Monday 31 August 2009

A Brisbane Winter's day..................



.................. is like no other winter's day- when it reaches over 30degC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously though- you would not have thought that we would get not one but almost a week of high summer temperatures at this time of year. By the time out extremely hot summer arrives, we have been slowly coaxed into it, and are seemingly ready for the long hot days of high humidity- but when it is a top of 20degC one day- and 33degC the next- it wears you out!

So despite being blindsided by this sudden spike in the temperature- I had allot on this last weekend (22nd/23rd Aug). It all started with this Very purple three teir mad hatter design for a Wedding in Kingscliffe- going from a deep purple through to a ice lilac one, with bright yellow daisies- it would be certain to be a talking point.

Colour was certainly in order for this weeks cakes. The next cake is probably my favourite for the week- just because it is some thing I have never done before- and it looked so pretty ( my picture certainly doesn't do it justice).
This colour was a lighter shade of the bridesmaids gowns ( they actually wore almost a deep sea green- so I made the colour to match the gowns- then lightened it with white.) The colour was almost a "Tiffany" blue, and with the chocolate brown flower leaf and vine detail- it looked divine!


Like I said- my photo just doesn't do it justice- it was so pretty- fingers crossed I get to see a professional image from the bride and groom themselves!

The next cake was for the Aunt of my Trainer - Marita. to counteract all of the cake it eat (LOL!)I do outdoor training and Marita took over the group at the end of last year- and is a really fabulous trainer.


I was lucky enough to be asked to make her Aunt's 70th Birthday cake. Her Aunt is a Nun, so Marita asked me if I could please make a Nun Cartoon topper- cute isn't she!

A little bit of "unusual" was on order for the next cake design.
This cake is for a couple who I use to do outdoor training- and who Marita began training with years ago (funny how people interconnect) and when Marita came to collect her Aunt's cake- Daniel came to collect his wedding cake.
Daniel and Gail were getting married out at Mt Mee and Daniel had decided to collect the cake from me the morning of the wedding. A VW Beetle theme was poignant throughout the wedding- and what better way to top the theme off by having a car "crashing" into the top of the cake. So this could be done in a Hygienic manner- I firstly carved the shape of the bonnet/wheels etc.. out of the top tier- then I iced the cake- once dry- I fixed the car into place with a bit of royal icing- Viola! a vertical car on top of the cake!


Regular readers would know that my family are very involved in my cake business, and when my mum came over to see how I was doing on the Friday- she saw the cake ready to be boxed in my cake room- did a double take and said "Is that a car in that cake???" Yes mum it is! Despite being not the "norm" it looked pretty funky indeed!


I had cakes travelling as far north as Maroochydore- South to Kingscliffe and West to Marburg on Saturday- this next cake went to Maroochydore.
A pretty two tier cake with White and purple Singapore Orchids.

The Brides Florist was kind enough to take her cake up to Maroochydore for her.
Just lovely.It wasn't all here there and everywhere on Saturday- I also went to one of my regular venues "The Marriott".

This three tier Classic design was just the picture of pretty!
I really love monochromatic cake designs- I think that their timelessness really lures me to love them.

I had a cake for Gusto da Gianni at Portside Wharf too- this cake had the invitation pattern replicated over their tiers. Pied in white then hand painted in silver- it looked just gorgeous.


I had to take a picture of it before it was painted- as I really loved it just as it was- My husband too loved it white and begged me not to paint the piping...... But the order was for the silver piping, and once finished Steve ate his words and loved the silver design too!

Why are the shots "wonky" you ask- well I am not a photographer- and I operate with a point and shoot pentax camera- and it was dusk and basically - what I think looks great on the 2" back screen- often is blurry or just almost black when I upload the image....... all in all these pics were the best of a bad bunch really.

Last but not least was the Grandest cake for the week.
Nea and Matt ( Nea's cousin is the uber Photog Toni Snell) got married out at "The Woodlands" of Marburg- in the Marquee.

When Nea and Matt came to see me- they knew exactly what they wanted- they had seen this cake done by me before, and this was THE cake for them. This four tier cake- filled with Dolce Vita roses- was almost my breaking point for the week. I so wanted this cake to be every bit perfect- not only because Toni had referred Nea and Matt to me- but especially because she did!
Don't get me wrong- I want every cake I send out to be fabulous- but when you have been commissioned to make the cake for a fellow vendors family member- the pressure is really on.
The cake inside and the icing were in the bag- but working with a fresh product can be unpredictable.
The Dolce Vita roses are just beautiful, but unfortunately they are a bit too large for this style of design. I had collected the roses the day prior and knew that I needed to extend the gap between their tiers to fit them in. This rose variety is also one that doesn't really "open" to a full soft bloom- it has a really large firm head, which means there is no "squishing" them between the layers to fit. As beautiful as they are I will be on the hunt for a variety very similar if I ever need to use this rose variety again.


Anyway- back to the awesome cake- I left this cake to the very last delivery of the day- It had fresh roses, and it was over 30degC, in a room with no aircon- so I was taking no chances. I must have looked a treat setting the cake up- my usual nerves and excitement from setting up such a big cake, coupled with the heat and getting too hot- it was all too much.
As the venue coordinator, DJ and the Event girls looked on as Steve and I assembled the cake- it came together quite well in the end. With all the self imposed pressure from this design- I almost had a "crazy cake lady" moment- but I breathed through it all and finished the cake. A fitting gorgeous design for a more beautiful couple and a stunning venue!

Each tier was swirled with a royal icing overlay- with extended gaps between the tiers, and close to 140 roses in between and on top!
I hope all of my Brides and Gooms had Fabulous weddings and enjoyed thier cake! This weekend gone has reminded me that some weekends there is close to 1000 people sampling my cakes at events across SEQ- it freaks me out- but in a good way!


Well I think that is it for last week, I hope to get the weekend just gone blooged later this week!
Thanks for reading!





4 comments:

Jennine said...

You're right Sarah - Dolca Vita are a beautiful rose but the head size is so large it's not easy using them in a bouquet either - but i think you did a wonderful job with them. Remind me to give you some other variety names.

Sarah-Jane said...

Thanks Jennine!
Nea had requested the Dolce Vita rose- as these were in her bouquet- I had hoped they would be smaller- but that is how they are- it was still impressive though- and the roses themselves were beautiful

leah sherer said...

Your cakes are beautiful and they are so inpsiring, as they are so different from the wedding cakes designed here in Florida. Thanks for the beauty, and for sharing!

John Berenson said...

These are the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen. Elegant classy and ingenious. I think you would do well in Boston. I totally agree as hard as it would be to say which is the most beautiful (as they are all) I love the one you like the best as well.
Thanks for sharing them.