I'm a baker, pastry chef, sugar artists, whatever definition you'd like to use.  A short while back, I stumbled onto a site, Sugar Art Moulds.  Wonderful looking stuff.  After some discussion, I decided to invest over $1K in fondant molds.  Crazy, right?  Well, PAMELA SPENCER took my money, but never shipped anything.  After 3 weeks, I disputed the charge with my credit card company, and was reimbursed.  A sucker for a sob story, she apologized a hundred times, explained all the drama going on in her life, so, I again placed an order with her.  Much smaller this time.  And, AGAIN, payment with no product.  Disputing charges again.  I honestly think she's a scammer, as the only basis I have to judge is being taken twice, placing orders, making payment, and receiving NOTHING.  

Wondering if anyone else has experience with this "person".

She is probably banking on her name being similar to Globar Sugar Art and people ordering from her thinking it is the Global Sugar Art

no never ordered from there -- but so sorry for all the issues -- no es bueno

No es bueno is correctomundo!

After looking at her prices I'm going to go expand my mold line into the pourable silicone ones, haha! 

Thank you for the warning. I wonder how many people she's been able to scam?

@costumeczar ‍ do you sell the crystals for the geode cakes? 

That's basically just rock candy. You can also put a silicone mat on a baking sheet with edges on it and melt sugar, then break it up. Put it in a bag and smash it into little pieces with a hammer. Rock candy works better but little pieces of it will work in a pinch.

Huh that simple lol. Jason said it was Rock candy. thabks for the tip. He's been bit by the creative bug and wants to do all kinds of stuff :)

Those cakes are a lot easier than they make them out to be ;)

Wait, there is a way to "grow" rock candy. But what I am hearing those cakes are not made by growing the sugar crystals in the cavities, the crushed up candy is stuck to the foil shape, then placed inside the cavity??

The lady who does them has a great tutorial here: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/tag/edible-geode/ on making them, then you could carve and add to the cake. :)

gscout, I haven't made one but  yes that's what I gather - stick them into that organically shaped pod thing -- I would want to use a few dramatic 'gems' and then other smaller sized but distinguishable gems that show the raw facets -- but have them all flow and fit in --

i don't think they're called facets before they're cut but I mean show the edges of each potential solitaire --

i love gem stones and have a small very modest collection -- probably lost & gave away more than I've retained ha!

i mean if you're gonna make a geode -- give 'em something to talk about -- just short of the hope diamond though hahahahaha and it's all gotta flow but idk you wanna look in there and see a future bracelet and rings, earrings...

i need to make one huh

and geodes can hold every color including black and opal --

i think if I did a geode cake i'd plant a light behind a leaf or something to give that glow -- but only turn it on at the last minute so it doesn't become an inadvertent lava flow -- hahahahaha

I getcha, K8. For a light, you could use those tiny led lights that are wireless. I bought a set from Wilton, you could twist in on and place it inside when delivering and setting up.

good idea on the light -- that'd be perfect

@StellaBaking--Sorry about your troubles with that site, and a big thank you for the warning.

@Singersoul -- Wow!  Loved the tutorial on how to make a geode.  Who knew it was so simple?    I was just talking to my family today and telling them I want to make a geode cake soooo much.  Let's start another thread if anyone has pics.

Fellow cakers, 

I've had exactly the opposite experience with Pamela Spencer and Sugar Art Molds and so have several of my cake colleagues. 

1st, her molds are more decorative and while they are sometimes a bit more expensive,  they are so much better than the press in molds from etsy or the thin crapoy silicone from China that everyone else uses. Her stuff will withstand the test of time and habitual use over and over, money well spent in my opinion. 

My friend who's got a bakery asked her to do something custom and she was able to create it with no problem and did so on short notice. 

I'm sorry to hear of your experience but her molds are exceptional and i found her to be very helpful as she is also an experienced pastry chef. 

exactly who are you? 

Posting to this CakeCentral forum an unverifiable complaint,  by an anonymous poster, leaves a lot of holes in the story. 

I've thrown away a lot of dollars worth of crapola silicone molds that were bought from China. They were nasty and never cleaned up, so straight to the trash can.  I am willing to pay extra for some items in the poured silicone as the details are fantastic.  I have purchased molds from @costumeszar (lots actually and have some on the way to me right now).  

Not having purchased anything from the business that you mention, I cannot evaluate the nature of that business.  It's awful easy to jump onto the internet and throw mud at a small business owner and the shop she runs.   In any long time established business it more often appears to be the purchasers who run the credit card scams, not vice versa.

I didn't realize this,was a new poster and yes, it does seem like an attempt to smear someones reputation as opposed to inquiring about another's experience. When you post "stay away" in your header, it shows your intent is not so bueno as you say. It's equally irresponsible for follow up posters to make assumptions about the name or that she's running a scam. I can think of at least 10 companies with the name "sugar art" in it and being a scam? You received your money back and i can verify along with others that it's a very legitimate business. We don't have privy to the other side of the story, so let's not all jump to conclusions and assume the worst. 

Kerry Vincent has warned people not to deal with this same person/company.  Kerry has an extensive post [July 20, 2016] on her FB page.  Some have gotten their money back, others haven't.  Given Kerry's extensive work and contacts in the cake decorating community, I'd take her advice pretty readily.  With all of the options out there, once warned can be helpful to those who don't want to spend time and money unnecessarily.

I've seen some of the responses from people who say Pamela Spencer is legit. Here's the bottom line: I paid over $1000.00 for molds that I never received, even after she sent me tracking info.  I gave her more than a month to make good on my purchase. Never received a single thing from her, not even a call or email to explain anything. Where I come from, that's bad business. So, I still say STAY AWAY. 

Thank you for the warning!!!  I will not buy anything from her!!!  In the past, my husband bought something online of which he never received and I wish someone had warned him before hand. It is just a pain having to call your credit card company when one gets ripped off!! Stay Away is all I need to hear!!!

Although I have never ordered from her, I have heard of these issues from other cake decorators.  This may not necessarily be a case of a scammer since many others have received and been very happy with the products received.  I think this is a case of someone taking on more than she can chew. She may not have the ability to complete large orders in a timely manner but she should keep the customer informed.  Sounds like her customer service skills are lacking also.  

Pamela Spencer ripped off the  company I work for. She took our order took the money and ran. We NEVER saw  her again nor did we ever see our order. She gave the same sob story bout an accident, but she gave 2 different versions of the story to 2 different employees, one of which was Me! She ducked phone calls and emails for weeks. When  we finally got ahold of her she said on 2 different occasions that she would bring our order...of course Pamela Spencer was a NO SHOW both times. I urge EVERYONE to contact facebook, twitter, etsy and  of course the Better Business Bureau about sugar art molds and Pamela Spencer. She  needs to be stopped or she will continue to Scam and Defraud  people everywhere. If everyone files a complaint we can get her shut down. 

Sorry, but I beg to differ. Pamela Spencer is  a Scam Artist!!!!! She ripped off the company I work for. She's lied about bringing our order lied about why she didn't bring our order she has given conflicting stories to different  employees about why she hasn't delivered. Pamela Spencer ducked phone calls and emails for weeks. She  only responded after we said we would report her to the BBB and even then she LIED. Everyone  stay away and if she ripped you off REPORT PAMELA SPENCER so that she can't keep doing  this  to others!!!!! Sugar Art Molds is a FRAUD!

@Goreti ‍ , when THE cake decorator of cake decorators gives a warning, you listen to her. Check out Kerry Vincent's FB post about Pam Spencer. 

Can't find the post.  Link?

magda, thanks to insomnia, and having that time on my hands -- i scrolled alllllll the way through kerry vincent's fb page to july 20th -- and it was hard not to stop and smell the roses -- but if i did i woulda never made it to july 20th where she does indeed have a post blasting this merchant -- so it is there -- just scroll scroll scroll 

this merchant does seem to have pissed off the wrong people -- i have no first hand knowledge and i'm sorry it all happened

oh and did you see the picture of the 2016 ossas winner -- wow wow wow -- i did stop & look at that one -- wowzers 

Hello Cake Lovers,

I ordered from Sugar Art Molds July 2016.  I must say I experienced all of the above.

I placed my order in the amount of $475  in July 2016 ( that was the" sale "price)..  2 months later, I still had not received my order.  I started calling emailing etc.  I finally got in touch with Pam, and wad given several ship dates.  Pam's story would change doing the same telephone conversation... "It was a bit strange".  She would say"I mailed your shipment on yesterday", and in the same conversation she would tell me that she was on the way to the post office to mail my shipment.  

I would ask her for a tracking number, and she would come up with another excuse.

After I told her that I was going to contact AMEX and dispute the payment , she would draw me in with some life long sad story, that would melt your heart, and I found myself giving her a little more time.  Finally 3 more weeks passed and still no order,  I went on line  and posted about my experience, and she was very upset !.. She contacted me at once!    I told her I was only giving my experience, and that if I ever received my product I would post that as well.  I disputed the charge, and was sure that I would never receive anything.  

About a week later I received a package with the molds.!  Too my surprise they were some of the best molds I'd ever purchased.  The molds are great, and were as advertised!

I contacted AMEX and let them know that I received the product, and went back online and posted about how wonderful the product was.

I don't think she's a scam, but I do think maybe she's in over her head.

Even though the molds are amazing, I don't think I'd ever order from her again. 

My advise is " Order at your own risk"

I guess I was one of the lucky ones