If I am going to go to all the work of sclupting any figures what is the best medium to use that will keep their color and not fade in storage?

I would also like to know this! I have done some numbers in half GP & half fondant and it worked pretty good, but have a cake coming up with some Veggie-Tales and would like an opinion!

...especially if they are kept for a keepsake!

I use 1/2 gp and 1/2 fondant. It works good. After they have been on the cake, I have kept some in tupperware containers and they keep really well, and have full color. I have some flowers and figures from over a year ago that are still as colorful as when I made them.

Thanks kseevers, I'll have to try that. I do have a bow and a frog left from a cake that were made of fondant but they have fadded. I don't think they look good enough to use again. (These are family cakes).

What do you think about chocolate clay or plastic? I made some last night for the first time. It doesn't seem to dry hard, but it does keep it's shape welll, until you touch it with a fingernail, that can make a mark. I think it might keep it's color well though.

I'm thinking about making a fun dummy Christmas cake and donate it to this charity that has a fund raiser every year (the first three days in December). People make bids on items and get to take their things home after three days, if they end up being the top bid. I have never seen a dummy cake at this fund raiser but I think that it could be a neat center piece for someones holiday's. That's one reason I'd like to make it with stuff where the color will last longest!

I have used modeling chocolate to do some bows and it worked ok. The shinyness may dull a bit with time, but they can keep. I learned that they can bloom if you but them in the fridge to cool or harden though. It is the cool moisture that does that. It has to air dry and it can take up to 24 hours. This is only from my personal experiences.I like using the white chocolate cause you can tint it pretty good.

Good luck with your holiday cake!