Congrats Xavier! Hunter & Gun Safety Celebration Cake

Last night, my oldest son passed his Hunter and Gun Safety Course with flying colors. Today, I decided to surprise him with a cake. I do just basic cakes, frosting, sprinkles and whatever else I have on hand. I decided to dig out my Cricut Cutting Machine and "A Child's Year" and "Cuttin' Up"  and "Animal Kingdom" cartridges and make some paper embellishments for the cake to "dress it up" a little. I cut out some moose, deer, raccoon,  duck, and a few other animals. I cut out a little pilgrim boy with a gun and layered it. Then I took some thin wooden skewers to attach to the back of the boy, the trees and one deer. I cut a green award pin that I glued the letters "O,N,A" on it. I cut out the words: Congrats Xavier. I used green crystal sugar to create a grassy look. Even though, I  am not an advance cake maker, I wanted to share my joy with everyone. I am so proud of my little guy! They grow up so fast. I took various angle pictures to show close ups.

Altered Wooden Wildlife Deer Hunting Ornament

Wooden Wildlife Deer Ornament

              I come from a family of very dedicated and determined hunters, who take their “game” seriously. A few rules of the family are: No wedding during hunting season, Plan on hunting almost every day. I never know what to buy or make for someone that is so passionate about their hobby, sport, collections and others. A few years ago, I started a trend or tradition of making a Christmas ornament for each of my brothers, mom, in-laws and a few friends. I try to cater to their likes.
            Well, I went to Michaels and found these unpainted wooden shapes: oval, square, angel, heart, snowman, and many others. I picked up a dozen of the unpainted oval pieces since they were 6 for $1.00. When I got home, I asked my husband to drill a tiny hole near the top of each piece so that I could run string or ribbon through. I then took out my stamps that had wildlife on it from StampinUp! and my ink. I layered the various colors of ink and images onto the wood, and created a subtle and peaceful looking ornament. On the back, I attached a piece of cream cardstock and signed my name and added a few leaves. I used a water based sealer to seal the ink. These were such a hit with the family that I continue to add to their collection each year and they never know what creature or design they will get.