-=:StoryBook Couture:=-

From faces; to puppy dogs and pretty flowers...my pioneering of the "anything-into-a-cupcake' fondant designs has recently brought me to a "cupcake couture" adventure~!The constantly evolving form of cupcake designs I've came up with are exciting even myself! *laughs* I draw circles in my sketchbook in my free time and fill in the blanks when I feel inspired. These pretty vintage clothing designs were penned down whilst my hairdresser snipped away at my overgrown mess.
Who were these dainty little works of art for?(photo courtesy of Galvin Tan)Just recently; a trendy new 'vintage chic' boutique made its way into the newly renovated grounds of Sunway Pyramid shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia. It is located on the top floor at the beginning of Asian Avenue close to the entrance overlooking the ice-skating ring. This brilliant new addition to the bustling shopping paradise is jointly owned by my beautiful cousin Ivy Chan and her charming Mr Desmond Lee.

"By: Ivy Chan" about Storybook Couture

In every story, there should not only be a happy ending, but a happy beginning. Just like its namesake, Storybook is about embracing individuality and believing that one should write their own path in life.
Storybook is a “micro retail” concept store which emphasizes wearable runway designs. With a marriage between classic and modern designs, the harmony will give opportunity to people to match one piece with another, letting them choose a style that fits their perspective.
The store’s interior consists of wooden furniture paired with fabric and ribbons. The decor exudes a vintage feel that reminds us of how fashion has evolved from the past till present.
If you are looking for something truly inspiring which screams individuality and a sense of freedom, have a look at our “storybook” and experience it yourself.

Ivy had organized a soft opening for her beautifully done up boutique a couple of weeks back; and I showed up with 3 tiers of petite cupcakes for her invited guests and customers. I know I have rejected any cake/cupcake order's since I've been home in Malaysia; but for Ivy's big day, I had to make an exception. I didn't have all my utensils and cake decorating gear in tact as most of my precious babies are still being shipped back from Oz-land in big tea-chest boxes.
I made do with what I could to come up with these designs of basic cupcake fondant covering and piped icing swirls. I had to even build a cupcake stand on my own out of boxes and masonite cake boards. The trimmings were done with ribbons and dainty beaded earrings.The cupcakes were vanilla cupcakes matched with a strawberry drop filling and finished with a crown of pink cream cheese frosting. The bows and white flowers were done with light coloured fondant and the details were painted on with a paintbrush. My theme was ivory; pink and a pretty sparkle of glitter~

I stuck with my basics for fail proof recipes:

Vanilla Cupcake + Cream Cheese Recipe
Strawberry filling: fills 24 cupcakes

1 cup unsweetened berry jam
1/2 cup sugar
*cook in the microwave on high in 30 second blasts while stirring till bubbly and sugar is incorporated.

Returning home and working with a completely different kitchen has caused a fair bit of confusion and issues with oven temperatures and recipes.
It'll take awhile before I get the hang of baking in bulk before I perfect a couple of flaws I've discovered from baking in Malaysian weather with local products. I'm indeed lucky that mom has a magnificently equipped kitchen with all the utensils I need. Her electric mixers and grinders are marvelous!
Oh! I've got surprise news for everyone in my next post! *gets excited*
*giggle*...
CAN'T WAIT!