40 is the new 50

My last custom wedding cake topper blog entry for the month is actually a celebration of 40 married years--WOW can you dig it? I borrowed the pennant idea for this special order because it seemed like the best way to make these inanimate objects jump for joy at this major milestone.

unofficial featured seller interview!

I was asked to answer a few questions about the business end of things on the Unofficial Etsy Featured Sellers blog, which you can read by clicking here.

Fun Fact: When I submitted my answers last week, I just about picked yesterday's interviewee Pearson Maron as one of my three top Etsy sites to watch! That was the toughest question of the batch--you'll have to read the article to see who made the cut.

rah rah shish boom bah!

I love this variation on the moose theme--the husband is a disc golf afficionado, and the bride wanted to hold a university pennant, but decided on the word "LOVE" rather than a more collegiate name. I love the way this turned out--pennants RULE! Tomorrow is my last day this month...can you believe I've actually shown one custom wedding cake topper commission every single day in June? Phew...neither can I.

more elephants? more elephants!

Another couple who wanted a custom elephant set for their cake--this wedding has a lovely black and gold color scheme, with a tiny bit of teal, reflected in the bride's veil flowers. They liked the idea of having a freestanding sign with all the vital info so that it makes the perfect display in their home after the wedding day has passed.

At the base of the sign, there's a little ladybird.

circus wedding (part 2)

And here's the wedding cake toppers! The customer asked if I could do stripes in the wedding colors of cream, baby blue and red, and I was eager to suggest a stripey pattern just like my new Nutcase bike helmet.

Funny thing....just this morning, I stumbled across this new design by one of my heroes Jonathan Adler--I guess great minds think...um....alike? If it didn't say "Prozac" on the side, it would make a cute circus big top for those fun elephants to play in.

Here's another sweet custom monster family for a couple whose two children will be joining them in the festivities. The theme for this wedding is circus, so the colors you see here are in keeping with that awesome concept. These guys are going to be part of the decorations at the wedding reception. Tomorrow I'll show you their cake toppers and you'll get the whole circus idea. Stay tuned!

monkey+monster

I love couples who embrace their unique qualities! Hence the monkey and the monster who will tie the knot this summer. And, as everyone well knows, a monkey + monster wedding would never work unless orange was the wedding color.

girls who love cubs who love cardinals who love cubs who love girls who love.....

Here's another wedding sports tribute--a couple who divides their passions between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. I love their wedding colors: moss green, burnt orange, and maroon, reflected in their bouquets. The names of the brides are on their respective jerseys and the numbers are their wedding date.

the wolf and the weasel

Another totem animal request I had this spring was to make a wolf and a weasel, two animals I hadn't quite tried to make yet, although they were pretty similar to other ones in my past and I could adapt the forms just a bit. I really was happy with the way this set came out. Bring it on, people...what's your totem animal?

awwww...

I love it when my customers come up with great ideas like having the wedding cake toppers actually hold hands. So sweet.

and speaking of gators...

I had yet another Florida Gators fan come out of the woodwork asking me to do a custom cake topper for them. Er...wait...I guess it's not a Gators fan in this case. The bride is a Seminole and wanted to surprise her sweetie with this number on the groom's cake.

smiles, everybody, smiles!

Here's another customer appreciation picture I love--this isn't a custom cake topper set per se, but check out that amazing cake made to match my work!

I woof you.

Here's another customization of my dachshund bride and groom set, based on the couple's own adorable miniature doxies and incorporating the plum and pale pink wedding colors!

Hallowedding

I just couldn't wait until October to publish these amazing pictures I just received from a customer who planned her wedding day on Halloween last year and snapped up my Edward Gorey-themed bride and groom. This looks like such a fun wedding! (Photos by Rob Fadtke)

we interrupt this broadcast for a special report from the Summit of Awesome

The Summit of Awesome is holding its annual conference here in Portland and I was asked to give a tour of the Alberta Arts district, since they're taking over nearby Kennedy School with three days of crafty awesomeness. Click here to live vicariously via a blog posting from Handmade in Portland that talks a little about my tour, but will also be blogging the entire conference.

We now return to our regular scheduled programming, still in progress.

places, everyone!

Here's a big custom project I have been working on for the past few weeks--one of my happy wedding cake topper customers asked me to do place card holders for the tables at her reception based on her favorite characters from the Beatrix Potter books. I loved these books as a kid too, so it was really fun to revisit them.

A new challenge for me was to add the place card wires to the stands--I added cards of the imaginary guests at MY imaginary wedding reception to show you how they will look when they're performing their intended function.

Play ball!

Ever since a Florida Gators fan found me, I have had the occasional request from sports fans across the country. This set is for a couple who are huge San Francisco Giants fans. I guess the groom felt more comfortable in the home team uniform than a tux and top hat. Fine with me...the customer is always right.

don't forget the dogs....

This French Bulldog bride and groom set is so cute...it might show up as a regular cake topper set in my Etsy shop someday.

otters who love otters

Soon after making this custom otter bride and groom, I visited the Oregon Aquarium and saw the real live otters there. Such a happy creature, floating there sucking on its toes while we all sighed at the utter cuteness that abounded. No wonder this couple chose the otter as their totem animal!

it's a family affair

This was such a fun commission I did last month--the couple saw my monster cake topper set and wanted a special design that also included their young daughter who will be the flower girl. I matched their wedding colors of pale pink, black white and gray, with a touch of silver and gold. I made the display stand match the size of the top tier of their cake in case they wanted to put the whole piece there, but there was also the option to just use the figure on the cake and save the stand for later.

cats and roses

The third in this mini-series of custom kitty cake toppers is this set. The couple requested I also render the roses on the bride's bouquet and veil. Come back tomorrow when we continue June's theme where I reveal some of the custom cake topper sets I've been working on this year! The month is almost half over--yikes!

custom kitties

I love making toppers based on people's pets! This bride and groom kitty set was based on the set I already have in my Etsy shop but altered to have the fur markings of this couple's actual pets. One of their kitties has a kinked tail, which I also faithfully rendered! You may remember this couple's sweet engagement story in last spring's contest--click here to read it again!

the bunny with a toolbelt wedding cake topper manifesto

1. Handmade stuff rules. Accept no compromise. When you order a cake topper from Bunny with a Toolbelt, what you're getting is a completely original piece of art, rather than a painted found object or a molded plastic figure. Truly handmade work will never be identical to any other in shape, form or color, just like your unique relationship.


2. I really do care about your wedding, believe it or not. I am a legally ordained Universal Life minister who has married eight of my close friends, and use my ministerial skills quite often when designing my cake toppers. Whatever you adorn the top of your cake with, it should be carefully considered because this time-honored tradition represents you as a couple. It is not only the icon of your wedding, but also one of the few objects from that special day that you keep and display in your home for many years.


3. Be cool to the earth. All Bunny with a Toolbelt figures are made with over 90% upcycled wood--scrap material that's otherwise destined for the trash bin or fire pit. I am proud to use very few store-bought materials in my entire line. These wedding cake toppers are extremely lightweight and sit proudly atop your cake without sinking in. They are painted with a food-safe paint that is easily cleanable.


4. Smiling is healthy. Most people will smile when they see the Bunny with a Toolbelt cake topper on your cake, with the possible exception of that one uptight relative who wants you to conform to the norm. Stand your ground through nonviolent resistance the Bunny with a Toolbelt way: Make it your little secret to see if they roll their eyes or crack the tiniest smile of appreciation. It will take a lot of stress out of your day! Life is too short not to have fun.