Fun with Photoshop

I was cleaning out my files, trying to free up some space, when I came across the cover of the issue containing my original Ribbons and Bows box, along with a fun version of the cover, merging scroll sawing with cake decorating.  The cake in the moose's mouth was really quite a production--all the fruit was modeled out of sugar paste, and the basket was the actual cake.  I used to love playing with Photoshop, switching heads and stuff.  Most of my work these days, however, involves process shots for my projects, and it's hard to get creative with that.

How I made my son's wedding cake

Here's a three-part video tutorial that documents the steps involved in making the cake for my son's wedding last Sunday.  As you'll see, it was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun.

The Wedding Cake

Well, the wedding was a huge success. The weather cooperated, and everything went off without any major problems. And the cake was delivered safely, securely wedged in the front seat, in its packing box. My son and new daughter-in-law were very pleased, and the feedback was terrific, both on looks and taste. Most wedding cakes are afterthoughts, and commercial, and not very tasty. I was amazed that people had room for cake after all the food, but they did. And the top layer is a dummy, which will keep indefinitely if protected from moisture, rodents, and insects.

I used commercial flowers, instead of making my own, so I would not have to worry about humidity, and kept the air conditioning on throughout the two days needed to get the cake together. With all the shelves removed from my refrigerator, the box fit in nicely.

I packed away all my cake decorating gear last night, until the next occasion, and can now get back to my shop with a clear head. But I'm glad that I did it--it's special to be able to make the cake for you child's wedding.

A small break from woodworking

I've had to reduce my shop time, temporarily, because I am making the cake for my son's wedding on July 11th. I finished up the top ornament yesterday, which gives me some time off before the actual baking and assembly next week. I'll post pictures when it's done--I'm pleased with how it looks so far. Since many of my woodworking ideas have come from my experience as a cake decorator, it was fun to go back to my "origins" and see how many parallels exist.