What does everyone use for the cute cake boards they decorate to match their cakes? What is the acutal board.....styrofoam, cardboard? I'm just a hobby baker for friends and family, and have just started doing this. The cardboard cake boards that are sold at craft stores don't seem thick enough to put a ribbon around the base. I'm looking for someting inexpensive. Thanks!
There should also be, right around the same section, foil covered drums, which 1/2 inch thick. I use those sometimes, or cut them from 1/2 inch foam core, or order sturdier ones from cake supply websites. For heavier or more delicate designed cakes, I cut masonite, cover with fondant or butcher paper and decorate from there.
Here's a good tutorial for making your own cake boards:
The link posted by countrycaker is really neat. To get those professional look you can Cover a board in fondant and here is a link for that:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extra-icing/sets/72157594575839118
I use foamboard. Cut it with a sharp box cutter. The box cutter I use is shaped like a pocketknife and easier to use than the regular kind. When the blade is fresh, it cuts foamboard like butter. I use the 1/4" thick kind, and will glue two thicknesses together for a tiered cake. I cover it with fondant by rolling the fondant directly on the board and then using stamps or cutters to make a texture on the fondant, then highlight the impressions with luster dust. Glue the ribbon on with Tacky glue. If the board is thicker than your ribbon, glue on two layers, overlapping to the right height. That always comes out looking just fine. I know some people use double sided tape for the ribbon, or straight pins.
Here's a board that I did that way:
You can use rubber stamps to make the impressions on the fondant on the board but not on fondant that will be eaten. For things that will be eaten, use the clear plastic stamps to make impressions 
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%