I was working on a birthday cake for my best friend, and I had the best intentions. It was supposed to look like a limoges box with a hand-sculpted Westie and accents on top. I've been on this cake forever. Well, everything went wrong with this cake that you could imagine. The fondant wasn't laying nicely, it seemed a bit droopy, I accidentally stuck my finger through the fondant, and then when I put on the gold ball chain to represent the band around the box, they kept falling off!!! II used water, then vodka to attach). I've never had that happen with fondant!!!!
I feel like the wrath of the cake boogieman is upon me!! So I took a picture of it while the gold chain was still in tact. I think it looks cute, but it does not seem to want to stay.

Any suggestions?

I can think of 2 things - toothpicks and royal icing. Don't know if the royal would work, and the toothpicks would be a pain, and you wouldn't really want them in there, would you? Sorry I can't be of more help.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the problem or not, but I have found that the vodka (for the luster dust ) and either fondant or piping are not necessarily compatible. It will eat the piping and cause fondant to soften. I recently put luster dust w vodka on fondant cut-outs that had hardened, and they softened again. Janice

It shouldn't do you only need a tiny bit of vodka when painting with lustre dust (I apply mine with an eye dropper such a small amount is needed) water normally works well for sticking to fondant as long as you don't put too much on as water dissolves fondant. If the pieces you are sticking on are heavy sometimes water isn't strong enough to hold them. What I do in this case is thin some leftover fondant to pipng consistency using a tiny bit of water and I use this for sticking the pieces on

I dont know how much help is that but if i have a problem like this water always does the job, make sure it is not too wet though. i get a brush and brush with a water on the cake and then also on the little figure that has to get glued. then i just leave them for a little while and then trie to glue. if you do it immidiateley it might not stay.
Sometimes there are pieces that will not work. if it is not too hard make another piece and you will see how well that will glue.

I love your cake!! The little dog is just great! I don't think you are doing anything wrong with the way you are applying. The gold chain just looks like it is heavy. I have had things do that before when they had no support from another cake or the cake plate. I think you just need a smaller chain. You might try bracing the chain on the sides while it is wet to give it a chance to dry and that might work too. I have had some success with that. Anything you can do to it to hold it in place until it dries. Good luck!

thanks so much for all of your suggestions! I tried to glue it with royal icing this morning before I left for work, and I gave her the cake right away before it completely fell apart. I told her that at least it should taste good!! I think the chain is too heavy....oh well, I just had a good cake lesson! There is value in all experiences!!

I usually attach my fondant pearls with piping gel. They attach a lot faster than with water and I think it's stronger too. My son once knocked over a dummy cake I made that had fondant pearls all over the sides, and not one pearl fell off.