Good Morning.

My wife starting making cakes roughly 6-8 months ago. She has no formal training however from her first cake to her most recent, she's getting pretty good! So, I would like to buy her some good tools to help her out. She makes her own fondant now and does a lot of detailing, including using a regular knife to cut out elaborate designs such as people and characters. While it looks great, with perhaps a 'fondant' knife or whatever the best tool is, her designs would be that much better. So, hopefully the experts on this forum can help me in my Christmas gift buying endeavor, i would really appreciate it. So, here's what I think she needs ...

1. Some sort of special knife for carving these elaborate items on fondant.
2. Some additional bakeware, including specialized pans and such.
3. rolling bin (I can figure this one out) =)
4. Cooling Rack (found a 3 layer @ Michaels)
5. Tips and reusable bags (not sure what they're called for frosting
6. And anything else you can think of! She does a lot in the way of cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.

Suggestions as to brands or just specific items would be great! Also, I know Michaels and Joann Fabrics are great places for these sorts of things. But any help would be greatly appreciated!

- Desparate Husband

AIf you go to www.globalsugarart.com you will be in cake decorating heaven! Some helpful things to have would be gumpaste tool kit, different flower or petal molds, fondant cutters, piping tips set, some different luster dusts, americolor gel colors, etc...so much good stuff :) another good idea would be cake central magazine subscription or American cake decorating mag subscription.. I have them and love getting the updates on new ideas.

If you go to GSA, make sure you pay with PayPal, or use a disposable credit card, they are having a lot of problems with stolen credit cards!

An airbrush is always really nice to have, too. My husband got me the Aztec one that is reviewed on here. I am so excited!! (It's wrapped, I just know he got it because I saw in the computer history, lol)

Michael's, Hobby Lobby & JoAnn's Fabrics are great places to find stuff. There is a fondant tool set (the tools have different colored handles & it comes in a box with a clear lid) that would be GREAT! There is also a fondant cutter (looks like a pizza cutter), different sized decorating bags, fondant mats (embossed), there are also fondant embossers (in tool kits with clear lids- should be near the other tools). Different sizes & shapes of spatulas is good to have. Don't worry about duplicating anything (tips, bags, pans, racks) she will use them no matter how many she has! If you get anything she can't use (save the receipt) she can take it back & exchange it for what she wants.    HTH Good Luck & Merry Christmas!

AThe Mat-- sold by Sweetwise -- one of my favorite tools ever! Self healing cutting mat- you can get at Michaels or Joannes etc Kitchen Aide mixer!!!! Set of paint brushes- various sizes so she can jazz up her work- Rolling cart with drawers so she can store and organize all her goodies Exacto knife and a sharp paring knife Different size length and width rulers THE FMM ribbon cutter!!! LOVE that thing Makins (green) extruder- essential Pearls- various colors- dragees silver and gold- various sizes and colors Magic Line baking pans- round and square- various sizes-these have straight sides and sharp corners

One of the BEST things would be a one year subscription to My Cake School- its 30.00 for the year-- worth EVERY penny!!!!!!

These are just a few of my favorite things-- be sure to use the Michaels coupons- you can get them online- Joannes accepts them too-

Hope I was able to give you some good ideas

I just think its the cutest thing that you signed uo o CC to ask for ideas- that is priceless!!!

Merry Christmas :)

Mo

AIf you go to www.globalsugarart.com you will be in cake decorating heaven! Some helpful things to have would be gumpaste tool kit, different flower or petal molds, fondant cutters, piping tips set, some different luster dusts, americolor gel colors, etc...so much good stuff :) another good idea would be cake central magazine subscription or American cake decorating mag subscription.. I have them and love getting the updates on new ideas.

I COMPLETELY agree with Maurorless67 - I'd put that KitchenAid mixer right at the TOP of the list tho.  Number One essential tool without a doubt!  Everything on her list is wonderful and well worth the money spent.  I agree to about the subscription to MyCakeSchool. . .  I love her tutorials!!  I've had a membership for the last 2 years and have learned so much and she has new tutorials all of the time.  Craftsy also has great tutorials and you can buy her a gift card so she can buy whatever cake classes suit her skill level. 

A couple of other things I can not live without: Wilton Cake Lifters (like a large, wide metal spatula to move cake layers), several good offset spatulas, large and small, most of the fondant molds that Wilton makes are fun and very useful, a scroll saw to cut support dowels, wooden cake boards, etc..

Have fun and a Merry Christmas to you and your wife!

AIf you're trying to stick with things you can get in the craft store, a turntable is great if she doesn't have one, the silicone baking mats are also very handy for cookies. Things like fondant embossers and stencils are fun too.

Also, don't forget that if you're shopping at Michael's and Joann, there are always a ton of 50% off one item coupons floating around online, don't pay full-price for anything over a couple of dollars.

If you have a Sur La Table near you, they carry a good selection of some of the other brands like Ateco and Fat Daddio, but you will have to pay full price for them.

Hi, I get all my supplies and tools on-line and found a great one-stop-shop called Tomsann Cake Art Supplies.

She has great products, prices and always combines the shipping cost when I purchase more than one item.  

For gifts, I would look at the cupcake/cookie texture tops and impression mats, First Impression Molds, JEM cutters, and the MAT by Sweetwise.

Here's the link: http://stores.ebay.com/Tomsann-Cake-Art-Supplies

Merry Christmas

**** Wilton Ultimate Cake Decorating Kit, it has a great selection of starter tools (you can use the 40 or 50% off coupon)

Exacto knife

Cake mat - You can get these at Michaels or any craft store, Walmart even has them. (they have guides for marking cakes) Excellent!!

Fondant tool kit

any cookie cutters (for cookies and fondant cutting)

If you buy the kit you will save lots of money over buying things individually and it has a great selection of tools to begin with. that would be my first purchase if I we're looking to buy.

Merry Christmas!

add www. to the link below to go to the wilton page that has a picture of everything included in the kit

 wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=2109-0200

AI dint know how serious she is getring, but I am a professional, so the Wilton kit would just get in my way, and take up valuable storage space in my bakery. For tips I use little bins for screws from the hardware store, and I buy the large icing and airbrush colors that have their own shelf, and I have about a dozen spatulas I have in their own drawer.

I agree its nice if you don't have a lot of dedicated storage for cake things, or work from a home kitchen.

AA fantastic place to go for the essentials would be michaels or Joanns, the best reason why is because not only do the have the basics and such they also always have 40% or 50% off coupons so you get a deal but wait the best part is that you can also use competitor coupons meaning I can use a 40% from joanns a 50% from michaels and another 40% from hobby lobby all at one place! saving on gas and drive time! So you can essentially get 3 items at one place for 40-50% off!!

Happy Hunting! -Ash