I do sketch some of them...but I was a painter before I started caking like 12 years ago..
I see you got the Cricut machine..my friend and I are contemplating buying one together. I dont do much with fondant except decorate...people like my buttercream so I smooth it out like fondant.

I have a recipe for marshmallow fondant that you flavor how you want and they say its great. I have to try it. But I love my buttercream and so does everyone so I have benn perfecting smoothing it. It works and people prefer it over fondant. I use gumpaste sometimes and icing to make my decor. We are trying to decide what to do about getting the machine. How costly are the cartriges? I can make anything out of cake and icing so I just cant decide to get it. I think my friend would get more use out of it than me.

I live on the West Bank also. I saw your photos and you are far more advanced that I am. I bake mainly for family and friends.

I have been trying to sign up for classes at the new Michaels' but they don't have their act together yet. I took the first class just before Katrina needless to say I lost my house along with all my equiptment. I have replaced my pans and decorating tips but I found that if I can cast it in clocolate I can decorate!

I just signed up for the Wilton basic decorating course and I am a little disapointed. When I took the course before Katrina we were instructed in making our own icing that way the inst. could tell us if it was too stiff,or soft etc. now you buy their icing and decorations so what is that teaching me? I guess I am in between being in course 1 and course ll. I'll let you know how it goes

Even when I took the Wilton class before I made my own icing with real butter I can't stand that crisco stuff. I make all my cakes from scratch and I am not about to ruin them with crappy icing!.. The one thing I have going for me is that even if my cakes are the "prettiest" they sure taste good and that is what keeps my customers comming back. I have never worked with fondant or gumpaste is is hard?

Its nice to know someone else ( you ) Use ready to use icing wiltons , BC icing WAy to sweet for my family, since i am a beginner, , http://bowdens-world.blogspot.com/ thank you again Sincerly JAci

where do u get the country kitchen brand how much does it cost ?

I took the first class on Tue the 6th. I was given bogus info by the Michael's staff they told me I had to purchase the icing not true we are making icing. It was all a repeat since I laready took this class 51/2 years ago. I am looking for to the next class . Good luck with your project. I just recently did 250 cookies for a convention and let me tell you with one 50 yr old oven it took a while as I could only bake 8 cookies at a time due to the size of them. Good thing you have access to other ovens. Hve a great day and let me know how your project turns out

The secret to good cut out cookies is to roll out your dough without chilling on parchment or wax paper first, do your cuts remove the excess then place the cut outs still on the paper on a tray and pop them in the freezer untill firm them peel, place them on a baking sheet and bake never ever bake cookies with out parchment paper. I taught myself this technique I bake cookies a lot and it amounts to most of my orders. I do all sorts but have just recently delved into the decorated cookie universe.

Does you locakl supplies shop have a website, i could maybe cehck out , we live in a very small 10 minute town , we have to drive to hamilton mt , to go to party ware plus to getm y cake supplies, otherwise have to drive 2 hrs to missoula mt , to go to craftsstores

What iS Lucks and is it in la to ?

Gretchen do you bake from scratch? are you in need of cake flour? The reason I ask is that Koerner's (food supply warehouse) sells to the public and they have a 50 lb sack of cake flour for 15.99 that is equal (or less) than I pay for per pound for all purpose flour however it would take me forever to use 50 lbs so I would be willing to share a sack are you game?

That is a lot of flour but all I do is bake from scratch and I will go through 10 lbs of all purpose flour in a month easy usually more than that but I am new to cake flour. No worries I will probably get it any way and bake my way through it slowly but surely. By the way I completed the basic course at Michael's and will be starting flowers and cake design on Thursday.

I am definitely interested however my sister is having a brunch at our house the next day and if she is doing a lot of running around I will have to be at home with my father he has dementia and can't be left alone but if I can get there I will ......thanks for inviting me

I really enjoyed meeting you and Michelle and I am looking forward to Sept. 18th. It was amazing to see that in just us 3 there is so much versatility between us each had her strenghts. I hope more people can make it next time

Is the cake club meeting still on for Saturday? Have not heard anything please let me know so that I can make arrangements to be there

Congratulations on the early present............have fun with your xmas goodies.......