When it comes to innovation and teaching in this gorgeous world of sugar and cake art, Etty van Urk of Cake Dutchess has to one of the most fun, down to earth and creative leaders we have at the moment. Etty has not only created her gorgeous modelling paste; Cake Dutchess Modelling Paste, but will be launching her new set of high quality stainless steel Modelling Tools in the next few months. Etty is a Craftsy instructor and her adorable animal tutorials are amazing in their creativity and are easy to follow.

Having heard about Cake Dutchess Modelling Paste through her facebook page a few years ago, I started following Etty and learning more about her Modelling Challenges where she creates a sugar piece along with students from all over the world over a period of a few days. My Angel on a Cloud pictured below was my introduction to Etty and her online tutorials.

Soon after this modelling challenge I was so excited when I won a tub of Cake Dutchess Modelling Paste as it wasn’t available in South Africa at the time. When Etty introduced her Edible Alphabet Collaboration, I immediately thought a naughty little sugar paste Elf would be just the challenge I would love to give myself for the letter E, that I had offered to do. Needless to say, with this modelling paste which is so beautifully pliable, I had such fun creating this figurine.

I drew inspiration for this little guy from a couple of different elf illustrations and gave him his oversized elf boots, knitted jumper, painted striped stockings and leaf embossed cullotes held together with brown sugar twine. For his hair, I wanted him to have a really funky spikey hair style so with Etty’s modelling paste coloured with a hint of light brown, I cut tiny flat pieces of the paste to create this look.

A wood embossed elf-door with its gold details, stepping stones and moss floor details and pretty blossoms set my elf in his own magical enviroment for this collaboration.

My very precious tub of Cake Dutchess Modelling Paste is now almost empty but fortunately Lollodoo is now a South African supplier of Etty’s awesome paste. It literally halves the modelling time.

Thanks to Kerry Crampton of Fondant Solutions Moulds for this embossing mat which I used for embossing my elf’s woolen jumper.  I can’t wait to try out some more of your embossing mats and moulds as they are such brilliant quality.

Thank you Etty for such a fun collaboration and for all the time and organisation (and grey hairs I am sure) that went into this collaboration.

Please visit the complete Edible Alphabet Collaboration here.

Looking forward to your next collaboration Etty, Animals Around the World

To find out more about Etty read this interview by Mr Bakers Cake.