.....with buttercream icing, I've read where some of you saturate the satin ribbon in oil so the oil in the icing will not spot the ribbon. Do you use vegetable oil or Crisco to do this and is it okay to immediately apply the ribbon to the cake after preparing the ribbon or do I need to let it sit for a while? Any words of wisdom out there from the more seasoned decorators?

Crisco and let it sit until it's one color again. I've never done it, but that's how I read it's done.

Hi, I do this every time I put ribbons on a cake. "I cut the ribbon to fit each tier and then I take crisco and spread the crisco down both sides of the ribbon until it is all saturated and looks the same color. Then I wipe the ribbon off with paper towels to get as much crisco off as possible''. I don't usually let it sit but put it on the cake right away. Mind you, the color will be a bit darker but it still looks good. Then I just wrap it around the cake and use a little icing to seal it in the back. It's really a neat little trick.

Thank you both for your input. I was really nervous about this process, until I read your detail instructions. Thanks for putting me at ease. I feel so much better about doing this, now.

Wow. That certainly sounds a lot easier than backing it with wax paper. Thanks!