I want to do something oriental for a cake, but I'm having several significant problems. One is how to do water or something that looks like it. I've heard jello can be used for that, but I'd be interested in other ideas.

I'm also looking for cake toppers or miniatures of stone benches, stone or wooden bridges, japanese lanterns, japanese trees/bushes, and perhaps a gazebo or something else that would match.

So far, I've check cake toppers, dollhouse supplies, hobby supplies, and I'm coming up relatively busted. Do I need to abandon this idea? The cake has to be done by the end of the month.

Oh, and I'd love to find some miniature Koi fish to put in the "water" as well.

I've done water with blue-colored piping gel.

Depending on how much you need, maybe you can melt blue hard candies (or make your own) and after they harden again in the correct shape, place it onto the cake.

I haven't seem miniature things like youa re describing, but would you want to try making them out of gumpaste?

I know this sounds gross, but what about UNUSED! aquarium decorations? I have seen some cute japanese themed stuff for fish tanks, and they aren't always made out of ceramic.

My friend did a pond cake with jello. The only thing with that, though, is the jello melted her fondant koi. She had stuck them down in a cup of it to test it out, and the colors ran like crazy. I like blue piping gel for water. It's pretty nifty But if you did the blue hard candy (also a cool idea!) Could you pipe some koi on top? Just small, bird's-eye view koi? That would be cute Don't know if I'm getting my idea across plainly, though. LOL

Just brainstorming here, since I've never worked with hard candy or royal icing (much)... Could you do the hard candy "pond", pipe on the koi in royal icing, let dry and then spread a very thin layer of piping gel on top of the whole pond, to look like the koi are actually under water and not swimming on top of the water? Does that make sense? Or would the piping gel mess up the RI?

just a word of caution - if you do use anything plastic, you might want to be sure it is food safe....

I have a place called The Wishing Well party store close by. Or just go to places like Party City...etc...

I find it really helps to draw/sketch the cake out. Make a plan. Also maybe try to double or triple load your icing bag with white,blue and green and pipe your water on. Smooth and swirl for pond effect. Air brushing is really good for a water look also.

I like to make my own decorations, so give royal,fondant or gum paste a try.

You can really showcase your talants and make statement with a cake like this.. Have fun...

I had considered a few issues with running etc. My original plan was to get a poster or print of small rock gravel and use that as the cake base (on top of the cardboard). Then I would put a clear sheet of plastic over it and paint some Koi on the plastic. Then I would put another layer of plastic over that to seal the paint from anything else.

From there, two cakes on top connected by a stone bridge, and maybe some clear light blue jello for water. I might be completely over-thinking this, but it looks just brilliant in my sketch

I am not much help, but your cake sound REALLY COOL!

Post a picture when you are finished.

for water you can use melted blue jolly ranchers. or you can use this recipie for rock candy.

http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_19268_20778-52395--,00.html

Maybe you could use candy pebbles. Yummy!

I am sorry, I thought you were asking about decorating the cake it's self. If it just to cover the board, lots of designs at a aquarium section of the pet store.. Again sorry I missed read your post

Maybe a hobby house for miniature doll house furniture or Michale's. They do carry doll house furniture and other things of small size.