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Ballerina Music Box

May20

Ballerina Music Box Sugar Art

The theme of Music automatically brought to mind a beautiful music box I was given as a child. On winding the key, the ballerina figurine turned slowly and came to a stop as the music stopped. This box is a reminder of how we need to continue to turn our own keys in order to keep the dance that is our lives in motion.

I placed her on a sugar creation of a vintage music box to remind me of the beauty of all the valued memories of my childhood. It was a perfect musical ending to receive a Silver, 2nd Place Award in the Intermediate Sugar Art Section for her at the Hostex 2018 – SACDG Competition 2 weeks ago.

Ballerina Music Box Sugar Art

As the Hostex 2018 opened its doors at Gallagher Estate this year, we were treated to an array of delectable treats, new products and everything else related to food and drink catering. The South African Cake Decorators Guild hosted their competition with all entries both cake and sugar art falling into the theme of music. Every entry portrayed a unique meaning within the theme for each decorator and it was interesting to see so many varied interpretations of the theme. Thank you to Hostex and SACDG, the judges and all the sponsors for giving us a platform to show our passion for decorating.

 

Ballerina Music Box Sugar Art

My figurine’s petite body, I modelled using Saracino Modelling Paste, once again just love the paste for modelling figurines. I dressed her in a delicate pink tutu adorned with patterns of Crystal Candy Lace. I was so excited to be the first to use this new Bas Relief Mould from Crystal Candy and the detail of the leaves, lace and hearts created the perfect finish to my vintage music box. Thank you Ray for letting me use this mould and can’t wait for the release of these totally awesome new Bas Relief Moulds!

Ballerina Music Box Sugar ArtBallerina Music Box Sugar ArtBallerina Music Box Sugar Art

Army Cupcakes for Operation Dev’s 16th Birthday

Apr29

Army Cupcakes for a 16th Birthday

When it came to ‘Sgt Major’, Dev’s 16th Birthday Party, his mom, Alison, pulled off all the planning with military precision. Amidst this planning, I had the privilege of helping Alison make the Army Cupcakes and popcorn ‘grenades’ for Dev’s special day. My inspiration for the army cupcake toppers came from the clever invite designed by Alison for the day & Dev’s incredible excitement about his army themed birthday party. Silver military stars and dogtags with Sgt Dev embossed into them were a must as well as small grenades, belts, and tanks. Neatly folded sugar paste army shirts and brown army boots completed this arsenal of cupcake decorations.

Army Cupcakes for a 16th BirthdayArmy Cupcakes for a 16th Birthday

‘Captain’ Alison marched in at tenhundred hours with all the equipment required for Operation Dev’s 16th and we proceeded to mix up batches of camo-coloured cupcakes, butter-iced them in army green and then decorated them with the miniature army toppers. Next we went to battle completing the ‘grenades’. We added melted white chocolate to a batch of freshly popped popcorn and tossed in candy, sprinkles and marshmallows before getting down and dirty rolling out the sticky ‘grenades’.

Operation Dev’s 16th would not have been complete without us getting decked out into battle dress and photographing the preparations for Dev and that is precisely what we did around fourteenhundredhours well camouflaged amidst the greenery of this suburban location.

Army Cupcakes for a 16th Birthday

This joint part of the operation was now complete and Alison took over the next day with the completion of all the arrangements for Dev’s birthday. His friends arrived and were saluted with an array of army rations to keep them nourished for the fun army activities that Alison had planned for the day. The recruits were delighted with their army cupcakes, grenades, hotdog missiles, battle chips, bullets, burger bombs, shots, thirst quenchers and sticks of dynamite. This was definitely one of the most fun cupcake projects I have ever been involved in and helmets off to communications manager, Captain Alison, for commanding her troops on such an memorable occasion. ‘Sgt Major’ Dev, who is an inspiration in himself when it comes to enthusiasm, could not have asked for a better ‘Captain’ for his mom.

Army Cupcakes for a 16th BirthdayArmy Cupcakes for a 16th BirthdayArmy Cupcakes for a 16th Birthday

E stands for . . . Elf (Edible Alphabet Collaboration – Cake Dutchess)

Apr13

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

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.

Angel on Cloud Figurine

Angel on a Cloud Figurine – with Cake Dutchess

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.

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

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.

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

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.

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet CollaborationElf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet 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.

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

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.

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

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.

Elf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet CollaborationElf Figurine for Cake Dutchess Edible Alphabet Collaboration

Johnny (Jorge) Walker & Ozzie

Apr7

Johnny Walker Cake Topper

2017 ended with another challenging but really fun figurine project. Ivana asked me to translate Jorge’s appreciation for Johnny Walker and his love for their cute Scottish Terrier, Oscar, into sugar for his birthday in December. She new exactly what she wanted to surprise Jorge with on his special day and this became my inspiration for this figurine. Using my precious stash of Saracino Modelling Paste, I created a Johnny Walker figurine with his recognizable stride and red jacket but made him more a “Jorge” Walker to suite Jorge’s character. Once again just loved using Domy’s Sweet Revolution Man face mould. Ozzie looking adoringly up at him, was modelled using black Saracino Modelling Paste.

Johnny Walker Cake TopperThe signature gold top hat, I modelled with ivory coloured paste before painting it using Rolkem’s Special Gold mixed with alcohol. Ruffled white paste strips completed his over-sized collar, cravat & cuffs and he proudly sports a black bow-tie & painted goatee.

Johnny Walker Cake Topper

With gorgeous glutes and sugar paste legs like these, no wonder Johnny ‘Jorge’ Walker looks so dashing and confident. After the birthday celebration, I had him back again in my kitchen, this time to make a keepsake display platform (wood-embossed) for him and Ozzie to stand on. Thank you Jorge and Ivana for loving him that much that he is now standing proudly on his own shelf in your shop, that is the best thank you ever!

Johnny Walker Cake TopperJohnny Walker Cake TopperJohnny Walker Cake TopperJohnny Walker Cake Topper

The delicious cake, lovingly made by Ivana, to accompany Johnny & Ozzie to Jorge’s celebration and a fantastic collection of Johnny Walker make the perfect backdrop for this figurine.

Johnny Walker FigurineJohnny Walker FigurineJohnny Walker Cake Topper

PJ Masks Cake for Christopher and Erin

Mar25

PJ Masks Cake

PJ Masks Cake

This is the type of research for a cake that I absolutely relish.  Sitting down to watch PJ Masks on Disney Junior with my cup of coffee, I felt that I should be watching it sitting cross-legged on the floor with a cup of chocolate milk! This has to be one of the cutest children’s shows on TV at the moment and I loved the message conveyed in the first episode so much, that I was intrigued enough to watch another 2 episodes!  It was even more fun paying a visit to the toy store to buy the tiny figurines that would be my inspirational template for these 3 sugar paste figurines below; Gekko, Catboy and Owlette.

PJ Masks CakeIt has been fun to create cakes for Sue’s twins for her baby shower, their Christening and 1st and 2nd Birthdays so how brilliant to be asked to create yet another for their 3rd Birthday. Christopher fancies himself as Catboy and Erin sees herself as Owlette as they both love this show in which 3 friends are able to morph into their alter egos and go on the most amazing adventures.

To create the magical ‘night sky’ base for the cake, I covered it in a purple fondant and added first a spray of lavender then blue and finally white to the fondant. I diluted Rolkem Powder Dusts in the 3 colours using alcohol and then dipped hard bristled paint brushes into the colour before ‘spraying’ the cakes with my finger against the bristles. This was a very appropriate technique for a children’s birthday cake.

PJ Masks Cake Preparation

The 3 mini superheroes are all made using chocolate modelling paste. Catboy looking feisty and ready for action in blue and light blue stripe details, Gekko in bright leaf green (his suit textured, using a tool I use to create smiles on my tiny cupcake figurines) and then the pretty but strong & wise Owlette in a gorgeous pillar box red cat-suit trimmed with pink details. They stand awaiting their next adventure while along the bottom edge of the cake, the baddies, in 2-D, look on in the anticipation of action.

PJ Masks Cake

PJ Masks Cake

To complete the PJ Masks scenario for Christopher and Erin, I added buildings with edible paper windows and doors and highlighted accents. Twinkling stars and a full moon made for a bright night for all these characters to meet. Thank you Sue for allowing me to capture the sense of fun and adventure that Christopher and Erin must feel every time they watch their favourite TV show.

PJ Masks CakePJ Masks Cake

Valentine’s Day Cake Tutorial

Feb14

Valentine's Day Cake

Combining passion and romance for Valentine’s Day with Crystal Candy Passion and Romantique Stencils. These are the photos from a photographic tutorial on using Crystal Candy Cake Artistry Edible Gel and Crystal Candy Stencils to make an elegant Valentine’s Day Cake.

Valentine's Day Cake

Crystal Candy Stencils are an invitation to play with design and colour in a new way for me. I have always been hesitant to stencil on a cake covered in fondant as I always thought what if I make a mistake or don’t press hard enough etc and ruin my fondant. This stencilling onto edible paper was a way for me to practise stencilling and gain more confidence and I was really chuffed with how it turned out. Using a blob of Crystal Candy Cake Artistry edible gel in red, I spread this across the Romantique stencil, with its swirls of hearts amidst elegant whirls and dots.

Valentine's Day Cake

I just love that I surprise myself every time I lift the stencil and reveal the printed pattern on the edible paper. I have to admit, I did a small whirl in my kitchen with delight at this new stencil.

Valentine's Day Cake

Pops of red fondant hearts on wire to give height to my cake….

Valentine's Day Cake

…..and more stencilling, this time with the Passion stencil and black edible gel onto a red fondant heart.

Valentine's Day CakeValentine's Day Cake

Finished cake with edible paper beautifully and simply stencilled, red stencilled heart and matching red hearts just because there can’t be too much love on Valentine’s Day!

Valentine's Day Cake

My embossed pristine white board with tiny hearts and detail to complement the theme of Love is in the air…..& most of all on this cake!

Valentine's Day CakeValentine's Day Cake

The happy ending of this romantic bake….thank you Ray and Crystal Candy for more awesome products to enhance our cake decorating adventure!

To all my fellow bakers, may there always be an abundance of love sprinkled on every cake creation that you dream up!

Valentine's Day CakeValentine's Day CakeValentine's Day CakeValentine's Day Cake