Hi Barbara, I have a t-shirt tin. It is quit shallow. So I bake two and use butter cream in the middle. My all Novelty cakes starts from £75. 

A

I am learning so much these days! A tshirt tin that's amazing! I'd never even have thought to look for one! I use a 7x11 and a 4" square cut into 2 triangles for the sleeves... I seem to charge around the same as banshini :-)

[@]cazza1[/@] taught me about onlays too the other day, I always though an onlay was hand cut SP shapes stuck on an SP covered cake! How dim am I?!

Gray: I saw those onlays at Cake International the other day - they didn't completely "float my boat" - some were better than others.  As I had bought tons, I decided to leave them till I'm sure I need them...I 'need' most things eventually though!  I am never sure with novelty tins if there are some which are better than others.  Bashini - which make do you buy?

Kathy

AHa right, like my number 1 duck cake I showed you then in which I hired the tin for the day,only costs £1.50, I may do that or like gray says, I have a large roasting tin I could use.

Gray, carving cakes are not my thing. I have done a few when mum came over. She is a very clever lady!! Anyway, I try to get any shaped tin when ever I can. The only thing I do comfortably is making the number 1 cake from a square. Mum taught me that too!!! 

AGray, Kathy, excuse my ignorance, what are onlays?

Kathy, I buy the Wilton ones on ebay. The Wilton t-shirt tin is discontinued. But there is another manufacturer who does it but a bit smaller than the Wilton tin.

Nanny they look like stencils really.  I saw them here: http://marvelousmolds.com/onlays

Kathy

Sorry Siany edited to say I didn't see your reply....

ASo these onlays, are they basically like a mould that cuts out the pattern for you and then you apply it over sugar paste? I just wasn't quite getting it... Hehe I'm a bit slow. I like some of the patterns they're nice.

I have the cricut mini cake machine which I got for Christmas about 2 years ago. I've only really played with it once but I really should get it out again and try and master using it because you're supposed to be able to create some lovely designs like these with that. Has anyone else got one/used one?

AWell i never! I have not seen these before, have you used them Siany? Or Bashini, or anyone for that matter? How do they work then?

AOmg, have I lost a few yrs here? whats a circuit mini cake machine

AHehe the cricut machine is kind of like a printer but you put in sheets of sugar paste and it cuts out shapes/words/designs for you. They make one for crafting cards and paper crafts but they also do one for caked. Like I said I've only used it once I need to practise getting the sugarpaste sheets right.

AWhere do you get it from sugarluva?

AIt was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend a couple of years ago but I think he got it from the ideal world shopping channel. No idea if they still sell it though.

ABarbara, I love the onlays. That is another thing in my to buy list!! I never liked the cricut machine, don't know why!!!!

AThe only time I've used it I could the thickness of the sheets right. The first time it was too thin and wouldn't hold and the second time too thick and the blade snagged it all. In frustration I showed it back in the cupboard but I think it deserves a second chance! I was just wondering if anyone else had used one and had any tips...other than buying the pre-rolled sheets which are too expensive for the small amount you get!

AJust had a gander, arent they just, and thats just for one, scandalous!!

AI opted for the Silhouette SD cutter which I got shipped over from the US before they became available here. (Patience isn't my strong point!) now the machine is the Silhouette cameo which is wider so cuts bigger designs and readily available here though probably needs to be on a Christmas present wish list. Basically it is a cutter for use in crafting but with the adapted blade developed by Linda McLure can be used to cut gumpaste. You can use any font you have in your PC or you can download images or create designs using the Silhouette software or software called "Make the Cut". The gumpaste has to be just the correct texture/dryness to cut smoothly but on the DVD that comes with the machine Linda explains it all. Taking it a step further you can use a function called "Print and Cut" which means if you have an edible printer you can print on the gumpaste or icing sheet and then feed it back through the cutter and it cuts it out. I used it on the name plaque on my anemone cake which I posted yesterday so I was very chuffed. The advantage of the Silhouette over the Cricut is that you have to use cartridges (apparently expensive) for your designs provided by the manufacturer with the Cricut.

I used an icing sheet (worked out just over £1) to save me time but do want to experiment with other paste. I think it has huge potential if you have time to master the software. If you have a Cricut, Sugaluva may be worth giving it another try. Loads of threads on cc debating Cricut vs Silhouette and also gumpaste texture.

Hope this helps.

AGood grief so much to catch up on LOL! Sadly I've been doing a different type of decorating this week - our stairs and halls! No where near as much fun as cakes, and a lot more tiring and messy!! But it's looking good so far, 2 coats to go though.......

Kathy, love the shoe!! I was really temped to get one but I had to draw the spending line somewhere on Saturday :grin: I did get some cocoa butter from Tracey though to try painting with. She's so nice though isn't she! I'm waiting for her to do another PME Royal Icing diploma class and am signing up!

I saw the Onlays being demo'd too at CI, they looked quite good, I liked the damask one but technically I didn't 'need' one, so thought I'd wait until I have a request! They did look easy to use though.

Lovely looking cake Siany! My standard sponges are Madeira based and I have to say I love it. Really nice and stable, and I find it actually improves with age!

Loving all the Easter bunnies too, so cute!!

How's your oven Maisie, hope it's all sorted now?

Right, better get the paint brushes out again, have a lovely day!

X

AMorning Bashini, Re the vases, I originally bought two sizes of vases (LSA column vases) and did a trial stack on cake dummies and drums and decided the larger one was too big so took it back.

AThanks catsmum. I haven't heard of the silhouette before but it looks good. The cartridges aren't too bad for cricut I have a few different ones that covers all the basics but I know there are a lot more out there. I'll go and take a look at the threads on here and see of there are any tips for the sheets. I'm determined to get it out when I next get chance now and have a play with it.

AMorning all.:-) All this talk of cricut machines in way over my head, interesting though.

Someone is coming to fix my oven today Mel, well I hope they can fix it, if they can't they'll givee a new one. But I don't want a new one so I've got my fingers crossed.

My lovely niece has put a spanner in my sisters 40th birthday cake works..... aaaaaaaargh! She's found a topper she wants to use so now I have to match the cake to the topper!

I'm off again now, really, really busy today. "See" you later, byee.

AWow, thats something I'm keen to get.

Where do I get hold of this ladies?

AMe too Maisie, never heard either of them, and whats worse, why dont know I know, God I buy enough cake Dec mags.

Good Morning all!!! 

Catsmum, thank you! I think I will stick with my original vase size. I also did a dummy cake for a wedding fair. And your anemone cake is beautiful! Love the number 50!! 

Edited to ask everyone whether any of you made red velvet cake? 

AGood morning everyone

I spent a lovely day yesterday with my little one, including the library where I got these books:

[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3221210/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

In the Lindy Smith book there are even tips on how to use wallpaper as an embossing tool & making your own embosser out of royal icing, among other things!

Now I want a cricut machine & onlays! The onlays are more affordable at this moment in time lol

I'm having a browse through the books now while the little one plays cbeebies games on the laptop.

Jean

ABashini, I've only me cupcakes, last yr, very nice to,I'send you a picnic.

Jean, I have the one book, the left hand side book, I always used to think it was hard for me but I think I've improved hugely over the last yr and would give most things a go now.

A[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3221216/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

Bashini, naughty, but oh so nice! The others cakes are chocolate with homemade caramel sauce,mmm.

ANannycook, those look lovely! I need to make velvet cakes just so I can have cream cheese frosting lol

Yes the cake bible by Lindy is great but there's even more things on my to do list now. I think I'd really like to try stencilling.

Mel37 I detest home decorating. The hubby and I have ignored the plastered wall in various areas of the house for 2 years now. Our excuse was the "baby" who's now 5 & in school....

sorry didn't mean to ignore all the other previous posts. There's rather a lot!

I