Time to Celebrate Baby #2!

Round 2 of babies is in full effect in my circle of friends and I couldn't be more excited for them!  Me?  Not yet!!   I am having too much fun planning Sprinkles for my favorite mommies-to-be x2!

Some of my girlfriends and I are busy at work planning a Sprinkle for two of our dear friends who are due this Spring!   We have started this tradition in our group of friends, because, EVERY pregnancy is special and EVERY baby should be honored in some way.  :)  

A lot of people I talk to have never heard of a 'Sprinkle'.  Let me tell you...they are SO. MUCH. FUN.   First of all, the pressure is lower than that of planning a full-blown Baby Shower.  This is more of a relaxed atmosphere kind of event - in my opinion.   Gifts are given - which usually involve new clothes, books and highly desired new 'Gear' that may have hit the market between baby #1 and baby #2.

Games?   They are not really my thing - but I am all for notes to the mommy with advice or something that involves thought and even a tangible 'gift' that is actually able to be used. (what am I going to do with a plastic pacifier giveaway - no offense to anyone who has done this...)  Great example:  My friends had a scrapbooking table at my baby shower and each person was asked to create a page out of the different materials each of them brought from their scrapbooking collection.  THIS.WAS.AWESOME!!!   Now, all I need to do is add the photos to my amazing scrapbook and BOOM, baby book - done. 

More to come as the plans unfold.  In the meantime - check out more information on Sprinkles.  Let's be completely honest - who doesnt LOVE an excuse to get together with friends and have fun?!  :)   I hope some of you start this tradition with your group of friends too!  So fun!   

What are your favorite baby shower and sprinkle activities/decor/go-to gifts?

Welcome Spring!

Hi everyone!  Long time, no blog!  A lot has happened since the last time I wrote on here.  I gave birth to our son, Zachary, in December, right before Christmas.  Needless to say, I have had my hands full with him and that has left little time for Diaper Cake Making.  :)   I have slowly started to create some new designs and have decided to tweak my diaper cake products a little bit.  I am still in the beginning stages of planning and pricing, but I will be posting more details about all of this soon! 

Basically, if I dont use it, it is not going to be included on one of the cakes I design, unless someone specifically requests it.  As a new mommy, I have found certain products and brands that I love and use on a daily basis.  I want to only include these types of items in my cakes.

I created a couple of large cakes in the last month.  One for my friend Melissa who just had her second daughter.  I made a large 4 tier cake - the largest cake I offer.  WOW!!  IT IS HUGE!  If you want a show stopper and diapers for 2 weeks, this is the option for you! :)   The second cake I made went to a lucky new mommy out in NYC.  It was a Springtime theme and had all sorts of fun colors, a 4 peice outfit and a stuffed animal.   This is just a small taste of the direction my cakes are going in for 2012!

Summer Days and Cute Cakes

Ah, Summer is back and it has already been a busy one!  We have family in from Greece, my full time job is starting to get into the busy season, cook outs and gatherings...you know, the typical Summer to do's.  :)

I have been able to still enjoy squeezing in a few diaper cakes here and there between the choas.  One of my good friends in New York City sent me a message wanting a diaper cake for one of her good friends who was going to have a baby girl any day.  She wanted a large 3 tier cake decorated in pink and lavender to match the nursery.  I got to work right away, found the CUTEST 4 piece outfit which had pink bears that matched the pink bear topper perfectly!  :)  Added a purple blanket flower for the bear to be perchd on and VOILA, cake is complete and on its way to NYC...should be there on Monday!

The blue 'Spunky' cake to the right is another cake a local business purchased for one of their expecting clients.  :)   Such a considerate and impressive gesture for a business to celebrate their client's future kiddos.  :)  This cake is loaded with goodies too!  The Gund dog on top barks and is holding a burp cloth.  There is a onesie and coordinating bib and a blanket topper on this cake as well.  I am sure the parents to be loved it!  :) 

I hope all of you are enjoying a great summer too!  :)



Event and a Little Catch-up

Well, clearly, it has been too long since my last post!  :)  Ladies Evening Out was a great event and I met so many fun people!  Great experience overall and I was so happy my mom was there with me to help show off my cakes!  :)  She is the best mom a girl could ask for.  :)  I made 7 cakes for the event and have some left which are available for purchase.  (See 'Buy Now' photo album on Facebook).

The past couple of weeks have been busy and exciting.  Shopping for cake items for orders due later this month, etc.   I am working on a couple of cakes this weekend, pictures to be posted soon.  In the meantime, try to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather...like I am!  :)

Happy Spring (finally!)

Win a 90 minute Massage AND 30% off your SGD Order

Smiling Girl Designs is teaming up with Bodywork Rituals to present this GREAT giveaway which will be available to anyone who attends Ladies Evening Out on May 5th at Clay Terrace in Carmel!
The theme for Ladies Evening Out is to take time for yourself or dedicate some 'Me Time'.  What a better way to take time for yourself than being pampered for 90 minutes with YOUR choice of massage including Pre-Natal with hot pads, Deep Tissue with hot stones and more.  Theena Lewis-Strope is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist who loves to incorporate the element of heat into her massages.  Theena is very committed to massage and to its healing benefits.

You are probably wondering, 'This sounds AMAZING!  How can I win?'   

There are 3 things you must do in order to win:

1.  You must be a Facebook Fan of Smiling Girl Designs

2.  You must be a Facebook Fan of Bodywork Rituals

3.  Stop by the Smiling Girl Designs table at Ladies Evening Out on Thursday and enter your name in the raffle.

Did I mention we are giving away TWO MASSAGES?  Yes!  We are going to have TWO DRAWINGS and TWO WINNERS!

Each winner will receive:

1 Gift Certificate for a 90 Minute Massage of your Choice (Pre-Natal, Deep Tissue or any others from the Bodywork Rituals menu of services.)

1 30% off gift certificate for your next Smiling Girl Designs diaper cake order

Get ahead of the curve and make sure you 'Like' both Facebook Fan Pages!  Then enter to win at the Smiling Girl Designs table.  Winners will be selected in a random drawing on Sunday (Mother's Day) at 7pm.  The winners will be announced on my Facebook Page and will be notified via email.  Good luck!

What are you doing for yourself today?

SGD at Ladies Evening Out

On Thursday, May 5th, I will be showing off my Smiling Girl Designs diaper cakes at 'Ladies Evening Out'.  I am SO excited to be a part of this great event!  When I signed up last month to be a vendor, Jenn told me there were 35 vendors and 200 attendees last year.  I figured, this would be a great opportunity to expose my business to some more people...little did I know, this event would completely explode!  Currently, there are going to be over 90 VENDORS and almost 500 people have pre-registered to attend!!!  :)  I can't wait!

I will be offering a really great giveaway to those in attendance - more on that later - and also my first discount.  :)  As I keep planning, I come up with more and more ideas, but my husband brings me back to reality - "Ang, you only have a 4ft table to work with, not the world."   So, I will stick to displaying a few of my cakes, some candy and a couple other fun things...sigh.  :)

If you are in the area, please stop by and check it out.  I cannot wait!  Butterflies!

Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has officially sprung here in Indianapolis, Sunny days, stormy nights and blossoming trees -- we are enjoying the outdoors more and have had the windows open to let in the fresh, warm air.  :)  

Some of my cakes have also had more of a Spring flair to them lately.  This ADORABLE large 3 tier cake is full of ducks!  It includes a 4 piece Carter's outfit - Sleeper/Cap/Bib/Socks, an Avent Pacifier, Carter's blanket and a Baby Gund Duck plush animal.  This cake is currently for sale and will make an appearance at the event I am participating in, Ladies Evening Out, on May 5th.  Interested?  Send me an email for pricing smilinggirldesigns@gmail.com.

This other adorable bunny cake just shouts, 'Welcome Spring!  The cute plush bunny atop this large 2 tier cake and all of the fun colors really just make me smile--the bunny looks pretty happy too!

I hope you are all enjoying a nice start to your Spring!

Looking for a hip baby shower gift, but not sure what to get?  Get that mod mom a chic Smiling Girl Designs Diaper Cake!  

This black and white cake is for an Evansville, IN mommy-to-be/interior designer.  I was told black and white and we added a pop of red which really makes it stand out!  This is actually a red collared onesie (OH MY, the cuteness is overwhelming!).  The Zebra is a Mary Meyer 'Pufferbellies'.  I was really happy with this way this cake turned out...ultra chic for the mommy-to-be!

The green and brown cake is for another fashion-forward mommy-to-be.  The shower theme is greens and browns.  One of my good friends had this cake made for her sister in law's baby shower and plans to use it as her table centerpiece.  The blankets are from the mommy-to-be's registry and the onesie matched perfectly (all Carter's brand products!)  Love this!  So simple and elegant.  :)

Great Gift for a Client who is Expecting

What a great way to show your client how much you appreciate their business.  (that is, if they are expecting a baby in the near future)  :)  These two cakes were given to two lucky mommies to be from a local business.

This particular client was very open to any sort of cake I wanted to make.  She told me colorful and fun and set a budget for me of $65.00 per cake.  I had a ball!  The first cake is another one of the popular Jungle cakes I have had lately...I really do love this theme!  I used a Ty Monkey stuffed animal, 3 piece Gerber layette set and a coordinating Carter's flannel receiving blanket. 

The second cake I made was also a Jungle theme cake (surprise!) and full of fun toys for the new baby!  Another Bright Starts cake full of more toys than ever before.  Topped off with a fun Elephant crinkle rattle and adorned with wrist rattles, a bar bell rattle, keys, teething rings and a pacifier and wrapped in colorful ribbon, I think we accomplished 'colorful' on this one.  ;)

New design and a double order!

Phew!  Catching up on some long-overdue blogging.  :)  The other day, I received a request for 2 cakes.  One was for a last minute shower 2 days from the request, the other was to be sent out on Tuesday.

The cake for the shower she was going to was to be a 'Girlie Cake'.  I decided to use pink and brown because I love that color combination and think it is just stunning!  :)  This is a small 2 tier cake with a single blanket flower and a onesie. Super cute!

The second cake was shipped to Texas for a shower gift.  My instructions were to make it 'Under the Sea' theme for a boy.  I found a CUTE set of 3 washcloths with a whale scrubbie for bath time.  I tried out a new type of flower--the wash cloth flower!  I absolutely love this one!  Between the new design and the fun colors, it is so striking and so fun!

Both cakes were ready the following evening and the woman who placed the order was thrilled with the results!  Excited to be working with her again soon!

Work is a Jungle!

One of my cakes was used last week at a work baby shower and the girl who planned the shower was kind enough to share a photo with me of the table decorations!  (aren't they cute!)   I love how she used the baby wipes as balloon anchors and the rings as the confetti.

This diaper cake is just so fun and colorful!  The mommy and daddy-to-be have decided to keep the gender of their baby a surprise.  My instructions were 'very colorful and gender neutral'.  I used some of my favorite Carter's blankets and a coordinating Gerber onesie and bib (on back of cake) and just love the way it turned out! 

Congratulations to the soon-to-be parents -- I am so happy you loved your Smiling Girl Designs diaper cake!

Way Out West!

This cake traveled all the way to Denver to make an appearance at a baby shower.  I was really excited about this cake, as it was the first (almost) cross-country SGD cake order.  This is a large 3 tier cake with a 3 piece outfit, pacifer and Baby Gund Lamb rattle. 

The shower is for a mommy who is expecting a girl and my instructions were to make it girlie.  She likes pinks, yellows and browns.  This cake has everything girlie!  Butterflies, cupcakes and a lot of pink!

So sweet and I cannot wait to hear how the shower went.

SGD Cakes Make their Southern Debut!

 Small 2 tier cakes were the pick of the week last week.  We shipped out 3!  This first cake order came from a girl I went to Jr High/High School with who has moved to Virginia.  She had seen my cakes on Facebook and wanted to order one for her friend who just had her baby girl.  She wanted it to match the nursery so she sent me a photo.  The theme was bees and the color was yellow.  I loved this one, not only because it is adorable, but because it was like hitting the lottery when we found this bee sleeper...the lady bug seems to be the 'cute bug' trendthis year.  :)

The 2 cakes below were ordered for a double shower in Houston, Texas.  Both mommies are expecting boys.  To keep the cakes from looking identical, we kept one cake in blue and the other in green.  I really thought these were great and I cant wait to hear how the baby shower goes.  :)  

Packaged up with a Smile

I would suggest the Large 3 Tier cake size to anyone who asks!   It is truly stunning and my favorite cake size!   I love them all but this one just hits me a little differently. :)

This one is being shipped to North Carolina in transit to new parents who welcomed their baby girl into the world earlier this week.  I think they will love it!  The Large 3 Tier cake has 90 diapers which should last them well over a week and a half.  I used my favorite bear again...it is so soft and sweet.   

This month, my husband and I have packaged and shipped 6 cakes around the country!  Virginia, Texas, Florida, Colorado and now North Carolina!   Ah, the wonders of Social Media Marketing.  :)   It thrills me to know that my company is going to be receiving exposure at baby showers around the country and humbles me to know I am helping create something for a new/expecting mother that she will always remember.  A gift she will love.

SGD has been something I have been able to use as my creative outlet...I really enjoy designing each cake and bringing a smile to client's faces when they see it for the first time.  :)  I also love all of the support my husband has given me since I started SGD...from designing my business cards and website to finding shipping boxes and helping out with the 'man stuff' side of the business.  :)  

Thanks for all of the support everyone, it means the world to me!

'Lil Soccer Superstar!

I was so excited to make this cake for one of my sorority sisters who lives in the Indianapolis area.  She was throwing a shower for a friend and wanted to decorate with a diaper cake from Smiling Girl Designs.  :)

The daddy-to-be loves soccer and the colors for the shower were lime green and blue.  This cake was super cute and I am sure it was a huge hit at the party! 

This 2 tier cake has 30 Pampers diapers, a Gund Plush Soccer Ball Rattle and a onesie. 

All Smiling Girl Designs cakes come wrapped in cellophane with coordinating bow.  A custom ingredient card for each cake is attached to the outside so the parents to be can see everything included in your beautiful gift! 

Thanks Katie!!  :)

All Star Cake

Last weekend, I went to a shower for my friend Marie who is expecting a baby boy in October!  I can't believe how fast time has flown by since she announced the pregnancy at our monthly girls night.  :)  Marie told me she and her husband decided on a Sports theme for the nursery.  FANTASTIC! 

I went shopping and found the cutest 'Travel Pals' that can be attached to a stroller or car seat, a cute plush soccer ball rattle and some fun sporty cloths for the new little all star to wear.  It was a lot of fun to give her the cake I am sure it will come in handy here in the next couple of months!

At the top of the cake in this picture is something new I have added--a recipe card!  Each of the cakes will come with a recipe card which will tell the recipient everything that is included on the cake--contents, sizes, brands, etc.  SO much fun and what a great keepsake!

My friend, Mandy, who is a professional photographer was nice enough to take these photos for me for my site (she kept saying she is not a product photographer, she is a people photographer, so please keep that in mind)--I think the photos look great!  I wish my camera was that nice! 

Congratulations Marie and Steve!  I cant wait to meet your son!

The SUPER cute Mommy-to-Be and her Smiling Girl Diaper Cake!

Gave a Diaper Cake Today...

...and it was a HUGE hit!  :)  My cousin's wife had her baby shower today and I gave her a 4 tier cake with a teddy bear, travel size toiletry items, 2 onesies, a pair of socks, 2 wash cloths and a plush frog rattle and 2 pacifiers that were on her registry.  :) 

The top two tiers of this cake are newborn size diapers and the bottom two layers are size 1 so the new mommy and daddy will have a variety of sizes to use as their baby girl grows. 

Not only is this a great way to display all of your gifts, it is all useful...and useful right away! 

2-3-4-5 tier cakes...you tell me what you want...and I will provide you with a memorable, show-stopping baby shower gift that the soon-to-be mommy and guests are sure to love! 

Baby Shower Planners!!  Dont forget about your table centerpieces!  Check out our 2-tier cakes--these would be the perfect way to accent your tables and will be great for the new mommy to use when the shower is over.  Just let me know your shower color scheme and I will get to work!  :)

Keep smiling and have a great Saturday!!

New Cake for Sale!--Reduced Price!!

Colors?  Yes, Please!   I love bright, fun colors for kids!  The bugs on this cake are absolutely adorable!  One of them can be clipped to a car seat or stroller...the other two are easy to hold--all of them crinkle and are great for teething. 

I made this cake with 60 Pampers (size 1-2) diapers, wrapped it with bright, colorful ribbon and topped it with a fun yellow flower--all which complement the cute bugs!

If you are interested in purchasing this cake for someone, the cost is NOW $45.00.  Just let me know, the cake is wrapped and ready to go, today!

Keep smiling  :)

3 Tier Cake

I had an e-mail in my inbox this morning from a woman who is going in with her co-workers to purchase a diaper cake!  What a great idea!  She wanted a specific kind of diaper, which I absolutely loved working with...I love they way they look on the finished product too.  :)  We ended up using 2 layers of new born diapers and 1 layer of size 1 diapers, so the new mom will have a variety of sizes to use.  We customized this cake even further with a cute teddy bear and travel size toiletry items.

The 3 tier cakes start at $40.00 and include 60 diapers (your choice of size).  Items can be added a-la-carte and you can choose from onesies, socks, stuffed animal, toiletries (set of 5), 2 baby wash clothes, pacifier, bottle brush, flannel blanket, rattle, etc.  If you have another idea, just let me know and we will see about making it happen!

Tonight was a lot of fun, really enjoyed making this cake and I hope they love it as much as I do!  :)

Have a great night and keep Smiling.  :)