I hope you have had a fabulous week.
I have been busy preparing tutorials in advance before I start to get busy with classes again, so content is already organised until the start of October.
This weeks tutorial is part 2 of the Oak and Horse chestnut tutorial. This time, it is all about adding colour and assembling into gorgeous branches that you can either add to an arrangement or pop in a vase.
It really does help if people watch, like and drop a comment to help me grow the page, so everyone who has watched..........a huge thank you! Don't forget to scroll back through my videos as there are now 60 videos on my channel! Including playlists for Halloween and Harry Potter
Don't forget to check out the all important basics such as making buttercream and ganache, ganaching and icing your cake with sharp edges.
But wait there is more!
Did you spot an extra tutorial appearing on my YouTube channel this week?
This is a full HD tutorial filmed for the website, but as I am not hosting tutorials on the website any more, I thought it would be nice to share.
I made so many swarovski crystal pieces for my wedding cakes over the years. I designed them to create a safe way to display inedible crystals on my cakes while also creating a beautiful keepsake for the happy couple to keep after the big event.
Time to catch up
This week saw my return to in person demonstrations. It was both exciting and terrifying driving all the way to Weymouth (by far the furthest I have driven in 18 months!), demonstrating to a lovely group of socially distanced people, staying overnight - that was strange! - then the long drive home.
Here is one of the elements from the new wafer paper tutorial. Bleached ruscus.
I love the appearance of the dried flowers, but am not keen on the idea of adding them to cakes, especially naked or semi naked, so wafer paper is THE perfect solution. (I borrowed the appropriate wallpaper background from the B & B I stayed in that night for this pic)
I decided to break the journey at another seaside and drove to Weston-super-mare
I thought, what a lovely way to celebrate the return to demonstrating, to watch the sun get lower in the sky and cast its reflection on the sea, but then i was stuck in a 6 miles stretch on the M5
- not to fear - I managed to keep the positive and sang along to music for the whole time only to then re-start my final 1 and a half hours of the journey home.
I did it! - Cue the celebratory music lol.
It may not seem much, but having lost the majority of my income over the last 18 months, it felt so normal to be going out and doing what I love and I truly look forward to the future with a little more hope.
Big News
Well, I am not going to tell you everything just yet, but here is the start.
A new logo for a fresh start......and this new start requires packaging!
Not book 2 - I think that needs to wait a little longer until shows and my travelling classes and demonstrations are back up to full speed, but something brand new - to me!
I do think it will take a while for a return to normal, and looking at the zoom demonstrations in my calendar for next year, the return will not be as quick as we think, so in September I will be launching a new side to the business - but you will have to wait and see!
There will be lives on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook ahead of the release. It is a little nerve-wracking and feels like starting all over again, so if you could share the posts you see that would be a huge help, as social media seems a little against small businesses at the moment, but we still desparately need it, as that is where most people go first.
Don't worry, classes are not going anywhere - they are and will always be my first love, and lets face it, we have a lot of lovely projects this term and in the day classes to get our teeth into.
I really hope you will follow me on this new journey my little business is taking, but the most important thing is, that after opening the business in 1999, I am not going to let the pandemic cancel all my dreams and I wish that for you too, whatever your profession or dreams in life.
Stay safe, happy caking and I will see you soon.
Rhi