I just finished up the Christmas Package cake that Sharon features in her Boxes and Bows DVD. I have NO prior experience with buttercream at all. I have never made a loopy bow before either. I followed along with the Buttercream DVD to get a smooth layer of icing on the cake. Then I watched the Flawless Fondant DVD for tips on how to make the cake board. And then I watched the Boxes and Bows DVD to decorate the package.

I've attached the end result. If this is my first attempt after following her instructions in her DVDs, I can only imagine how others will do. This is only my first attempt, so I still have miles to go before I reach the level of the Great Sharon. But I think I've started out in a pretty good place, thanks to the DVDs.

If you don't already have these DVDs, BUY.THEM!! They are becoming the single most best investment in cake decorating that I've made thus far.

Here's the cake:

Edited to add:Sharon's Christmas package cake doesn't have the loopy bow on it. I decided that I preferred the loopy bow, so I went ahead and tried to make it.

Very nice wk!!!

Nice work Nancy!! Agreed, Sugarshack's DVDs are awesome!! If you look in my pix, I did an open lid Tiffany Box cake with no prior experience on how to do that technique. It turned out great!! By the way, your cake is beautiful!!

Those DVDs are worth every penny and minute! That cake of yours looks great!

I have her dvd's on my Christmas list hehe...maybe better add a couple more! Thanks.......cake is soooooooooooooo pretty!!

Excellent job! Very neat, clean, sharp. A true inspiration for a newbie like me.

Thanks so much

Your cake is very beautiful. That's an excellent job. I agree about the videos. They are great, easy to follow and VERY informative. I hope to have the entire library of videos soon. so far i have topsy turvy and buttercream.

Oh that is sooo pretty!!!

I agree with you on her DVD'S. They are worth every penny. I think your cake turned out great too. I can't wait for her new one to come out with early 2010 release and I don"t even know the content of it yet!!!!!!

MrsNancy B, let me say I am very jealous, I have all of Sharons dvd's for a very long while now, looked at them when I first got them, and have them packed away in a box, YOUR CAKE LOOKS AWESOME, AND ELEGANT, Love the fact that you did the loopy bows, and for your first try you did an amazing job, thanks for sharing this with us, I guess I need to get up off of my lazy, procratating B_ _t, and go pull out those videos and go make some cakes. I cas use them for my church's Holiday Dinner on Saturday.

Madgeowens I just got this link in my email fora sale for Sharon's dvd's
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=5xVsC&m=1c0RIkzVBvq.Gi&b=g7vz4hV_vJewtxW.jC7VYw
Use this code at checkout for 10% off three or more dvd's. holiday09
it is for a limited time.

I can't wait for the dvd that she has coming out she is almost finish with production,

and I just got Jennifer Dontz's dvd in the mail a little while ago I am in cake heaven.

And MrsNancyB thank you so very much for posting. Great Cake.

It looks so professional! I just got her DVD library and my daughter loves to my cake shows w/ me! Forget Wilton classes. No offense anyone. You can watch the dvds over & over, pause & rewind all you want.

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

The whole time I was making the cake, I had the appropriate DVD in my laptop right next to my work area. I was able to pause, rewind, listen carefully to instructions.

My post is a testament to just how valuable these DVDs really are. There are so many firsts in the cake I posted, and to have it come out that way is just amazing.

I enjoyed using buttercream so much that I think I'll use it again for my next cake. The cake just looked SO smooth, it almost looked like fondant...but without the rolling, kneading etc.

Just jumping in to very humbly say thank you to Nancy for this wonderful thread, and to you all for the wonderful comments. I am so very very happy that you guys find the DVds helpful!

And Nancy, you knocked that cake out of the park!! EXCEPTIONAL!

Sharon's DVD's are AWESOME! (and I think she is too!) The only two I do not have is Boxes & Bows and Topsy Turvy, but they are one my Christmas list!

And Congratulations Nancy! That cake rocks!!

well your post put me on cloud 9 , so now we are even!!

They are so worth the money.

My son got me four of them for Christmas, and I love them. I hope one day I will improve somewhat from studying them.

Your cake came out awesome, I've got some of Sharons DVD's when I'm working in my sugar room they are always playing, I never got the opprotunity to take any classes so the DVD's have been a God send. Thanks Sharon

holy crap........I hope I can improve so my cakes look that good!!!! It looks just lkike sugarshacks! wow, well done

Nancy, your cake looks wonderful! The loopy bow is great, and I love your board!!

I did the same cake for my m-i-l. Her b'day was right before Christmas, so I thought this would make a nice cake. It was for a very informal family gathering and I had very little notice, so I didn't even do the board...your makes me wish I had! And I did the same thing--while I was decorating the cake, I had the dvd in my laptop right next to me. Felt like Sharon was in the room helping me haha!

Nancy and Sassy...your cakes look incredible, particularly the diamond impressions...

Did you both use Sharon's BC for your cakes?

I got three dvd's last week, my husband gave me as Christmas present. I have not been able to finish watching them...but so far I love them...I just hope to give it a try...



I just have one question do you know what brand of fondant she use?
Thank you....

FlourPots, I have used Sharon's BC many times, but I didn't use it on this cake. As I said, I had very little notice, and I had some regular BC on hand, so that's what I used. The recipe I use is very similar to Sharons recipe, so I use them interchangeably sometimes depending on what I have on hand.

Thank you both so much...I have the diamond impression mat from Sharon's site, but I've yet to use it and really want to!

I love how it looks on a cake.

thank you so much..it looks so nice that fondant...do you know how it tastes and where can I buy it?


I just finished watching the three dvds there are so great....worth the money!!!!

I don't use crusting buttercream or fondant, only meringue icings--will any of the videos be useful to me in that regard?