Christmas preparations 2

Tomorrow is Christmas and we are spending it with the in-laws so over the last few days I have been finishing off all the things so i thought i would a few pictures of our preparations
As well as the Christmas tree and all the wrapping... and the marathon journey visiting family we have:

A good use of a Birthday present and a family Christmas tradition



The promised Christmas Cake and some Flowers for Val



I find myself looking forward to midnight (10 o'clock) mass tonight and to the Methodist service in the morning, there is that anticipation in the air that I love about Christmas eve


Happy Christmas everyone

christmas cake - update

One Marizpaned and Iced Christmas cake - Marzipaning is easy, icing may need some more practice (and short nails)


75 cm of Holly and lots of individual Holly and Ivy leaves


I have also made a christmas tree but I am not sure what I am going to do with it.

I need to ice my cake board and put some ribbon on and stick the leaves on it and do the piping - Hmmm that seems like alot

cookies

Wayne's work are having a bake sale for children in need and as Wayne 'doesn't do baking'
I was asked to make some cookies. Since I never pass up an opportunity to support a event (and to practice my icing) and since there is not much I can do on my cake this week as I am waiting on the marzipan drying
I made some biscuits and some brightly coloured icing for decorated a lot of cookies.

The faces are my favorite... I hope Wayne remembers to take them to work!

Sugarcraft: Colour

This week we started adding colour to out flowers.

To be honest I played a little at home, but Chris seemed to think it was the results were alright :)



They look more realistic when there is a little colour on them
(the bottoms one is real)

As well as dying the paste you can also use the powder to make speckled carnations



this is not the best picture but one is green and one is gold, along with the the peach one and the old fashion white one.

Next week we are turning a powder and paint using alcohol may need to get a better powder and some vodka.

Also I will be working on a Starburst at home.

the cake - pictures

Nom!

Sugar Craft - half term

So for this week I have tried my hand at making a few more carnations, which a fiddly but I will get there with practice.

I have also made my first Gluten free cake, turned out better than expected.

I've decorated it for Helen's birthday tomorrow , and for a first attempt it is not to bad but I have a list of things I need to improve on for next time.

I will post picture tomorrow or Tuesday as I don't spoil the surprise

There is 7 months until Helen and Stu wedding which should give me to perfect baking, icing and decorating skills.

Sugar Craft Week 2

The mission for this week was to find a list cutters and tools that we would need for this term. The local shops recommended either, bumped there prices up by selling cutters singly instead of groups or denied ever hearing of well known brands. Luckily the trusted Internet came to the rescue.

I also practiced making some more fondant icing flowers

This weeks class we made roses on wires which used the same techniques as last week on a thin wire so that you can form it in to a display. These roses are made from sugar paste which you roll until they it is so thin it is see through.

It is more awkward making the roses on wires and I think I will need this week to practise, these are last nights attempts.

We will be adding the calix and rose hip next week so we need to hang them upside down to dry, I think that is wear my spice rack comes in handy!

Next week - Calix and Rose hips

sugar craft week 1

I Started my sugar Craft course last night and we made some roses out of fondent icing

as you can tell I got a lot better as the evening went on, next week we are making roses on wires but I have to go shopping first and buy some flower paste and some wires and and some tools.

I can't wait.