Hello, my name is Jane and my daughter will be turning 1 on April 9th. I have been into cakes for a few years but never had the chance or supplies to start practicing them. Now that I have most of the supplies I need and have an idea for her cake, I'd like to make her an elmo themed cake, nothing too detailed or fancy but something that will stand out for her. I was planning on making a smaller elmo face cake just for her to smash and what not. I have tried a few things, mainly gum paste flowers in the past few months. I have not yet been able to make any cakes or practice with the fondant because of a few things - oven does not work and most of the time I get things ready to try then I have to stop and I get distracted with my daughter.
Sorry for this being so long and boring but my question is... Is there anyone that has any suggestions to nearby classes or anyone who maybe teaches in their home? I live in Pennsylvania (Clearfield area). With Clearfield being so small my mother in Virginia buys my supplies and mails them to me but I am getting worried that by the time it's her birthday I will have to buy a cake instead because I cannot find anyone to help or any classes near that don't last too long. My birthday is the 10th, right after hers and I will be 18. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, and I am suprised at how patient I've been with wanting to practice it everyday. It's on my mind all the time but I still cannot seem to get the time or help to try it.
So again sorry for the rambling and length of this but I would really love to be able to make her cake for her, with the help of others. Or maybe instead of someone actually making it with me someone could help walk me through it online? I hope that this summer I can take some classes and/or have the supplies/funds to try it all out for myself, but for now I sort of need a quick help/guide. Well she woke up about an hour ago and it was on my mind so I thought I'd hop on here before she falls back asleep and see if anyone could help. Thank you so much, I really appreciate any help/advice offered. Good luck with all of your cakes, and from skimming through galleries they all look so fantasic. Thank you
hi janedee!
i couldn't help but notice you said you were turning 18. cause i'm 18 myself and i'm just getting started too. well actually i've only made one cake so far but i learned so much on here that i feel i could make a thousand more easily. i am exactly like you. i was into cakes for a long while but never found the time to start because my kitchen is really small, that there is really no space to decorate. but i figured out that i could decorate at my bf's house lol. and before now, i didn't had money to spend of all of the things you need to decorate cakes with but i slowly invested and got there little by little. and since i didn't have much money, i went to the dollar store to find whatever it was that i needed that they had and just bought everything else at the cake supply store near me. i tried to buy the cheapest possible.
as to learning, a few things that i've done is watching videos online and reading. you could type in the search engine "elmo" and go through the pictures. if you see one you like that's not so complicated, you could pm that person and ask for instructions? and it helped me alot when i went through the articles they have on the home page, that's where i learned alot. you could also go to youtube.com and type in cake decorating, and there's alot of neat videos that actually teach you alot. and just read as much as you can from this website! it helps ALOT! but anyway, good luck with your cake. and happy early birthday to the both of you.
oh and sorry about my blabbing. it's just nice to see we have a few things in common. 
Hi and Welcome,
Here's a list of acronyms to help you along:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-2926-.html
How to make a fondant Elmo figurine:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos_display_121_-259573.html
Elmo at the beach cake:
(can use fondant for Elmo & beachball)
http://www.pastrywiz.com/cakes/cake213.htm
Here's a super (multi-linked) thread on how to make a fondant covered cake:
(disregard whimsical parts)
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-592731-.html
MMF tip:
(read before making MMF)
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-101181-.html
Nice frosting recipes:
http://www.sweetcelebrations.us/recipes
Great doctored cake mix recipe:
(White Almond Sour Cream cake)
http://www.pastrywiz.com/cakes/cake213.htm
Here's a link to all the Elmo cakes in the CC gallery:
http://tinyurl.com/khhv2
HTH
Thank you very much for your information JanH. And Tolinda, I loved your cookies and the backyardigans cake is great, it looks exactly like them!
I was going to check out those links tomorrow but since my daughter won't go back to sleep I suppose I'll be on here longer watching videos and checking out all the things you listed Jan. I check out YouTube all the time for other things, I never once thought to look up cake videos and related things. Wow this is great, thank you so much for your help, both of you.
Welcome to CC JaneDee! I don't have any extra advice for you, the other 2 members covered it, but really wanted to say "hi"! Don't hesitate to as questions or PM fellow members, they all are so wonderful and take the time to help us newbies out=) I stumbled across this forum a few months back...and have not left, lol=) I will say that about 99% of what I know about cakes, came from the wisdom of the members on this site...JanH very much included=) I have PM'd many people on this site, and they have been wonderful enough to email me back with the information I was hoping to get=) This is basically a "cake family" here=) Glad to have you join the family and wish you nothing but the best for your daughter's first b-day cake! HUGS, Jen
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