Hey there.. 
Collete Peters will be next month in Orlando giving a 3 day workshop.. But it is soooo expensive..($820.00) Just wondering if anyone here had a workshop with her,...was it worth it?? Or do we really need to take classes with "important people"(Now I only can remember Debbie Brown, Masie Parish, Collete..) to be known as a good cake decorator??
I feel that I am doing so good by myself (and with the wilton classes taken) and all internet research that I do, that I really wouldn't like speding all this money (that nowadays is so hard to save) only so I can say: "YEAH, I HAD A WORKSHOP WITH COLLETE" 
Maybe I will give myself a gift (my b-day is next month) of the 3 Sharon Zambitos's dvd's..and spend less than 100 bucks 
I would LOVE to hear the answer to this one also! I have heard mixed reviews about Collette's classes - someone said that she moves really fast and if you don't get it she just moves on. but then I have also heard that she is GREAT and that they learned so much etc etc - so I would really like to hear what others have to say about it.
I just took a class with her and Nicholas Lodge a few weeks ago. She was great. I learned a lot and would do it again if I had the money in a heartbeat. The class I had with her was over Tipsy Turvy wedding cakes. She's great because you can ask her anything and she'll tell or show you, even if it's not covered in class. I learned more in one day than I could have in 5 months on my own, but I have lots to learn.
Sharon's videos are wonderful! I highly recommend them.
Honestly, either one are great options.
I have done classes twice with Colette Peters at the Notter Pastry school in Orlando. I have to say the first one in particular was very very useful. You just pick up so many little tricks of the trade you would not necessarily find in a book. And it is not so much part of the lesson plan, more "by the way - this is a really great way of doing x". I found Colette very approachable and willing to share her knowledge.
Another great asset is the chocolate man at the Notter school who comes around with freshly made truffles every day!!
I went to Orlando a couple of years ago and loved it. I was very new to decorating at that time, and she was very gentle, approachable, and helpful. In retrospect, I think I could have learned more had I been a little more experienced, simply because I could have asked more questions based on my own experiences (ie, failures LOL!). But, if there is space and you can swing the expenditures, go for it! She is sooooo creative, and the chocolates mentioned above are sooooooo good 
Oh man I would jump at the opportunity to get into a collete peters class!!! I say go for it!!! I have been trying to get as many classes as I can and with as much research as I do, (videos, internet, books). Nothing compares to having a expert right there with you!!!!
Jessica
I think $850 is a bit excessive for a class. Marina Sousa - a FABULOUS cake decorator - is giving classes at the OK Sugar Art Show next week and her price is only around $250, which I think is much more reasonable for a top name decorator's workshop. If you've ever seen her on the Food Network challenges, she does AWESOME work. Her assistant, Dawn Nemec, who has also competed with her, will also be there.
If I paid $850 for a class it had better include airfare, hotel, meals, all supplies AND the workshop! LOL!
In that case - and since you feel like you're doing fine on your own and through your classes - I'd wait to see if she's got another workshop later on that's less expensive. I think it would be great fun to take some of her classes but that's just crazy. I think I'd rather have $800 worth of cake toys! But then - I guess I'd need to know how to use them all, wouldn't I? 
Such a dilemma.
Why not wait for cake camp next year and spend $850 on sevaeral classes with several top decorators?
That's what I did this year.
Actually you could go on a long cruise for that much....seriously, you should look into the Cake Cruise in December - leaves out of Florida. The ship is spankin' new. Sails out Ft. Lauderdale, FL departing on Saturday December 13,'08.
http://www.cakecruise.com
the Large Outside Stateroom (Obst. View) under double occupany is $843.75 (with THREE other cheaper rooms still available).
Nicholas Lodge, Toba Garrett and B Keith will be there.
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