AJust a trial for now but I'm planning to make one in 2 weeks for my daughters b'day cake.

Yes Mel I couldn't ball and frill as well as petals were too thick.

I'm in the middle of making a 2nd man for my boxing ring, they are both so scary, ha ha.

AAww I've been missing doing some baking and caking for the last week or so. There are no cakes in my imminent future either so I like reading what you have all been up to.

I like the caterpillar siany, I'm really looking forward to seeing this cake.

I'm not good at flowers nanny so can't really help but I think your flower looks cute.

I really should practise flowers I've never made any proper ones but they look so scary!

AHi cake friends from Heathrow airport! Nice flower nanny - sadly not sure what a peony looks like - but I like it. Can't even imagine what 100 butterflies would be like to make let alone fix them on! See you all next week!

ARoxylee, its more of a dusky pink, I added pink and bit if purple, daughter hates a sickly pink.

ANow I'm jealous Dayscakes, thats putting the boot in that is,texting from the airport, ha ha, your off on hols and we're not, never mind you have a great time!!

AHi Lizzie. Welcome to the thread! I've no words of wisdom as I've not had to deal with complicated stacking! Sorry but I do hope you find a solution.

Nanny I've not done peonies yet. Is it difficult? I've not got any cutters except for rose cutters but I'm really keen on making peonies & ranunculus !

Mel, is it a wedding cake you're making. It sound really interesting!

AHi everyone it's nice to be back! Seems like ages!

Siany your caterpillar is amazing! He could totally own a cake all on his own!

I got my first lace wedding cake order the other day now I have an excuse to buy up all those lovely lace molds! Can't wait.... I hope it's easy enough to work with... Gonna have to practice :-)

I have done nothing but fudge cakes lately, one after another on referral! Not even decorated so hard to make pretty! A little ivory flower and a deliberate swirl to the frosting seems to work well...

Lovely to read everyone's notes and see all your fab cakes hope everyone is keeping well :-)

ASuch detail on that little fella Siany :-)

Sun has been shining here yes glorious !

Can I ask what sugarpaste brand you all use? I currently use Tesco's own but seen someone else mention Renshaws being more expensive but a better finish and taste ..?

AHi all!!!

Thank you Kathy.

Barbara, good effort. You have to frill thr petals like Mel mentioned. If you have a silk veining tool or you can use a tooth pick too.

Lizzie, royal icing would be my choice.

Siany, love the catterpillar!!

ANanny I like the Peony, better than I could do :-)

AHi Jean, yep it's a wedding cake design, so far I have 3 variations lol! Flowers are Vanda orchids & Calla lilies too so it's been fun coming up with ideas!

Welcome back Gray :) Have fun with your lace!

Jo, I use Renshaws but I seem to be in the minority lol! Tried SPD and I couldn't get on with it, found it dried too fast, but loads on here use it so it's probably me :grin:

AThanks everyone.

Gray we've missed you, where have you been? Am excited too, hopefully get my lace tomorrow, so gonna have a practise.

I bought the metal peony cutters, abit expensive, so do you frill those to as they're quite frilly anyway, and obviously me it thinner, I've taken it apart now to have another go tomorrow.

At the moment I have to men in the kitchen with cocktail sticks coming out of the're shorts, no hair and for the life of me I dont have a clue how to make short hair, he has very little which to be honest is worse, at least with women I can use my clay gun, any ideas?

AHi Jo, Cova paste for me. :smile:

ABarbara, yes. But I make peonies with my rose cutter. That's how Alan taught us. :)

And for men's hair I colour some royal icing, spread it on the head and use a damp paint brush to spike it.:smile:

AI've gone over to Renshaws from covapaste, found I had so many bubbles, and the Renshaws is cheaper.

I bought all my boards and boxes, amongst a huge amount other things,spent a small fortune, they just had a delivery in of all new moulds, so so pretty ands expensive.

ABashini, Alan as in Alan Dunn?

AAlso never thought of royal icing for hair, need it black though would it still work do you think?

AHmm might try renshaws to start with, thinking would probably stand me in better stead for a better finish.

Two men in your kitchen Nanny - oooer ;-)

AAye Jo, all of 3 inches tall. So hard and fiddle to do.

AHi guys, wow you're so chatty! It's taken me ages to read everything.

I'll reply to what I can remember, apologies to anyone I miss out.

Kathy, have a good holiday.

Natt, congratulations, you must be thrilled.

Hate renshaws, love SPD.

Lovely cakes, I really like the bunting cake, I put bunting on a cake in January, didn't look as good as that though!

I'm impressed with the babies but I can't help wondering how anybody could actually bring themselves to eat them!

I think your flower is lovely nanny but my rose looked like a strangled cabbage so maybe you should ignore what I think! And, boxers should be scary! Or was it wrestlers? Never mind, they should be scary too.

Siany I can't wait to see your finished cake, the best bit is seeing it all come together at the end isn't it?

Completely jealous of everyone's cake rooms and nanny's kitchen, my kitchen is tiny, no worktop space. I used to dream of a kitchen big enough for an island, my dreams have got bigger since I've seen all your cake rooms!

It's my daughters birthday today and yesterday she said she wanted a cake for home as well as one to take to school. So I was up til 2 am this morning making two cakes for her! She was delighted with both and her teacher said there was a queue of staff half way down the corridor waiting for a piece. I have taken photos but can't figure out how this tablet works so can't post them. As soon as I ask my son, ERM, I mean read the manual and use my natural technological genius, I will. :-)

AGray, they do make it look easy, I doubt it is though!

ANanny for short hair I've used a thin oval of sugarpaste stuck on the head then textured with a Dresden tool, with a few fringe spikes added to the front?

I've got the FMM plastic peony cutters which are frilly, but I still thinned and frilled them :)

AWhat about a small grass tip for hair nanny?

AHa ha Nanny !!

Maisie lovely to hear from you, happy birthday to your daughter - bless you making her cakes look forward to the pictures !!

Must admit Maisie I'm finding it hard to keep up too on this thread ;-)

AOoh hi Maisie! *waves* How are you, aside from tired after 2am baking lol! :grin: So pleased the cakes went down well x

AHi Maisie, so nice to hear from you, how are you? I bet your little girl was thrilled to have 2 cakes, abit of a supermum at the schoolgates then I bet?

I have a bunting cake, on poles though, havn't figured out how to do it yet,I make everything look so complicated so no doubt this wont be any different.

So glad your keeping in touch!!xxx

Hi Maisie nice to hear from you, glad your daughter had a good birthday, lucky her two cakes 

Hi to everyone else, good to see you back Gray.

Nanny thinking you could use cake pop sticks for the poles and a wire between them to hold the bunting.

AHi Maise, good to see you!!!! And looking forward to seeing the cakes.:-)

Barbara, yes, the very same!!!:grin: If you use extra black paste, it should be fine. :-)

AThanks everyone. I was very pleased with the school cake but the home one was a bit thrown together!

Nice to check n with you all but I'm off to bed now, even my aches are aching! G'nite everyone. :-)