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| There's a computer game that my oldest grandson plays called MINECRAFT. My daughter wanted the cake design be based on the game and to be a surprise for Jack. The backdrop was made with the colourflow technique, and the figures from gumpaste. |
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| This is the main guy from the game. |
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| And this is a smile of approval from grandson! |
This is the calyx cutter. The hat part of the paste needs to fit into the hole, so roll it between your fingers until it is about the right size. You may have to lop a bit off the top.
Now it's cut and still inside the cutter. It will not drop out because some of the "hat" is wedged in the hole. Use your paintbrush end to push it out.
It won't be a pretty sight, all squashed, etc., but just rebuild it with your fingers until it is a neat shape again. If you are using a metal fuchsia cutter you will not have these problems.
Using a pointed stick or the end of a thin paintbrush handle make a hole right up the middle of the calyx.
Tool the petals slightly so that the pointed ends raise upwards.
Now, push the calyx onto the dried petals which you have already moistened slightly.
Keep pushing gently until it covers the pink petal base. Smooth around so there is no pink showing through. Gently curl the calyx so that it is folding back from the pink petals. There's still the little seed bud to add at the top of the calyx. And then I will dust and steam. 
So, there you go, this is the fuchsia. It looks so complicated, but once you see each step separately, it's not rocket science!
Lots of babies being "born" and sweet little cradles being crafted on Sunday at the EECD workshop. Lynn ran the workshop and instructed on how to make a cradle from two sizes of heart cutters. The red Wilton heart cutters worked really well. Other members brought samples of different cradles and cutters. A good time was had by all!
Here the pieces have been cut out from gumpaste. The large heart piece is the head of the cradle, the smaller one, the foot. The other pieces are the base, and the side rails. There is also a molded baby.
Our members concentrating on getting the pieces cut just right.
Lynn now has the rails attached to the bottom.
The finished cradle on the right is prepared ready for a canopy. This shows that the basic cradle can be enhanced and added to.
Lynn prepared the canopy beforehand. For the posts she used glass swivel sticks which will go into holes already made in the heart plaque.
Here are more cradle designs.
On the left a small sugar molded cradle, the centre is another design using cutters. On the right a larger sugar molded cradle. and in the front, a bare bones cradle made as an experiment. Because the bottom points of the hearts were left on, the cradle needs some kind of support underneath to keep it from falling over.
The sugar molded cradles will be offered as a workshop at a later date.
Next, make the eyes and beaks. For the eyes, roll white paste very thinly and cut circles with a #6 piping tip. The little circle will be the cornea. Cut the same out of black paste and divide it in two, make a ball and flatten it for the pupil. Stick in place on the head. For the beak, cut a small square, I had to trim it smaller than the cutter below. Press with a pin to fold it in half. Press the pin flat into the head to make a small indentation. Brush a little water into the indent and gently push in the beak. 
Make a small cone of coloured paste and work with a pointed modelling stick to create the toque. 
Push the head onto the toothpick, adding a little gum glue to keep it in place. Then glue the toque in place.
Now, aren't they just the cutest little guys!!! If you make the penguins for your own cake, I'd love to see the finished result. Leave me a message please! My finished cake is posted here on December 8th. Click on "penguins" under Labels below.
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