15 Minutes of Fame

Cakesdecor Gazette: Issue 4.07 / July 2015

This is a great gazette for anyone wanting to take their cakes to a new level and start competing. A few helpful hints and lots of encouragement. Check out the fabulous interview with the ever so gorgeous Melanie Byrne of the enchanting merchant company and see what is happening in the cake world and here on Cakesdecor.

Welcome to the Issue 4.07 / July 2015 of the CakesDecor Gazette 

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Editorial

Competition Help!

So I was super blessed this past weekend to be asked to help judge the North Florida cake competition. A first time for me so I was super nervous but also very excited. I knew I was going to be a stickler for the rules and fortunately the other judges were very much the same way.

At the end of judging we had disqualified 10 entries which I knew meant I was going to have to answer a lot of questions. One thing I wanted to make sure I did was be there for the contestants, I knew most of these were first time competitors and getting answers would be super important. I wanted to make sure no one went home angry or never wanting to compete again.

So I am writing this to try and help any of you that may be thinking about competing with many shows just right around the corner, especially the first time competitor. I have said this before and I just cannot say it enough ....know the rules!  If the rules say no non-edible items that means if you are making a piece that requires glass in it, then you must find an edible medium such as isomalt or gelatin to create those pieces with. Ribbon would not be able to be used on the cake but yes on the bottom cake board that would be ok, use fondant or gumpaste in it's place for any tiers or accents (a mistake I made). Disco dust is not edible so do not put it on your piece just to be safe, there are some tutorials out there for rdible disco dusts so use those. Do not use fake gems, take the time and make your own isomalt gems and silk flowers are a definite no,no.

A competition piece although in most cases you can use dummies it is still supposed to be presented as if it were going to a client. So here are a few things to make sure you think of. Lets start with your board....this is a very important part of your overall piece so firstly make sure you have one ( not kidding a cake did show up with absolutely no board), Treat your board as if it also a continuation of your piece, finishing it off with fondant is not a must but it will score better as an overall finished piece, and ribbon on the side to hide any ugly edges of the bottom board. Because you are treating it as a real cake then you should still have cake boards under any tiers that will be seen, some people also cover those pieces with fondant or buttercream  just to finish it of nicely.  I know many are travelling from far away but still you cannot use HOT GLUE on any of your piece, You could not hot glue a clients cake so do not do that to your competition piece either. Sugar glue, isomalt, royal icing or chocolate all make perfect mediums for sticking things on cakes.

This is the perfect example of a finished board that has also made it part of the actual overall cake piece! I make sure I carry a small clean brush with me even on a clients cake and dust it clean while setting up. This should also be done for a completion cake. Overall cleanliness and neatness of your cake will be considered by the judges.

 "Elephant skin" is a real horror for many but on a competition piece it can really bring your score down. Try to redo it until you get it right if possible. Every detail is important so try to make each thing you add to your piece as clean and neat as possible and make sure no styro foam is showing in any way. Many think they need a dozen techniques but that is not so if they are all done badly. Pick 4 or five techniques you can do very well and use them. Your cake does not have to be 6 tiers high, if the minimum is 3 tiers then do 3 tiers really well rather than 6 that are really struggling. Try not to leave finger prints in your fondant and clean up any seams or joins so they are not so obvious. Molds are great but don't do your entire piece in molds as it does not show any of your strengths. Steam your finished piece to get rid of any sugar or water marks that might be left behind.

So I hope these few things will help a little, I know I have probably still missed a bunch of things but this should make a great start. Also do not get to discouraged if you score low or are disqualified. Competitions are great places to learn, most judges honestly want to make you a better competitor. If they let you slide on the things you have done wrong then you would have learned nothing and would come back to your next competition making the same mistakes. Competitions take much time and money so we want to make sure we fix those things that have effected your scores, we want you to succeed, to win. Keep your head held high and come back to the next competition ready to kick some butt. I am so proud of all of you who have competed it is very scary putting yourselves out there to be critiqued, but you are fabulous and I believe in you!

Big Hugs, Shags xoxoxo

We would love to hear from you in the comments section below and please make sure if there is a topic you would like to hear or talk about let us know also.

Sharon: Profile on CakesDecor | Curiaussiety Cakes Facebook Page

What's Happening

Tutorial Pick for the Month:  For those of us with airbrushes here is a wonderful tutorial that I think most of us should give a try Airbrushed landscape. Cakey Cake has been so wonderful to show her easy way of making this fabulous effect!

Everyone is always looking to learn, so if you have a special technique or a cute little figurine you would like all of us to see, then why don't you submit it to CakesDecor.com and your creation may be featured in the next Gazette.

Kitchen Talk:  People stealing my work ...this is becoming a real problem and the more technology the worse it will get I feel. But any help you can give Melanie Mangrum would be greatly appreciated.

Suggestion Box: New ideas and suggestions are always welcome so please make sure you go to The Gazette Blog post and leave your comments there.

Have fun coming up with new ideas :) 

Congrats Cakes Decor 200,000 Cakes!!!

Congratulations Ponona Cakes – Elena Ballesteros

Cakes decor RISING STAR

Dee

I have been watching Dee now for the last couple of years and have always loved her work but man -oh-man has she really stepped things up in the last year, bringing  us some unbelievable gorgeous sugar pieces! With a lovely softness in many of her works I just love that she has a real eye for the small details that bring a piece to life. I cannot wait to see more and more from this wonderful rising star!

CakesDecor Gazette Editors Choice

My Editors Choice for June is... Sylwia Sobiegraj with her Paddington Bear

I just fell in love with this little guy when I saw him, it took me back to super fond memories as a kid remembering the first time I had ever read this book. I think everyone would love this little guy showing up on their door steps. Such a great piece, truly love it!

Cake Decorator of the Week

The Cake Decorators of the Week for June were...

Jenny Kennedy

Delicut Cakes

Nasa Mala Zavrzlama

Natalia Da Silva Carmona

Time to catch up!

The North Florida Cake Show

It was a small show but with Jockan, Timbo, Tammy, Patrice, Mel B and Mel J how could you not help but to enjoy every minute of it!

Timbo Sullivan

TammyM352

Jockan Jordan and Melba Toasties

Patrice

Cake Bake and Sweets Show - Australia

Looks like this was a great show with many of our members having lots of fun and showing off their crazy mad skills at the Sydney cake show. Verusca Walker and Queen of Heart couture cakes

Serder Yeners

Jacki Fanto and Priya Maclure

The cake and Craft Show - New Zealand

Looks like this was a great show with many of our members having lots of fun and showing off their crazy mad skills.

Kevin Martin and Raewyn Read

Mayen Orido and

Collaboration Station

With so many collaborations now I cannot find every cake so if you would like to be seen here in the collaboration section of the Gazette could you please have the word "collaboration" in the title of your piece! .

"Best Friends Day" collaboration

 

An international cake collaboration featuring 30 outstanding artists celebrating friendship.

Upcoming Cake Decorating Competitions


Cake Camp, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA .... August 13-16, 2015

The America's Cake and Sugarcraft Fair, Orlando, Florida, USA...September 18-20, 2015

IBA , Munich, Germany....September 12. – 17th 2015

Oklahoma State sugar art show, Oklahama City , USA...October 3rd-4th, 2015

Cake international  Birmingham, UK... November 6-8, 2015

 

Cakes decor interview with Melanie Byrne!

My favorite part of doing cakes is that I have gained so many wonderful friends and Melanie Byrne of The Enchanting Merchant Company has become one of my closest. I love Mel's work cause every piece is a gorgeous piece of art and her flowers are always perfection, I really feel they bring her pieces to life, like they are speaking to you.

Mel has been a very active member on cakes décor now for almost 2 years and I am pretty sure we all agree that we crave seeing more and more of her work. So here is just a little interview with Mel so as you all can get to know her just a little bit better.

Read Full Interview

Monthly Top 5

Most Popular Cake for June

Suspended Whale

Michael Almeida

Dia De Los Muertos

il Mondo di ielle

Purple Orchid Cake

 Gulnaz Mitchell

Wild Pansy Cake

Mito Sweets

Elegant V Stripes and bold Poppies

Very Unique Cakes by Veronique

Cake This Tute!

Airbrushed Landscape

Cakey Cake

I know so many of you will want to try this. We are all looking for new, fun and easy ways to add new dimension to our cakes and I think this is just perfect!

Find tutorial here

Kitchen Talk

People stealing my work!

This just seems to keep happening over and over again. So many of us have had this issue and honestly I don't think it will ever stop, but if you have any input for us on this issue we would love to hear it. It seems Melanie Mangrum has been the latest victim of these unscrupulous thieves. I watermark everything but if they really want your picture that bad they will still take it unfortunately. I think all we can do is keep a look out and have each others backs when we find this kind of behavior. But please pop on over to the forum section and let us hear what you think or your story on People stealing my work!

CakesDecor News, Stats & Links

July, 1st 2015

We are 28 209 cake decorators making 1,226,227 comments on 201 061cakes, 2,396 blogs,1,346 tutorials and 2,380 forum topics.

Editor's Choice Albums: Facebook , Pinterest , Google +

Cake Decor Pros

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Cakes Decor Pros is the world's first and largest visual, location based directory of cake decor professionals. Enter your city and country into the box below and start exploring the finest cake decorators near you. They are eager to hear from you, ready to bake and decorate 

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Tampa, Florida facebook.com/pages/curiaussiety-custom-cakes

14 Replies

Thank you Sharon! What a great read! I loved all of the topics!!

Toni, Pennsylvania, https://www.facebook.com/WhiteCraftyCakes

Thank you Sharon for the lovely interview…..yes I survived it, even though I thought I wouldn’t :))))))) <3

Enchanting Merchant Co

thank you i love reading the gazette

Wonderful issue Sharon!!! Loads of news and love the pics too… And loved the interview with Melanie!!!

You must never limit your challenges, instead you must challenge your limits

Lovely issue, Sharon and thank you for your article, really helpful!!

Dina @ miettes, http://www.facebook.com/pages/miettes/257790597632317

Thank you Sharon, loved reading this issue! ;-))))))

sugar and art - perfect combination! sugarmagic22@gmail.com

Great read :)

Julie Cains Cakes

If anyone notices yes the rising star in this one is different to the one if you click the link at the side of the page. This was my error but unfortunately cant be fixed any other way. Sorry Dee I am a big fan and hope others see it thru here. Lisa Templeton was also the artist in the pic with Mayen. Sorry for my screw ups this week everyone!

Tampa, Florida facebook.com/pages/curiaussiety-custom-cakes