Saturday, August 27, 2016

Once Upon A Time….A Very Long Time Ago…..

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I taught Cake Decorating at our local technical college. These decorations were made with royal icing. It gets hard and lasts forever,
They were in the cupboard above the refrigerator for years. We figured they are at least 40 years old and look just like the day I made them!
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This container holds roses, buds, ruffled flowers, baby booties, baskets, birds, grapes, leaves and more flowers. The advantage of making things with royal icing is they can be made ahead and put on a cake at a moments notice. They are not soft and creamy like the decorations made with buttercream icing which must be made and used right away.
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This container has things made with much stronger colors. Lots more flowers and some Christmas things.
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This is a close-up of some of the Christmas decorative items.
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This close-up shares some of the roses and buds and the birds.
When I made a batch of royal icing I would make up a lot of things to use up the entire batch. That is why I had so many of these years later. It has been years since I have decorated a cake. I would not even use these anymore even though they would be safe to eat.
My idea in getting them out of the cupboard was to dispose of them but I just can’t make myself throw them away. I wonder if there is anything I could do with them?
This was the last step in the recent reorganizing and purging things from my kitchen cabinets. It was the last cupboard to be gone through. It’s a good feeling to have that job finished.
I may just have to put these back in that empty cupboard for another 40 years!

9 comments:

Susie Q said...

You can have a blog give away.... lots of folks have giveaways!!!! You are a very organized pack rat....

Robin said...

They are beautiful. They look like real flowers. But really Kay why are you saving them? keep a few if you need to but no one can eat them- donate them to a school to show students what can be done. That way they have a whole new life. When I decorated cakes I liked royal icing decor but loved buttercream better for taste. I don't know how people eat fondant! I looks pretty but tastes like plastic.

Robbie said...

I always learn something else about you! Cake decorating! Yep, I can see that!!! I don't know why you can seal them with some type of medium and then.....yea, that's the problem...and then what. Robin had a good idea of donating to a school.

Gayle said...

Well, *I* would put that sweet little yellow and white bird in my china cabinet so it would have a forever home!

Windy Hill Happenings said...

Such beautiful colors but would be hard pressed as what to do with them...I think I would probably have to keep them another 40 years...

Sandy said...

You can stick some riding on a piece of cardboard to run down the center of a table- maybe ice a box or two and start arranging them in big pools of color. I'd start with yellows and oranges for fall, segue into the reds and greens for Christmas, then change them out for bright yellows and teens of spring, add the purples for Easter, and on and on. As you use them and change out, you can give them to whoever eats at your table! That way you can add them to your quota, people get them because they are SOOO cool, and you don't have to buy a glower until next year sometime! (They are so beautiful and time consuming, they NEED to be seen!)

Grace said...

Just think what that would do your annual purge numbers!

Marybeth said...

Wouldn't an after-school program or the Boys and Girls club have fun with them....decorating a faux cake or an diorama? Just thinkin'

patty a. said...

I bet some artist would love to have them. They could glue them to s sculpture or a canvas and make art with them.