Hello everyone!

I've been a long time lurker, and finally joined a short while ago. The addiction continues

Apparently it ate my entire post. Anyways, I'm having a hard time designing my Birthday cake entry for this year's Ohio State Fair. There is a particular cake in the 2014 Wilton Yearbook that I just adore. It has white drop flowers covering the sides, ribbon roses as the border, and larger purple drop flowers surrounding the top in a drape like pattern. However, I want to be original even though HOLY COW I love that cake. Would it be permissible to use the same idea of just the drop flowers, but have a different border and top theme? This is my first year entering the fair and a competition in general, so I want to follow the rules to a t, but be original and creative at the same time. Any ideas or guidance for a newbie?

By the way, my wedding cake I designed for the same fair was not nearly as hard to decide. It was almost instaneous!