Today I decided to search the web for inspiration for Christmas. I found many many sites that I was amazed at but I had to post these three as they, to me, are beyond description!! I am in total awe of the talent it took to creat these cakes. I just can't imagine it..... the time, the patience, the talent , the knowledge..........incredible!!! How they all learned this is wayyyy beyond me. And to add to this, the last site is grade 10 students from a home ec class!!!! Wish I had learned this in school.
Hats off to all you talented people.......just amazing 
http://www.sandyrodgers.com/Before.htm
http://www.dragonsanddaffodils.com/dragonsanddaffodils_Latestcakes.html
http://www.stmarys.kzn.school.za/cake_decorating.htm
I love Dragons and Daffodils. Did you click on their "All things Wesh?" You have to see the rugby sheep separators, just adorable. I keep thinking how cute they would be for a 2 tier baby shower cake.
http://www.dragonsanddaffodils.com/images/Rugby_sheep.jpg
Luby...at least you knew what the term meant hahaha I had no idea!! I'd love to know if ......and I will embarress myself here because I am new to this and don't know the correct terms....but, the bottom scallops she makes to attach the string work to....would they be done in royal on a form, dried and then put on the cake? If not...how do they hold their shape? Would royal icing hold at that size and degree without being formed and dried first?
And did you guys see the talent of the school girls??? I know they are not to the level of the first two sites I posted...but my goodness these are kids making those cakes!
I'm still looking through the sites and drooling!!
you probably wouldn't believe how the scallops are done.
You start by inscribing the scallop shape onto a cake. you then pipe the shape with royal icing. when it's dry you overpipe it. Keep repeating until it's the depth you want. leave to dry completely. brush over with some thin royal to neaten then pipe the string work.
To do floating scallops a greased pin is placed into the cake at the top of each scallop so it is sticking out about an inch. Pipe a line of royal between the head of each pin allowing it to fall into a scallop shape. When dry pipe the string work. when dry carefully remove the pins
Here's a thread you might be interested in:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-47762-lambeth.html
What are those little "chocolate pots" on the stands? It kind of sounds like an upside down petit four.
Susan
I emailed someone in England (?) about how those were made.
Very nice response...so helpful.
I was told they were made with a square sponge covered with wax paper or saran wrap (not sure which). Then it was dipped in chocolate, allowed to dry and the sponge removed.
I'm going to try them...one day! Sigh...never enough hours in the day to try everything I want to learn.
BTW...Can anyone tell me the price...if it's 3 pounds in England, what does that convert to here? Sorry, don't mean to offend anyone overseas, but I think it pounds...correct me if I'm wrong.
Took me forever to figure out pesos conversions...LOL! I don't get out much!
What Sandy Rogers was trying to say is Lambeth, not Lambreth. The technique was created by Joseph Lambeth, and his book was first published in the 1930's. His book is no longer in print, but is available in the used book market. It is one of the most coveted and high-priced books on cake decorating.
Theresa 
Thank you for the thread on lambeth cakes....I have never heard of them but have to tell you that as a child in England it was tradition to have a large fruit cake with marzipan and royal icing. It was always decorated with a Christmas scene of some sort. My mother kept the tradition going at first here in Canada but I could never get my family into it. As kids we each had to stir the batter, I forget how many times. The last time I made one was about 26 or so years ago. We also always had the traditional plum pudding that would be lighted on fire, you had to slice it before the flames when out. Inside there was money wrapped in wax paper!
Miss Barritone....thank you for the directions. They aren't made at all like I had invisioned!! But the way you describe makes a lot of sense. The only thing I wondered is would the royal not stick/encase around the pin?
I wondered if covered toothpicks would work? (Just a quick add....I am still trying to find the time for the cream cheese hahaha....I haven't forgotten, just been ill and busy )
I am soooo tempted to not do my painting today (artist) and bake a cake instead to try this!!!
The covered sponge is a great idea. I was going to do the chocolate bowls with mousse for Christmas but maybe I will give the little bowels a try instead.
Oh and yes Mac it is pounds. Here is Canada right now 3 pounds (sorry I don't have the symbol) would be around $5 at this time.
Thank you so much Taigen...I kind of thought it would be between $5 and $10. That's alot of work...not to mention the truffles, chocolate cigarettes and chocolate transfer pieces.
As far as the little whate chocolate "tart" bowls, I think you can get them pre-made but they may not be as big as I would envision. My, my...the things that can be done. Definitely going to make the chocolate boxes this week for play.
Luby...at least you knew what the term meant hahaha I had no idea!! I'd love to know if ......and I will embarress myself here because I am new to this and don't know the correct terms....but, the bottom scallops she makes to attach the string work to....would they be done in royal on a form, dried and then put on the cake? If not...how do they hold their shape? Would royal icing hold at that size and degree without being formed and dried first?
And did you guys see the talent of the school girls??? I know they are not to the level of the first two sites I posted...but my goodness these are kids making those cakes!
I'm still looking through the sites and drooling!!
Taigen,
I really don't know how to do it except that you pipe a layer of royal icing let it dry completely and then come back numerous times and pipe over it letting it dry between each piping until it's the correct heigth. I've never done it and probably never will - I don't think I have enough patience and it's good to know your own limitations - LOL!
Here is my little story of woe. I took a week long Lambeth course in 1964 from Edith Gates in Long Beach, California. I fell in love with the book and as a surprise my mother bought it for me. It was still available at that time and she paid $29.00 for it, the most expensive book I had ever owned. I foolishly loaned the book to a member of our cake club and she had it for 3 months, I kept hounding her until she finally returned it. I didn't look through the book for many months after that, but when I did I got to the page where he has a gorgeous Bon Voyage cake with a run sugar life preserver collar and a hand painted ocean liner. The ocean liner had been cut out of the page!!! I immediately called her and she of course denied it and said it was that way when I loaned it to her, a complete lie. It took me 30 years before I replaced that book and when I did I paid $200.00 for it. It is now sitting on my book shelf and I assure you it doesn't go out my door to anyone. Here is the Bon Voyage Cake. Sorry about the color distortion, my scanner doesn't do well with color photos.
I am so glad that JanH brought this thread to my attention. She also posted my thread here as well!
I have a 1934 edition of the Lambeth method book and I tell you! It is truely an inspiration to me because the more difficult the technique, the more desireable it is! There are 55 different techniques for top and bottom borders in the Lambeth method!!!!!! Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!! I now know why the techniques are show in black and white. You see better detail in black and white rather than in color!!! There are color photos as well but the black and white detail is unbelievable!!!!
Joseph Lambeth used just a few basic tips to construct all of his techniques.....Tip 3,5,14,16,102!!!!! These are the basic ones. It's amazing how these simple tips can create such magnificant work. His designs are so architectural!
Another excellent book to have, which I have is Sugarcraft Skills Advanced Techniques Extension Work by Christine Flinn!!!!!!!!!!!!
You all are so wonderful! What would I ever do without you all here to feed me with information.
Amy
ShirleyW~That was the first color plate I opened up to in my book. Isn't that design amazing? I love the George Washington one too!!!!!!
I would just scream if I loaned my book out to someone and that happened to it!!!!! 
Keep a death grip on your book, I know I will mine!!!!!
Amy
Hi... I've been looking for that book too!! I checked online and they range from $350-$520 
in good to very good condition! All first editions! I can't believe that book is soo expensive! Lucky you gals that own one... can't wait to check back with you Amy and hear more reviews. (BTW... what does you hubby do in the Navy? I'm a navy wife as well 
)
Okay.....I'm just back from the store getting ingredients!! It is MY birthday next weekend and even though I don't like or eat cake....I just have to try this. I have been looking at those sites since I found them yesterday.....I am just amazed....especially with the lambeth work.
I understand that it "should be" a traditional fruit cake to support the decorative work....but I am going to do a normal cake. My work certainly won't be as elaborate as Sandy Rogers or the ones you guys posted, which are incredible by the way....but I just have to try this over piping and string work....it just facinates me!
Cakemommy....you have to at least go see the first site if you like this lambeth technique. I see in your avatar that you have done string work, any advice for someone who has only made 5 cakes so far??? I'm like you, I love a challange and am having a heck of a time staying off the computer researching all this LOL
I'm going to bake today and freeze....I hope to make some royal accents (on the site she calls them wings, I have read about lace points and even made some butterfly ones, I assume (haha) this is the same method ) this week when I am off. I won't be able to start my attempt at decorating till Friday 
when I get off work.
So if anyone has any advice, tips and tricks please let me know. I'm delving in with both feet....but I love challanges. hmmm what's that saying about fools rush in????? Oh well it is only cake and it is only for me
I came across this piping tutorial on PastryWhiz before I ever discovered CC and sort of forgot about it until I came across this thread and people were talking about the Lambeth style...
I think the piping lesson (they are piping a Victoriana Wedding Cake) is sort of in the Lambeth style (not sure so excuse my ignorance if it isn't) but they have pretty good pics...I am sending the link to where they start piping..they show overpiping etc....
Also on Pastry Whiz, go to the baby shower cake and you will see a very sweet fondant cradle with step-by-step instructions..
http://www.pastrywhiz.com/wedding/wedding27a.htm
Hope you like it!
Jane
My Lambeth book is in a safe deposit box, along with my Wilton encyclopedias with pattern books, and my Wilton Celebrate books with pattern books.
I have been begged, and even offered money to rent the Lambeth book. My answer is always an indignant NO! I paid entirely too much money for it to have people treat it like I run the public library.
Theresa
Miss Barritone....thank you for the directions. They aren't made at all like I had invisioned!! But the way you describe makes a lot of sense. The only thing I wondered is would the royal not stick/encase around the pin?
I wondered if covered toothpicks would work? (Just a quick add....I am still trying to find the time for the cream cheese hahaha....I haven't forgotten, just been ill and busy
).
The pins have to be greased and they release quite easily. I don't see why you couldn't use toothpicks but the hole where you stick them in would be a lot bigger and harder to disguise. Also this sort of work is normally done on a dried royal iced base which you might have trouble sticking wooden toothpicks into.
MissBaritone,
What does the plated cake slice look like?
Is all the r/i chipped off in the kitchen.
Seems like it would be a little disappointing.....
No it's all eaten. in Britain it's traditional to cover a dark heavy fruitcake in marzipan and royal icing. The cake is served cut into small fingers so all you really see on the plate is a piece of fruit cake with a thin slice of marzipan and white icing at one end.
Local Decorator goes "Lambeth"
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-50925-.html
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