I spent a few hours today playing with my first attempt at gumpaste. This stuff trips me out, seriously.

Anyway, I finally figured out that while I fail miserably at doing Wilton's flowers (evil stuff, that is) I was going to at least attempt to make some three-petal rolled rosebuds. I got the hang of that fairly well, and so I ended up with about a dozen sitting in a styro block on my kitchen table.

I left them there while I had dinner and watched a bit of a movie in my bedroom... came back out for my coffee an hour later, and I stepped on something. I figured it was one of my daughter's toys.... no. Of course not. It was a majorly fubared, barely recognizable piece of purple gumpaste with a wire sticking out of it.

$#@^%#@!^@! cat destroyed - literally - seven of my hard-won rosebuds. Not a few nicks that could be sanded out later, but full-out chewed, pummeled, pounced, squished, and licked to death rosebuds.

You see, this is the danger with having stupid pets when you're a baker... they develop this taste for sugar and will lay waste to your kitchen when you're not looking.

So, back to the drawing board again tomorrow. Oi.

Illy

Not that I am laughing at you, Ili!! But hahahahahahahahaha! I know what you mean. My stupid dog( who is so little that I thought she would be fine) learned to jump clean up on the table if I have some roses drying or something. I have so learned to leave her little butt outside whenever I am doing royal/butterream flowers. I always have her out when doing cakes. But I figured that leaving flowers to dry on the table should be fine. But she nixxed that idea. So I may have a puppy scarf to go along with your kitty mittens!!
~Tanya~

You two are too funny!! I've got a little cartoon picture of what happened in my head...and of course your reactions! Love the stories! (I'm sorry, but I did laugh)

That's okay JS. I can laugh now. But I was crying and screaming and cursing right at that moment! But it is good to know that I am not alone. And I actually see that moment kinda cartooney in my own head now. It was like something off of looney toons! Glad that I could bring a smile to your face.
~Tanya~

It's amazing how animals loooove icing and anything with sugar. Your store reminded me of when one morning after I had placed the garbage on the curb overnight I awoke to the sound of someone getting into the garbage bags. I did NOT have my glasses on, so I looked out and thought the black critter was a cat. I kinda made some noises out of the window to try to scare it away. ( as I know what's going to happen soon) And I think the critter did stop, because I must have gone back to bed. Well, my husband gets up a little later and I make him breakfast. Well, he goes to leave and when he gets out to the car the "cat" is still in the garbage and my husband realizes the cat is a skunk . He freaks out and runs like the wind back into the house as I am standing there. The skunk looked up I think but man, that frosting was too tasty because he stayed there and kept right on digging in. So now my husband thinks he is going to be stuck because he does not want to back the car up and have that get sprayed. So, what do you do to get rid of a skunk? My husband pelted little green grapes at it and it decided to run off across the street. He did not come back and he never sprayed- thank goodness. But that icing must have sure tasted good because he did not want to leave it alone. I think after that whenever I put garbage out I always double bag it. Take the kitchen garbage and put it into a black trash bag and things seem to be fine.

Aren't animals wonderful! I had to resort to placing sticky mouse traps on the table, counter and bay window because of my cat and two dogs. Once that thing stuck to them and they went screaming around the house trying to get it off they stayed off the table, counter and window ~ for a while anyway. I have to do it again every 6 months or so to remind them but it doesn't hurt them and it's always good for a laugh. You know when they get it by the way they go running through the house.

Laughing so hard I got tears in my eyes! Sooooo funny all of you!

Yeah, my cat just thinks he's cute. I'd love to try the sticky mouse traps with him! And hey, laugh all you like. I had no idea my cat was going to be as much of a cake whore as I am!

Illy

I have a cat and two dogs to trip over every time I make a cake unless I kick them out of the kitchen! They sit and watch every move I make and hope I drop something so they can fight over it!

I have finally trained my big dog & mean ole' cat to stay out of the kitchen! But when the dog hears something fall on the floor he can't help but run into the kitchen slipping & slidding all over the floor to get to the crumbs or icing! I let him lick it up & then I point out to him! He gets out fast! The other day I was writing something on a cake with black icing. I dropped the bag & he came running in the kitchen. I grabbed the bag, refilled a new one. While I was doing that the dog was licking & licking! He didn't get all the icing up so I had black spots all over my kitchen floor. I had to get the mop out & mop it all up. I guess he didn't really like black icing either! It's nasty!! Animals you gotta love em'!!

Your stories are so funny. Sorry, couldn't help but laugh. I don't have any pets, but I do have a 21 month old that is just as bad. She loves tasting everything I make. It has come to the point where I have to wait until she's in bad to make someting. A month ago, I had to make a baseball field cake for my nephew. It was almost done. Had it iced, and decorated just to write a happy birthday. I had changed my mind about the tip size, had gone to the room where I keep my baking supplies leaving the cake on the kitchen table. It took me about a minute or so to find it. Came back and a big chunk of the corner was broken off. I screamed and went streight to the living room, where my husband was supposed to be watching her, while she was watching her video, and he had fallen asleep.
When she saw me she ran behind the couch, with the cake chunk still in her hand, and her face smirred with icing.
Had to laugh for awhile.

MOUSE - I found a website to Jerry Baker and he has natural ways to keep critters away. I works for my flowers and veggies, hope this helps. He also has something called skunk away. I have the book at home I will send you the ingredients if you like.

http://www.jerrybaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=2

aaaaaaaaaahaaaahaaaaahaaahaaaaa. boy i can't stop laughing!!!

Wow- thanks.

I just love these stories, keep 'em coming!!!

Now I understand why you would want new kitty fur mittens....I was so lost until I totally read all the posts!

Sweety I am not laughing at you I am laughing with you
No pets in my house!!!! I have pitbull out back and that is where it will stay!! Lost lots of carpet due to some small pets

What are sticky mouse traps? Where do you get them? I have never heard of them, but sure would like a safe method for keeping my three little dogs at bay! They aren't too bad when I'm at home, kind of useful, actually. When I drop something in the kitchen (notice I write "when" not "if"), I just call out "DOGS!" and they come running to clean up my latest mess. But, when I am away from home, they like to climb on the back of the sofa for a nap, get into kleenex boxes or , even worse, find used kleenex to rip up, and yes, if I leave something on the table they seem to think it is fair game.

I've started using the top of my dryer as a drying table or just a place to store cakes that are finished, but have no place to go yet. Of course, I have to schedule my laundry so that I am not drying anything at the time and cover my work because that room may contain lint. Also, as a bonus, the dogs can't get up there, so I'm not tempted to become the next Cruella DeVille! Hahahahahaha!!!!!! you guys crack me up!

Sandi

Little dog and cake lover!

Oh, yeah. I forgot to update; the cat managed to find and eat the last of the rosebuds yesterday. Never thought he'd figure out how to get into the cabinet.

But for some reason, he decided to leave my royal icing flowers alone... what gives? Darned cat.

Illy