Show Time!

Hi Cakeland!

As Wedding season winds down, cake decorators worldwide start gearing up for all of the cake shows and conventions.  It usually starts with ICES in August. One of the exciting things about shows and conventions is the vendor areas, where cake toy junkies like me revel in new gadgets and gizmos.  Next weekend, Toronto hosts the Baking & Sweets show.  My second family - Chrissie and Justin of Icing Inspirations will be there with basically their entire shop.  Last year they introduced us to Sassie isomalt sticks, and this year they have something huge planned!  I am pleased to announce that along with stopping by their booth to register for one of the many upcoming celebrity classes they have (including 2013's cake event of the year - Cake Carnival), they have a special guest.  Chef Dominic of Marvelous Molds fame (and makeyourownmolds.com) will be there demonstrating his new line of products including new molds from Marina Sousa, Earlene Moore, and some Marvelous Molds originals.  Check out the pics below for a sneak peek at what you can find at the Icing Inspirations booth:

check out a video showing how to uses the fleur de lis here

 

Chrissie and Justin always have their fingers on the pulse of what is hot and good quality in the cake world, you know Dominic's product are top notch!  He has re-vamped Marina's bead molds to make them easier to unmold.  I unfortunately can't be there to meet Dominic in person, but if you are able to get to the Toronto show, be sure to swing by and say hi to the gang for me!

 

About a month after Toronto, Montreal (my hometown) will see it's first ever Cake Show and Competition (the Montreal Cakeshow).  I am very excited about this show!  Not only will I be re-united with my Icing Inspirations family (Chrissie is teaching at the show and having a vendor booth), but I will be entering a few pieces in the competitions and having my own vendor booth to promote my classes and a new line of cake decorating supplies that I have been working on.  This line includes, petal dust, airbrush color, silicone molds and veiners, and some cutters to make lifelike sugar flowers!  One such cutter has me really excited!  I was researching Orchids (because I am obsessed with making sugar ones) and fell in love with the Mokara Orchid:

 

 

I did more research to learn this was a hybrid orchid and that there are not any cutters out there that would allow me to make it, so I took matters into my own hands and made my own.  Here is an exclusive sneak peek at what the cutters resulted in:

 

I really hope to meet alot of you there!  I will be doing a demo on Saturday in the demo area and will be demoing some of my products all weekend at my booth.  If you can't make one of these two great shows, search online to find an upcoming show in your area - they are a great way to see new things, get ideas, and meet new people!

 

Until Next Time,

Happy Caking!

 







Cake Carnival Update - meet the final instructor!

Hi Cakeland!

Well, my week of revealing the instructors for Cake Carnival - the Cake event of 2013 has come to an end.  And today's instructor is no less amazing than the previous 5.  She is the author of 2 great books you probably all own (if you don't then you need to!).  She has been on Food Network Challenge as well as many tv shows including Martha Stewart.  She is Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes!

Elisa will be teaming up with Marina and I am sure that their project will be awesome!  Keep reading the blog as I plan to continue bringing you more Carnival news including in depth q&a's with the instructors (send me the questions you want asked) as well as any updates that I hear of......

Until Next Time,
Happy Caking!!

Cake Carnival Update - Meet Instructor #5

Hi Cakeland!

4 down, 2 to go!  Well, actually 1 to go after today :)  Today's teacher announcement is very exciting for me.  I have admired this person's work for a while now and am very eager to learn from him!

You probably feel the same way too!  You have seen him on Food Network Challenges and Last Cake Standing Season 2.  You have watched him teach us amazing techniques on Craftsy.  Making his Canadian teaching debut (at least I think) is the one and only Joshua John Russell!!!

Josh will be teaming up with none other than his great friend - Karen Portaleo!  The two of them have worked together in the past to create phenomenal works of edible art, and I cannot wait to see what they bring to our big top!  If you want to sign up for the cake event of next year, head over to Icing Inspirations and register.  Seats are filling fast!

Until Next Time
Happy Caking

Cake Carnival Update - Meet Instructor #4

Hi Cakers!

I am totally stoked about today's teacher announcement!  This instructor is one of the sweetest, nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting!  She has such a bubbly personality, and makes you feel so relaxed and comfortable in class.  She is a Food Network Challenge Champion, and her Craftsy class on advanced fondant techniques was my favourite to date!  She does exquisite work too :)  You guess who it is yet?  It is the exquisite Marina Sousa!!!

 



This is going to be Marina's second time teaching at Icing Inspirations.  I am hoping that we again get to use her phenomenal line of button and bead molds too - they are some of my favourite toys!

 

Stay tuned to see who our next instructor is.  If you have not registered for Cake Carnival yet, go ahead and do so here.  And a few of you have been wondering what skill level you need to be for this event - as long as you have basic fondant skills, you will do fine - there will be so many skills taught everyone will take something away from this! 

 

Happy Caking

Cake Carnival Update - Meet Instructor #3

Hi Cakeland!  The feedback I've been getting about the announcements is great!  I hope you are all having fun anticipating who we announce next!  Once all 6 instructors are announced, I plan on featuring each instructor more in depth with q&a's, so if you have something you want to ask one of the instructors, leave me a comment here.

Today's announced instructor is my newest cake crush.  I have yet to meet her, but her work is truly impeccable!  She has won many food network competitions and Halloween War.  I am told she in a genuinely kind, sweet lady who is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.  She is none other than the lovely Karen Portaleo!

 

That's right - Karen will be returning to Icing Inspirations for the Carnival!  I was told her first class there was incredible.  So much so that she will be there again in November for a holiday class as well as a hands and faces class, and of course November next year for the Cake Carnival!  Who will be announced next?  Stay tuned here to find out.  If you are now convinced that you HAVE to be in this amazing class, then click here.

 

Happy Caking!

Cake Carnival Update - Meet Instructor #2

Well, we got such great feedback and excitement about James as the first instructor, that we figured we'd announce his teaching partner.  I like to think of her as America's sweetheart of cake thanks to her girl next door charm!  She has appeared on Ultimate Cake Off and Food Network Challenges including Last Cake Standing.  That's right cakeland - the second instructor at the carnival is.......

 

 

Courtney will be teaching later this week at Icing Inspirations.  There are still a few spots left I believe.  If you would like to get a taste of Courtney's teaching style (and learn how to make an adorable little dog from cake), then click here.  And if you haven't ecured your spot in the Cake event of 2013, then click here and make sure you don't miss out!

Cake Carnaval Update - First Instructor Announced

So a day or two ago, I mentioned that a huge event was coming to Icing Inspirations November 2013.  This event is none other than the Cake Carnaval - a 3 day cake retreat where celebrity cake artists pair up and teach us a different circus themed project each day.  The roll out of this class has been done in "teasers" and the announcement of the instructors is no different!  I have teamed up with Icing Inspirations, and will post info about each instructor as they announce them.

Our first instructor will be the much-adored James Rosselle!   James is a four time Food Network Challenge champion, earning himself the coveted red jacket. He was recently named one of North America's Top 10 Cake Designers by Dessert Professional magazine.  James has worked with big names in the pastry and cake world - Gale Gand and Ron Ben Israel.

James has his own line of cutters, veiners and molds which can be purchased at Icing Inspirations.  He also has a class coming to Craftsy which he is currently in the process of filming as I write (watch for my review of the class here when it is launched).

If you want to book your spot in the class, you can do so by clicking here.  Who will be the next instructor?  Keep reading the blog for more news as it is revealed!

Happy Caking!

Icing Inspirations is the place to be in November 2013!!

Hi Cakeland!

I have been uber busy working on a few TINY projects like my upcoming rose class in Ottawa with Lorrie Gauthier, getting ready for my booth and demo at the Montreal Cake Show, as well as working on my competition cakes for the same show.  And, more importantly, I have been working ALOT with my BCF - Chrissie from Icing Inspirations/Too Nice To Slice on her upcoming competition as well as a HUGE announcment that we are on the cusp of announcing!

A couple of weeks ago on the Icing Inspirations facebook page, we announced that a huge announcement will be made once we reached 6000 likes.  Well, tonight we did.  And the official announcement for the Cake Carnival is on it way!  Until then, here are a couple of pics to tide you over:

 

 

 

 

 

Keep your eyes posted here for the official announcement, updates, contest info, and much more!  You see the dates above, if you are a cake enthusiast like me, this is an event you definitely don't want to miss!

 

Happy Caking!