My cousin Shawna is an amazing Native American artist who lives in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. We reconnected this year after not having seen each other since we were children—over 30 years ago! I was able to visit her farm & she showed me her workshop. Much to my surprise, as a Christmas gift she made me an AMAZING Native American Medicine Wheel wreath, carefully researched to my personal symbols, based on my birthdate. It’s a stunning piece of art that took SOOO much time, & is so intensely personal. It now hangs in my foyer for everyone who comes to my home to admire! (And for my cats to try to ‘get’ the feathers! LOL!) I included a picture of the wreath, because I just had to share its beauty!

Of course, I wanted to reciprocate her incredible generosity & thoughtfulness. Since the only art I can do is in sugar, I made her favorite cake—-red velvet. I filled it with white chocolate buttercream & iced it with white chocolate ganache. And I decorated it to be reminiscent of the Smoky Mountains when it snows. It’s not that common in the Southern region where she lives, but is still gorgeous when it happens!

I airbrushed the top portion of the cake a custom-blended blue & silver, as the night sky. The mountains are airbrushed in silver, like moonlight on the snow. The stylized trees were inspired by a beautiful framed Christmas card that I saw in a gallery & loved the swirly, curlicue branches. I piped those in royal icing. The tree topper is scrunch ruffles on an ice cream cone.