I took my first Sweetwise class today, and I loved it! I did the "Introduction to Pulled and Blown Sugar" class, and I really did get a lo out of it. I just do this as a hobby, but that's actually something I have always wanted to learn. I can't wait to make my own candy canes this year, or a couple of bows for my next cake!

So now I'm wondering about taking some more classes there. I was wondering if anyone else has done any classes other than Buttercream I or Fondant I?

Get in touch with Ginger001 on here. She's taken some of their classes, but I can't tell you for sure which ones. I know she adores Kathy.

My sister and I took the royal icing class two years ago. It was taught by someone else-not Kathy. The instructor was very crude and somewhat rude. She sprayed me in the face with the spray bottle and just laughed. My sister just about came unglued. I do like her store-but I will not take another class unless it is taught by Kathy.

I have been wanting to take the sugar class there, so thanks for sharing! I have never taken any classes there before, but I've been to the store a few times. (I live a few hours away).

Actually, I keep hoping that Kathy will have another cake competition there. Does anyone know if she is planning another one?

Kathy didn't teach our class today, actually. Her husband, John, did. He was really great actually. I'm all for a laid back class style, and that's totally what it was. He went over step by step how to make the sugar, gave us the recipe, had everything measured out. We watched him pull through his batch, and then he let us go. After everyone's sugar was pulled he showed us flowers, and let us back to our stations to basically do whatever we wanted pulling wise. Then he showed us the blown sugar, and again, we went back to our stations for 10-15 minutes of practice while he walked around and helped. Lastly he showed us how to do striped ribbons and bows. If you wanted to make the same stuff he did, well great! If you wanted to make a lily instead of a rose he didn't mind a bit.

Not to mention getting to walk around in the store afterwards and buy stuff... I already want to go back. I did grab a hand pump while I was there! Now I just need a heat lamp (which will more than likely be on my birthday wish list) and I'm ready to go!

Oh! He let us take home all the sugar we had left over to play with too. I melted my pieces back down since I didn't want to worry about transporting them home without breaking them or having to deal with the killer humidity here. So now I have 2 nice pretty lumps of candy ready to melt down whenever I feel like playing again.

Thanks for the extra info Sammie! I have been wanting to take it for a while now, but this just makes me want to take it more. (I think I'll wait a little longer though, because my daughter is 2 months old today). And she can't spend an entire day without me yet. (A few hours day, a few hours for the class, a few hours back). I wish I lived there!

I think they may not be holding that particular class again until it's considerably cooler outside as it is. The humidity and heat here make it kind of tricky to play with. And congrats on the 2 month old! I know how that goes too. I couldn't have left my daughter that long at that age either. She's 9 months now, and fortunately the class was during nap time. Not that their daddy doesn't do an incredible job taking care of them, I just like him to have a weekend without running crazy chasing kids after working so hard all week.

I didn't think about the humidity! But that makes sense! And I totally understand where you're coming from, wanting a little weekend time to yourself. I have a high maintenance soon to be 4 year old as well. LOL. And so I'm always wanting a little time to myself. Never seems to happen though. Too much to do!

This shop is five minutes from my house, but I haven't taken any of the classes yet. The youtube vids of her classes seem very informative. I really want to take a class this summer!

I have not taken a class at sweetwise yet but love shopping there. The staff is very helpful and Heather gave me all the info I needed to try isomalt to make sugar gems which I had no idea how to use it, but wanted to. It worked out great. The staff is very patient ( I am a begginer) and takes all the time with me that I need.

If you would like to learn new things and meet other cakers, think about joining ICES. I just did, it is a great value for the $60 annual dues. In addition to the newsletter, and semi annual meetings, they have "Play Days" , I am not sure how often, but they had one in July on buttercream flowers, and there will be one in September on fondant flowers. You bring you own suppllies and one of the members demonstrates and then you get to practice. I met some wonderful ladies at the July play day. It was worth the $60 just for what I learned that day. In October we will have the semi-annual meeting at Cedars of Lebanon State Park. I am looking forward to that!