I found this lady from the UK on flickr and LOVE these delicate swirly ribbons she uses on lots of her cakes. See link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakechester/4736487546/

I've emailed her to find out what they are and spent over an hour searching online for ribbon sprays, wire ribbon, etc. and have come up empty handed. I haven't heard back from her and need to know for a cake I'm doing tomorrow...in case I can find them locally. Anyone have any ideas what they are?! I love them...they are so delicate and pretty!! - and she uses them in LOTS of different colors! And if you know what they are....where do I buy them!????

Thanks for the help!!!!

Looks like curled paper to me!

I have seen similar things (not sure if they are exact) in the floral/dried floral section of Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

Looks like quilling paper.

At first I thought it might be ribbon also but that wouldn't stand up as straight as paper. My vote is for stripped paper using a ribbon stripper then would around something small and held there for a while. The strips of paper should unwind after a while and look just right. Perhaps even dampening the paper will help to keep it's memory longer after it dries. Does this make any sense?

they look like floral picks to me. I remember something similar that I would use when i would make homecoming mums. Check in your floral department or homecoming mum section at your local hobby store like Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

I agree with Leah_s, looks like quilling paper.

I agree with leah_s, it looks like she used quilling paper. They sell it at Joann fabric stores and its between $4 to $6 a package depending on color and style.

It looks like what they call onion grass from the floral department. It doesn't come curled. Michael's usually has it. Sometimes party stores have it, too. It is made of a mylar type material.

Is quilling paper thick enough to "stand up" like hers does - coming out of the cake so straight like that??? I've tried it with thin strips of construction paper and that doesn't stand up at all...to flimsy. I've never worked with quilling paper, so I thought I'd ask how rigid it is?!

Thanks for the advice everyone!