CRAFTSY,I LOVE CRAFTSY

Hi,

I think I just blew my non-existent budget on a whole load of Craftsy classes.I just sat down and could not stop,as soon as I watched a trailer(don't know what it's actually called) I was a goner.I bought  16 within a space of a few days.

So where do I start from? to watch I mean,that's my dilemma  now,

It's all so exciting I bought from my favourite caking people and discovered some I never even heard about.

I am sooo excited,imagine watching Nicholas Lodge,Alan Dunn,Faye Cahill and a whole host of talented others in the comfort of your living room,kitchen,study or wherever you watch it.

I have bought all of the above and more,I have to confess and I still have about 10 on my wish list.

I have to confess,I have not finished watching all,I have not even watched half.

The ones I have watched though I can tell you are value for money,

I bought Shawna Mcgeevy 's, her creativity is amazing and I am tingling in anticipation of watching it.

The only problem I have with Craftsy is that they go and release new and tempting ones,and jeopardise my wish list.

Another reason why I splurged is because to take a class with one of these talented people would cost me a pretty penny,and I can always watch again and I can use the repeat button,

What's not to like?

As I watch I will give my opinion.


MY TOOLS HAVE ARRIVED


I told you I bought some tools from America to be brought to the UK for me by my friend.
 Well I received them,and can't wait to use them.

Here they are

My lovely 10 inch cake scraper from Fatgirl Cakes and my 6 wheel pastry cutter.


And I finally bought my Rosalind Miller-Wedding  Cakes book and Peggy Porschen's Cakes in Bloom,

The books are really,really good.

Now I can return the library copy with me.

You can see them in the background while my newest tool from Craftovator is in the foreground -a quilting ruler, I saw  something similar -being used by Jessica Harris in a Craftsy class I bought and I just had to have it!!!!


Would love to hear your views and comments.


Have a good week ahead

Shols.


Update -36 Craftsy classes and counting !!!


Update on update-I emailed Fatgirl Cakes and she replied -,lo and behold she told me its available at Claire's cakery,poor me.I googled and it didnt show you,so I assumed no one sold it here in the UK,

No harm done,I still have my scraper,if I need another one I know where to go.

Cakes Decor and Tools,tools,tools !!!

Hi,
I finally got round to put my cake pictures up on Cakes Decor.I just looove the site,I never really knew how much  I would love it,and the people on it are so lovely,I could feel the warmth from them.
I had signed on since March but never did anything on it and had simply forgotten,then I searched for cake tutorials online then Cakes Decor popped up.I registered and it told me already registered.

The site is full of so much to see and do,it's a treasure trove of information.
If I had known it was this good I would have gone on earlier,kudos to the members and the admin.

I had to pick my jaw off the ground at some of the cakes I saw there-AMAZING !!!!!!


The calibre of people there wow!!

TOOLS,TOOLS,TOOLS!!!

I am obsessed with tools as much if not more than I am with books.


If I read a blog post or I go on to Facebook and read about a tool a cake decorator mentions as good I'm all over it if I can afford it,I've been known to stretch myself on occasion ,and this is all in my quest to better myself on my cake journey,

I know that some tools you can do without but that's just me I guess.

I watched Shawna Mcgreevy of Mcgreevy cakes on Youtube,then I went to her tools page and went crazy.

OH MY GOD !!! I went berserk,the only thing which dampened my enthusiasm was the fact that I live in the UK and she lives in the US.

Some things could not be shipped to me and in some cases when they could the total bill to include taxes and postage was utterly ridiculous,to me anyway.

On Amazon UK some of the prices were outrageous and when I converted to dollars it made more and more sense to try America,right but I overlooked one major detail,where would it be delivered to?


When I saw how useful some things were however I just had to have them,case in point,the 6 wheel pastry cutter and the 10 inch edge scraper(for extended tier cakes).

I forgot who it was that mentioned Fatgirlcakes edge scraper then I read in Cakemasters magazine-the interview with Arizona based duo Sugar Sugar Cake Studio in which they mentioned it and that sealed the deal.

So a friend mentioned she was going on vacation to Ohio and fortunately for me another friend lived in the same city -Columbus,so I have ordered my things,will have them delivered to one friend and the other brings them back at the end of her holiday,Simple,


Here are pictures of my soon to be with me tools

I am soooo excited,it's as if I won the lottery.

That's my Fatgirl cakes scraper,I just love the fact it's got a wooden handle,the small one I have is all steel and does get quite messy.I just remembered where I first heard about it-it was a thread on Cake Central.


And here is my pastry cutter

This is from American Metal craft.I am so looking forward to its arrival,goodbye to wonky strips.




My shoe class update

Since my class with Rhu Strand.I have made another shoe this has given me more practise,



Here it is

I had so much fun making this,I'm trying to decide what my next project should be !!

What do you think?

See you

Shols

My Book Stash !!!!

Hi,

I looked at my books after I read a RoseBakes  post on her collection of books and I took a look at my stack, a real look and I was amazed.I had close to 30,how did I amass so many books?

I just love buying books and tools as soon as I read about a book or I go to the store and see one I just have to have it.

I have several I refer to over and over again.

I buy them from different places.I compare prices and buy where I get the best price.
My favourite places include The Wordery,Book Depository,Amazon, the Book People and The Works,
Sometimes I buy old books on Amazon,this could be from old library stock or second hand.

The Works is just phenomenal. You get books,toys,games at around 80% off.

Peggy Porschen's book-Flowers in Bloom is one of my favourites,can't afford to buy it yet but I'm saving towards it.I got a copy from my local library.

I also love Rosalind Miller's book-Wedding Cakes,Mich Turner's books too are really good,so also Zoe Clark and May Clee-Cladman.I also have Pretty Witty's book on modelling.

I shouldn't forget to mention Debbie Brown and Carol Deacon,they make everything seem so  so easy .
When I met Carol Deacon at the last Cake International(2015) I told her how much I loved her book and that it was the first book I bought on my cake roadtrip.

I also like Lorraine Mckay's book on modelling,it's really good,on my first attempt using her book,  I did really well even if I say so myself,in terms of the bodies,I modified them to West African clothes.The faces not so good i'm practising getting the faces right.

This below is my stash

Below are the figures I made following instructions  from Lorraine Mckay's book

  Yeah.I know I overdid the make up!!

This is what I made from Carol Deacon's book-my very first attempts at modelling before I went for my PME Diploma.That's a story for another day.

I think I have improved a bit?hopefully.


Did You see any of your books  in my stash? Please let me know.
Have a lovely week ahead

Shols.


P.S -before I forget go on to Craftsy and buy a course of your choice,there's a sale on,I bought 2,Yayy me.