The Making of Santa

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There’s a saying that there’s time for everything.
You might have noticed that there were ‘No new posts or pictures’. Why?

I don’t know if it has ever happened to you. But it seems that as we go through life:
• we come to understand our strengths and weakness
• we just realize that the timing is not just right for certain things or
• we just need to pull back a bit.

Several times in my life, I’ve come to both points and 2011 was of no exception. I came face to face with the fact that I couldn’t continue to train people on how to decorate cakes, as well as write or look for articles for the blog. I burned out and needed rest. Now, I think I feel a lot better and ready to go – but on a very slow and steady paste.

• Now, the focus is mainly training people how to decorate cakes and how to mamximise their potentials. You can find courses, dates and pictures on www.dedells.com.

• Now, while we look for someone to take-up writing for the blog – you are WEELCOME to use our write-ups or pictures but please remember to give us and other people which have been quoted credit. For pictures click on http://www.flickr.com/photos/59824859@N04 or click on the flickr button on the blog and www.dedells.com.

Emily's 1 year birthday

This is a cake to mark my niece’s 1 year birthday. She was about two months old when this picture was taken with her cousin. The little chicks (or birds) are not made from fondant. They are left-over Easter decorations which I bought from a shop.

 One pineapple, remove the skin and cut into triangular pieces. In a pan, melt 1/2 cup sugar, add one table spoon milk, one teaspoon  butter and a drop of lemon juice. Stir till it bubbles. Drop pineapple pieces into pan, stir for 3-5 minutes. Remove pineapples and allow juice to drain. Then arrange around cake as desired. Here they are set inside buttercream.  Delicious!!!

Tips: Bake your usual rectangle shaped cake. One for the screen and two for the keyboard.  Place cakes on separate boards. Fill and coat cakes with buttercream then cover with fondant and decorate. Apple logo: I first used royal icing (colour flow), but then decided to use a thin layer of fondant. I must say it worked out well. I’ve kept the colour flow logo for another cake.

 Below: How to get the screen to stand.

 The picture above shows how I propped up the screen.  The same way a photo frame is made to stand.

 Special delivery. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. See you soon.

• Cover you cake

• Above: Using a tailor’s measuring tape or something that can easily go around your cake; get the circumference of your cake (the roundness of your cake if it’s a round cake).
 Use the measurement to cut a long strip of grease paper or brown paper (used in tracing) and some centimeters or inches in depth. Fold the paper into half, fold again (depending on the size of your cake and what you want the curve to look like) and again. Using pencil, draw a curve or line depending on your design. Cut out, open and position on cake with pins.
 Using the pin’s tip, toothpick or edible drawing ink, trace/indent marks along the curve around the cake.

 At the top of the cake, use a ruler to  indicate desired spaces between the lines. Do this around the cake. I used dotted lines in a cone shape (check picture 5). Now you can remove the paper and pins.

• Below: Use royal icing (nozzles 1.5 – 2) to pipe lines as shown on picture around the cake.

• Below:  Continue to pipe the rings 4-5 times to create a ridge.

• Below: Using nozzles 1.5 – 2.5, pipe straight lines from top to tip of ridge. Continue the process around the cake.

• Below: Finish off by tidying up the edges with your favourite design.

Join us next time to learn how to make the finishing trimmings. Rmemeber to share your designs with us.

Dedells was specially invited to bake cakes for The Hague International Cultural Fair. The cakes were cut by The Hague Deputy Mayor – Wethouder Baldewsingh and his entourage.

It was an opportunity of a life time and it was exciting to see so much smiles and laughter on peoples’ faces.

The ground, booths, dancers, singers and all activities vibrated with excitement. It was wonderful to be there. Here are some pictures.

Den Haagse Brug - The Hague Bridge

Cutting of cakes by Mayor ad entourage

Sharing of cakes

Taking the first bite

No time to waste – learning began immediately.

Putting to practice.

Getting some work done.

by Thes

Wow!!! I can’t believe it.

by Sal

Artistic!!! summer days - I knew I could.

by Ali

I did it!!! – I’m ready to go another round.

Thanks Ali, Thes, & Sal for sharing your designs. It was nice having you in the class. Hope to see you again.

Dear readers, join our next class (go to www.dedells.com to register or send a mail to info@dedell.com). Hope to share your cake soon.

Why do we need to tackle it?
- morally frown upon
-destroys relationship
-negatively impacts on our emotions which can lead to resentment, hatred or malice or all.

How to recognize it
- upset when the individual is promoted, or has qualities you feel is undeserving
- you feel worthless in the presence of the individual
-when you feel you’re better then the other person.

How to overcome

- be honest to yourself that you can be a victim and learn a bit of self evaluation

- get to know the person. You will probably understand why the person seems to have it over you

- remember it’s hard to have bad feelings for someone you like

-learn to develop and appreciate your own special qualities because that’s what make you stand out

- always put the person in your shoes and ask yourself how you will feel.

I’ve come to realize that life is what you make it .
Keep your heart light and you’ll have less to worry about.
We as individuals have the capacity and opportunity to shine without overlapping or shadowing another person’s gloss.

Watch out for this monster, it will still, kill and destroy your ideas, visions, creativity … it will drain you.

Look out for my next nuggets on forgiveness.

The story of HousHous Jewelry is a personal pursuit of becoming.

Several years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom with two little children. It was great for me to be close to my children, being part of their growth; on the other side, I always felt the unease of not working. So when my older child started kindergarten, I started to look into opportunities of working at home. I knew it was not possible for me to go back to a 9-5 job since my priority was family and children. One day, my husband told me “Why don’t you set up an online shop?” This idea inspired me to explore my educational background (master’s degree in Computer Information Systems) and resources (network in trade industry). The result was HousHous Jewelry (www.HousHous.com).

The beginning of my business was actually a self-improvement process. I designed the website from scratch; I learned the process of e-business from goods procurement to business administration…  I did not make much profit and I did not care about it. It brought me back to the current technology, boosted my confidence and most importantly, it made me become a better person with a balance between work and family.

It is my great pleasure to watch my carefully selected jewelry pieces chosen and enjoyed by ladies. I love the feeling that the jewelry pieces bring delight to our daily lives. I aim to create an online portal to provide quality and beautiful jewelry at affordable price. To reach this dream, I will work as hard as possible until its wings grow into full shape and one day it will fly high and far.

http://houshous.com
Follow HousHous on Twitter
Follow HousHous on Flickr
Follow HousHous on Facebook

by -Ada (cake designer)

What can I say? Pictures speak volume. The  picture at the right is the creation of an amateur in the business of cake baking and decorating, so please don’t be too fast in grading.
I was motivated or rather inspired to venture this road because of my baby girl. A couple of months before her birthday, I decided I want to bake and decorate her 1st year birthday cake. This desire took me to Dedells, where I took a couple of classes. After the classes, my first decorated cake was for Christmas, which I shared with friends and family.

by -Ada (cake designer)

I got so much praise from the Christmas cake, that one of my friends who was privileged to taste the cake asked me to bake a cake for her baby’s birthday, which was a week away at the time. I was beside myself with joy at her request, because not only will I be practicing my newly acquired skill but was also getting paid for it. I accepted the challenge; I call it a challenge because I am a green leaf in the business, as you now know. At the end of the day, the end product of the challenge is the picture above.
Now, you be the judge, did I conquer? (Waiting for your answer)
I am still learning and will be baking my baby’s cake in a couple of days. Please wish me luck. By Ada-

Follow  Ada on  http://nobelbookclub-nbc.blogspot.com/