My birthday isn't until August but I'm already thinking a head of some ideas for my hubby to give me. 
I've taken the first Wilton class but I'm wondering what would be more beneficial for me...Sugarshack's DVD or another Wilton class? I've heard nothing but AWESOME things about the DVD's but I still need to learn the basics (flower making, working with fondant, stacking, etc.). If you suggest the DVD's, which one would you suggest for a newbie still learning technique? Thanks so much! 
Thats a hard call. I teach the Wilton courses at my local Michael's and I know we try to go above and beyond in course 2 & 3 to make sure our students are getting everything they can out of them (since the fondant and gumpaste course is..... broken at the moment).
Sharon's DVD is very excellent (The "Perfecting the Art of Buttercream"). She really gives some wonderful tips and techniques for smoothing buttercream and being meticulous about sides, angles and smoothing your buttercream. Any cake you make with her method would pass for fondant if you do it right.
The Wilton course 2 is something entirely different: We cover flowers: the chrysanthemum, rose, daisy, pansy, apple blossom and many others with a few "tweaks" to the same technique. If you haven't played with royal and flowers, it is a great experience. You will learn how to coordinate the left hand rotating the flower nail while piping petals with the right hand, among other things. We also teach the basketweave and rope techniques for the final cake.
If you are interested in really perfecting your basic buttercreamed cake and want to learn more borders, etc.. on your own, go with the DVD. If you want to take it another direction and learn new flowers, and get comfortable with royal icing, I say take a Wilton class 2. Hope this helps!
I would say get Sharon's DVD's before taking another Wilton class. I have all 3 and LOVE them. She doesn't teach how to make flowers in them, but I think you need to learn how to frost a perfect cake first.
I would start with "the Art of Buttercream" Then "Flawless Fondant" and finally "Successful Stacking" That also happens to be the order they came out in. LOL!!
I think that you need both! 
I really think that you need the "hands on" instruction for a solid basis in the Wilton Classes. But...you definitely need Sharon's DVD's to kick it up a notch...
Hey, it's your birthday... What's his hobby...giggle... 
I say go with both...why limit yourself?!
But you know what...I only took Wilton's course 1. I found the other books at Joanne's crafts and just bought those for like $5 ( w/o taking the class) I figure, if I want to learn what's in there, I'll teach myself like I do with all my other books. This is partly due to the fact that my Wilton instructor sucked!
O.k. sorry to digress, but go with both!
Well......I'm not a fan of Wilton or classes in general for that matter......so hubby let me order all 3 DVDs today for my birthday! Woohoo!!! It really depends on how you learn though. If you can read a book and learn, then DVDs might be okay for you. If you need hands on help and like a classroom atmosphere (not me, gives me nightmares of high school), then classes are probably the way to go. To each his own.
No matter what else you do, get sharons dvd's. They are fantastic. She covers all the bases and everything is very detailed. watching them will propell you forward in your decorating skills faster than anything else.
My birthday isn't until August but I'm already thinking a head of some ideas for my hubby to give me.
If you have a Michael's store in your area, the July classes are only going to cost $7.50 tuition. That's as cheap as a fast food meal, so you cannot count that as a birthday present! If you use coupons wisely, you can get your Course 2 student kit for $15 (this week and next week Michael's has 50% off coupons out) and you can pick up a can of meringue powder for 5 bucks.
So, for a whopping $27.50, you can take Course 2 in July. Sign up for that and then ask for the DVD's as your gift. 
Sherri
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