JoAnn Backyard Blast Cake Decorating Contest

The JoAnn Backyard Blast cake decorating competition was last wkend. I'm really glad I entered the competition because it forced me to try new techniques. Actually, much of the cake was decorated with things I haven't ever tried before. Like using cereal treats, modeling chocolate, fondant/gumpaste figures...All and all I am proud of my entry. Here are some close up photos of the cake.

Baby in blow-up kiddie pool.  You can't see it in this photo but I added water by tinting piping gel.

The umbrella is three pieces of THICK spaghetti "glued" together with Royal icing, then covered with modeling chocolate.  The modeling chocolate smelled SOO GOOD!  The deck is covered in it as well.  

Slip-n-slide is fondant, the water sprinklers are piped candy melts.

The gas grill is cereal treats covered in modling chocolate and fondant.  I used silver pearl dust to "paint" the fondant silver.  There's got to be a better way.  I'll have to research that for future.

Close up of the Father figure.  Not bad for my first attempt at modeling figures but I have a lot to learn.  I need to work on the faces.  I used gel color on the end of a toothpick for the eyes, and mom's eyes ran from the condensation.  It looked like she got splashed and her mascara ran.

I think I like mom the best.  I think the way her limbs were posed made her look more natural.