Sunday Sweets: Threadcakes 2010

Some of you may remember Threadcakes from last year. Well, guess what? It's that time again! And - AND - the powers-that-be have foolishly agreed to let me help judge again this year. [rubbing hands together] Mwuah-ha-ha-haa. THE POWER.

For those of you who don't remember, Threadcakes is a competition wherein you select your favorite Threadless shirt design, and then render it all artistic-like in CAKE. Brilliant, no?

The contest is open until August 16th, but there's already some amazing stuff rolling in. Here are just a few of the early highlights.

(I'll post these in pairs, starting with the shirt design and followed by the cake.)

"Mr. Cloud's New Scarf"

Cake by Christina Burgess

One word: D'awwww.

"The Monsterhill"

Cake by Julie Freund

Also gets an "awwww" - skulls and bones notwithstanding. Besides, there's a carrot. C'mon.

"Ink Happens"

Cupcakes by Melissa Thomas

Do what John does, little guy: blame it on the cat.

"Monkey Business"

Cake by Julie Viens

Julie did her monkey portrait using a reverse transfer - a painstaking, super cool process. For more info and progress pics, check out her entry here.

"Phascolarctos Cinereus"

Cake by Andi Foster

I'm in awe of the dot-shading. Gorgeous!

To peruse all of the entries so far, check out the Threadcakes gallery. And when you're done with that, check out last year's winners for even more eye candy.

If you like to bake or do crafty things, consider entering this year! It's lots of fun, you could win some sweet prizes, and, most importantly, if you wreck it you can always send it to ME. You know, just for a laugh. :D

Sunday Sweets: Miss Independent

Today we get to look at some of America's best birthday cakes. :)

By CC (aka Cake Central) member sugarchicone

I don't feature sheet cakes too often here on Sunday Sweets, but this one is postcard-perfect; and all buttercream! Those are some sweet piping skills.

Another that looks almost too perfect to be real:

By Spring Lake Cake

Love the bow.

Folks who share a birthday with the U.S. sure get some excellent cake designs:

By CC member tcam

See the little firecrackers on top? So. Fun.

Plus, this cake was beautiful *inside* as well as out:

Surprise!

And then CC member themaytrix took the hidden flag idea to the next level:

Sweeeet.

If you read the Reader's Digest, you may remember this couple:

This is Ralph Archbold & Linda Wilde, who play Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross in Old City Philadelphia. When they got married (on July 3rd, no less!) this was their wedding cake:

By Whipped Bake Shop

So pretty! The intricate star designs are fantastic.

By CC member Nunuk

WOW. Can't you almost hear the big band playing "Stars and Stripes Forever?"

And here's the gazebo the band would play in:

By Sarah Makes Cakes

That's made of gumpaste and royal icing. Awesome.

Proving that simple can also be stunning:

By Artist in Training 07

Believe it or not, those daisies are also gumpaste. Gorgeous!

Here's a cool idea, and executed flawlessly:

CC member mimiguk wrote the words to the national anthem as the stripes in the flag. Painstaking, I'm sure, but oh-so-perfect! (Just looking at all that script makes my hand cramp. Yow.)

And speaking of our national anthem, here's a cake celebrating its writing:

By MixinVixen

The top is Fort McHenry, which was where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star-Spangled Banner during an attack by the British navy during the War of 1812. Just look at the little rockets on wires! So, so cool.

And finally, for our Canadian friends:

By KupKake Tree

Happy Belated Canada Day! Sorry again for almost forgetting it on Thursday.

Oh, and btw: I'd like to say again that our Canada post on Thursday was NOT making fun of the Canadian national anthem. As I said in the post, it was making fun of the Epcot song about Canada - and even then, with affection. (I happen to love that song. I just don't know the words.)

Fortunately, most of you Canadians both know what your national anthem is AND have a sense of humor, but a select few who don't on both counts were "patriotic" enough to write angry e-mails and leave goofy cake blogs over an imagined maligning of said anthem. [sigh]

So, for those still here who were offended: wrong song, and we certainly meant no offense. We love Canada. We love Canadians. Your bacon is awesome, William Shatner is da man, and we like that Celine Dion song...um...well, her music is Ok. So, yeah. Hope the beaver cake makes up for everything. Wreck on, eh?