Archive | January, 2009

Grand opening for www.cakedecoratingwithdonna.com will be

28 Jan

February 15th, 2009

Ok everyone I can finally announce the grand opening of my new site after many long months. I am very excited as you all know and cannot wait to get things rolling!! I have received countless emails from many of you and I do appreciate all of your feedback and sweet comments on the new site I really appreciate all the encouragement you have offered me month after month during this long process. I know that it will all be worth it here in a few short weeks when the site goes live!!

If you have not had a chance to look around on my new site, when you get a minute please go and check it out. Once we go live you will not be able to look around the site without becoming a member because all the pages will be closed to the public you will only have access to the front door (page) so to speak in which you can sign up for membership. I take privacy online very seriously so once we go live I do not want the members names and any info they put on the site to be open to the public therefore I must close down the access to all the pages of the website, thanks for your understanding.

I hope to see all of you over at the new site and look forward to helping you as you begin the journey into the awesone world of Cake Decorating!!

If you would like to look around CDWD (cake decorating with donna) click here

 

Donna

Your Sugar Friend!

Gumpaste Baby Sneakers I am calling “Sugar Sneakers”

27 Jan

Here is my latest creation called Sugar Sneakers they are hand made gumpaste baby sneaker cake topper. I used pink and white gumpaste swirled together to create a multi-color for the shoes.

Each piece was cut from a template that I made out of paper and then assembled.  I used Mini alaphbet stamps to imprint the word Sugar on the bottom of the sole as well as inside the show itself and also used a mini flower stamp to imprint the flower on the bottom of the sole.

I purchase regular rubber stamps that are used in rubber stamping and use them only for cake decorating which is another great way to implement everyday products into your cake decorating projects. There are many great websites that have good prices on some really cute rubber stamps and are a great way to create a one of a kind design as I did on the soles of my baby sneakers.

Happy Creating!!

babysneakersbydonnalane

Pink and White Gumpaste Baby Sneakers Cake Topper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gumpaste Baby Sneakers

Gumpaste Baby Sneakers

Gumpaste Baby Sneakers Cake Topper

Gumpaste Baby Sneakers Cake Topper

Using Cake Dummies to Practice Cake Decorating

24 Jan

There are many of your that have just gotten started in cake decorating. I have been asked by several people how to get more practice without having to make several cakes as well as icing. When I first got started I got so tired of baking cakes to practice on and it seemed to become a big waste of money. I finally heard about cake dummies which at the time I had no clue what everyone was talking about. If you have never heard about cake dummies in a nutshell they are just a block of styrofoam that is cut into a cake form. They can be purchased as a 2 in. or 3 in. thickness. Cake Dummies come in the form of square, round, heart, petal as well as sheet cakes in addition to many other shapes that are available.

There are many places online that you can purchase cake dummies and they can be quite pricey at some of the different online stores.  I purchase my dummie cakes online at a website called The Foam Studio and they have the best prices online.   Here is their website. You can use Buttercream and Fondant on cake dummies. Treat them as if they are a real cake when you cover them with the icing that you plan to use. I love to re-use cake dummies after I have decorated a particular cake design so that I get more use out of them. In order to do that I usually cover the cake dummie in saran/plastic wrap and tape it together on top and bottom so that when you take the cake apart you can just pull the saran/plastic wrap off the dummie.

If you are going to be using fondant on your cake (dummie) you can cover it with buttercream just like with a real cake and then place your fondant on the cake.

If you plan to re-use your cake dummie, you can run it under warm water after removing your icing from it, then let it dry.

Another way that I would practice cake decorating when I first got started was to use the back of a cake pan and cover it with icing then decorate it with roses and other items, I would practice writing with icing on the back of a cake pan as well. Then when your finished you can just remove the icing.

Doing dummie cakes and decorating them is a great way to make several different looks to create a photo portfolio for your cake business if that is what you are planning to do. So whenever you create a dummie cake that turns out great take a picture of it and add it to your portfoilio.

Hopefully this gave you some ideas to get you started on your journey into cake decorating!!

This is so Powerful and Very True!

14 Jan

My mom-in-law sent this to my email today and it really got to me, it is so true and most of the time we, as parents we don’ t even think about how everything we do has such a major effect on shaping our children on a daily basis, this is very powerful so I thought I would share it with all of you.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING

A message every adult should read because children 
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you hang my 
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately 
wanted to paint another one. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you feed a 
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind 
to animals. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make my 
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little 
things can be the special things in life. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you say a 
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always 
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make a 
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I 
learned that we all have to help take care of each 
other. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of 
your time and money to help people who had nothing, 
and I learned that those who have something should 
give to those who don’t. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you take care 
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have 
to take care of what we are given. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw how you 
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t 
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be 
responsible when I grow up. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw tears come 
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things 
hurt, but it’s all right to cry. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw that you 
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I learned most of 
life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and 
productive person when I grow up. 

When you thought I wasn’t looking I looked at you and 
wanted to say,’Thanks for all the things I saw when 
you thought I wasn’t looking.’ 

 
LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT . 

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend) influence the life of a child.

“Sugar Is Art” event in Nashville TN March 8th 2009

7 Jan

Since we are all about Sugar I thought I would share the info about an upcoming Sugar is Art event that is coming soon in Nashville TN. I am so excited about it. I have always been all about Sugar and what can be done with it, and when I found about this event I thought this is it. I am sure it will be a great time and I am trying to figure out what I should create to showcase at this event. The Creator/Owner of this event is Melissa and after hanging out on her blog I felt as if she was the ultimate Sugar Friend. She is all about everything Sugar and I could so relate with her. If you are interested in attending this event check out the following information as well as Melissa’s Blog http://www.gabesgurlep.blogspot.com  which will give you a clearer picture into what this event is all about.

Sugar artists, foodies, and lovers of all things sweet, rejoice! Gabe’s Gurl Event Productions, a fresh new boutique trade show and consumer event producer specializing in the food and culinary industry, is pleased to announce the launch of the 2009 Sugar Is Art Gallery, a sweet celebration of the art of sugar. This unique new event will makes its debut on Sunday, March 8, 12pm, at the Cannery Ballroom in downtown Nashville, with the theme “Glitz, Glam, and Gumpaste”. The Gallery was designed to bring together, challenge, and showcase the amazing talents and skills of custom cake designers, chocolatiers, pastry professionals, sugar artists, fashion designers, sculptors, and bakers, both professional and enthusiasts, and the stunning and delicious products and treats they create. This one-day event will allow attendees to experience the vivid sights, intoxicating aromas, and exquisite tastes of luscious confections, chocolates, and gourmet cakes. There will be beautiful works of edible art for perusing, an amazing Dessert Bar for sampling, a decorating station for creating, and a Gallery boutique for browsing.

 

Because everyone at Gabe’s Gurl Event Productions and the 2009 Sugar Is Art Gallery strongly believe that having delicious, freshly prepared food is a human RIGHT and not a privilege, we ask that Gallery supporters, sponsors, and attendees join us in a food drive to help Nashville’s food banks provide assistance to those in need during hard times. Your donations are in high demand right now, and it is your generosity as a business community and as an industry that will make the difference for so many women, men, and children, our neighbors. While we feel certain that our economy will soon rebound, the emotional, physical, and mental effects of hunger, and more seriously, starvation, are lasting. We cannot ignore the plight of those whose times may be a little harder than ours, and we ask that we all work together to do what we can to fight it. Our simple request is that every guest please bring two (2) non-perishable items to donate at the door on event day!

 

Everyone aged 14+ is invited to experience the Gallery, and tickets are on sale now. Custom created works of sugar art can be entered by submitting the registration form and fee. Exhibits (booths) and sponsorships are available, and attendees can park free, enter to win giveaways, purchase and decorate their own edible art, and vote for their favorite display in the Gallery Choice Awards. You are invited to get involved, and help make the Gallery a success! For details, participation forms, volunteer and sponsor opportunities, and more, visit the Sugar Is Art Gallery online and the Gallery blog for the latest information. We also invite you to stay tuned to Gabe’s Gurl Event Productions for more fabulous culinary events, shows, excursions, tastings, and fests in 2009.  Enjoy dessert tonight!

 

http://www.gabesgurlep.blogspot.com  Check out Melissa’s blog for many more details about this exciting event!

http://www.sugarisart.com/

http://www.gabesgurlep.com/Gabe%27s%20Gurl%20Event%20Productions.html

 

 

 
 

’2009′ A Year of New Beginnings

7 Jan

Hello all my Sugar Friends, its officially 2009!

I had an awesome New Years and hope you all did as well. 

 My husband, Jeff and I along with my brother Tommy and cousins Sue, Ronda  along with  a few friends went bowling and had the best time, then afterwards we went to my sis in laws house to play yahtzee which is one our favorite games to play. What a great night it was to bring in the New Year with family. We laughed, joked and just plain had fun. We all needed a night of no worries, life issues and such it will surely be a night that will forever be a memory for me.

I am soo excited about the New Year, its a chance for new beginnings , fresh starts and so on. I know that 2009 is going to be the best year of my life. My motto for this new year is  “Living the Dream” and whats even more exciting is that I get to share it with all of you, my sugar friends!

This is a big year for me and Jeff,  our son Ryan will be graduating High School. And then October 21st is our 20th Wedding Anniversary so we are gong to renew our vows.

My dream over the past year has been to get my new website www.cakedecoratingwithdonna.com  finished and thankfully it is almost there after many, many long nights of typing, tears and stress but I know in my heart it is going to be worth it all. This blog has changed my life I could have never imagined what would come of just putting a few cake pictures on here a yr ago. It is officially a year since I started cake decorating. I have been soooo blessed by God this past year, he has given me the gift of cake decorating along with the abilty to sculpt sugar figurines and so much more. I did not have a clue what I was doing when I started, but God had a bigger plan, so much more than I could have ever dreamed up.

 This year I plan to start doing workshops teaching how to create my gumpaste figurines not only here in Ohio, but eventually all over the United States . I don’t know when or where just yet but I know the Lord will open the doors and lead me. I have dreamed about being able to share this gift that God has given me with you all and I am planning to make that happen this year. I am staying focused on getting my website finished first and then I will begin focusing on the workshops. I will start here in Ohio and we will go from there. There have been many of you that have indicated you live in areas that no one ever comes to with workshops and such so I want you to know that I will do my best to come to those areas. As long as we have enough interest then I believe that everything else will fall into place, this has been my prayer for the past 6 months. If you are one of those people that believes in prayer I welcome your prayers as I prepare for my next journey in the world of cake decorating. I cannot begin to count the number of you that I have received emails, and phone calls from that have just blessed me so much. I want to thank you all for your encouragement it means so much to me. I am just a regular girl who always dreamed of being someone that could inspire others and God has given me that opportunity with all of you. I cannot express the gratitude that I have for each and everyone of you that has given me so many heart felt comments and compliments a girl/cake decorator could ever have. You are all such a blessing and I value each and every comment that you take the time to leave as well as all the emails that you send to me.

I am looking forward to a new year with many exciting cake decorating projects to tackle and lots of sugar figurine ideas that I am working on and I also look forward to meeting more sugar friends along the way. If you ever have any questions feel free to email at donnalane7@msn.com

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