Web designers!!!

This post is a bit of a rant. For the past 18 months, I've tried to get someone to update my website. The first web designer I engaged (who I thought was a good friend) let me down badly despite all the work I passed on to him!!

12 months later, at the end of last year, I held a competitive bid process to try and find someone else. I selected someone who seemed the most professional (he had done a lot of competitor analysis and had lots of suggestions on how I can improve my current website etc).

He said the work will be done in four weeks and I paid a deposit. Guess what? No website!! Four months later after lots of promises and a half completed website (how hard can it be to include a photo gallery???) and unmet deadlines (the final one being 9am this morning) I've had to engage someone else and quite frankly, I am pissed off!!

I have no faith anything will be done till I see it. In the meantime, watch this space...................

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

I've not blogged for a while, despite my best intentions to do so. I do have a good excuse though. I was away on holiday and now that I am back I feel energised and very refreshed (NOT!).

I decided to go the the US (as always) and decided to visit the South. I chose to go to Savannah, Georgia so I can take a cake decorating class at Savannah Custom Cakes which is owned by the very warm, kind and generous Minette Rushing.

I met a group of wonderful women who include Jackie Butler of the Petal Sweet blog fame (amazing sugar artist and teacher) and Kate Essenberg who apart from being a talented opera singer, cake decorator AND photographer is also a great mum.

The class was taught by the king of cakes, the maestro that is Ron Ben-Israel. Some of the techniques I learnt can be seen on the cake above and over the next few months, I hope to have the opportunity to showcase more cake designs!

Winnie and friends

I have a confession. While I enjoy many aspects of sugarcraft, I don't enjoy figure modelling as such. I think it's because I've never had any fomal training and therefore just go with my instincts.

Winnie the pooh is one ofy my favourite characters and I was so glad I had the opportunity to make a cake featuring him and his friends. I decided on a picnic theme and made lots of little eats for them to enjoy. If I had more time, I would have made some honey and some drinks for them to wash down the meal with!

Valentine cookies

I thought I'd experiment and make some Valentine day cookies. I modelled them on the love hearts pastel colours and they looked quite cute. While I was at it, I decided to go a bit further and cater to the anti valentine brigade. While some might argue that the day has been highly commercialised, it is still a great excuse to celebrate coupledom or singlehood regardless!

Tea time treat

This green and ivory handbag and shoe was for a friend's 40th. She wanted the colours to be ivory and green and since Chanel is one of her favourite designers, I quilted the bag as a nod to the classic handbag design. The cake handle was a challenge but I got there in the end. The bow I deliberately made a darker green shade than the handle so it could stand out. The inside of the cake was a superb triple chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache (for quality control purposes I had to taste quite a lot of the cake as you can surely understand :).

On a dfferent note, I am very thankful to God for the amazing friendships He has given me over the years. I was taken out for high tea by one such friend at Sketch - The Parlour (http://www.sketch.uk.com/) yesterday. There was a huge wait for a table but luckily my friend had made a reservation.

There was a lovely selection of teas from Assam to Lapsang Souchong (I simply love the way it sounds!) and the cakes, pastries and sandwiches were absolutely delicious! Sketch might just become my new favourite place to hang out and I am definitely going back for a visit. So Julie, thanks for the fabulous treat.

Wedding Cakes - A Design Source

I was very excited to find out that another of my cakes has been published in a magazine by Squires called - Wedding Cakes - A Design Source. It's one of the first cakes I ever made using my favourite flower (blossom) and dragees. The magazine features the best wedding cakes from cake designers in the UK as well as all around the world, so I am honoured to be in such esteemed company!

Inspiration

If you haven't guessed by now, pink is my favourite colour and the rose is one of my favourite flowers. That's why both tend to feature a lot in my work. Therefore when I found a gorgeous bag cake design that Icing Dreams created which had both elements I just had to try and make it for myself.

My efforts were no where as good as the original but I did learn a lot about structure, stability and use of colour, especially gold. I ended up making over 100 roses for this bag but most importantly I had a lot of fun!

I have posted some images of the bag, so do let me know what you think. Don't be surprised if I make this bad again but in a different form.