I have noticed some folks on here are scrapbookers and I would think that would help you to learn placement of items to make the cake and the over all presention better.

I know a few have mentioned painting, and actually have painted on a cake.

So I was wondering, what crafts do you do that you think helps your decorating skills?

I have made candy since 1978. I handpaint all the chocolate novelties and lollipops.

I think all hand work, craft work and any artistic endeavours are inter-related, what you learn from one, you tend to apply to another. For example any kind of painting or faux-finishing, you can apply techniques, paint mixing knowledge, texturing, shading. If you sew or do handi-work you can use it for display or cake board covering. If you do flower arranging it helps with cakes and your flower placement. I do stained glass and mosaics and that tends to make you look at things differently too. If you sculpt well that definitely would come in handy with figures and such. I think any work you do makes you think of different ways of using tools not designed for cake decorating, but useable. If you garden, you would tend to make your gumpaste or fondant flowers fashioned after flowers you pick from your garden and perhaps get a more realistic angle for displaying them on a cake.
If you crochet or knit, you can make things to use for your display including cake table and cake board and stand items.
If you are interested in photography or scrapbooking, you pay more attention to composition and shadows and lights and embellishments and display.
Hugs Squirrelly

AMEN!

I enjoy making invitations, cards, etc. All graphic type applications, so I guess that would translate into color combinations, placement and scale when it comes to cake decorating. I also love decorating and painting walls with all types of different techniques and faux finishes. I sew a little bit, but only the basics, really. Never really thought about how your other skills in different crafts would carry over into cake decorating...but you're right!

I do a little painting (watercolors) as a past time and floral design in my shop as well. I am attaching a few photos

OOPS ...photo didnt attach

Ooh, that is really so pretty, I love all the combinations of flowers, the sizes and colours and textures! Really pretty, not sad looking, just lovely although the occasion was sad!
Hugs Squirrelly

Thanks Squirelly! I always feel bad about showing off my flowers for that type of occasion. But I do take pride in my work.

Well KayDay, I like the fact that your arrangement is pretty and tastefully done and really cheery! I am not one for drab flowers just because they are for funerals or sympathy arrangements. I think pretty colourful, tastefully arranged flowers make you feel good. They look like a lot of care was put into them to create something beautiful out of respect and love.
Hugs Squirrelly

That is just beautiful! What a nice way to celebrate a life! I don't want some sad droopy flowers when I pass.

I bet working with "real" flowers helps with creating ours.

I feel the same Squirelly...the widow that the arangement went for her DH...said it was so beautiful it made her remember the good times just looking @ it.

Awwh, isn't that nice to hear!
Hugs SQuirrelly

I use to do a lot of landscape painting with oils. Not as much anymore but I think that has helped with color mixing etc . I have also painted things on most of the walls of my house..Hubby is afraid to go out of town for a few days as he never knows what he will return to.. Last yr he left on business for a few days and I painted cats , flowers and birdhouses all over my kitchen walls.. Think since I retired I have Way too much time on my hands..LOL.. I will attach a pic of my computer room wall.. I think I would really like to try the airbrushing on cakes and painting on them.
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Liz

Thats GORGEOUS Liz.... we have such a talented bunch here! I am going to try a painting on one of my cakes soon a regular one w/ a paintbrush. I have several airbrush systems and haven't used them yet!Gonna get around to that soon too.

Thanks KayDay. Your flower arrangement is beautiful too.. that is one craft that I could never get the hang of.. I think I'd add way too much and the arrangement would start to look tacky. Yours is lovely..
What kind of airbrush do you have.. My daughter has one that she used while in college but she doesnt use it anymore and I was thinking maybe I could just try that one and see if I liked it before going out and buying one.. I think the one she has is a badger.
Liz

Mine are the cake deco ones, I have copycake systems ..I bought them all from winn-dixie closings in the past month. I got 3 total sets for 50.00 plus tons of extra tubes and color and looked them up on their site and one of them alone is about 300.00! I got an AWESOME deal!

Make sure to post the pic of your cake once you have finished painting on it.. Will you paint on it with diluted paste colors? I have seen some posts where people talk about painting with luster dusts too..

Wow! Don't you just love a good sale.. I think if I get the set from my daughter that I will just be able to practice with it. She used all sorts of mediums to paint with it so I would be afraid to use it for food even after cleaning it really well.. Im sure she has had laquers and stuff in it.. But it would be good to practice with to see if I like the technique enough to go out and buy an airbrush system.

I figured I would attempt a painting with color-concentrated small amountd of BC and just paste color also. And maybe use luster dusts for highlighting

WOW you are all so talented. I just knew there was more here going into your cake decorating. Seems the more crafts you do the more angles you come at cake decorating. I agree it all helps some.

I figured I would put in my 2 cents here. Other than cake decorating I crochet. Mostly small projects like baby blankets. Something to keep me occupied, but one thing they Both have in common,.... CARPAL TUNNEL LOL

True Liz, you can probably get a feel for the airbrush and see if you think you want to buy one from practicing with the one you got from your daughter. I'll bet you will do great with it!

So pretty you guys!

I don't have any hobbies that relate, besides just pastry in general. My other hobbies are cooking and reading. And of course, shopping.

I also workout a lot and spin, which offsets the frosting.

I took some painting classes - watercolor, acrylic and one touch so I could eventually apply them to cake decorating but I haven't had to time to practice that yet. One day in my spare time I also scrap book. This is all new to me as my first love was horses until my baking and decorating helper came along!

Debbie

I use to do pencil portraits. But I am such a perfectionist, they would take forever. Still do them occasionally.

I have dabbed into every craft you can imagine...I am a painter at heart...since childhood...but I am interested in anything everything that is done by hand (or computer) and I need more space just for my how-to books. I love jewelry-making, faux-painting, quilling, glass-painting, dough-crafts, mosaics, stained glass...etc...etc....

I usually do one thing until I really master it and then go on to something new. Cake decorating, I have found, is a combination of everything that I have learned. I have seen cakes made that require the skills of a sculptor, a painter, a stained glass artist....you need a sense of engineering, a sense of color, a sense of design. Not to mention the art of baking, a good business sense, or the wisdom to seek help when necessary.

This site is a tribute to all of that. I am not the only talented one. EACH one of us must realize the talent within and show the world what we can do. I have found that the art of cake decorating is a wonderful "quick-fix". What other medium can please a crowd so much while validating the creator's abilities in such a happy way?

Am I too deep? I just wanted to share how much I love doing this stuff!

Adven68- That is gorgous! I wish I could paint!! I am a very creative person, always have been, but try as I might I just can't paint or draw. Needlework, scrapebooking, anything that doesn't require a pencil. LOL

I second that one!!! I'm lucky to draw a stick figure and have it not look like a 3 Year Old!! Awesome painting!!

Thanks guys!!!! Remember...we all have it in us.....we just have to find it!!!!

Gotta go....Martha is on!