Marina Art and Cake Gallery

Wedding Cake - Final Assembly and a Big Day

NinjaTurtle — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:46:00 GMT

Today we are leaving for Niagara Falls - girls night out before the big day. I am doing the final assembly and putting it all together.

Surprise!!!!

NinjaTurtle — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:47:05 GMT

And another big surprise of the day - you will see something that noone was allowed to see yet. Yes, the topping of the cake is ready - bride hat and groom hat - ta-dam!

Addition to the family!

NinjaTurtle — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:43:38 GMT

This Sunday was full of events - no wonder we only have 5 days left before the BIG DAY!
There is an addition to our cake set family - champagne glasses - give them a warm welcome!!!

Roses, roses, roses

NinjaTurtle — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:00:40 GMT

About 3 evenings of making roses and watching Dexter ( I am done with season 2 by the way, and yes, you are getting quite blood-thirsty after about 300 petals :) ).

Here are step-by-step pictures and some quick explanations on how to get the flowers done - just in case someone loves Dexter as well, or may be for the case when I get old and crazy and forget some sugarcraft techniques.

We start with the gumpaste - here is a big chunk of it

I usually don't go superfancy and use the recipe on the Wilton Gum-Tex box. Keep it covered at all times - dries very fast.

Then we need some wire - I used gauge 24 for the roses, as they are quite heavy - make a little hoop on the top

Then we take a little piece of gumpaste - about the size of filbert - and shape it as a raindrop - our base for the rose is ready. Dip the wire hoop in the water and insert it in the base.

And let it dry for about 24 hours. I use an old mugtree - comes in quite handy for the rose drying :)

Now we are ready for some petals. Roll out the gumpaste thinly and cut come petals using a special cutter. My rose petal cutter set has 5 pieces - I started with the 2nd smallest. The smallest one is so tiny I might use it one day for some dwarf roses.

Moving the petal on my foam mat and thinning out the edges, making them slightly ruffly.

Applying some water in the center of the petal

And wrapping the first petal around the well dried base

And the second petal

And one more! Basically the rose bud is ready - and we can stop here. BUt if we want a real rose - we need more petals, and Dexter!

Let's leave our roses to dry for another 24 hours by hanging them on the mug tree or we can stick them into a piece of Styrofoam.

My rose novel is to be continued......

Wedding Cake - Final Edition

NinjaTurtle — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:45:15 GMT

Cake design is a wild thing. You are thinking it all over, adding details, changing improving, caring about it and all of a sudden it gets out of control, like a whimmy child, and starts its own independent existence, demanding, but fabulous.

My sister's wedding is planned small - about 25 people. 14" one layer cake will serve 25 people. But, really, one layer wedding cake? I don't get it. Not for the girls from the poor country. Where is brilliance? grandiosity? luxury? On the other hand, making a confectionary monster and toss most of it? oh, no, we don't waste food, not a smalest piece of it.

Pam-pam-pam - applauze! welcome monsiuer design - final edition.

2 layers - first: polish honey-walnut-raisin cake, square, fondant covered. Second layer - not quite a real layer - thin merengue cake, fondant covered, made in the shape of a round candy box - I already have similar in my cake gallery - and, yes, filled with chocolate truffles. Second layer will be sitting on 4 pillars with the wreath of pink and white roses and violets (remember my cake set) around the pillars. Candy box will have a lead, sitting on the top slightly to the side to expose some of the truffles - yum-yum. Also, the lead of the candy box will be topped with a groom hat and bride hat, oh, and almost forgot - an orchid.

And speaking of truffles - how far in advance can they be made? I made a trial dozen today. Kids' faces looked extremely pleased. Anyone had seen the truffles?

Tight Budget and a bit of Creative Thinking

NinjaTurtle — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 02:10:06 GMT

Today I am doing something really exiting. You know, when you take a pile of cheap components and turn it into something quite glamourous.
I am decorating a cake set for the wedding cake today. The cheapest one we have found so far was around $75 - no way!
So, my secret ingredient list:
$CUT$

Cake set from Benix - $9.99
White wired ribbon from Michaels - $11.00
Some flowers, white and purple (I've heard the broom, oops, I mean the groom, will have a purple vest and tie) - $4.99

Then send kids to bed early, spend a few minutes and....
Voila!!!

I am quite proud of myself, but what would The Sister say? Hey, Sister, what do you think?

Wedding Cake - Let's get it started

NinjaTurtle — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:56:22 GMT

I was planning this site inially as an art Gallery. Works in progress, imprimature, art shows and so on. And the first entry was supposed to be art-related. But life is life - my little darling baby-sister is getting married in September. Just let her new life be as wonderful as she dares to dream. And my tiny little contribution would be the wedding cake. So, this is where I am starting today - the design is approved, the approval for the cake itself still pending. I will start working on some sugarpaste flowers. Step-by-step pictures are coming.