Hey everyone!
Well, I just ordered the 101 piece decorating kit from Wilton (I realized the bottom of a glass wasn't a sufficient fondant smoother). This is my first big purchase towards cake decorating.
What was your first big purchase on your cake decorating journey? I hope I'm not bothering anyone, just wanted to hear some stories.
This wasn't that big but I bought a Magic Line 12 x 18 pan that I use a LOT - first really good quality pan I owned.
I've had a few pricey trips to the cake decorating supply store - $75+ for a bunch of smaller items that I wanted (luster dusts, Americolor gels, 8" square pans....)
My biggest dollar item as far as supplies go is definitely my KA mixer but I was lucky enough to get that for a wedding shower gift, before I really got going with my cake hobby. 
hhmmm... BIG purchase?? i haven't actually made it yet... i'm trying to get hubby to buy me either an airbrush or the cannon edible image printer for our anniversary. although, with the great deal at amazon, i might go ahead and by the printer for myself and tell him to get me the airbrush (i really REALLY want one so i dont' always have to mix color into fondant!)
Well I don't know if this counts but I had a really good cake weekend and was able to make enough money to put down on a new car!
I've yet to make any big purchases that benefit my cake making, I tend to buy what I need when I need it, but I 'm hoping to buy myself a KA for my b-day in June!
Mine actually was all in one day and I have added since then!!! I bought the 101 Wilton kit, cake strips, pans, books, etc. Everything I needed to get me started on the day I made the decision to get begin learning to decorate!!!
Awesome stories!
I'd like to own all those things everyone mentioned (especially a car!).
I really didn't know how popular KA mixers were! My mom got one for herself yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaars ago and it still works, aside from the head part wobbling side to side (i'm thinking it's a loose bolt). But I'm grateful that it's not a purchase I need to make.
Just starting out is, I guess, the most expensive time. I'm looking into buying some dummies now. It takes to long for my family to eat a cake for me to bake and practice on a new one! :p
I recently bought a KA Pro 600. I love it. My mom was a decorator and she already had a large collection of pans and tips. Before that, a few years ago I purchased a large set of fondant supplies for a class with Earlene Moore. Great class. I learned so much and it was worth every penny.
I'm a newbe I'm just starting to decorate cake at the store I w ork for haven't gotten into the wedding cakes yet. I was wanting to purchase a airbrush for home can anyone tell me which one they think is a good starter one. I have the tip set already and some pans need a airbrush they save a lot of time and i'm eally getting the hang of it. thanks[/i]
I guess my biggest purchase was a collection of shaped cake pans from a lady that was getting out of the cake business. I have a wonderful fiance who bought me a KA mixer for my birthday a couple years ago. He is so supportive of me. He is the "official taste tester"!
About 18 years ago my first big purchase was a royal blue 5 quart KA that I bought using my cake money! 
I had finally blown up my little Sunbeam! 
I remember how excited I was- man, I was in business now!
My next investment was a KopyKake Pro Master airbrush.
I've purchased lots of other stuff since then, but I remember how excited I was with those first purchases - partly because I paid for them with the money I had earned from doing cakes, and partly because I was making strides to accomplish my goal of becoming a real business.
That blue KA is still going strong!
Ok, I became addicted when I took the Wilton Classes, and started collecting cake stuff! I have spent wayyyyy to much for this hobby/ occasional job...
I have a Kitchen Aid Epicuriean, I don't remember what I paid for, but it was on sale. I ordered the Kopy Kake?, airbrush, love it although I haven't had the time to play with it, and the most wonderful thing of all is the Agbay for torting....and I just ordered a Kitchen Aid Pro?? from Airmiles...not really free.
The most expensive item I think will be the "decorating kitchen" that I am ordering this week...to finish our basement... Just a kitchen downstairs, with a big countertop, sink, fridge and microwave...The estimate is $10.000. Yikes!!! My husband really loves me!
My first big purchase was the Wilton 101 piece caddy too! But I used the 40% off coupon at Michael's, and only paid, like $40 for it.
My hubby bought me a KA Pro 600 for my birthday, and a 6 foot tall stainless steel "baker's rack" for Christmas.
Next up: an edible image printer!
Well my first big purchase was going to be an airbrush but my mom has decided she wants to buy me one for Mother's Day. Then I was going to get a Kitchenaid Artisan, but my FI wants to buy that for me as my wedding present (only have to wait one more month...yay!). I'm really lucky everyone is so supportive of this expensive hobby I started on a whim almost a year ago Other than that, I've dropped about $75 in one trip to Michael's or Hobby Lobby.
Everyone is so blessed to have so much support! I do most everything out of my own pocket, but my grandmother said she has a lot of stuff she can give me too
Cakedout; Sunbeams rock, LOL! That's what my mom had for the longest until she blew hers out as well. She wasn't in business, but people would order cakes from her at random. I remember she did a coconut wedding cake. It was gorgeous. I don't even have a picture 
Anyway, KA is the definite upgrade of choice!
Kettlevalleygirl; that new kitchen sounds awesome! Will it still be a hobby then? Or blossom into something more-than-a-hobby? :p
My grandmother is pushing me to take the Wilton classes as well. I'll have to see how much it costs. It'll probably be my next big purchase
When I started out 17 or 18 years ago, I didn't make alot of money and I was single so every purchase was a big one. My biggest splurge was when I bought my KA mixer, and like cakedout, mine is royal blue. I got tired of trying to mix royal icing by hand! I took all 3 Wilton courses in a row, so all of my practice cakes went to work. Enough co-workers wanted to buy cakes that I was able to purchase additional pans and such through my "proceeds". That was a blessing!
Hmmmmm......I haven't made any BIG purchases. Everything was bought here and there. And everything else was handed down to me by my mom. She was really into cake decorating. But my DH bought me a red KA mixer a few years ago just because I've always wanted one. I don't use it much but there's alot of sentimental value to it so I would never get rid of it. I do want everything that everyone has mentioned already. My birthday is coming in about 2 weeks so I'll probably ask for an airbrush then our anniversary is a month later so I'll probably ask for the edible printer. I do need a kitchen rack too though. Hmmm. We'll see.
We want to retire, (I just turned 49) in the country, but my husband has a contract until the year of the Olympics 2010...So we actually have a "city" condo, until my husband can move here full time. We are going to start some type of business, we just haven't formalized it yet.
But, since we have healthy parents at the time, it makes sense to finish the basement, just in case we have to make room for a mom or two! Then there can be some room in the basement and a kitchen (but no oven or stove top)...
My biggest purchase has to be my new KA.. well my fiance bought it for me as a surprise. YAY I was using my grama's sunbeam that she probably bought the first day they were ever sold. LOL Still worked GREAT tho! So that's my backup if heaven forbid I ever need it. My second big purchase was my edible image printer. Have'nt gotten to use it yet, except for a trial run cake for the family..
That's other than the $50-$100 supply getting trips at Michaels or our local decorating store.
My only big purchase was the Kitchen Aid mixer. I got it for Valentine's Day this year, in cobalt blue. (I think hubby got the hint when I tried making fondant in the bread machine...either that or it was the fact that he went out and bought himself a $500 gun, and realized if he could spend that much on something he hopefully won't use, he could spend $300 on something I would use). Other than that, I have bought small things over the years, or bought things on sale so they weren't that much. I bought the Wilton toolbox with the stuff in it about 8 years ago, and the gumpaste cutters and book set. Other than that, I really haven't bought much.
Oh, I bought the wilton gumpaste and fondant course supply set from Michaels even though I wasn't taking the course, I just wanted everything in it and it seemed like a good way to get it. I'm not having much luck with the ribbon cutter that comes in it, though.
I do have a list of things I want, and eventually I will get them, but most are small things...impression mats, some better modeling tools than what I have now, stuff like that. Oh, and all the pearl dust and luster dust and sparkle dust that I can get my greedy little hands on
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