When Mr NQN and I got married a few years ago, we like many other couples had our photos taken by a wedding photographer. As someone that has every minute scheduled and accounted for, we had all sorts of dreams of getting beautiful photographs done on the Harbour Bridge in classic black and white or sepia. Little did we know that we had chosen a church so popular that we were the fourth wedding that day.
A few months before, we were told that we couldn’t get the time that we wanted at 3pm and our ceremony would be moved to 4:30pm. “That’s fine, we’ll have plenty of time for photos!” I said delusionally, probably while tying bows on our invitations or adhering butterflies to them.
Unfortunately, we soon realised that we had no time at all to get the fantasy photos. Thankfully, since we were the last ceremony, we had the run of the church and its beautiful gardens and so with no time to travel anywhere we decided to make this our location. Our photographer was nice and gave us instructions on how to pose. One instruction was to me.
“Look up at him and lean your face against his chest and hold your hand up on his chest and then look up at him adoringly!” he instructed “and you, look down at her.”
Candy string
I looked at Mr NQN. It sounded like an odd request – as if I were a poor damsel looking up at her saviour. Would Mr NQN expect me to look at him like that I wondered? I thought that we were more equal than that. I figured his reaction to this request would tell me a lot about him and what he really wanted or expected from me.
Mr NQN looked at the photographer and then back at me and whispered to me “Errr that sounds a bit weird doesn’t it? You don’t have to do that.” I breathed a sigh of relief, I had the right husband after all!
Working out the “hot air balloons”
These cupcakes are for our sixth wedding anniversary that we celebrated yesterday. I wanted to make something that showed the nature of our relationship. How Mr NQN tries to get me to do things that are out of my comfort zone – hot air ballooning is surely on the cards as is all the other sporty things that he tries to get me to do. The dog is of course him (the one that needs to run around) and the cat is me. These cupcakes fit as the traditional gift for a sixth year wedding anniversary is usually candy (how great is that?).
I won’t lie, this is a complicated cupcake made up of many parts. And if you make these you may be cursing my name if you want to do this all in one day. But these can be done over a few days, the cookies baked a few days ahead and then decorated on another day and the cupcakes done the day before you want to assemble this and then semi frozen to help keep it upright (they thaw quickly, don’t worry you won’t be eating frozen cupcakes!). And the buttercream, well you don’t have to do salted caramel buttercream but a simple buttercream or your favourite icing will do or just dispense with icing all together! The whole idea is that it can be done in parts with a minimum of stress. Which is quite unlike a wedding!
I leave you with a link that is bound to cheer up anyone that needs it. A lot of people that I’ve spoken to have had a not so great few weeks of late and this link never fails to put a smile on my face. Click on the picture above to find 20 pictures of cats and dogs hugging it out.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you have low key anniversaries or extravagant ones? Have you had some crappy days of late? And what do you do to cheer yourself up? I cook, shop, surround myself with people that I love and hug it out! 
3D Hot Air Balloon Cupcakes!
Level of difficulty: hard – I can’t lie, these are fiddly
For white chocolate mud cupcakes
- 165g/6ozs. butter (doesn’t matter if it’s at room temp or not in this recipe)
- 120g/4ozs. white chocolate broken up into pieces
- 1 1/3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup cornflour or cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/3 cup cream
- 175g/6ozs unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups icing or powdered sugar, sifted
1. Preheat oven to 150c fan forced or 170c non fan forced. Place butter, chocolate, sugar, the water in small saucepan over low heat until melted and combined. Cool for 15 minutes.
2. Using a whisk, add flour and then egg. Pour into patty tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in tin.
3. Make the salted caramel buttercream frosting. In a heavy bottomed small saucepan, dissolve the sugar into the water and then increase heat to medium and allow to turn a golden caramel colour-it will take about 5 minutes to reach the desired colour (but don’t forget that caramel still cooks a little after taken off the heat). Add the cream and salt to the caramel and stir well to combine as the caramel will naturally harden and pool together. Allow to cool completely (or place it in a small metal bowl in the fridge or freezer to hurry it along).
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a beater attachment, beat the butter for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Turn down the speed to low and add the sifted icing or powdered sugar and beat for 3-4 minutes. Then add the cooled salted caramel and beat until smooth. If it is too liquid, place in the fridge.
5. Using a fluted tip in a piping bag, pipe over the cupcakes with the icing and store in the fridge.
For cookies:
- 85 g/3ozs butter, softened
- 140g/5ozs white caster superfine sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 180g/6ozs all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A Christmas bauble or light bulb cutter
- some long pop sticks that are oven proof (paper ones rather than plastic)
- cornflour, small edible hearts, medium leaf cutter and a non stick rolling pin
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Using the christmas bauble cutter dipped in flour cut out as many “hot air balloons” as you can-trim the bottom of the dough, my bauble cutter had an extra bit at the end that I needed to cut off. Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment paper and gently insert the pop stick. Bake for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
3. On a non stick surface or a surface lightly dusted with cornflour roll out the fondant colour of your choice-I used two types of pink and white. Cut out the shape in the fondant using the bauble cutter and with a little water on a paintbrush, adhere the fondant to the cookies-I placed them on the flattest side of the cookie and where there was a bit of a gap with the pop stick-you can use it like blu tack to give the stick and cookie a bit more strength.
You can also do the pattern by placing one white and one pink cut out on top of each other making sure to dust cornflour in between them so that they don’t stick and then cut out shapes. I used a medium leaf cutter and cut out the shapes and then took two cookies and placed the opposite pieces in each one-kind of like those toys that you used to play with as a kid where you fit the part to the hole.
One on top of each other (with cornflour between them to prevent them sticking)
Extras
- Extra fondant to make the animals in chocolate, white and pink
- Dried vermicelli noodles for the cat’s whisker
- Edible black pen
- Candy string
- extra fondant to glue the string on and the sturdy stick on the back if you need it
1. Make the animals-you are only making the heads and the arms so it isn’t too hard. To make the dog’s head roll some chocolate fondant into a ball and then make a smaller ball and attach it as the nose and pinch it so that it becomes a little pointy. Affix a tiny pink ball on the end for the nose. Roll ears-you want thin, long ovals that you can attach with a little water onto the head (you can position them to make them look “floppy.” Roll tiny white balls and affix these eyes and draw an iris in the centre of the eye.
2. To make the cake roll a ball of fondant (I rolled a white and brown ball to make a white and black cat). Make the ears but rolling some fondant out and cutting out two triangles and affix these to the head with a little water. Affix a tiny pink ball on the end for the nose. Roll tiny white balls (cat’s eyes are more oval shaped than dog’s) and affix these eyes and draw an iris in the centre of the eye. Break off tiny bits of vermicelli and add two to each side of the nose. To make arms for the cats and dogs, roll out some sausages of brown fondant. Place the animals, two to a cupcake and put the arms hanging over the edge of the cupcake like they are looking over the edge of the basket.
3. To assemble I find it easiest if the cupcake is frozen. This allows the cookie to stand upright and helps if you are displaying these although these are not the types of cupcakes that will stand for a long display time especially outside of air conditioning. Now that the cookies are decorated and the cupcakes are iced, this is the last part. Take a chopstick or an extra pop stick and dig a hole eight in the centre of the frozen cupcake. This is where you hot air balloon will sit.
4. Cut out some lengths of the edible string and roll the fondant into small balls and use it like blu tack to adhere it to the back of the cookie. It should reach to the buttercream. If you really want to display these, use an extra pop stick and some fondant as blu tack on the back of the cookie to prop it up from the back.
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96 Comments | Add your own
So cute! I love the cats and dogs…
Cheers,
Rosa
Happy Anniversary Lorraine and Mr NQN
wow 6 years ~ Even though I’ve never met you two in person, but from reading your blog I can tell you guys compliment each other very well 
These cupcakes looks so pretty and I love the little dogs and cats at the bottom!
Mr Bao and I usually have one low key then one extravagant celebration. So if my birthday was an extravagant one we usually go low key for Valentines day. And we always buy each other gifts on our anniversary
what a great post! Congratulations to you! What do I do cheer myself up? Window shopping or a make up shopping: a lipstick or an eye shadow can make me very happy! Good book is another option.
You are so creative and determined! I am not, therefore, I have given up on these cupcakes already:)
Happy anniversary! Oh I remember the wedding photographer…we asked him to follow us around on the day and just take natural shots but he tried his best to pose us none the less. You are a champion for making these cup cakes…they look like a lot of work but are so beautiful!!
These have to be cutest cupcakes ever! I’m still months away from the first anniversary, but I do believe I prefer it to be more relaxed. A trip somewhere perhaps…
Those candy strings remind me of licorice, just smaller.
I love these hot air balloon cookie/cupcakes they are so pretty. haha funny story about the photographer, and I love that you were both on the same page…..Mr Sweet is 9″ taller than me so even though we are equal I pretty much physically spend most of my time looking up at him. Sometimes it might even be adoringly
Happy Anniversary! And what awesome cupcakes to celebrate!
Very cute! Congrats on your 6th year anniversary too. I too like to cook or shop if I’m feeling crappy
I don’t kid myself, I will never make these, but oh how I enjoyed this post–the story (I can just see it unfolding), the link to the cat-dog hugging extravaganza (number 10 is my hands-down fave), and the adorable cupcakes that are far beyond my meager capabilities. You’ve scored again, Lorraine!
Oh if someone made these for me I would know they loved me. How gorgeous! And happy anniversary. xo
How sweet! They may be a bit complicated, but isn’t every relationship worth having?
Happy anniversary guys! I’m definitely more cat than dog as well:)
I’ve had lots if crappy days of late, I cook and bake to fill the house with the scents and warmth of love, that always cheers me up!
Congratulations on your anniversary! These are amazing! I wouldn’t want to cut any corners with these, the extra work would be worth it… Much like a marriage
Those look amazing, very fiddly but I take my hat off to you, very clever! I have my fifth wedding anniversary coming up this year and would love to think of something fitting like these. Thanks for the cuddling pets, I hate Mondays like a bad cliche and those pics really did lift me up;-) thanks for the awesome blog!
What cute cupcakes! You are so creative Lorraine!
This white chocolate cake recipe sounds delicious. The kids will love these cupcakes. Another recipe for me to try.
so clever! You wouldnt get me in a hot hair balloon for love nor money. That picture of teh bulldog makes me crack everytime I see it! what were they up to???
T xx
one day, I will read what I am typing and correct the mistakes…one day…
Happy Anniversary! I love the idea of animals hugging it out to cheer people up – but a combination of flash photography and the expressions on the cat’s and dog’s face kinda makes it look like they were caught in flagrante delicto!
holy cow! I think if I had to make these I’d reconsider marriage.
I like the idea of him taking me out to a fancy dinner or away for the weekend on our anniversary.
Love the cupcakes/cookies!
Love the blue sky background, the green grass – and the candy string!!!
where is a wedding photo??!!!
Happy Anniversary to you and Mr NQN!
Those animal pics are too cute.
Happy anniversary
Love the pictures of the cats and dogs hugging it out… and golly those balloons look gorgeous!
These are absolutely adorable Lorraine! I’m glad Mr NQN had that reaction to the photographer’s request. I think I’ll laugh if our photographer asks me to post like that!
I had a not-so-good day last week and cheered myself up with a yummy lunch and big hug when my man got home. We are quite similar you and me!
They are gorgeous. A labour that would only be undertaken for the greatest of loves.Happy Anniversary
These are so pretty and very clever. Congratulations on your sixth wedding Anniversary. It’s Mr Glam and my sixth anniversary this year too. So I might give these a go especially as we’re waiting for the weather to be good enough to go on our pre-booked balloon ride. Should have been tomorrow but it will be too wet. This is England! GG
It’s 6 years for The Man and I this April, Lorraine! Anniversaries are usually pretty low key, the first one I planned a picnic in the park where he proposed and we had our wedding photos (paper for 1st anniversary, thus paper plates), and we had a three month old, and I thought how lovely, our little family celebrating in the place where it all began? The cherub screamed relentlessly so after 20 minutes we packed up and went home… We do have dinner at our wedding reception- Fenix- and that’s always divine.
Toooooo cute Lorraine!
Happy Anniversary Lorraine and Mr.NQN… these are amazing cupcakes… My hubby always try to make our anniversary special with fine dining and presents… Its only once a year occasions after all
Congratulations on the anniversary.
These cupcakes do look complex. You should attach it to a balloon so it actually rises:)
What a lovely heartwaarming story to go along with the very imaginative cupcakes :! ! Actually am having some very ‘crappy’ days at the moment and there seems to be little sun on the horizon [tho' loooking out the window this morning the latter is trying to make a liar out of me!]. My second husband always said on these occasions: ‘darling, let’s cancel the day and have a little baby party’ !? Hmm?
Lorraine, I just can’t keep up with your wonderfulness. These gave me a big smile today in spite of my horrible cold.
Happy Post Anniversary, TRUE!
These 3D Hot Air Balloon Cupcakes are ADORABLE too!
Friends call me “The Eternal Optimist”, know no other way!
Am UPBEAT and positive in a unique way!
Should the occasion arise, is only temporary, is not the best of days,
I realise the only thing in life that’s constant is CHANGE…and I fill my days with happiness in SO many ways!
We went to Borocay in the Philippines for our one year anniversary
How clever you are! I just don’t have the patience to do these gorgeous little things. My girls wish they lived at yours:)
Happy Anniversary and congratulations! And yes these do look hard – the white choc mud cupcake sounds delish though!
Awww these are SO adorable!!! Happy anniversary!
You must be very patient, because they seem like lots of work, but I can see they are worth it because they are so adorable!
We tend to celebrate fairly low key anniversaries and go out for dinner.
Happy anniversary! Awwwwwwwwwww, now that is a cute story and a sweet way to celebrate. Like the hot air balloons on the cupcakes, yours is a love that only continues to soar higher and higher.
the dog and cat made me swoon.
The cuteness is UNBEARABLE!
As are those cupcakes, you are adorable.
All that wedding talk and no wedding picture – what a tease!
Today is our first anniversary. And all our plans have been ruined. We were going to head down south for a long weekend. But last week hubby lost his job leaving us strapped for cash and then all the flooding has just topped it all off.
I am going to put together a basic picnic for an evening dinner somewhere on the headlands (so long as it doesn’t rain) and I have some free movie tickets we are going to use this afternoon.
Hopefully we can go away for a weekend together down the track a little.
Jadey
Hugs, writing blog posts about the good things in life, and fiercely, desperately clinging onto the fact that things will get better are how I’m getting through each day right now.
These cupcakes woudl help. THEY BLOW MY MIND.
Also, 200 points towards life for Mr NQN with that response.
You’re killing me L! I shouldn’t be reading this during my lunch break. You’re so talented, seriously stop it! or don’t…
Your creations are so super creative these days, all I can think is that you must have a LOT more patience than me! What a cute story about you and Mr NQNs wedding! I dont know about wedding photos, most of them are so staged, glad you did your own thing hehe.
Happy Anniversary! As always you have a great story complementing your post. Those cupcakes are super cute.
Wow they are so cute! Loved to have seen mr nqn’s face when you presented him with these
happy anniversary. We usually keep it low key except our 10th which was celebrated at Flying Fish.
Happy six year anniversary! I just celebrated my second with a lovely dinner and a stay at the hotel we stayed at on our wedding night. Love your wedding photo story.
Happy Anniversary! I remember our photo shoot too. They told me to pose such a weird position and they kept telling me to open my eyes under the sun when I thought my eyes are WIDELY open! Such a good memory now though.
Wow, Speechless again, Lorraine! I love these cupcakes. So adorable and so special! You are so detailed it’s crazy!! Pinned.
Congrats on 6 years together – and your cupcakes are fantastic! We got married on the beach with no posed photos at all
LOL ah some photographers and their awkward poses!
Happy Anniversary Mr & Mrs NQN! I love these gorgeous cupcakes, and the hugging cat & dog photo
congrats to you two on your 6th wedding anniversary!
love how you photographed the hotair balloon cupcakes against a blue sky backdrop on green grass.
the cat and dog are such cute additions too! Great job!
Happy Anniversary and what a great way to celebrate with your multi-talented baking skills — you know I want those cupcakes, right?
I have had a crappy few days, so thanks for the link! To cheer myself up I watch trash tv…it keeps me sane
Happy anniversary! Absolutely love these cute little cupcakes – what a fun way to celebrate
Happy 6th anniversary Lorraine and Mr. NQN. The cupcakes are adorable, and a very fitting tribute to your special day.
waw! What cute & alternative hot aire balloon cupcakes! Adorable, cute & ooh so appetizing too!An interesting & great story too!
I had to laugh a lot!
Happy anniversary to you both! Next saturday, my hubby & I are 5 years married & we are going to celebrate it a lot with a fine Gourmet dinner in a 1 Michelin starred restaurant! We deserve it! 
Kisses to you !
Lorraine they are absolutely gorgeous. The puppies and kittens just complete them.
I’m not at all a cat person (but love dogs)… but damn, those cats are the cutest things ever! They’re almost TOO cute to eat!
While I enjoyed looking at these, I get goosebumps thinking of all the effort that went into making them. Good on you for such a great job on some really cute cupcakes!
Happy anniversary! You’ve gone and raised the “creativity in the kitchen” bar again, Lorraine….so whimsical! And thanks for being honest about the difficulty factor so we can admire your work without being fooled into trying to emulate it! (except for those highly motivated individuals of course) A true work of culinary art
PS We celebrate 25 years of marriage next month!!
Happy anniversary, gorgeous one! I am with you about that sort of picture… really?? If they wanted to keep the obey line in the ceremony I would bolt.
Love the cupcakes and the doggy pictures. I’m afraid Petunia would go after the cat.. no huggy stuff for her. My fav is the bulldog… it looks like it was a shot in the dark.. capturing a miracle moment.
I can imagine that just doing the cupcakes with the balloons would be very popular with kids – Sylvia is really into balloons at the moment and even bit into one today – I am sure she would prefer biting into your cookie balloon – well I hope so but can’t guarantee!
Happy anniversary – your wedding sounds very fairytale – ours was very lowkey as are most of our celebrations
Happy Anniversary! These are adorable–and complicated, as you said. Love the story, too…
Happy anniversary to you both! Hilarious story about the photographer. Glad it made you guys giggle! The cupcakes are darling & that b/w photo is way precious!
Happy Anniversary, Lorraine!
Love these cupcakes, my grandkids would adore them, but will leave it to you to make them!
These cupcakes are darling. What a labor of love. Our 10 year anniversary is coming up and I’m torn between doing a low key or big celebration.
Lorraine, these are SOO cute (I hope Mr NQN loved them); what a sweet gesture. And I love the anecdote you tell of your wedding. Happy anniversary to you both!
Briony xx
Happy Anniversary Lorraine, the cup cakes are lovely and a testament to your marriage. And the link is fantastic… even though I am not a huge fan of cats, I just loved the dog faces as they hugged them, so darn cute.
I have had some not so good anniversaries of the 26 so far, but on the most part they have been lovely. For the past few years we’ve travelled to NYC for our anniversary and it’s always been great (well, except the time we rented an apartment on the upper west side that literally felt like the tenants JUST left – but that’s another story).
Those are quite possibly the cutest cupcakes I’ve seen all year!
Lorraine, these cupcakes are insane!! What an amazing job you did on them. You are so talented!
Happy anniversary to you! Those are really insane cupcakes! You have such imagination and we are so fortunate that you share it with us! (And your lovely stories!)
two things never fail to improve a crappy day for me: 1)conan o’brien, and 2)my adorable kitties. sure, they defecate anywhere and everywhere, but their love for me is unconditional.
These are adorable and I love the story about the photographer for your wedding
And I have to agree I would be cursing your name if I attempted to make these! I hate icing cookies (with a passion) and although these are so cute, I think I’d find it so tedious I’d wind up rocking back and forth in a corner before finishing 
These are adorable! Having hurt my back making my owl cookies and still paying the penalty, I won’t be making these any time soon, but they are truly gorgeous.
Congrtulations for your anniversary…!!!
I remember our second anniversary, my son was born on the first days of November, my anniversary is on the first days of December, so that year I had time only for my baby, as well ass my husband, so we forgot that day, until his mother called to congratulate us. We couldn’t belive we forgot, thanks God both did.
Such a fun anniversary dessert. You should go in a hot air balloon. It’s not scary at all, just kinda floaty. I usually plan something big for our anniversary. One year we did go hot air ballooning. xoxo Mum
What a wonderful idea for an anniversary. Yes. I have had some crappy pain filled weeks with no end in sight, the pictures made me smile.
Those are insanely creative! We usually just go for a nice dinner for our anniversary, nothing too elaborate. Happy anniversary guys
They may be hard, but holy cow are they cute!
Totes emailing that link to my partner! My head just exploded from the cute!
My husband has just got a grant to set up a program to train young people as hot air balloonist – something he has been working towards for almost 20 years. Now it is going to be a reality I am squirrelling away the recipe for when the new balloon arrives and is launched. Thank you for your creativity adn willingness to share it so I don’t have to do the thinking about what I could do!
Hi Rosa-Thanks! I loved making the animals
Hi Daisy-Thank you Daisy!
Hehe I think we do too-despite being quite opposite 
Oh that sounds like a great system!!
Hi Marina-Thanks Marina!
Haha I like those two options…a lot! 
And you’re right, such a quick, nice way for a pick me up!
Hi Miss Kimbers-Thank you lovely-but you are creative and determined!
Hi Anna-Thanks Anna!
I know, we asked for the same thing, all natural shots but I suppose they have to pose some. Thank you! 
Hi gourmantine-Thank you! Yes relaxed is a good idea isn’t it? who wants to be stressed!
Hi Michelle-yes they’re very similar!
Hi Linda-Thank you Linda!
hehe I can imagine there would be lots of looking up there as there is with us! 
Haha!
Hi Lisa-Thanks Lisa!
Hi Erin-Thank you Erin! Both excellent options!
Hi Victoria-hehe that’s cool. They are very fiddly I admit! Hehe you are too kind, thank you!
Hi Bronnie-Hehe absolutely they would! Thank you! xxx
Hi Rebecca-Thanks!
Yes that’s very true! hehe cats have a nice life don’t they? 
Oh yes cooking smells are amazingly comforting aren’t they! 
Hi Anna-Thank you!
Hehe yes good parallel there! 
Hi Jax-Thanks Jax!
Happy 5th anniversary for later this year! 
Aww you’re very welcome, glad that it cheered! 
Hi Monica-Thank you Monica!
I hope you and the kids like them! 
Hi Miss T-I’m quite scared but curious to go up in one-they sound amazing! Haha I know, instant laughs right!
xxx
Hi Y-Thanks! Yes I suspect they felt “caught out!”
Hi Maureen-haha!
I’d love that too-except we kind of forgot about our anniversary. oops! 
Hi Tina-Thanks so much!
Hi Heather-Alas hubby is very shy and doesn’t want his photo on the blog…
Hi Em-Thanks Em!
Hi shez-Thanks! The balloons and the cupcakes are quite easy to make-on their own
Hi Claire-Thank you!
I know, me too! 
yes we are! 
Hi tania-Thanks Tania!
Haha indeed!
Hi Glamorous Glutton-Thank you GG! Oh happy 6th for you too! Oh and a balloon ride? how exciting!
Have fun!
Hi Holly-happy 6th for you too! It’s 6th anniversaries all around!
Aww that is gorgeous in idea but poor little cherub. What a lovely ritual to go there for dinner!
Hi Shellie-Thanks Shellie!
Hi Isya-Thank you Isya!
I know, it’s something special isn’t it! 
Hi Three-Cookies-Ha I think that is enough without trying to make it how to fly
Hi Eha-Thank you Eha!
Oh I’m sorry to hear that! 
He sounds like he has the right idea. I hope that it gets better! 
Hi angela-Aww you are too kind Angela!
I hope you feel better soon! 
Hi Joanne-Thanks for the lovely rhyme Joanne! You’ve always got such clever ones!
Hi sheryl-how divine!
Hi Jay-Thanks Jay!
hehe I wish I could send these their way!
Hi Ravel-Thanks so much Ravel!
Hi Jennifer-Thank you! Hehe the funny thing is that I’m not really known for being patient!
hi Carolyn-Thanks Carolyn!
what a sweet way to put it-thank you! 
Hi kelley-hehe they make me laugh!
Thank you!
Hi Christie-ha you know how shy Mr NQN is!
Hi Jadey-Happy Anniversary Jadey! Oh I’m so sorry to hear that. And a good idea to postpone your trip although the picnic and movie sounds lovely!
Hi Hannah-Good for you Spay lady!
Yea 200 points right! 
Hi Farrah-Aww you are so sweet Farrah!
Hi catty-Thanks Catty! Hehe hubby would laugh if he read that I was patient, he thinks otherwise
Yes we wanted more natural ones!
Hi anuja-Thank you!
You are too kind!
Hi muppy-Thanks Muppy! He was so cute and happy! I was relieved
Thank you! Oh yes that meal looked fantastic!
Hi Gourmet Chick-Thank you!
That sounds wonderful! Thanks 
Hi Nami-Thanks Nami!
Haha isn’t that strange-they must all do that! 
Thank you so much!
Hi Tandy-Thank you Tandy!
That sounds like a lovely wedding-very relaxed!
Hi Chanel-I know, crazy aren’t they!
But I suppose some people like those poses! 
Thank you! 
Hi Jo-Thanks Jo!
That was my dad’s painting-thank you for noticing! 
Hi Kiran-Thank you!
Haha I wish I could send them! 
Hi Bec-aww sorry to hear that Bec! you’re welcome and I hope you are feeling better soon! Yay for trash tv!
Hi thelittleloaf-Thank you very much!
Hi shaz-Thanks Shaz!
You are too kind!
Hi Sophie-Thank you Sophie!
Oh happy anniversary for next Saturday! Have a wonderful time and it sounds like you’ll have a ball! xxx
Hi sara-Thanks Sara!
Hi Libby-haha that’s the ultimate compliment, thank you!
Hi Midge-Thanks so much Midge! They were a lot of effort but I’m glad that Mr NQN liked them-I would’ve been crushed if he didn’t
Hi Jaqi-Thank you Jaqi!
hehe I had to be honest here because I was thinking I had lost my mind at one stage and I didn’t want anyone else to feel the same way! 
Congratulations on your 25 years! 
hi deana-thanks Deana!
Yes I wonder how many people love those photos? haha ah well! Maybe not for every dog perhaps! 
I know, me too!
hi Johanna-Oh she bit into one! She might like these!
Thank you so much! 
Hi Janet-Thanks Janet!
I’m so pleased that you like them! 
Hi marla-Thank you Marla!
Yes we thought it was very odd indeed! 
Thanks!
hi Barbara-Thanks Barbara!
Haha no problems! 
Hi Lora-Thank you! Happy 10th year wedding anniversary-low key or extravagant!
Hi Briony-Thank you darling! I hope you are well? xxx
Hi Eva-Thanks so much Eva! haha isn’t it cute? Who knew that they were such good friends?
Oh that’s great to hear that most have been lovely! Oh I think that might be an interesting story! 
Hi Su-Lin-Aww thanks Su-Lin!
hi Georgia-Haha why thank you! You are too kind!
Hi Marie-I think insane is the right word for them, thank you!
And thank you for your kind words! 
Hi grace-Haha sounds like a killer combo!
Not the defecating it but the cuddles bit! 
Hi Javelin Warrior-Thanks JW!
haha you have every right to if you made this all on the one day 
I find icing them with fondant easier than royal icing although royal icing is gorgeous 
Hi Cakelaw-Thank you!
Oh you poor thing, I hope you’re feeling better soon!
Hi Nydia-Thanks so much!
Oh how funny and lucky she called! 
Hi Barbara-Thank you mum!
I know, I will one day. I was meant to but the weather wasn’t co operating 
xxx
Hi Jenny-Thanks Jenny! I’m sorry to hear that and I’m glad that these pictures made you smile
Hi Jasmyne-hehe why thank you!
Sounds like a nice idea!
Hi Deanna-
Thanks so much Deana!
Hi Lauren-Aww thank you! I’m so glad that you like them!
hi Lindell-Oh how fantastic! And congratulations to your husband for getting the grant. What a lovely wife you are to make these for him!
Happy anniversary!!!
Hi Lorraine, Happy anniversary
The cupcakes are just adorable, I don’t think I quite have the skills to make them though ! We have low key anniversaries and if I’m ever feeling down fresh flowers, retail therapy or a nice meal outgo a long way in helping.
Happy aniversary!! And those cupcakes are absolutely adorable, but also a little daunting to make…
Aww, the cupcakes are adorable. Congrats on the sixth anniversary to you both!
Happy anniversary Mr & Mrs NQN
I love these, they’re too cute. The cats and dogs look fab haha
Yeah, work has been pretty crappy of late, so I might just need that link… Happy belated anniversary. We just sort of did what we were told when they were shooting the pics, but we were sort of in a daze I think. And I don’t remember the photographer giving me such detailed info.
Hi Anjelica-thanks so much Angelica!
Hi Stefanie-Thank you Stefanie!
That sounds nice and relaxed! And I’m staring at a bunch of pretty pink flowers at the moment just loving them! 
Hi Hanna-Thanks Hanna!
hehe I know what you mean-I don’t think I have the stamina to make them again 
Hi Sophie-Thanks Sophie!
Hi Nic-Hehe why thank you! And soon one there will be your first I bet!
Hi Fiona-your work sounds very stressful-I hope it gets better! Thank you! Hehe yes the whole day was a bit of a daze!
These are gorgeous – very fiddly and time consuming, but gorgeous result – well done Ms NQN! I love the little cat and dog. I also loved the story of your wedding photographs. I would love to know where one can buy the candy string from as I want to make a cake that I need something like that for…
These are adorable! And I definitely have had some crappy days lately – that’s why I’ve disappeared off the blogosphere! Nothing too dramatic, just work dramas – I’m sure your job has many negatives, but from where I’m sitting it’s looking pretty appealing right now…
Those are cute (but way fiddly looking)!
And my wife is a centimeter taller than I, so it’d be looking down adoringly.
Gorgeous cupcakes. You really went all out. All I can think of is … did you really get the dog and cat to POSE like that or is it photoshopped cause WOW!!! patient pets.
Congratulations on the anniversary. It sounds like you picked the right guy. Someone who supports you and challenges you as well.
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[...] aware of my limitations; I surely do not have the patients for extravagantly decorated desserts as Lorraine, Sawsan and Charlie do (to name a few) so I selected a cupcake which was quite manageable and not [...]
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