How Do You Write Happy Birthday?
Decorating By celestecakes78 Updated 18 Aug 2008 , 2:14pm by LoriMc
kiminycricket- your cakes are adorable- way to get started- I love the idea of the writing in pretzels- very unique- it's so much fun to do new things and CC is a great place to learn- have fun- watch out though.... CC is VERY addictive!!
bambuf- what are tappits?
This is a 22x28 cake with the press letters: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=497923
12x18 cake with the press letters:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=93771
I use BC icing on everything. Haven't made RI in years.
You just have to practice practice practice.. it's an odd movement to do until you have done it many many times. You need to move your whole arm keeping your wrist still which is much unlike the movement you would normally use to write where it's all in the wrist. Use a small piping bag (I like tiny parchment triangles) so you can hold the bag in the palm of your hand for better control as well.
I really don't like the letter presses (especially the Wilton ones).
Thanks everyone for all the help and ideas !
Funny Mike ! But the writing on your sax cake is very nice !
My writing has definitely improved over the years! lol I notice I do much better with printing instead of cursive writing. These days I do whatever I can to not have to write directly on the cake. I do lots of banners printed out on the computer and glue them to the cakeboard, make flags for sports cakes, also pieces of fondant that I have written on with food markers are good too!
LoriMc.. I try to do the same thing !! I get so annoyed at myself that I cant just write decent with buttercream ! It seems like it should be so SIMPLE !!GRRRRR!!!
Ruby2eusday, my writing on cakes STINKS!!! I have used the transfer before, and actually felt like I didn't totally screw up my cakes. I haven't had a whole lot of success with just piping gel, but I have just recently learned from someone here on CC that regular BC with a little piping gel added works much better. It makes a really nice line that is easy to retrace. Occasionally, I haven't had to trace back over it at all if the icing is thick enough to begin with.
I have letter presses, and while they look good while I'm tracing over them, I always have a name or something to add, and you can DEFINITELY tell that the name wasn't written with the flower press.
The biggest challenge I have with script fonts is that some parts of the letters are skinny and others are fat, like calligraphy (which I have never done). I remember when I was a kid being told I'd never be able to do calligraphy because I'm left handed, and that I should never bother trying because the writing instrument has to be held at the opposite angle from the way a lefty does. Anywho -- if anyone has suggestions for how to pipe letters that have thick parts and thin parts, I'd love to learn!
For now, I usually use Curlz font (it's from MS Word I think). It's nice because each letter is independent so I can breathe between each one and it doesn't have to "flow" the way a script one does.
I wish I knew how to add a picture to a forum post because I just did a birthday cake yesterday with this and, miracle of miracles, actually have a decent photo of the lettering.
Antgirl.. Thats very nice writing ! Is this the cake you just spoke of ? And How did you get that lettering to the cake ??
I kind of eyeballed it. I print out the alphabet and then look at the cake and decide roughly how big each letter should be in order to fit the message on the cake. Sometimes I mark the "corners" of the letters, or some of the letters, or at least the words, on the cake with a toothpick, and then kind of freehand the letters within that frame. The freehand part being why it looks so amateurish most of the time. 
BOY i'm glad I started this one! You all have so many great ideas... keep em coming!
I kind of eyeballed it. I print out the alphabet and then look at the cake and decide roughly how big each letter should be in order to fit the message on the cake. Sometimes I mark the "corners" of the letters, or some of the letters, or at least the words, on the cake with a toothpick, and then kind of freehand the letters within that frame. The freehand part being why it looks so amateurish most of the time.
I think you did a really good job! My biggest problem isn't how the writing looks, it's me writing CROOKED on a cake, or not leaving myself enough room. That is my major problem!
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