a forever-learning-curve, too! She’s always looking to add to her list of accomplishments.

What about you? What are you learning to do? Bake? Decorate? Write? Let me know your thoughts. In the meantime, why not pick up a copy of “The Icing on the Cake” to read while you’re thinking it through?

Have an awesome day, y’all!

Cakewalk, Day Fifteen: Skateboarding

Welcome to DAY FIFTEEN of my August Cakewalk! I’ve been sharing a cake a day to celebrate the release of my latest book, “The Icing on the Cake” (from Revell Publishing). I’m excited to announce that the e-book releases TODAY for only $3.99. That’s an awesome price for a traditionally published book, so grab it while you can!

Last night I was sharing with a new friend about my cakes. She asked if I charge for them and I said, “Nope. I never have. Maybe one day I will, but mostly I just make them to give as gifts.” Once I donated a cake to an auction at our church. The woman who won the silent auction paid $60 (or maybe $70) for the cake. I’d put a “top value” on the donated cake at $75. She called a couple of weeks later to give me my marching orders. When she said, “I want a skateboard ramp cake” I flipped out. A skateboard ramp? How in the world would I do that?

If you look at the photo, you’ll probably figure out how I did it! I went to amazon and bought a skateboard ramp, then baked two rectangular cakes and set them down into the ramp, which became my base. I covered the whole thing with fondant and then decorated as per instructed. I even added the little skater dude. (I’m sure the Tony Hawk fans are cringing right about now. I’m clueless. Or, at least I WAS. I know more now than I did then!) The ramp was placed on a larger “grass” cake (just a basic white sheet cake, covered in green textured icing).

If you’ve read “The Icing on the Cake” you know that Scarlet is struggling to make a go of her new cake business. She’s not rolling in the dough. Well, technically she IS rolling in dough–cookie dough, sticky bun dough–but not dollars and cents. After her appearance on the Food Network cake challenge, however, her business takes off.

Maybe that’s what I’m missing in my cake career. I’ve never been on the Food Network. Then again, after what happened to Scarlet (live/on air) I’m not sure I’d ever want to be! (Guess you’ll just have to read the book to find out.) Head on over to amazon to check out the new kindle version of the book or order a print copy to be delivered to your home. Either way, I hope you enjoy Scarlet’s wacky story and I hope you’ve enjoyed my skater-dude cake story!