No formalized training here... I worked the counter in a bakery during high school and found myself being in the back more than the front.
It was amazing watching these guys make cakes, breads, and pastries. I still to this day remember watching Mr. A twirling a rose in a single hand motion on a toothpick and placing it on the cake. Quite lovely...
I think I started making cakes for friends and family for birthdays and a few weddings. I am by no means great but I think the cakes are ok.
Buttercream is my thing but fondant is next - decorated cookies and mini cakes are what I have been doing for a while now - and they have been doing well.

I am learning a lot though from you guys. thanks
Valere

I have a question do they give you certificates when you attend the Mini Ices courses? just wondering.

I have Wilton 1-2-3- plus Elegant Fondant and have signed up for the Fondant and Gumpaste course offered in February.

I have 2 CD's and 40 books to read and get inspiration from. I love learning new things through CC as well. And lets not forget, "Thank God for Computers".

I would like to attend a few courses at our local College but haven't had the time yet.

Busy with cakes, cookies and cupcakes.

Kathy

I also took all 3 Wilton classes and now I am thinking about taking some classes with Nicholas Lodge in Norcross, Georgia.... The info for class said we will have all supplies for class and tools, but can we keep all tools after class? Or we will have to buy them?

[quote="sweetflowers"]Shirley, I kept waiting for you to mention Betty Newman May, but you took from Edith Gates. .

I took the Gates Lambeth class just before Betty Newman May and Edith Gates got together. Unfortunately I never got to meet Betty. I so envy you the class with Geraldine Randlesome. I would like to take one of her classes and one from Cecilia Morana.

I got married 2 Septembers ago, and we had a very low-key wedding. My little sister learnt how to use fondant just to make me a wedding cake, and it turned out so well I though "If she can do it, I can certainly do it!" - and I was inspired!

1 year later, I have no classes under my belt - only a history of working with various art mediums. Cake Central has taught me 80%, and the other 20% are a Wilton 2006 Yearbook, a Collette Peters book, and a Peggy Porschen book. I'm dying to take a course in gumpaste flowers - they are just so enchanting.

Everyone at CC has taught me SO MUCH (and many don't even know it ) - thank you!!!

I took Course One through Three and also a Gumpaste class. Oddly enough, although I do cakes now, most of my business comes from cookie sales. And I agree with others, CC has been a great resource.

I took all 3 Wilton courses in AC Moore and the teacher is wonderful. I can't wait for the sugarpaste course. I also have a lot of the Wilton yearbooks (some from the 1970's) and they teach you so much. Also some celebration books also from Wilton and many other cake decorating books. I just need the time to be able to read them all.
Of course I can't leave out cake central for great ideas, recipes and very helpful articles.
Go cc!!!

Eeyore16

I took all three Wilton Courses. One class from a local bakery. Classes at Cake Camp and now I'm taking gumpaste classes from a wonderful man who was taught by Nicholas Lodge himself.

Took all 3 Wilton courses from local Michaels in 2005. I still talk to my instructor on a monthly basis. Learned everything else from CC members.
I'm glad I found CC because there are no cake clubs in my area.

I am attending the Culinary Institute of Hard Knocks where the motto is there is never a such thing as graduation, only additional coursework.

Seriously though, I've been baking cakes since I was 8... Had my first job as a "personal chef" when I was 10 and my GP was in the hospital all summer and my Granny couldn't do much herself because she was waiting to get her own hip surgery at the time.. Then, in the following years I added cooking for my family every night in the summer (Ma worked in the extracting room with my bro's/Dad), I did a cake or some other confection about once a week for an entire summer so got really good at recipes.. My first job in a real restaurant was at age 12 ... and basically grew up in the food & Agriculture industries but when it comes to cake decorating, except for an ICES meeting, 2-cake deco message boards, and class with B. Keith Ryder, I'm completely self-taught.

I have been baking for as long as I can remember. I was always in the kitchen with my mom or my aunts when we would visit in Mexico. They make everything fresh everyday. I learned a lot from them. I got into cake decorating about 2 years ago after I took a cake decorating class at a local culinary school, I originally wanted to own my own restaurant, but after that class I was hooked I loved it! Now I want to have my own shop and do cakes and assorted pastries. I just started taking the Wilton classes, because due to medical reasons I can't go to school full time. I have learned so much in those classes. the best thing is that my instructor for wilton is also a student at the culinary school, so she teaches me extra stuff since I am her only student right now. I hope to be able to go back to Culinary School by the end of this year, I only have 6 classes left to graduate.