I’ve been asked to participate in the Providence Festival of Trees Gingerbread Competition. The setting for the festival is a magical Holiday Village surrounding all the lavishly decorated trees.  One of the buildings is a bakery  where the Gingerbread Houses are displayed. The event is held at the Oregon Convention Center. Approximately 1000 patrons attend the Gala and 20,000 guests attend the Public Show. There is a cash prize for the winner, and the Gingerbread entry is auctioned off as well. Proceeds go to charitable programs for Providence Health & Services.

Tickets (visit the website for a $1 off coupon)

Available for purchase only at the door. Open Friday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• $6 for adults
• $5 for senior citizens
• $4 for children (ages 3-12)
• Children 2 and under are admitted for free with an adult

I perfected my marshmallow fondant recipe but I’ve never really made a gingerbread house so a lot of research has gone into finding the perfect recipe, great candies and of course an inspirational design! While on this search, I’ve come across some AMAZING gingerbread houses. Decided I should post a few to keep me inspired while I bake and ice and decorate this huge house (btw my kitchen smells so wonderful!)

I love the snow on the roof of this first one! Those cute little bear shrubs are adorable too! This was from Rebecca Russell for the New York Botanical Garden’s Christmas Winter season.

This is one GIANT gingerbread house! Check out that iron fence and sweet gazebo! Props!

Another great example of some sweet shrubs and hello! that door is spectacular!

You saw Pixar’s “UP” right? Of course you did! One of my all time favorite movies to date! This amazing gingerbread version just knocks my socks off. Simply incredible. You can see all the beautiful photos of the whole process on the creator’s blog including a photo of a chocolate Carl out front. Bravo!

This next house is a little bigger than your average gingerbread house, and call me crazy, but I don’t think it’s made of real gingerbread either. If it is, it must smell amazing inside! Mmmmmm gingerbreaaaaaaadddd.

This is a sweet oriental version of the gingerbread house from the 16th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition (2008). This beauty took 3rd place!

Some of us have our cute little brown gingerbread houses and then there is the White House gingerbread house created by the talented Chef Bill Yosses. This house was made special for the Obama administration. It was made out of 400 pounds of gingerbread coated in white chocolate and took six weeks to make. Outside the massive gingerbread house there is a marzipan version of Michelle Obama’s kitchen garden and the first dog, Bo, is also rendered in marizipan. Check out more photos of all the amazing details!

This last one is my FAVORITE! Always save the best for last haha.

What the? How the? WOW WOW WOW!!! The texture, the shingles, the steps, the porch. SWOON! Simply beautiful!

So I think I’m fully inspired now, time to get back to my own gingerbread house! I’ll post photos when it’s all done