I love gift cards! I was given a ton for my birthday this year so I was forced to spoil myself.  My favorite purchase was the Get Sassie! Sugar Gun. I was scared at first...sugar is hot and I am clumsy!  I mean, let's face it, I burn myself with a glue gun and this is MUCH hotter.  In the end, all went well and I made some pretty cool things.  For anyone like me who is afraid of sugar, this is a great introduction.  Because it works like a glue gun, it isn't so scary and unless you touch the sugar on purpose you won't get burned.

Before I go on I want to tell you what you need to do everything I have done here.  Most important is the Get Sassie! glue gun and sugar sticks.  Equally as important is a silicone mat.  Sugar won't stick to it or melt it.  Ignore the cookie cutter, I tried to use it as a mold but it was too big.  If you want to use a cookie cutter just make sure it is metal and on the smaller side.  Any silicone mold will work great and the flower formers were used to make a sugar flower!  I still can't believe I figured this out on my own.  Having trouble finding these things?  These links should help...



While playing with my sugar gun I took lots of pictures to show you the versatility this "toy" has.   The gun has two settings green for freehand sugar work and pink for molds.  I thought the freehand would be cool to write with sugar but no, it didn't work.  Everything just ran together.  However, with freehand you can make sugar beads which would be great for those hard to find silver beads (see silver sugar sticks above)!  Here is what they look like along with a tear drop shape...


Those tear drop shapes looked like the start of a petal to me so I decided to play with them.  I made a the shape just as I would with buttercream and a piping bag.  I was afraid to touch the sugar at ANY point so I used the silicone mat to help me flatten it out (I DO NOT recommend touching the sugar at any point.  Please learn how to use sugar before you decide to do so.  The burns are not something you want to mess with!)  When it was flat it looked like this...






I then used my flower former to shape the sugar once it was cool enough to touch. Don't wait too long though.  Once it sets, that's it.


Once the sugar was set I simply added a drop of sugar to the end of the petals and attached them together.  Then, I added the little beads I made previously and this was the result...





I'm pretty proud of myself, and it was easy!  Trust me, if I can do it then so can you.  Later, I decided to make a leaf with some green sugar.  It is made the same as the petal but with a little point at the top when you "pipe" it.


Molds are the easiest use for this tool.  The pink setting makes the sugar come out faster to fill the mold.  I have used it to make jewels, buttons and a bow.  Just fill, gently shake and let set.




So that was my first experience with a sugar gun and I'm hooked!  If you don't want to take the risk or can't put out the money just yet, don't worry! I am starting to sell these products at my newly reopened Etsy shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/KimsCake.  I take special request so please be sure to ask.  Sorry for the shameless plug.

If I have to say anything negative it is that once you start on a color that's it; you can't switch.  Look at the buttons I made.  Two of them are half pink and half green.  I'm not really crazy about that because it is such a waste of sugar.

Well there you have it.  I couldn't find the sugar gun on Amazon so that is why it is not in my shop but you can purchase it at www.GlobalSugarArt.com.  If you are playing with this toy, share your pictures!

'Wedding Cake Art and Design: A Professional Approach' by Toba Garrett is a must read for any aspiring cake decorator.  Months ago this book was featured in American Cake Decorating Magazine and I have finally been able to read it.  As a self-taught decorator, it is obvious that when it comes to the business side of the art, I'm a little lost.  This book helped correct that.

Toba talks about contracts, sketching, and even the major supplies needed to run a successful business. She also gives tutorials on cake design, string work, and more!  If you haven't realized already, I am very excited about this book!  Even more exciting is that Toba Garrett will be at the Garden State Cake Show in Burlington, NJ on February 4th and 5th this year!

I could not wait to share with you this new show on TLC.  "Fabulous Cakes" follows professional cake decorators throughout the country as they undertake the long process of creating an edible work of art.  This show is perfect for decorators like me because I am always looking to learn something new but am not in a position to attend pastry school.  Every show, the featured decorator takes you through the step-by-step process of creating a fabulous cake with an added emphasis on technique.  And if you are wondering how much these works of art cost, you will be amazed when the price is revealed.  I knew these cakes can be pricey but even I am shocked at times.

My favorite episode was when a NY decorator, working from home, created a 4 foot dog.  By showing you how to create the basic structure, is not long as intimidating as it once was.  While I could not find a clip of this episode, here is a snippet from another episode which features decorators from Las Vegas.

Check your local listings for air times and dates.

I have recently been introduced to a site specializing in everything spicy.  Hot Sauce Planet sells everything from dry rubs to marinades and of course hot sauce.  I especially like their selection of Humorous and Funny Hot Sauces.  They have names like Fire in the Hole and Goin' Bananas Hot Sauce.  Those aren't even the funniest names.  To see those, you'll just have to visit www.hotsauceplanet.com.

For those of you who enjoy an insane amount of heat in your food, they have a category dedicated to you.  Hot Sauce Planet has a hot pepper sauce that measures 5 million Scoville Units of heat!  In other words, you don't get much hotter than that!

If you are looking for a huge variety of spicy sauces and products this site is a definite must see.  Hot Sauce Planet has something for every heat lover.


Thank you to Hot Sauce Planet for sponsoring this recommendation.

Copper is great for heating sugar because it is very important that you don't burn it.  By heating it evenly you are sure to melt your sugar perfectly every time.  The spout on the 8 inch sugar pan to the left makes pouring your sugar into molds even easier.




In previous posts I have talked about making cake pops.  If you are familiar with them you already know that they are dipped in melted chocolate.  For all the same reasons copper is great for sugar, it is perfect for melting chocolate.    The copper fondue set pictured to the right is not only beautiful for entertaining but will work wonders when covering dessert items in chocolate.


Ruffoni Cookware also has a large selection of copper molds for baking and decoration not to mention pots and pans in various sizes.  Stop by their site for more products and prices.




Thank you to our friends at www.ruffonicookware.com for sponsoring this post.

I don't know about you, but when it comes to car repair, I don't know much.  I know even less about the mechanics in my area.  I have been fortunate enough to have owned newer cars but as my vehicle gets older I worry about the day I need to go to a mechanic.  I have recently been introduced to a site that takes that worry away.

RepairPal.com allows you to search for local mechanic reviews, compare estimates, store your car's information, and so much more.  For example, let's say you live in Phoenix, AZ and you want to search for a Phoenix auto repair.  Simply run your search on RepairPal.com and not only will they give you a list of mechanics but customer reviews as well.

Want to find ratings, reviews, recall info or common problems associated with your car?  Search for your car's info (ie Ford Escort) and get all that and more.  Something else I haven't mentioned is that RepairPal.com also has an Encyclopedia of car information to help you make the best choice for both you and your car.  For example, let's say your current mechanic has told you that you need a timing belt but you don't know anything about that part or if it is even related to your problem.  Visit the Encyclopedia section of RepairPal and all your questions will be answered.

As I mentioned earlier, I know very minimal about cars but with this website I now feel secure in knowing I will never be taken advantage of.


Thank you to our friends at www.RepairPal.com for sponsoring this recommendation.