SusieMakes

Happy 13th birthday to my guinea pig-loving summer birthday girl! We’re celebrating her today with a pool party! ☀️ 💦 🐹

Well, I’ve been keeping this one close for quite a while, but I am so excited to finally share these cookies and the outcome of Julia M Usher’s competition. The theme of this competition, by nature, was deeply personal, and I once again put a piece of my soul into this creation. Thank you so much, Julia, Stephanie, Laura, Beatriz, Sandie, and Ginny for seeing and appreciating it.

My description:
I’ve always been very introspective, and for most of my adult life, I’ve had titles for the “eras” of my life. In my mind, they were actually chapters of a book (one I may never have time to write). It started when my now teenage daughter was 4 or 5 years old. I was cleaning the floor under our kitchen table, and as I wiped up remnants of lunch and crafts we had made that day, I thought to myself “If I were to write a memoir, I’d title it ‘Crumbs and Glitter.’”

I loved my Crumbs and Glitter era. Being a mom to 3 young kids was busy, chaotic, messy, and fun. In an attempt to keep the kids occupied and myself sane over the summer breaks, I would plan themed weeks for us, where we played and learned through books, crafts, food, and games. We had Space Week, Shark Week, Wizard Week, Dinosaur Week, among many others. I spent hours finding the perfect books and activities, gathering supplies, and scheduling our end-of-week field trip. I enjoyed every bit of it. And I think my kids did too.

So these cookies are an illustration of Dinosaur Week. I chose my kitchen floor as the backdrop because most of our activities took place in the kitchen, and a tired but happy mama (me) is surrounded by the fun and mess. I made books, art supplies, crafts, snacks, toys, games, even a “dig pit”. Oh, and don’t forget mom’s cup of coffee (that’s probably gone cold).
And of course, crumbs and glitter.

I’m so honored to be included in this talented group of winners. I encourage you to check out the other beautiful pieces here: https://cookieconnection.juliausher.com/blog/the-2024-winner-reveal-julia-m-usher-s-cookie-art-competition

I made this cake for the Sugar Splash Virtual competition, and I’m so thrilled to have won the award!
I used SmArt sheets, cello sheets, Simi isomalt, Simi airbrush color, and fondant to create this piece. It was my first time to attempt quilling, a technique that had been on my “to-try” list for quite some time!
Thank you to and for making such great products, and for hosting a great competition!

Happy National Sprinkles Day! I couldn’t let this day pass without making a little something to celebrate, so I dug some cake and frosting out of the freezer, and used leftover decorations from past projects to make this fun little cake.

These past few months have been pretty slow, but I have been creating a few things, and I can finally share one of them today!

I joined a Renaissance Art collaboration, where sugar artists from all over the world created edible art inspired by Renaissance art pieces.

This is my recreation of Prudence by Andrea della Robbia, a ceramic tile in the Maiolica style, from Florence, Italy.

It’s made primarily from modeling chocolate and some fondant, on a royal icing background, all resting on a sugar cookie base.

I wanted to recreate a “ceramic” piece, and I highly value the virtue of prudence, so this piece spoke to me. I also really liked the different foliage and fruits around the circle.

Fun fact: my oldest daughter went to Florence in June and saw a tile in this style (not this same one though). I got excited when she showed me the picture she took!

Anyway, check out the other really cool artworks at the collab page: https://www.facebook.com/61555015271787/posts/122159251844167175/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

Happy Birthday to the country I call home.

Today I had the pleasure of responding to another Call to Action from Icing Smiles, Inc. to help celebrate a little girl who hasn’t been able to have a birthday party in years! Happy 7th Birthday, Juliana! I hope you celebrate big!!!

Special thanks to for letting me use her cake as inspiration for this design. I simplified it and made it my own, but the credit goes to her for the whimsical brilliance.

Congratulations to the graduates from Highlands Latin Cottage School Houston!

Cake for my daughter’s troop award ceremony. It was a lovely night & I’m so proud of her!

My biggest fans, pickiest customers, and greatest inspirations call me Mommy.

I hope all you moms out there had a lovely Mother’s Day.

We had sliders made from different meats for dinner tonight… and I slipped a cake in with the burgers 😄

While in Miami this weekend, I took a sculpting class… and still can’t believe I made this. I packed her in my suitcase to bring her home, and she got here in pretty good shape, just needed a few touch-ups. Carla Puig - Sugar Atelier is an amazing instructor.

Now that cake show stress and fun is over… time to get those cake orders in. It’s a busy time, with birthdays, graduations, and award ceremonies, so secure your spot!

Here’s my schedule for May & June.
DM to book. $100 minimum.
Non-refundable deposit required to place order.

Meet Finnigan Nautilus Pearlman, a curious young sea creature who thinks everything that comes from above the ocean is fascinating… especially things that can fly… “How can they swim in the air?” he wonders, as he studies a butterfly he caught in a bubble. Take a look around Finnigan’s room to find some more treasures he’s collected from The Above.

This was my entry in the non-cake category at
Won 2nd place, as well as the Apple Green Award. I’m so proud of this piece. I really enjoy making edible art that tells a story, and this one delighted me!

This weekend, I went to the SoFlo Cake & Candy Expo in Miami to compete and have fun with my cake friends. It was an amazing time!

This is my cookie entry. It’s very close to my heart, and I am so proud of it. I am pleased to say it won 2nd place!

The theme for the show was the ocean, and I wanted to show the ways we interact with the ocean, with my own children as inspiration for each image.

My oldest child is close to adulthood, getting ready to go out into the world, bravely pressing on through the ”waves” of life and facing, head-on, the vast oceans of opportunity ahead of her, even when they seem overwhelming.
My second child is more cautious, doesn’t like taking risks, and does things on her own time, so a tentative foot in the water best represents her. But she also has a wild side, and I know she’ll eventually jump in with both feet.
My third child is always up for an adventure. He’s thoughtful, curious, and constantly amazed… And he has so much more to learn. The boy in a boat watching a whale illustrates his spirit of wonder.
The child who would have been my fourth was unfortunately lost before we could meet him or her. Pearls are beautiful, but they are made from pain, and so I honor my lost little one with a pearl in an oyster shell.
My youngest child is a wild soul; he inhabits a different world, filled with songs and fun and critters. Sometimes he’s a struggle, but he is very sweet and loving. He would definitely kiss a fish.

Happy Birthday, Mighty Mario!

😍😍😍 Professional photo of last weekend’s wedding cake 😍😍😍
Gary Blake Photography

Today we had a paint party for my oldest daughter’s birthday at Painting with a Twist in Friendswood.
We had a blast! I thought it’d be fun to decorate her cake like the painting we were going to make! First pic is the cake, second pic is the inspiration pic from PWAT, and third pic is the painting I made at the party. I will say, painting with acrylic paint is a lot easier than painting with buttercream… but the churro cake was delicious!

I almost forgot to share this cool(er) groom’s cake I made for last week’s wedding!

Happy Easter! I hope you had a sweet day! We sure did ❤️

Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Moreau!

I heard there’s a new Kung Fu Panda movie?! Is it good? We loved the first 3.

From hip surgery to Hello Kitty… one of the best parts of my job is that I get to create so many different things!

Happy Birthday to Olivia!

My contribution to the Four Seasons Cookie Collaboration.
An arctic fox shedding its white fur, ready for spring. All edible… mostly cookie and royal icing, with a bit of fondant and wafer paper for details.
Check out some more views of my piece and the other lovely cookies at the collab page:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61557181768691

Dr. Butter is here to make you feel better! 😆
Ok, ok, I had my fun… but seriously, this was quite possibly the most unique cake I’ve ever made… to celebrate a big milestone for a surgeon… 2000 SuperPATH hip replacements! Incredible, right?!

(If you’re squeamish, maybe don’t look at the last few photos)

The request was a simple, textured cake.
Amazing how different lighting and props can change the look and feel.
Which one is your favorite?

Froggie friends for a special birthday. This cake made me so happy! Basically my two favorite creative outlets in one place: cake and yarn. 😍🥰🎂🧶🐸

If you need me, I’ll be in my new cake room.

Made some changes around here… reveal coming soon! In the meantime, let’s talk about what I can make for you in my new cake studio!

My schedule for March and April is FULL with orders, cake show prep, and a cake show weekend, but I’ll be here for all your May graduation (and other celebration) needs!

Available weekends:
May 4, 11, 18, 25
June 1, 8, 22, 29

Send me a message to begin the ordering process. Minimum order $100. Deposit required to secure your date.
Thank you!