Now that work has started back up (I'm a TA for special needs students) I am putting away a little money each pay just for decorating items. I have been looking into some books and there are a great number of them!! If you could pick a "must have book " what would it be? And why?
Also, does anyone know if there is a cake decorating "magazine" that you can subscribe to? I know there are the Wilton books but I am thinking more of a monthly subscription type.

There is the American Cake Decorating magazine http://www.americancakedecorating.com/

There are so many good books, right now I am looking at a Sugar Art book by Scott Woolley - Cakes by Design. He makes wonderful gumpaste flowers.

Toba Garret's new book covers a wide range of skills, it would be a great reference for beginners and experienced decorators.

It depends on what style of decorating you want to do.

I love gumpaste...the most well used book I own is Cakes by Design by Scott Clark Wooley. It has a large range of flowers with detailed directions.

If you like fondant and want to learn to use a variety of skills together...anything by Colette Peters.

I second the vote for Toba Garrets new book "professional cake decorating" They have it here at CC online ordering. It incorporates many books into one and is very thorough! It's expensive, but then there would be a lot of books you wouldn't need once you have this one. This is a new book, not her other one "the well decorated cake"

HTH

-Rezzy

I love all the authors mentioned above - I am a total book hound! Colette is my favorite - I just love looking at her cakes. But Debbie Brown has some fantastic books - they are especially great for fondant figures and I also love the whimsical bakehouse book too!

Mailbox News is a great subscription...loaded with pictures from people like us!!

Thank you all for the input and links. I just signed up for the newsletter from American Cake decorating, is there an address for the mail box news?
I have heard a lot about both Scott Clark Woolley and Colette Peters, I have actually seen some of their works on various TV shows. I have not heard of Toba Garrett but will certainly look for her.
I lean towards gumpaste and fondant....have no idea why. I have only been into decorating since Feb. but I enjoy that work most of all. It quite intrigues me to want to try/do more things.
There is also a woman I remember seeing several times but I have no idea of her name. She has made some incredible fully edible cakes that look like porceline. She is an older woman, short, short grey/white hair and black rimmed glasses. I have seen her several times on Good Morning America and was always amazed by her talent. I just have no idea who she was
Thank you all again for the input

I do not think this book is a cake decorating book, but I was curious to see if you guys thought the cake bible book is a good one? From what I have read it is mostly recipes and tips on baking, but was curious to see what you all thought of it! Thanks!

Here is a link to Mailbox News (which I believe is owned by ACD)

http://www.americancakedecorating.com/mbn/main.html

I really like Wedding Cakes you can make by Dede Wilson....I like the simple elegance of her cakes.

I dont' get to see GMA at all, but the black rimmed glasses made me think of Sylvia Weinstock. She's a NYC (?) decorator that does beautiful work.

The lady may have been Francis Kuyper. aka the cake lady

cookiechef.....that's her!!!!!!!!! I just googled her name and drooled!! I remember her as having much fuller hair but I recognized her when I finally found a photo of her.
Oh wow do I wish I had some of her talent!!! She has a book called "sweet celebrations - the art of beautiful cakes" . I went to her website but you can't "enter" it....it is just a video of her work and it is just amazing.
Thank you