Now That I Luv Bcft, Help In Getting Organized!
Decorating By berryblondeboys Updated 20 Oct 2006 , 7:12pm by toristreats
When I did that great pumpkin bcft I needed SO MANY bags and colors. I used like every spare bowl and ran out of couplers and had to keep washing my smaller tips.
So, what do you all mix color in? paper bowls? paper/plastic cups?
And how many couplers do you find "necessary" and how many of each tip. I have two size 2, 3 and rose tips, and otherwise one of each (maybe a couple other duplicates).
Then, if you are supposed to save some icing for touch-up, how do you do that especially if you aren't planning on using the transfer right away.
Thanks! Melissa
That is a good question. I mix in bowls do a lot of washing.(My dish washer that is). Tips I have began to double up on my most used. 32, 18, 2, are just an example. If I don't have I just wash it. Sorry if this doesn't help.
Here's another
BUMP
Thanks for the response - that's what I'm doing for now too... what do others do?
Melissa
I have more couplers than I ever thought I would. 
I'm in the 20s now. But I am really bad about not washing tips/couplers until I run out, so having as many of them as I can helps me out. Add to that when I do store demo's at Michaels I end up using a good 10 or so couplers atleast.
I always tell my students you can never have too many tips of couplers.
As far as multiply tips, I do believe having several of the ones you use the most do help out alot. Of course you have to figure out which ones you use the most of. I think I have a good 7+ of the number 3. But again I use alot of them when doing store demos and other cakes.
I have been using the parchment bags without a tip. I make them skinny, somewhere between a 1-3 size, depending on the color....or fatter, like a 5, if I am going to be doing bigger filling in.
I use those "take along" Glad brand take everywhere fake tupperware for bowls. It comes in small to large sizes, and the best thing is the lid. You can keep your BC moist, and STACK it on the table during work so it doesn't take up all the room!
Then, I use a piece of masking tape to label it with the date. Hopefully I can use it again. The parchment bags can either be stored inside a baggie on top of the BC inside the container, or just all in a baggie by themselves for touch up.
Hope this maybe helps a bit.
I was wondering how a parchment bag would work... it doesn't rip on you? Can you do the same with a plastic bag I wonder?
It's just awful when you run out of couplers as it's not that easy to get to one. You have to destroy the bag you are using and dump out all the frosting in that other color to get to it and it's a messy greasy job! LOL For that great pumpkin I needed 9 couplers I think. I have 12, but I had 4 tied up for another project I was working on, so at the end I had to fish one out of a frosting bag which meant later I had to use another bag if I needed touch ups... seemed such a waste of time and effort. having to wash a tip isn't such a big deal, but phew... those couplers are a pain!
Since they aren't expensive, it seems worth it to me to have a gazillion of them - that and some decent number of tips. Having just two size 2 tips for me isn't working. I needed to wash that tip way too many times just for one cake! LOL
Melissa
i mix in regular bowls. It would be nice to have plastic for such an occasion.
I think I have like 15 or more couplers. I have two or three of the smaller writing tips each. I think i have several of tip 104. Ones that are likely to be used with different colors on one cake, i have duplicates of. But I don't mind using a #4 instead of #3 for certain things either, kwim?
I've never really had a problem with parchment bags ripping. I hope it doesn't start now!!!
I have at least 6 each of #2,3 and 16 because I use them all the time. I also have a ton of couplers. They are fairly inexpensive, so I figured it was better to stock up on them than run out during a project.
I use regular kitchen bowls for mixing and I put the decorating bags in a big ziploc in case I need the icing for touch-ups.
I think I am going to get some of those little plastic bowls with lids to use from now on. What a great idea!!
I use the parchment bags also. Never had a problem with the ripping. I even kept some icing in them for about 3-4 days to finish my son's cake. I did the transfer and didn't want to waste what was left and use some of the color on the cake. I just put it in a baggy. I don't like having to wash the tips out.
I mix my color usually in the small plastic applesauce or fruit containers. I don't make that many cakes so it might not work for everyone. 
You get a pack of applesauce like 6 containers eat it and wash the containers out. They don't take up much room either. Of coarse if I need alot of one color I'd have to use a bigger bowl.
For the Glad Ware, if your family eats the Deli Select - type lunchmeat, they come in the Glad containers. Luckily for me, my dh loves that stuff, so I have tons of them. If I forget & leave it sitting out, (or it gets lost in the back of the fridge 
) I just throw them away. The lids & containers are interchangeable, so I have plenty of each.
I also feel it is worth it to invest in multiple couplers & tips. I had about 6 of tip 3 at one time, now I have 3 or 4. One got lost in the disposal. 
I really prefer the disposable bags, never had much luck with parchment. But most of the time, I use my washable, bleachable, handy dandy old-fashioned pastry bags.
Parchment bags work great if you cut a small tip out as a previous poster mentioned. If you are worried about them ripping or opening too much, I tend to scotch tape at the bottom and middle seam. (I don't take chances. ) And it does save me from washing all those size 1 and 2 tips!
Angie
Hi, here are my tips too..
I place a large plastic container in the sink . I have found one with a lot of little holes.
I put another one inside that one with hot soapy water, during the day as I work I throw the dirty tips into the plastic container..
at the end of the day I change the water, adding more hot water and soap, close the lid on the container and shake it to death, then I open the container and pour everything, tips and couples into the bigger container with the holes...open the hot water and let it run while I wipe down the "kitchen"..
then I take the tip brush, and give them all a good swirl, rinse them again and I'm done.
Also, I take all the chinese food containers and supermarket containers with lids and do what I learned from a very sucessful cake decorating business.
They had a rolling car with all the icing containers with all the colors on it...and they would roll it to the decorating table, and back into storage when they were done.
I thought that was the best idea EVER!
I didn't have space for a rolling cart..I kept all my containers inside of a big tupperwear container.
Also, I make air drying butter cream and make a lot of flowers ahead of time, and I also keep them in large rubbermaid containers.
I use the disposible bags and you can just put a tip in those and then cut the bag. It works pretty good. I also just use my regular bowls to color the frosting or tupperwear if I have to travel with it. It works pretty good.
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