I've just been browsing through the gallery and the finish on some of your cakes is awesome! I'm finding that as my down point, like I always seem to have mark on my cakes or boards and icing sugar marks....any hints or tips on how to really tidy up the final product?

I just looked at your most recent photo and the finish on that looks awfully good! I just saw a little ridge maybe from the buttercream underneath, but sometimes that can be solved by chilling the cake really well first before covering it in fondant, so the weight of smoothing the fondant does not smoosh the cake and filling.

I think photography hides some stuff....I mean, when we stand inches away from our work, we see every little piece of dust, and every crease, and every microscopic crack! But when people stand back, they only see a really neat cake.

Of course the more perfectionist you are up close, the more awesome your cake will look from a distance...I'm just saying, I wouldn't be so sure that your finishes are not as nice as others. I didn't see any marks in your fondant or board in that photo I looked at.

Keep caking!

Thank you Kitagrl, yeah I often get that 'buttercream bulge' never thought of chilling the cake, that's a great tip, thanks!
I guess you're right, I'm my own biggest critic, for sure.
Is there any trick to get spots of sugar off of dark fondant? I find it happens a lot to me! I end up sticking embellishments over it as it just won't brush off!

Oh cool, thanks! I'll definitely be trying that, my presentation is my weak point, for sure!

Something that I recently have been doing mid-way through my decorating is taking a picture of the cake and then studying it. For me, because I have been looking at the cake up close for hours, it really helps me to step back and catch different things that I just don't seem to catch while I am looking at the real deal. This has been helpful to me, so I thought I'd pass it along.

Another great tip, thanks! Sometime my husband points out things that I haven't noticed, where I've been up close for too long....I guess this is a 'safer' way of doing things! Saves him getting an elbow in the ribs huh?!