Between raising three kids, working from home, volunteering at school, leading a Daisy Scout troop, being on the steering team for my MOPS group, trying to sleep a few hours a night and occasionally re-introducing myself to my husband, it was clear I had a problem.

I needed a new hobby. (Cue sarcastic cackle.)

Well, maybe I don’t need a new hobby. But apparently, I’ve found one. Decorating cupcakes.

A few years ago, a friend went to a cupcake decorating demonstration put on by The Cupcake Lady, as she’s referred to. She’s published two fabulous books on cupcake decorating – Hello, Cupcake and What’s New, Cupcake? My friend then hosted a mom’s night out where she showed us how to make cupcakes that look like plates of Spaghetti and Meatballs, Cherry Pies and Ducks.

When my oldest two kids turned 6 this past week, of course, they needed cupcakes to go along with their birthday parties (that’s right, I said partIES. As in, two birthday parties. In one day. Psycho – table for one!).

For my daughter, I took a page from The Cupcake Lady, and made marshmallow flowers.

Other than the fact that I am now probably  arthritic from cutting all those tiny little marshmallows, I’m pretty happy with how these turned out!

My son’s cupcakes took a little bit more thought. Alas, there are no books that I’m aware of that show you how to make Angry Birds cupcakes, which is what he desperately wanted. Thanks to the glory of Pinterest, however, he got all his little birdie friends.

I don’t want to brag, but I’m unreasonably proud of these. And I’m pretty sure the birthday boy and girl appreciated them, too!

Charming, isn’t he?

I had so much fun, I had to make some monsters for their school parties.

I will confess that these were not my best effort. But watching my daughter’s kindergarten teacher eat a neon green cupcake made up for a lot.

I’m now conceptualizing what kind of cupcakes to make for my youngest son’s birthday in July. Just have to figure out how to fashion Tow Mater out of fruit slices and marshmallow!