shooting stars

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I’M A HUGE COLLECTOR of all things little. I’m running out of surfaces to fill! I’d like to thank (or blame) my dad for this. California raisin figurines, fruit- and vegetable-head salt and pepper shakers, antique bird wind-up toys—his collections are endless and fill his cabinets with unusual and inspiring imagery. I love the idea of collecting little things from your travels to keep with you as a continual reminder of those experiences. I discovered these gold paper decals in an antique store in Maine where there were treasures stacked floor to ceiling. I kept them stored in a small box in a drawer for years, not knowing that they would eventually become part of a cake. When decorating with special items that you wish to keep or reuse, use them only on a fondant-covered cake, not an iced cake, which would be too messy. Use royal icing to affix the paper decorations (or tchotchkes) to the cake, and gently remove them before serving.