Ok. Sorry if this ends up being long. I'm doing a baby shower cake for my best friend. I feel awful because I missed her wedding shower and her wedding. Her wedding was 2 weeks after I had my son. Anyhow, I've only been doing cakes since October. I asked to make her baby shower cake. I told her not that I'm by no means a pro, but it would be made with love. I'm very discouraged. I have been trying all weekend to make animals. I'm wanting to do a jungle theme cake. But none of my animals look right. Does anyone have any suggestions on animals?
Well I also wanted to try to make a baby to put on the cake. I used the tutorial from SweetTcakes. Thanks SweetTcakes for the tutorial! Well I tried making it today. Mine is NO where near SweetTcakes. But what do you all think? I'm going to put a blanket laying over it and probably a little tobagoning(spelling) on the head since I didnt have anything for hair.

Please tell me what you all think. This is my first attempt. I did not want to make it exactly like SweetTcakes. Do you think my friend will like it?

Does anyone have suggestions tutorials on animals for a jungle cake?

TIA!

I love your baby is fantastic!! really cute!!! I wouldn't even put a hat on it!!


maybe you could post a pic of the animals you have made...maybe someone can give some pointers if you are not getting them quite right........sometimes we are our worst enemy when we judge our own work

Thanks Trudi. Does it really look like a baby to you? I don't have any of the animals but one. I destroyed them all. I am my own worst enemy and I know that. I don't think any of my cakes are good. I just love to do them.

Thanks!

I think your baby looks awesome for it being the first time you have ever made one!! Keep practicing on those animals and they will look as good as your baby!!

I think it's cute!! Looks fine to me. Don't be so hard on yourself. ( I know..easier said than done)!

It really is cute though.

IT's beautiful all I can suggest is a little tweaking

Make the body just a little longer cuz the butt is short .
Taper the feet down as you get to the toes and arch the foot inward look at a doll's feet and you'll see what I mean

The nose is excellent and it is PERFECTLY smooth my looks jointed and horrid

All you need now are some eyes ! This should help

http://www.lorraine-icingonthecake.co.uk/masterclass/face-howto.htm

Awe, Ashcake, I think your baby looks great! I agree with Torki, we are definitely our worst enemies when it comes to this stuff. I bet your animals looked just as good. It's really hard for me to see other's work because I think there are some FANTASTIC decorators here, but then I have to remind myself that many of these individuals have been doing cakes for years and I've been doing them for 3 months.

Anyway, I had this saved in my favs in case I ever needed it. It's always easier for me to have a visual then to mold off the top of my head. Heck, I used my DS' Little People Farm Animals as models on my last cake. If I come across any other jungle animals I'll come back and post.

Keep going, it'll be fantastic!

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1210515.html

Awww! He is so cute! I would draw a little 'superman' curl on the front of his head or do what Torki said and put a hat on him for extra cuteness!

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. I know I'm really hard on mysleft. I just want everything t be great. I'm sure my friend will just appriciate the effort. I'll post pics of my animals as I get them done. Any more advice or anything will be greatly appriciated!

Ashcake, The baby looks great! If it helps I pick up clay sculpting books at the local craft store. They have a lot of great ideas. Good luck and practicing is half the fun.

That is precious! You did a great job! I don't think it needs a hat at all - you could etch in some lines for a few strands of hair but I think it looks precious as it is. I like the idea shola had with the superman curl - very cute! You should be proud of your work!

I been wanting to make that baby, was it hard? Its soo cute look great..

Well, I think your baby is just too cute! Doesn't even need a "bogan"!

Beth in KY

Thanks everyone for your support. Your making me think it's not as bad as I think and it can go on my cake. Sometimes it just helps having fellow decoraters opinion.

I will think about the superman curl. That sounds cute. Hmm...I may try it.

bigmama1961- it wasn't really hard to do with the help of the tutorial. It is defently something I will want to practice with a lot more. You should give it a try. Where in TN are you located?

Thanks everyone again!

ASHCAKE,
I think your baby looks so cute. I did one for the first time a couple of months ago,and just played around with it until i got it to look some what like a baby. I didnt know how to do hair either,so i just put a couple of strands of fondant on its head. my husband was laughing and said it looked like the monopoly man! lol - I still need alot of practicing.don't worry Im sure your friend will love it!!

bren

Have you tried a Google search for a polymer clay tutorial on animals?

go to wilton to make buttercream or fondant animals. also, at the craft store (ac moore, michaels, ect...) go to the clay department and you can buy animal molds there for like 5 bucks and there are a few different animals per mold (or faces, or stars, or whatever...)

wiltons link is
http://www.wilton.com/decorating/basic/index.cfm

i was impresses by all the bc animals! i will be doing a jungle cake in a few months

by the way, your bald baby is cute, please dont add a thing to his precious little head!

Thanks foxymomma521 and
LetThereBeCake07. I will get on google and search later. I didn't know that wilton hand fondant animals on there. I will go check it out as well.


LetThereBeCake07 I like your signature. I married my match.com sweatheart on 7-10-04. LOL

Thanks again everyone!

Ashley, you did an awesome job.. Just adjust the feet like the previous mamber stated and add some eyes and you've got it.. It is so smooth and the color is perfect.. I don't think it needs a hat at all.. If you want hair use snippets of yarn.. In my tutorial I use an imitation mohair yarn.. If you have any powder food coloring dust on some accent colors on the bottom of the feet and hiney (test out the color on a sheet of paper before you dab onto the fondant. Too much pigment is not good..) I also use a fine paint brush and dust on a tiny, tiny bit at the eyelids (like eye liner) since the eyes are shut. It give the face more demension. But, you are doing great! Don't be so hard on youself.. It took me a few babies (that ended up in the rubish) before I got what I liked. It just takes practice. Sorry it took so long to respond I just got you PM this morning.. ;o)

You are off to a great start. Why are you worried?

Thanks SweetTCakes for looking. I just like to hear what other people think. I am too hard on myself. I know it takes practice. I'm just hard on myself. I want things to turn out differently. I really want this cake to be special for my Best friend.

I really think the way you are going she will not be dissapointed.. Not just how well you do on the cake and all it's components but for the fact that you did this for her out of the love in your heart.. You have gone the extra mile to make something special for her and her new baby. That alone speaks volumes.. So it's like a double postitive. ;o) Just take a breath and say to yourself I did good.. ;o)

Thanks everyone for your encouragment. I have been thinking about it since I put the post. Everytime I walk by it, it seems more and more to look like a baby. I realized that I am being to hard on myself. I am defently going to use the baby on her cake!

Here is link to Wiltons jungle animals, its the instructions I used to make the animals on my Jungle Babies Cake.

http://www.wilton.com/recipes/recipesandprojects/yearbook/amazingamazon.cfm

Thanks yourstrulytx! This helps!

I think your baby is adorable, my only suggestion would be to slightly skinny the middle of the body around the waste, it may help.....

I have done these with hair 'painted' on with very thin wilton color. Paint on very lightly to just give a hint of color.

I think your baby is so so cute. Just do the tweaks and eyes like previous members have said and voila!!! it'll be perfect. I have a baby I made for my daughters baby shower cake and At first I didn't think it came it out that great but people began giving all kinds of compliments and then I realized hey it's not so bad. Check it out in my photos.

MARIATAMIA, your baby is cute!

The more I think of it, I might add some brownish color to the top of his head. Just a very light and very little. Also I'm going to put some eyes on him.

Thanks again everyone!