Anyone Interested In Doing A Gingerbread House Thread
Decorating By thefrostedcakencookie Updated 19 Nov 2014 , 9:27am by MBalaska
I got bit by the GB bug last night watching Food Network Challegne. Never made one before, but thought why not. I have started my sketching out my structure....what a trip on the math 
Question for you ladies though, any tips on evergreen trees? I have seen some the beautiful one you all have made.
BTW amazing houses and so inspiring!!!! Can't wait to see more pictures
TIA
I got bit by the GB bug last night watching Food Network Challegne. Never made one before, but thought why not. I have started my sketching out my structure....what a trip on the math
Question for you ladies though, any tips on evergreen trees? I have seen some the beautiful one you all have made.
BTW amazing houses and so inspiring!!!! Can't wait to see more pictures
TIA
here's a great "how to" on evergreens...
Good luck and have fun!
My favorite gingerbread books are:
(Stellingwerf's topping the list.)
Oh boy, I haven't looked in this thread since it began 
I couldn't agree more about Steven Stellingwerf's book~! My absolute favorite in my collection. I built that gorgeous carousel he designed in that book, and loved working on it.. one of my most loved creations.. He is such a master~!
Finished the majority of the candy decorating...who knew it would be sooo much fun. I'll be starting the gumpaste work tomorrow. First time ever for that medium....wish me luck.
I've uploaded my recent photos so check 'em out. I'm pretty happy with the progress.
Let me just tell you how much I love, love, love pearl dust!!! 
Finished the majority of the candy decorating...who knew it would be sooo much fun. I'll be starting the gumpaste work tomorrow. First time ever for that medium....wish me luck.
I've uploaded my recent photos so check 'em out. I'm pretty happy with the progress.
Let me just tell you how much I love, love, love pearl dust!!!
It's looking great! One thing you might want to do is combine your gumpaste with fondant for a more workable medium. The gumpaste dries very quickly when it is by itself and you might, just might, find it hard to get things done to your liking. A lot of people suggest 50/50 but I actually find 60 gumpaste to 40 fondant is a better ratio for me.
yesterday, I took the kiddos I baby-sit out to buy candy for their houses. This is the first year they have had any active interest in the house, since they are still fairly young (but already know to expect one each year!) They had a blast picking out candy. It's such a great memory for the little ones and we grownups have a blast as well!
I think my little guys turned out ok for a first attempt at gumpaste figures. Think they make a nice addition to the GB Ice Castle. Maybe I'll make some snowballs to pile around and still have my ice pond to make, but then I'll calling it quits. It's been tons of fun and lots of work.
I uploaded some new photos of my gumpaste efforts.
I think my little guys turned out ok for a first attempt at gumpaste figures. Think they make a nice addition to the GB Ice Castle. Maybe I'll make some snowballs to pile around and still have my ice pond to make, but then I'll calling it quits. It's been tons of fun and lots of work.
I uploaded some new photos of my gumpaste efforts.
Uploaded the final photo just now.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1529277&sub=1531170
I think I'm finally done!!! It's been a blast to do, but now I can sit back and enjoy the holidays and my creation.
Thanks so much to everyone on this forum who have offered up help, advice, tips/tricks, and support. I couldn't have done it without all of you..so thank you so very much.
I've learned some things along the way too so I'll be more prepared (experienced ) for my next project...and there will definitely be one. I'm hooked!!! 
Win, I finished baking 90% of the pieces at 5 AM. I had to make another batch so I can finish the rest--which I will be baking later on.
I really love how strong it is. I also had minimal distortion--thanks to your tips. I'll probably start assembling tomorrow.
PenGwenny, I love your gingerbread house! Love the colors you used. Oh and the penguins are sooo cute! I wanted to add something like that to my last gingerbread house but I had no idea how to make them.
I just finished assembling mines--still haven't decorated it yet. It's the biggest gingerbread house I will be making, about 4 feet wide.
I changed plans, none of the gingerbread walls will be exposed (most of them are burnt but no worries since it's only for display). As you can see, I used the back side of the gingerbread as the front. I had to do it because I will be covering the walls with gumpaste.
My question. How will I be able to attach fresh gumpaste on the gingerbread? What glue do I use? The gumpaste will not be dry. I am worrying that the gumpaste might soften my gingerbread. Last year, I made my first gumpaste (Wilton) but attached it dry with royal icing. Anyone have experience with attaching fresh gumpaste on gingerbread? I will be using fondant with lots of tylose.
Here is the picture (forgive the messy royal icing on the gingerbread, it will be covered anyways).
I just finished assembling mines--still haven't decorated it yet. It's the biggest gingerbread house I will be making, about 4 feet wide.
I changed plans, none of the gingerbread walls will be exposed (most of them are burnt but no worries since it's only for display). As you can see, I used the back side of the gingerbread as the front. I had to do it because I will be covering the walls with gumpaste.
My question. How will I be able to attach fresh gumpaste on the gingerbread? What glue do I use? The gumpaste will not be dry. I am worrying that the gumpaste might soften my gingerbread. Last year, I made my first gumpaste (Wilton) but attached it dry with royal icing. Anyone have experience with attaching fresh gumpaste on gingerbread? I will be using fondant with lots of tylose.
Here is the picture (forgive the messy royal icing on the gingerbread, it will be covered anyways).
I have mine up, but am wrestling with roof angles... not even half as big as yours, Rylan --just a simple Georgian Farm House, but I'm loving the look of my walls... I "stuccoed" them with royal icing.
As to gumpaste and glue... I always make my glue from bits of gumpaste dissolved in warm water. You can make it rather thick for gingerbread. I'd put a good bit into the warm water so that the thickness would be the same as a hobby glue. I've done that often. I don't think you will have to worry about the gumpaste softening the gingerbread. It will harden as it dries, and if the glue is thick enough, it will dry as well. (I have painted my roof with vodka and gel color and it has not softened even a little bit so don't worry about yours.)
I use Wilton's premade gumpaste in the bag. I find it to be a perfectly acceptable gumpaste, and can get it quite cheap by the time I've used a coupon from one of my local Hobby stores (Michale's, Hobby Lobby, or JoAnn's)
Your structure looks awesome! Keep us posted.
I just attached a bunch of non-dry gumpaste to the sides of my house with royal icing, it works fine.
I just attached a bunch of non-dry gumpaste to the sides of my house with royal icing, it works fine.
duh, yes, that too. Was not on full throttle yesterday. Also, melted chocolate is great. I noticed on the 6' gingerbread competition on Food Network that the judges were amazed that Team 2 was attaching stuff to their house with chocolate and had never seen that before. Rats! I've been doing it for years --I was cutting edge and didn't know it! 
I just attached a bunch of non-dry gumpaste to the sides of my house with royal icing, it works fine.
duh, yes, that too. Was not on full throttle yesterday. Also, melted chocolate is great. I noticed on the 6' gingerbread competition on Food Network that the judges were amazed that Team 2 was attaching stuff to their house with chocolate and had never seen that before. Rats! I've been doing it for years --I was cutting edge and didn't know it!
Ha ha, I posted about that at the time on another thread! It made me feel very fancy to see that they were impressed by that, and I'd just done a house using that method.
Will the chocolate eventually dry out and have pieces fall off, though? I was worried about that happening, so I reinforced the pieces that I'd stuck on with chocolate by piping royal icing on them.
I just attached a bunch of non-dry gumpaste to the sides of my house with royal icing, it works fine.
duh, yes, that too. Was not on full throttle yesterday. Also, melted chocolate is great. I noticed on the 6' gingerbread competition on Food Network that the judges were amazed that Team 2 was attaching stuff to their house with chocolate and had never seen that before. Rats! I've been doing it for years --I was cutting edge and didn't know it!
Ha ha, I posted about that at the time on another thread! It made me feel very fancy to see that they were impressed by that, and I'd just done a house using that method.
Will the chocolate eventually dry out and have pieces fall off, though? I was worried about that happening, so I reinforced the pieces that I'd stuck on with chocolate by piping royal icing on them.
Using chocolate is hardly a new idea.. 
I think the judges could not find much to comment on...
Well chocolate is faster to set and a good choice I think. It probably will dry out, but so does royal icing; eventually.. The disadvantage to chocolate is that the temperature is a factor, in that it melts under hot lights, etc... but for home use, just for the Holidays, it's a fun medium to use.. hth
I just attached a bunch of non-dry gumpaste to the sides of my house with royal icing, it works fine.
duh, yes, that too. Was not on full throttle yesterday. Also, melted chocolate is great. I noticed on the 6' gingerbread competition on Food Network that the judges were amazed that Team 2 was attaching stuff to their house with chocolate and had never seen that before. Rats! I've been doing it for years --I was cutting edge and didn't know it!
Ha ha, I posted about that at the time on another thread! It made me feel very fancy to see that they were impressed by that, and I'd just done a house using that method.
Will the chocolate eventually dry out and have pieces fall off, though? I was worried about that happening, so I reinforced the pieces that I'd stuck on with chocolate by piping royal icing on them.
Using chocolate is hardly a new idea..
I think the judges could not find much to comment on...Well chocolate is faster to set and a good choice I think. It probably will dry out, but so does royal icing; eventually.. The disadvantage to chocolate is that the temperature is a factor, in that it melts under hot lights, etc... but for home use, just for the Holidays, it's a fun medium to use.. hth
I've never had anything fall off when using chocolate to adhere... I use a chocolate with cocoa butter content - not something like candy melts. Ghirardelli is my usual. Even the white chocolate has the cocoa butter in it. Right about the royal drying as well... however, I think in all the time I've done gingerbread, I've only had royal fall off once and it was the heavy trim work on the thin edge of the roof line. Even then, it was June and probably well past time for that puppy to have been laid to rest!
Just wanted to update everyone--I've recieved emails regarding how well did gumpaste adhere to the gingerbread.
I tried Win and costumeczar's suggestions and both were fine. The gumpaste glue and royal icing worked great.
I'm so exhausted working on this gingerbread. I've already spent more than 35 hours from baking to making shingles and panels. I just want to be done, hehe.
How are everyone's gingerbread houses doing?
Just wanted to update everyone--I've recieved emails regarding how well did gumpaste adhere to the gingerbread.
I tried Win and costumeczar's suggestions and both were fine. The gumpaste glue and royal icing worked great.
I'm so exhausted working on this gingerbread. I've already spent more than 35 hours from baking to making shingles and panels. I just want to be done, hehe.
How are everyone's gingerbread houses doing?
Just as a generality, both gumpaste and fondant adhere great to gingerbread. One only has to look at the Grove Park Inn website to see that most go that route to enhance the overall effects desired to achieve greatness. Those entries just blow my mind.
I've had to put my farmhouse aside as I work on a couple of my gift cottages... those are the ones I do with all the candy, etc. I have two I need to give away this coming Friday. Even something as small as that are hours of work. I figure from start to finish, I put about eight to ten hours total into a cottage. I'll try to get some pictures tonight, but with system glitches, they might not show right away.
I finished one last week and just finished another one yesterday. I have to deliver it to the Children's Museum today, then I'll blog about it and post some photos.
The one I just did was mostly things other than gingerbread, and it definitely isn't a house, so I don't know if I can legitimately call it one! I guess it's like when people refer to a styrofoam dummy as a cake. I still call it the gingerbread house even though it's more like a "tableau" They do take a LOT of time.
Okay, three cottages (of at least six this year) are done and posted. I tried to add it as an attachment, but I have a hard time doing that correctly. I can always add a pic from a different source as an attachment, but fail at adding a pic from the gallery. So, here's the link. I only have the border to attach to my "family" home, then will get it uploaded as well. I'm starting to get bleary-eyed! Happy Baking!
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1538853
So i am in total awe of all the houses and ideas , so I ordered a set of cutters from Avon to make gingerbread houses ( yes I am a total amateur here) !!! I thought I could put together a bunch and let my daycare kids have fun with them.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1540123.html
They had a great time !
Maybe next year I will be a little more daring and come up with something of my own!
So i am in total awe of all the houses and ideas , so I ordered a set of cutters from Avon to make gingerbread houses ( yes I am a total amateur here) !!! I thought I could put together a bunch and let my daycare kids have fun with them.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1540123.html
They had a great time !
Maybe next year I will be a little more daring and come up with something of my own!
Cookiemama2, those are just adorable! I used to sell AVON... just quit last year. Rats, I'd love those cutters. I might try to track them down through the lady who was my manager. I love to collect gingerbread house cutters! You are such a great lady to have done that for your daycare kids! That's a bunch of them! I know the little ones had an absolute blast decorating.
We had a crazy day!
I have 2 friends that do daycare as well so we all got together , 13 kids at one table and then went crazy decorating! The youngest was 18 months the oldest was 4!
I just bought the cutter this fall and there was another I bought with it that put together makes a truck. I think we will try that one next week.
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