Hi everyone I need your help very badly....I got invited to do my first cake show on the 27th. Well its called Taste of the Bayou and its suppose to be show casing the seafood but they asked me to compete in the desert section and display some of my cakes. But the thing is I also have to decorate my booth for a booth competition so I need ideas BADLY I have no idea what theme to do my booth in, does anyone have any ideas? and secondly when I do dummy cakes can I use strofoam from the craft store or do I need a certain type....
Thanks in advance for all your help,
Jodi
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You ladies are some of the nicest and craftiest ladies I know so any suggestion would be gladly accepted...
Thanks,
Jodi

You can use the regular styrofoam. No problems.

If it's a taste of the bayou, why not do a dummy cake that is a pot of gumbo? With corn and biscuits... You could do a bayou scene, like the little shanty on the bayou with the dock into the water and a gator swimming by...

I'm not so sure about the booth, though. I would prefer to have a plain background so that my cakes stood out more. But that is totally a personal thing. But think about mono-chromatic anyway, and see what you can do about that. Remember, less is more!

As far as the dummy cake.... you can use the styrofoam from craft store, but they usually don't carry thick pieces, so by the time you put together a 3-4" cake, it could be rather pricey. There are tons of websites which offer cake dummies at competitve prices. Shop around until you find the best price for the size and shape you are looking for. Once they arrive.... have fun!! I love competitions!!! You can adhere the fondant to the styrofoam by lightly wetting styrofoam first, but it will be rather hard to remove fondant, should you ever want to disassemble. I never disassemble, so I cover my styrofoam directly ---- can't bring it in my heart to wrip it apart once my time went into it!! Another option should you plan on breaking down cake after competition is to cover the styrofoam with saran wrap, then your fondant so the fondant itself is not sticking directly to dummy.
There are a ton of creative people on this site... but unfortunately, I am not one of them tonight.... it's late and I'm soon off to bed, so I may not be much help in terms of the booth decorations and/or theme. I wish you all the luck!!! Once you have one competition under your belt -- beware, they are addictive!!
~~~ Jaime

Decorating your booth: I would keep it simple but elegant The monochromatic idea is good. I picture black (Or dk navey blue) and silver w/white accents.
Cover your talbes w/nice dk cloths; top w/lacey pieces (table runners, etc). Maybe some silver star pinned to the backdrop.

OR go autumn....dk red/orange backdrop & tablecoverings, then pumpkins and fall colored leaves as accents.

For styro you can purchase a sheet of 4 (or5") blue in color in a sheet approx 4 ft x 8 ft. It is messy to cut....I did it in the garage....just use a regular hand saw....for sqs & sheet cakes. I had trouble cutting rounds or hearts
Other option: stack up cake circles, glue together then cover w/contact paper before icing. This might not be cost effect.....

Thanks so much for the advice,
Jodi

If you cover the dummies with crisco, the fondant will break off after you are done. that is, if you really want them back. Try the hobby stores in your area. I know one here sells 3" dummies for a song and a dance. Not really worth keeping or cleaning up, you know?

Thanks so much for everyones help.
Thanks,
Jodi