Working on my skills

I think I have been quite honest with myself about my skills as a decorator thus far. However, over the past few weeks I must say I have even surprised myself with the work I have produced.

In the past few weeks, I think I have graduated from a buttercream/novelty tin kinda decorator and am now in a higher league.

I made a communion cake for a friends daughter a few weeks ago. This was my biggest challenge yet. They wanted a 2 tiered fondant covered creation. With hand made rosary beads... and a plaque... with fresh flowers... oh my!

I think that watching sugarshacks Flawless Fondant dvd helped with my confidence. I also went on a mad hunt for a silicone fondant mat that she uses to roll her fondant. It's made by Ateco but unfortunately no one seems to import it into Australia. I managed to locate a Redwave mat made by the owners of Choice Cakes (I think) and they were lovely enough to sell me a large one.

It's not as flexible as the blue one that Sharon uses in her dvd but oh my lordy me, the fondant is so flawless and smooth that my communion cake ROCKED!!!!! I was so happy with it. It really looked professional and gorgeous I was so proud of my work.

When I dropped it off at the reception place, I got so many compliments from the staff and I have to say, I'm not one to toot my own horn but it was the prettiest cake there.

Unfortunately, this past weekend I made a baptism cake for my friends son. I was so NOT happy with it. I'm not sure why or what I didn't like, but I wanted to smash that bloody cake. They seemed really happy with it, but I left their house with a sinking feeling it was all for show. I had to model a plane for the top. Never made one of those before and maybe the proportions where off or maybe it was the fact that half an hour before I was due to deliver it, the name banner broke into 3 pieces, but I just wanted to cry and stamp my feet like a big ole baby.

Being the decorator I am, I had a mild panic attack, swore my head off and then proceeded to furnish another banner using white chocolate coloured blue and then did some white choc letters with some moulds I bought. OMG what a life saver chocolate is.

Speaking of chocolate, I ordered a girolle thingie from Jennys Creations ebay store. Well she ordered it in specially for me.. Thanks Jenny!!! Cant wait to use it. Now I just have to figure out a way to make a round block of chocolate I can insert into the wheely cutter thing. I'm sure I can work it out.

Well that's about it from me. Still trying to work out how to post pics. Maybe I should start by loading the damn things onto the computer from the camera!

Happy caking!!

Orders are coming in.

I went from being kinda quiet, not having too much on, to having orders coming in till the 9th of August!

I am very happy. People seem to love my cakes which makes me feel great.

I have a couple of biggies coming up. One is a communion cake and the other a baptism cake. This will take my work to a whole other level. Thus far, I have basically stuck to what I do best. And that is buttercream.

Why does buttercream have such a bad rep in Oz I wonder. Most of the cake decorators I speak to cringe in horror at the mere mention of buttercream. Well I for one LOVE my buttercream. There is much more to it than #16 star piping for novelty tins. I prefer to smooth my buttercream and give it a more elegant look. It's a bit more labour intense to get the final result smooth, but it's also lots of fun. There is NOTHING you can't achieve with a boiling hot cup of water, a cranked spatula and lots of paper towels.

Me personally, I fear fondant. I find it laborious, time consuming and a general pain in the arse to work with. Yes, the end results are fabulous and for a special occasion cake you really cant go past it. But OMG. To roll it out, get it level, transfer it onto the cake, try and avoid air bubbles, cracking, stretching, ripping... need I go on????????

Actually, the best medium for cake decorating I have found is chocolate. it's expensive, but minimal fuss for maximum impact. Once you learn the tricks of the trade, the world is your oyster. SO GET ON THE WAGON!!!

Well I'm off to do some actual work for a change!

Happy caking!!

ps one day I will learn how to post bloody pictures on here!!! HELP ME SOMEONE!

Debbie Brown Workshop at Sweet By Nature

This past Fridany 11th July, I was fortunate enough to secure a place in one of Debbie Browns workshops in Melbourne. This was arranged by the marvellous Julia Duncan, a member of the Northern Cake Decorating Association ( I think that's the proper name, please don't quote me on on it!!!).

IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

For a novice like myself, this is something close to having tea with the queen, or a singing lesson from Beyonce, Mariah, Madonna (insert name of fav. singer).

So I rocked up to class all excited but slightly nervous. I still feel like the new kid on the block in all matters cake decorating. And mind you, I am the first to arrive. NOICE!!! So like a new kid at a new school, I sit there and wait while girls pour up the stairs and register.

OMG I am squirming by this stage. I had so proudly prepared my basket the night before, packing my tools (in my free with purchase bright blue lunch box courtesy of Super Food Ideas) and I see assorted types of tool boxes on wheels being dragged up the stairs. And to top it off, I had forgotten my tea towels!!!

I did get to meet Effie and Rouvlee from the cakes & more forum. They are lovely and oh so talented.

Debbie Brown herself is just a lovely lovely person. So talented and giving of her time and knowledge. I learnt more in this workshop than I have on my own in months. She makes it all seem so easy.

The actual cake it self..... well the end result was great. My ark was slightly askew all day and I'm not all that sure that Noah and his ark of animals would have survived the flood had I built the original one!!

Unfortunately, the top half toppled over in the car on the way home. I managed to salvage it and take some photos for posterity. The final nail in the coffin came when my darling daughter Ava climbed on top of the dining table and acutally ripped the entire ark off the board in her quest for cake. The poor elephants never stood a chance, never mind the carnage with the piggies. They were gobbled up in one mouthful. At least I know I will always have one adoring fan of my cakes!!!

All in all, money well spent. I cannot wait to try some of her cakes. She has really inspired me. Thanks so much Debbie Brown. You are a legend!!!

On a shopping note (and please DON'T tell my husband) I bought 2 books at the workshop which she autographed.

But on a more exciting note, the Greensborough Cake Decorating Centre had their yearly stock take sale on the 4th July. OMG it was nuts. Those toy sales are NOTHING compared to the amount of crazed cake decorators out for some savings!!! It was lots of fun and I could have just bought one (well maybe two) of everything they had! But I didnt. I was very strong and even resisted the overwhelming temptation to buy a $30 impression mat.

Go me!!

Happy caking everyone.

Finished this terms classes

This past Saturday saw me doing 2 classes.

I finished the Bride & Groom workshop which was awesome. I really learnt a lot in this class, and I think it's something I really love. I never thought I'd find any kind of modelling relaxing but it was totally relaxing and therapuetic. I think now that I have the foundation and guidelines to find my own way in this type of sculpting.

There is loads going on in my life right now, so this is a nice 'time out' for me.

I also picked up my latest Sugarshack dvd. Her instructional dvds are really great. She certainly had the knack for giving clear directions, although as always I think it's best to take direction and then find you own way with things.

I am taking Debbie Brown's Noahs Ark workshop in a few weeks. I am so looking forward to this. I am a bit worried my skill levels are not up to scratch, but I'll give it a go!

My local cake decorating shop is having a great stock take sale for students so I am saving my $$ up to shop up a storm!! Cannot wait to add to my collection of cake decorating goodies!

Happy caking!

Not much cake decorating but lots of learning

Well it's been a very busy time for me. Not so much with cake decorating, as there has been lots going on in my life.

But I have been taking some more classes, mainly Bride & Groom modelling and now a tappits christening cake. it's been lots of fun and I am actually surprised at how much I love modelling. It's quiet, focused and relaxing. Cant wait to try things in my own way and pace once class finishes this weekend.

As for the tappits... well let's just sayt those things are lethal with blood pressure. The amount of curse words I let fly when trying to get them out. Yes, I know, roll the modelling paste very thing and let it air dry blah blah blah.... I DO IT AND IT STILL WONT WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, rubbing ears.... *woosahh* I'm relaxed.

I have still been stocking up on equipment. Lots more goodies since last time I posted. I even got me some sugar diamond!! Shiny and gorgeous!!! It's very bad having access to the net, I can find myself getting into trouble with all these wonderful things to find and buy!

I just picked up sugarshacks stacking dvd from my good friend Cheryl today. cant wait to go home and watch it. It's like my porn!! LOL

I will try and post some pics of the bride and groom and of my lovely diamonds.

Happy caking to you all (if in fact anyone is actually reading this!!)

Dirty little secret

Well... maybe not so secret. Or dirty for that matter. Unless I'm decorating and OMG watch out. I sometimes look like I have butchered a pig or something. But I love to decorate with red colouring!!


So this morning I have had to use my co worker to pay for even MORE cake decorating stuff. This is seriously turning into an addiction. I'm hiding all of this from my husband although if he happens to find this blog, I am well and truly stuffed!!!

So now, I have coming in the mail;

baking strips and assorted ESSENTIALS from cornpuffs ebay store.

mould and some other ESSENTIAL items that Yana has ordered from First Impression

the Stacking DVD by sugarshack and other ESSENTIAL tools (thanks Cheryl!!)

So I guess at the end of the day, if it's all ESSENTIAL, then it's ok...

Right??????????????????????

happy caking!

ps, just discovered flickr... WOW!!

Shopping for more equipment

Today I happened to be in Niddrie so I popped into Susie Q cake decorating shop in Keilor Rd.
OMG, what fun. Sooo many thing to see and hold and touch. I would LOVE to own a shop like that.

I'd change the flooring (that's the renovator in me!), but other than that, it was like and Aladdin's cave of fun fun fun. I could spend the entire day in there and forget to have lunch!!

Apparently Cake Deco in the city is even better. OMG is that even possible???? I HAVE to get my butt in there soon. But first I need to save up some $$. I have been going a wee bit too crazy on stocking up. I have to stop!!!

Post Script

I went mad and shopped up a storm on Saturday. Tins, chocolate colour pastes, moulds....
OMG I could go on and on and on just buying stuff for cake decorating.
it's like an illness. Even if i dont know how it's used I want it.

HELP ME!!!!!!

hehehehe
pps- dont tell my husband!

Chocolate chocolate chocolate!

Well this past weekend, I had 2 cakes to make.

A white choc mud triple covered in ganache with a chocolate bow. I had loads of dramas getting a smooth covering. It was only later I realised I had poured it close to an open window and in these artic Melbourne nights, one side was hardening up too fast!! DOH DOH DOH. In the end it looked ok, but next time I will remember. CLOSE THE BLOODY WINDOW!!

I have decided that chocolate is my favorite medium to decorate. It's so much fun and the possibilites are endless. I just need to practise MUCH MORE!!

The other cake was a choc mud cake, filled with strawberry buttercream and decorated with two chocolate horse for a joint birthday party. Lots of fun, it was a girly cake so I got to use my edible glitter for a bit of extra pizzazz!!

I am doing some workshops at Greensborough Cake Decorating centre. At the moment, i am in the middle of Royal Icing. Very fiddly and time consuming and quite frankly a pain in the arse but the end results are really worth it. I actually have homework for next weeks class which should be fun. Heather is a great teacher, very passionate about royal icing and to be prefectly honest, I have NO idea what the hell brush work is. I only just worked out what lace work and extension work is... sorta. I was too emabressed to ask because everyone else just nodded seriously. Okkkkkk so I'm dumb! I'll admit it. I HAVE NO FREAKIN CLUE about Royal Icing but I'll learn!!

Happy caking to all.

Starting to get orders

I'm very excited!!!

I've started getting paid orders. I had 3 cakes this last weekend and they all proved to be a hit. It's nice to get great feedback and even nicer when you get enquiries from people who saw and ate your cake.

I made a snake cake for a friends son. Never made a snake cake before and I have to admit the face was a challenge but I think I pulled it off. I tried to re-create the scaley skin my using the #104 tip. My god it took forever to finish but it was well worth it!!

Also made an Elmo cake for a 1st Birthday using the pattern transfer technique... finally my lessons are paying off!!

Lastly I made my nephew a Hawthorn AFL club inspired cake. Was very delicious.

I love experimenting with fillings. Chocolate cake can get a bit boring after you have churned out several hundred. So I made a nice lemon cake and filled it with passionfruit infused cream cheese filling. YUMMO!!! It proved a hit with everyone, including my very fussy husband.

So this week I have 2 orders, a chocolate bow cake and a birthday cake for two 12 year old girls who love horses. Cant wait to decorate these!

I will try and post the pics of these cakes at some stage. I'm still learning the whole posting process!

happy caking everyone!

3 Cakes to do tonight

I'm filling 2 cakes tonight and getting the snake onto the board. Sounds rude doesn't it?? hahaha
It's all above board I promise.

I have been sussing out some great cupcake sites and blogs. There is an entire movement on the little buggers. They are truly adorable and fun to eat, however baking and decorating them is another thing altogether. But I do love them still. I just want to keep trying new methods of decorating.

Sometimes I wonder if I have the vision or the eye to be a decorator. Some people have such amazing concepts for their cakes. This website in particular I am loving at the moment.

http://howtoeatacupcake.blogspot.com/

In the meantime, I will continue to add to my ever growing stash of cake decorating goodies. i just wish we had access to some of the cool stuff they can readily get in the US and UK.

Happy baking!

Busy Busy Busy

Well, things have been happening!!!

This week I have 3 orders to complete.

I have a snake cake, an Elmo cake and a hawthorn guernsey cake to make. It's all exciting for me!

I'm also doing some great workshops and classes in the next few months that will hopefully see my skills grow in leaps and bounds. I just love to learn new things, and I'm a regular member of the Cakes and More forum. If anyone out there is actually reading this blog (you never know!!) go and take a look. The address is;

http://www.cakesandmore.org/

There is a wealth of knowledge on there from Australia and from various places overseas. We have suppliers and amazing cake artists sharing their lives and talent with us cake obsessed people.

This week i have been busy sourcing supplies such as cake boxes, cake boards etc. very boring to the uninitiated but lots of fun for me! I've also been trialling new recipes and have made a batch of very yummy coffee buttercream infused with Baileys. OMG delish

And Voila, here they are. Devils food cupcakes with Baileys coffee buttercream icing with a sprinkling of hearts... perfect for Mothers Day!

I also made a handbag cake for Mothers Day but alas, the handle was broken in 3 pieces by my darling dad. Never mind. It was good for a practise run!! I have to confess that I made this in a bit of a rush, it took me about 1 hour to decorate. it didn't turn out too bad! But I really need to get into fondant decorating a bit more I think. Maybe next week!!

Happy caking everyone!

My First Entry

Well, I made it to blogspot.

Everywhere I look now, people blog. Their lives, their journeys. Anything.

It's all out there.

Me?? I thought why not, I'll give it a go!

My name is Lili and I love to bake. Cake decorating is my passion. I even dream about cakes now. Sometimes I think my darling husband thinks I am mad. But I love it. It's my creative outlet and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to see people enjoying my creations.

This last week, I finally bit the bullet and had some business cards printed up. I did it the cheap way, went to vistaprint.com and ordered them there!!

And today I have only a few left, they are handed out and I also went to freewebs and opened up my own web page so that potential customers can go and see what I can offer them.

God I feel so hip and with it. But then again it's not surprising. I found my darling husband online, so why not some cake business???

Ok, off to check out the blogspot website and see what else I can find!