2. The image is projected onto the gumpaste. Then, using tips #2 or #3 and the pre made black icing, pipe the outline of the image onto the gumpaste.

3. If needed, use the edible airbrush ink to paint your pictures. For this CD I painted the grooms hat, tie and shoes with black ink. To make the bride's dress pop, I mixed clear vanilla extract with pearl dust and painted her dress, veil, and shoes. To add a personal touch, I gave the bride blond hair.

***Notes on the CDs*** I did a Google images search to find the images. All of the CD piping was done using a projector. This includes the handwriting. Below is a list of the CDs I made and any important tips for decorating them.

• Music Store CD - I airbrushed it green and piped the logo onto the CD using black icing and tip #3. Musical notes were also added using black icing and tip #3.
• Filler CD #1 - I airbrushed it a combo of red and pink and piped the words 'All You Need is Love' using tip #3 and black icing.
• Proposal CD - I airbrushed the gumpaste blue and piped the outline of a boat and the word 'Yes!' using black icing and tip #2. The boat was then painted using red, black, and pearl edible ink. To make the water stand out on a blue background, I painted blue piping gel on the bottom half of the CD.
• Message CD- I airbrushed the gumpaste pink and piped the following message using black icing and tip #3: 'Siobhan & Joe, May you always make beautiful music together."
• Filler CD #2- I airbrushed the gumpaste yellow and piped on the original Banana Pancakes CD cover using black icing and tips #2 and #1.
• Wedding Song CD- See above.
• Marriage CD- The gumpaste was left white and the image was piped using black icing and tip #2. I then painted the picture using flesh and red colored edible ink.

Once all of the CDs are dry you can add the black strip to the left side of each CD. Roll out black fondant or gumpaste and cut to size. Attach the strip with piping gel. To give it a rigid look, I made small indents into the black strip using a gumpaste tool. The end of a paintbrush or a fork will also work.

Level, tort and fill your 1/2 sheet cake. Place the cake on your cake board and ice with white buttercream icing. The sides of the cake should be lightly iced. Next, pipe vertical lines on the sides with tip #68 and a shell boarder around the top with tip #35.

Using random.org, we have a winner of the "Choose 3" Party Planning Package to Atlanta Party Planning. Our winner is entry #2, Judy. Congratulations Judy! You will receive an e-mail from me shortly.

Yes, this White House replica is really cake!

I would have loved to see the look on the little girl's face when she saw this birthday cake!

Look at the icons on this phone cake. I didn't think it was possible to make something that small!

All I have to say is, I love everything about this cake.

This next group of cakes comes from their Wedding Cakes Portfolio.

I chose this first cake because of the bright colors and the beautiful flowers.

The combination of colors and the flowers caught my attention on this cake.

In my opinion, I saved the best cake for last! If I could do it all over again, this would be my wedding cake. I love the words embossed in the cake not to mention everything else about it. Perfect!

There are so many more cakes to see so stop by The Buttercream Studio and check them out. You wont be sorry!

I came across this great 2 part gumpaste hydrangea tutorial at the Petalsweet Cakes Blog. Part 1 of the tutorial gives detailed instructions and pictures to making the beautiful flowers seen above. Part 2 then discusses how to color and assemble the bouquet. 

*Update: Jacqueline has recently posted a Part 3 to her tutorial.  Here she discusses how to make the gumpaste leaves.

I know these flowers look intimidating but Jacqueline does such a great job with this tutorial that if you have just a little bit of gumpaste experience, you will be able to make these flowers.


Hydrangea Tutorial Part 1
Hydrangea Tutorial Part 2
*update: Hydrangea Tutorial Part 3

I want to share with you this great contest I have found. Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner have teamed up to help support Save the Children's U.S. Programs. If you visit www.maketimeforchange.com you can play their new Spin and Win Game. Every time you spin, you will be entered to win a valuable gift card for spending time with your kids and automatically be entered to win a new Frigidaire washer and dryer. They are giving away prizes every day so make sure you play! More importantly, for every spin, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children. Help support this great cause and visit www.maketimeforchange.com today!

In this next cake, I envy the butterflies they have made. I would love to learn how to do this some day!

This cake was made for a bridal shower with a tropical theme. If you know how to make the flowers, it is very easy to put together.  Don't know how to  make gumpaste flowers?  No problem.  You can now purchase them from my handmade shop.


To make this cake you will need...

1 sheet cake sized cake board
1 sheet cake
white and green buttercream icing
pink, green, orchid, yellow and purple gumpaste
pink piping gel
tips #2, #3, #85 and #35


Directions:


Step 1

A few days in advance, make the gumpaste flowers. Except for the fantasy flowers, everything you need to know and make the flowers, including the cutters, can be found in the Wilton Floral Collection Flower Making Kit below. Click this link for instructions on how to make the fantasy flower.



You will need to make 2 large fantasy flowers, 6 orchids, 6 lilies, 8 small pink daisies, 4 white daisies, 6 purple cherry blossoms, 6 yellow cherry blossoms, 6-8 large leaves, and 8-10 small leaves.

***Decorator's Tip*** It is always a good idea to make extra gumpaste items.


Step 2

Level, tort and fill your cake on the cake board. You are then ready to ice the cake. With this cake, the top was iced smooth with white buttercream icing. The sides were vertically piped using tip #85 and white buttercream icing, just like in the picture below.

In this guide you will learn how to make edible sand/pebbles and add a buttercream transfer image to a cake.

To make this cake you will need...

1/2 sheet cake (2 layers)
1 foil covered cake board
frozen buttercream icing (brown, tan and red)
1 tube of black pre made icing.
basic buttercream icing (blue, red, green and brown)
graham cracker 'logs' or 'sticks'
cowboy image
tips # 1, 2, 3, and 5 (you will need at least 2 of each tip- except tip #1)


Directions:


Step 1

At least 1 day in advance, make your transfer image. Use our google search bar at the top to help you find a picture. For best results, search 'cowboy coloring pages' under Google Images.

Once you have your picture, use your frozen buttercream icing recipe, tips #1, 2 and 3 and follow our Frozen Buttercream Transfer Tutorial.


Step 2

Level, tort and fill your 1/2 sheet cake. Then, ice your cake with blue buttercream icing.

***Decorator's Tip*** When icing your cake, keep in mind that the lower half will be covered with 'sand.' By leaving mounds of icing, you will give the appearance of hills after the next step is completed.

Step 3

Line the sides of the cake with your graham cracker logs or sticks. Both will work so use what you can find. Crush the remaining graham crackers in a plastic Ziploc bag. Sprinkle the graham crackers along the bottom half of the cake to look like sand and pebbles.


Step 4

Place your frozen buttercream transfer on the cake. There are really no tricks needed here. Just make sure you peel your wax paper off slowly and place the image on before it thaws.


Step 5

Using tip #5 and green buttercream icing, pipe the large cactus on the cake. To make the cactus pop, pipe another layer of green icing on top using tip #3.

***Decorator's Tip*** It is very difficult to pipe on top of graham crackers but it is important to put them on first so they do not fall on top of the cacti as you sprinkle them. So, before you pipe the cacti, brush away the graham crackers with a decorator's brush. Once you have piped your cactus, push the crackers back with the brush. Have a toothpick handy just in case your icing lifts away from the cake as you are piping it.

Next, pipe the small cactus on the cake using the same concepts as above and tips # 3 then 2.