Still working on the Martha Stewart grapevine cake....ugh! (by the way, I saw the Martha S "apprentice" show last night while making leaves and wanted to strangle her).

The lady that made the cake did not offer to make the caramel tendrils so I am going to attempt some of them tonight. I know its early but hey, I need to practice! This cake is taking me all week to prepare....I soooooo undercharged for my time!!!!!!!

Also tonight I will paint the leaves with gold lusterdust and since I couldn't get the fruit she wanted I am making about 50 little balls to represent grapes and will paint them with copper lusterdust. (brides choice). Talk about a fortune! geesh!

Lesson learned. I pray it turns out! I am just venting...sorry. I need to get off my hiney and get to work. Meanwhile, the grass needs mowed and the house is a mess and my new sister-in-law calls out of the blue and is coming into town from out of state and wants to come over and take us out to dinner TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!! She's never been to my house before. I want it to be perfect, ya know? There's just NO TIME!!!

Ok...I'm off of here for at least 2 hours! (yeah right...) I crack myself up sometimes....

Yikes! I'm sorry. Maybe a trip to Starbucks is in order?

At least you're still smiling. That's always a good thing!!!

It's good to have a place to vent..we all feel your pain! Best of luck to you!

Good luck!!

I'd be mainlining pina coladas about now, if I were you!!

Good luck! I'm looking forward to seeing pics when you finish!!

Well, I'm back. That took longer than I expected! I did some of the twisties with MMF and painted them gold. I still need to try the spun sugar but I'm afraid its too humid and it would be a waste of time. I may try that Sat morning before delivery. At least I'll have the twisties for backup if you guys think they look ok.

Wow! Those look wonderful! Keep up the great work!

You're doing a great job!. That seems like a lot of work! Good luck

Looking good! You'll git er' done!!

I can just imagine all the work you are doing right now, OMG!!!! But they are beautiful and should look fabulous on a cake.
Kate

Wow! Those look fantastic!! I think that you are going to do a marvelous job!!! Kudos to you. Can't wait to see the pics!!

Good luck looks great so far

please post the cake when you are done!!

Lookin' good!
Your cake will turn out great!!!
We can't wait to see the finished product!!!

I am so glad you decided to use the fondant! They look great....hang in there!

Wow they look fantastic.. I am so anxious to see your finished cake.. I do feel for you as far as the SIL and the house.. It seems no one ever shows up when your house is nice and clean. They all show up when you are in the middle of making a cake and the kitchen is covered in icing and you have been so busy with cakes that the rest of the house looks like one big hairball {we have cats}.The other day I was making my third batch of MMF, did I mention I am addicted to that stuff now too..lol and of course I had been on here day and night so I hadn't gotten around to vacuming the cat hair off the carpet or couch and my SIL shows up.. She rarely comes to visit but she ALWAYS seems to show up when I am in the middle of something and the house needs a little work. BTW her house is always spotless, but then she never bakes and has no cats...LOL. Well when she was leaving I noticed the back of her pants were covered in black cat hair. I'm sure she wasn't thrilled with that.. Oh Well guess when you just drop by unexpectedly you take your chances..LOL
Liz

Gosh, I used to have cats too. I know what you mean! He was white and "loved" us all the time. No clothing was safe.

Well, everything is done except for the spun sugar tendrils. I'm so worried about those! The siL just called and is ready to go to dinner so this evening is shot.

I"ll have to work on it tomorrow before the soccer game, or late late tonight! yikes....

But for now....MARGARITAVILLE!!!!!!! (OKOK, just one or two....)

Sunlover, it's looks amazing so far!!! I can't wait til I become that good!!

You have done an amazing job so far! I hate it when I have to stop and then start back up again!
traci

Martha Stewart doesn't have anything on you! I am sure your cake will be lovely!

ok! Well I did the caramel sugar tendrils this morning. NOT EASY. I made half batch and I'm glad. It got hard soooo fast!

I ended up just drizzling the little ball clusters with the caramel and made stringy things around them. They looked nice.

After the soccer game that got rained out, I come home to find that the strings had melted and now all that is left are globs of wet sugar on the balls! OMG. I have to deliver it in just a few minutes.

Nothing I can do about it now. It's absolutley POURING down rain. I'll be lucky to get the cakes into the hall DRY as it is.

This cake is killing me!
I'll post the pics today when I get back! cross your fingers everyone!

Well, I just posted the cake picture. See what you think. Below is a teaser.

I'm disappointed that the top layer wrinkled somehow on the drive there. The 100% humidity made the caramel strands very sticky and wet and they kept sliding out of position. The air conditioning in the hall was good so I hope they dried well before the people arrived! I'm so tired. We had to carry the cakes up 3 flights of stairs to get to the reception area after carrying the cakes through the downpour under a golf umbrella! The leaves became all wilty also, but I don't think it mattered - they looked the same.

I'm going to go take a shower, put on my sweat pants and t-shirt, and pop in a movie and eat some popcorn, and snuggle with my new DH.

Thank you all for being there....this was a tough one! You all are the only ones who understand how much stress the seemingly simplest cakes can be! (((((hugs))))))

ps. it now stopped raining and the sun is out! geesh! figures!

It was all worth it! YOu did a great job! Keli