where and what to buy for cake decorating.

[Twit]

I have just started to decorate my own cakes, I was given a cake decorating book for my birthday after constantly complaining about the quality of birthday cakes in the supermarket.
My question is this; where [online] would you recommend I buy my bits and pieces, and what should I buy?
I have had a look around and am feeling overwhelmed by the choice. What colour paste should I go for? I am also a bit confused about edible sparkle/glitter powder. Some websites say it it inedible, some say it is non toxic and you could eat it.

push it in from the edges with a finger and then 'pinch' the excess from the middle of the back, IYSWIM, then squidge it down a bit more and whack it in the freezer. By princess/pirate/crown number 20 or so I had a reasonably good feel for how much it needed, which made it quicker. Also, use half and half sugarpaste and flower paste

perhaps a dusting of icing sugar?

Push, pinch, squidge -okay I can do that. But I will need a mould to practice with, won't I?

TWENTY?

lol

What do I have to get now for christmas?
[sigh]

[ducks as a hint comes flying overhead]

Can you imagine - teacher receives yet more bauble cakes and instantly thinks "aha - mini olihan/stealthsquiggle/twit/slubber's mother is clearly a MNer"

I feel the need to stalk track down CoV and find out what her Christmas cake plans are.

ha ha ha ha

Beware the lure of stealthy's moulds.

Twit, if you want to be all last year you will need snowflake plunger cutters and lustre dust.

If you want to be all hip and modern you need a bauble mould and lots of different blossom tints.

Do you want to practice on princesses? or pirates? A short-term loan could be arranged, perhaps... (the crown I think I may re-purpose somehow for Christmas)

Oh and twit also has a good point - if, despite freezing, the mould is a little sticky, then a dusting of cornflour works well.

I did Nigella's Christmas cupcakes last year (om nom nom) with just the standard holly leaves and berries. in a posh box. I think I scored high

I'm gonna do baubles this year though.

[slave to the mn trends]

I should have negotiated a referral deal with that ebay shop (which is v. good, BTW, IME) - I could have earned myself a free bauble mould by now.

I feel that you are trying to shove point me in the direction of the baubles.
I mean who wants to be last year...

I come come now, drop the facade, you are the mould shop aren't you stealthy?

that should be OH come come

I am not coming anywhere

I so wish I was - and if anyone can find them cheaper I would be really really pleased to go elsewhere.

I should think not too.

That came out wrong. Their service was great, and all that - but if I could get them cheaper I could spend less buy more.

Hah ha, I foresee Cheshire schools being over run with bauble festooned Christmas cakes this year .

Are Nigella's Christmas cupcakes in her Christmas book? I want a new cupcake recipe for the Christmas fair cake stall.

I might steal Stealth's individual mini cakes idea for end of term pressies too.

And Herefordshire. Well actually only the one, and probably not for school. I don't feel the need to creep around bestow gifts upon the teachers, my children are reward enough.

Have you tried the hummingbird bakery recipes? Their chocolate one is lovely and rises nice and flat.

4" fruit cakes, presented in a mini shopping basket (~£3 each), wrapped in pretty cellophane, appeared to go down well at school and nursery.

They might be. I got them from her domestic Goddess book. They are lovely.

christmas cupcakes all in cup measurements though.

Thank Goodness for that, Twit - Herefordshire's a bit (a lot) close to us and I was getting worried that my creepy kind presents might lose their unique value.

Ooh, the hummingbird bakery book was on offer in Borders last week, may have a little peruse next time I'm in there.

at Twit. I give my dcs' teachers cakes as a reward to them for putting up with the little blighters angels .

can you imagine at some teacher conference thingy they start talking what they get for christmas and they all get bauble christmas cakes-from all across the country.