How do you attach fondat onto wire sprays and have them stick out without falling and slicing up the cake? Any suggestions? It looks like you need to stick it into the dry fondant ribbons on top of cake...Does this sound right? Im trying the pink and purple Hannah Montana Birthday cake..

Depending on how many wires and how thick, I just use coffee stirrers and cut them to length and then insert the wires into them. They don't cut thru the cake and you don't have wire coming in direct contact with the cake. If your have a lot of wires to put in one area - a large spray coming out of the center then just use a larger drinking straw.

I like to fill a straw with melted candy melts and stick the wires in them. They stay securely in the cake. If I have several wires coming from one part of the cake, I twist the ends together and stick them all in the same straw.

I wrap my wires with floral tape, white and then piercing the fondant, insert them into the cake.

I know, you'd think so but it is done all the time. I learned from my grandmother, who was a professional cake decorator, have also taken courses from others who've done the same. The floral tape is packaged and clean, never touched anything else, and as I mentioned before, the paraffin wax is a food safe product used for canning. I don't think it is any different then using plastic straws which are also packaged and clean. But, that's my personal opinion. When I use use sprays that need extra support I use floral spikes. Below is an expept from one of my older cake decorating books, " For perfectly-positioned gum paste, use a hollow dowel for support. Wrap the wires of your gum paste spray around one another as tightly as possible. Cut a hollow dowel to the exact height of your cake, and insert the dowel into the cake and the spray into the dowel. Or, wrap all the wires of your gum paste spray around a straw cut to the height of your cake, and press the straw into the cake. If you want more height from your gum paste sprays, wrap the individual wires around one another for support before inserting the spray into your cake." As you can see, they mention a few different ways, all of which seemed to be used by other CC members. I guess if floral tape grosses you out then it makes sense not to use it.

While I appreciate your input, I think it's important to remember that we evolve as we learn things, and thus our practices change as we become more knowledgeable ~ hence no more lead paint and asbestos tile in our homes. While paraffin wax is indeed used in canning, preserving produce, and even in chocolate, some paraffin is specifically NOT edible - such as that used in candle making. You do not know how the paraffin wax for floral tape was made, if it is contaminated, and how it is stored and handled during production and packaging. Would you go to the feed store and purchase corn or peanuts or other animal-grade food products just because we humans also eat it? I would hope not.

Just because it doesn't kill ya, doesn't mean it's a good, safe, or justifiable thing.

Hoo boy, I realize I am really going to step into it here, and I certainly don't want to hi-jack the thread, but here goes.
I lived on a small farm with a very self-sufficient lifestyle. As a divorced mother, I raised 4 sons, big gardens, sheep, chickens, geese, milk cow and assorted calves and lambs for meat, which I butchered. On top of that I authored two books on self-sufficient living.
The whole point of all of this is to comment on your thinking that feed for animals is sub-standard for human consumption. Feed or field corn, or dent corn is not the sweet corn we are accustomed to buttering at the table. But it is definitely the corn used to make masa or tortilllas or hominy. We recommended for the greatest savings to purchase it at the feed store. The only caveat being to buy UNTREATED, that is, seed not treated with fungicide. It is colored bright green or pink to differenciate between the two.
So the answer is yes...With proper knowlede, lots of things are possibnle.

And yes, I use straws to insert wires.

Thank you everyone for your input!! Im pretty nervous bout all the work, then it being ruined! The only thing about the floral tape that grosses me out is it is always soooo sticky!! Think Ill try the straw idea..Keep your fingers crossed for me!!! Either way Ill be nervous!! HAHA!!

By an older book I mean 3 years old, not 40. I don't mean to offend anyone with my decorating practices. Just thought I'd suggest what I find useful and do, didn't mean to create an issue in this thread. I appreciate and respect your view point and don't intend to get into a heated discussion just because we do different things.

I want to apologize for getting off on a tangent. I've barely passed the newbie stage and need to learn a little more contrul. The grains issue is sometning I've taught in self-reliance seminars and is close to my "survival heart". I will do better to stick to cakes for I really love this site and the support and sharing everyone offers. And cakes is what it is all about. Thanks for your patience.

Cakes for me and a big helping of "humble pie".

Seriously, milkmaid...you merely expressed your opinion. There is no need to chastise yourself or offer any apologies. Nobody even addressed anything you said. If you want to eat animal-grade feed and let others know that it won't kill them to do so, that is totally cool to express that here. *Shrug*

I have three blue and gold macaws, and buy all kinds of snacky stuff for them to eat at the pet store ~ sunflower seeds, pumpkins seeds, nuts, granola, etc. Although I also eat these items, I buy my nuts, seeds, and granola from the grocery store because they have been HANDLED for human consumption, whereas the animal-grade items have not. That was my point....it's not the foods/ingredients themselves, but rather the handling/purity of such items for people to eat.

wwwooowww....

cakepro I adore you and your work but I gotta tell you I think some of the most unsanitary conditions I've seen have been in food prep factories prepping food for US to eat. Just like hospitals aren't as sanitary as well all think so you take your chances either way.

but...to the original OP.

I do the straw thing and if I'm still worried about the weight or falling I use a bamboo skewer or dowel (depending on the size of the straw and spray) and run that down through the straw and into the cake board of that tier (I use foam core). You can trim it the height of the straw or tape your spray to it. I've done both. I tape the heavier sprays to the dowel/skewer.
This way you don't have to worry about the weight of your spray pulling your straw anywhere. Hasn't failed me yet. I came up with that from having done some pretty heavy flowers/sprays.

hth....

still lovin' you cakepro - I'd eat some of your bird's sunflower seeds with you any day!

xoxoxo

This is a really old post, but I have to say this last piece of advice from CakeDiosa is genius.  I've been studying and researching in preparation for sticking a large gumpaste flower spray into cake and this totally puts my mind at ease.  

Yes there is sooo much info, hints and help on this forum... so wonderful it got cleaned up & is usable again.  Kodoos to Jackie!!