If you’ve wondered why I haven’t done very many of my own posts on cakes recently…
here is your answer!!
I was busy all summer working on these six beautiful cakes I created for this new Craftsy Class. And, they all have one thing in common…they are all covered in metallics with bold graphics.
I SO enjoyed putting this class together!! I knew after Clean & Simple Design I wanted to do another class because there was so much more I wanted to cover.
I know a lot of you squirm at the thought of doing an extra tall cake, so I wanted to show you how to do it simply with several techniques.
Here is the tallest of the cakes! The center tier is 8″ tall and 6″ in diameter. I call this beauty my “Art Deco Cake” because of the beautiful scallops set against a dark gray scalloped background. I show you how to make this cake without any special cutters. You just need a circle cutter!! :)
The flower is a wafer paper flower and I show you two variations of it. You can use wafer paper or edible image paper for either technique. I just love the transparency of wafer paper flowers! Something you just can’t get with gumpaste!! – and they are SOOO easy to make!!
This next cake is one of my favorites! I love the colorful offset chevrons! There are five colors all stacked to make these beautiful vertical panels. The white, gold and silver are all luster dusted. The pics don’t do it justice, but this cake is bold and sparkly! It’s a pattern any guy would like! – it’s my husband’s fav of the class!! :)
I also show how to make that simple little wall flower with one tear drop cutter. Such a sweet little flower!! Simple elegance…and easy, easy techniques!
Hexagons/honeycomb prints are SO hot right now! – and there are so many beautiful ways to use that pattern. I love bold colors and contrast so I threw in a few dark gray tiles into mine. The entire back of this cake is painted gold. It has two layers of hexagons. Such a fun cake! I can’t wait to see your color combos with this design.
And, this is another edible paper flower…with edible paper, not wafer paper. This is the second variation
This is my “Hidden Design” cake. There is a design hidden away under the fondant that gives your this 3D look to it. There are endless possibilities on what designs you can put under there and I show you some simple techniques to apply designs onto the ganache crumb coat then cover it in fondant and still get razor sharp top edges with complex designs.
The mint pinwheel flower is my new favorite modern looking flower! The front of the cake is actually to the right of the cake. The flower was supposed to sit off to the left so the mint squares rise up to the flower. But, it’s all good! – you get the idea!! :) There are some fun variations you can do with this flower once you learn how to make the petals!! It’s got a fun shape to it!!
These last two cakes are my silver leaf cakes!! I show how to apply silver leaf onto a cake and then give you some super fun, top secret, really easy ways to put silver leaf designs onto your cakes!!! Check out the “Lace Cake” above with beautiful silver leaf lace!! Or the cake below with the silver leaf polka dots!! SO much fun can be had with silver leaf…simple fun!
And, here are two more flowers I show how to make. All without wires…easy, simple techniques with templates I provide and circle cutters!
Here’s a close up of the wafer paper flower I make! :) OH I love this sweet thing!! It seriously would only take you about 30 min. to put this together!! It’s so easy and so quick that you’ll want to have it in your tool kit of ideas for those last minute cakes!
So, remember to click HERE for 50% off and to watch a little promo video about the class. You can also see some more pics and see the lessons laid out for you too! :)
I hope you enjoy it!!
Now there is one more thing I just wanted to share with you!! Something the Lord really spoke to me after this class.
When I was at Crafty filming this class, I hardly slept! The altitude caught up with me so bad in Denver that I literally cat napped throughout the night for 5 nights straight! I was SO upset! I was a walking zombie during the day and had SUCH a hard time focusing and getting my lines out and executing things the way I did at home this summer. I felt like I was back in the days of being up all night with an infant…only there was no sweet, chubby, cuddly thing for me to hold!! – just cakes!
During filming, things went on crooked, I had to redo things multiple times, I messed up some of the finishes, I touched a cake right after I sprayed it, I did things in ways I wouldn’t normally do them. We had to re-shoot things SO many times…way more than my first class…which was my FIRST class!!!
Sorry Cara (my producer)!!
I left there feeling like I had wasted such an amazing opportunity because I thought I literally train-wrecked the class. I was exhausted, emotional and felt so low when I got back home. I even told them I wanted to fly back and re-shoot a few things!!!
Then…three days later, my mom had her surgery…and the Lord showed me what was important! – and it’s NOT cakes!! :)
We can get consumed with projects and making things perfect and doing everything with such intensity, that we forget to look up and see what’s important.
Time…
Love…
Family…
Relationships.
Our sweet Lord created us to be in relationship with Him and He created us to be in relationship with others. My joy will be full, my life will be complete when I have loved…and loved deeply. When I pour into others, I am filled. My mom was the most amazing example of that.
She loved deeply and she had deep joy!!
We can’t see the future, we can’t see why bad things happen. I may never understand why I felt the class went so horribly wrong and why my mom had to die. But, what I do know is that the Lord will be glorified. And He’ll be glorified more in our weakness. When things seem out of control, when things seem like they can’t go any worse, He shows up…walking on the waves during the storm. And He speaks into our hearts, “Do not be afraid for I am with you!” He knows the plans He has for me…for you! – and they are always meant to bless us and give us life.
My husband told me some great truths when all this went down. He said, “Jessica, it’s perfect your class went so bad because now if anything good comes of it, you know it’s the Lord’s hand of mercy and grace and you can’t take the credit for it!” Amen!! How much more glory will HE receive when His strength is made perfect in our weakness!!
That sweet husband of mine also told me something else that made all the craziness of the summer worth it. When I told him I felt like I wasted an opportunity because he had to “babysit” all summer while I worked on cakes, he said, “It wasn’t wasted…I got to be with my kids all summer. I got to know them, deepen my relationship with them more than I ever would have had you not done the class!”
He knew it was about relationships. And, if the only good thing that comes out of this class is my husband’s amazingly wonderful and deep relationship with my kids, then it was worth messing up again!! :)
See…we never know how the Lord will redeem something…how HE will take the bad and create something beautiful with it!
My mom left me with an amazing passion for the Word of God and an even greater desire to share His love. That passion and that desire wouldn’t have happened had she not passed away. It was a springboard for me…and it was such a gift. I’m going to miss her deeply, but her passing gave me such a huge desire to be the mom she was, to pour into my kids in a greater way, to turn off technology and pour into my relationships, to tell others about the marvelously wonderful love of Christ and how to know Him more deeply.
So…bad things happen…but great things can be seen…better things are left in their place when we can stop and look at them. My sweet Jesus showed me how much He loves me and how much He wants my life to not just be lived for the here and now…for the things that burn…for the things that ultimately leave us bummed out and disappointed.
He wants my life to be filled with deep joy that can only be found by HIS love, and sharing that love with others.
Know Him, and find joy! Read His love letter to us and find a Savior that desires to pour out His love and forgiveness onto you!!
With all my love,
Jessica
P.S…Now, you may be thinking, hmmm, I’m not going to take her class because she said it was a train wreck!! LOL!! – but what’s amazing…and for sure miraculous is I was able to watch it back a few weeks ago and was surprised how well it turned out. Seriously it was ALL God, and I think some great editing to remove all the dumb things I said!! I was crying my eyes out, and the whole time God kept whispering, “My strength is made perfect in your weakness!” – and it was. Somehow HE turned it all around for good and I praise HIM. Yes, it’s not perfect, and not my best work, but you will learn some amazingly fun techniques to make some beautiful cakes!!! – Crafty guarantees it!! LOL!!
Hi Jessica,
I’ve been watching your new craftsy class all afternoon and OMG I LOVE IT!!! THANK YOU for being so creative and giving with your amazing talent. Big love and thanks again. Emanuela
Jessica,
Thank you for this new class and your last. You have been such an inspiration to me in the past couple of years, not only from a cake standpoint, but also from a spiritual one. I look forward to the motivation and positivity you give, along with your willingness to share the good news of our Lord and Savior with others. Please continue to share your testimony and beautiful spirit with us all. And as a perk, we get to also enjoy your amazingly beautiful and well crafted cakes. God bless.
I don’t think I can find words that describe your work, let aloe your amazing personality. One of the first reasons that let me want to take your class even before knowing what it’s abut is how kind and sweet you are! I really wish you the best, your my idol XX
Dearest Jessica,
I’m ecstatic that I’m the first to make a comment here…hehehe..simple joys! Finally, the class we have ALL been waiting for and WOW!!! You certainly blew us away, well, I was by just looking at the pix here alone! I can’t wait to watch the Craftsy videos!
On the other note, as I was reading this post, my tears couldn’t stop rolling when I read your personal sharing. What you shared about how bad you felt your class turned out to be (which I don’t think so!) and your mum’s passing, I could really feel your pain and frustration. But my tears of sadness turned into tears of joy (yes, I was still tearing) when i see what a strong person you are and such a loyal servant of the Lord, trusting His Ways and His Will. I thank God for you, for showing me that we are nothing without Him who loves us and His Ways are not our way. God bless you abundantly, Jessica and thank you so much for your generous spirit being a Craftsy teacher.
Hey sugarmummy!! Thank your for crying along with me!! – what a sweet support you are and I so appreciate your prayers and blessing!! May the Lord bless you for taking the time to bless my heart so abundantly!!! God be praised!! – oh, and I’m glad you don’t feel like I train-wrecked the class!! LOL!
Congratulations, on your new class,ive really been waitingsince you wrote that it would be out like 2 months back,im from kenya and i took your first class and i loved it .Sorry for what happened to your Mum,may God give you the strength you need
Thanks for the 50% off link. I just purchaseed the class. Kathy
Thanks for the link Jessica… just purchased it, can’t wait to view it… may your talent grow from strength to strength God Bless!
Hi Jessica, thank you for your 50% off link! I remember reading one of your posts where you talk about how you didn’t feel the lord was moving you to making money using your talent, and I have to say that seeing your 50% off link proves that, and it also shows in your words. I can tell by reading your beautiful heartfelt posts that you truly love us all. That what you teach us is because you love us, it’s not to make a profit, although, I absolutely do not in anyway condemn any cake artists who do make money from their work.
I just feel as a fellow Christ follower that anyone who reads your posts, believer or non-believer, will trust in your words. There are many Christians who preach one thing, but their actions preach another. Not you my sister in Christ, your words match your actions. I pray that God continues to bless you my friend. That His light continues to shine bright in your beautiful spirit. That He continues to guide you, teach you and inspire you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Now, I love, love, love that you confessed your mistakes and mishaps! I just did my first wedding cake in September for 150 people. The biggest cake I had to make so far. I took three days off from my full time corporate job to get it done. I made so many mistakes, small ones, but yet at the time seemed so magnified, I hardly ate or slept for three days. The bottom tier was decorated with fondant ruffle roses, my first, and I started decorating it Thursday afternoon working all through the night to finish it…just the bottom tier! Luckily the wedding wasn’t till 6PM Friday evening, but there was still much to be done to get the cake completed and delivered. I made many unnecssary mistakes, I was exhausted, my hands were swollen because I barely drank during the process, I was weak from lack of sleep and not eating.
As I was driving to deliver the cake all I could think about is how inadequate I felt. Thinking that I had no business making this wedding cake, it’s way out of my league, why did I make all those mistakes I know better, maybe I should just hang up my apron and forget about it….but when I got to the venue and stacked the cake a joy and pride swept over me! God put the passion of baking and creating in my heart, that I know for sure, and He was there with me. Shining His pride on me, telling me “you did a beautiful job”. That still small voice telling me I’m not good enough does continue to creep up, but with God’s help I crush it! Reading your words just inspires me and tells me, it’s okay to mess up, that we don’t have to be perfect and that God will see us through all things. Like you said, we are to look up and see Him. That it’s not about the treasures here, but what He is preparing for us when we come to be with Him. So thank you for sharing your experience with us, for showing us your imperfections. It came at just the right moment for me, praise to our Lord.
Now I’m going to go purchase your class! Yaaaay!
With much love and many blessings,
Denise
Sweet sister in Christ! What an incredible blessing your comment was!! I’m so glad you see Jesus in me…that is my prayer! That I would be a light to all I meet and that they would know His love!! Thank you for praying for me and for encouraging me!!!! God is good and I praise Him for your support!! May He continue to bless the work of your hands!!
xoxo
Hi Jessica, I’ve been looking forward to your next class since you have announced it. I learned so much from your previous class and I really like your modern style. Thank you for the discount. Thank you also for sharing your personal story with us. Deeply sorry for your loss. But I just love your positive outlook in life, looking for a lesson behind when all things can go wrong. Thank you so much, you have deeply touched us in more ways than cake Take care… now on to get your class
So beautifully written. I love your deep faith and praise of our most wonderful God! He has truly annointed you and your work. Your testimony speaks volumes.
I loved your first class and I am anxious to watch your newest one. I purchased it earlier today and I am sad that I won’t have time to watch it until next week due to orders and party planning for my son. No matter how disappointed you were initially with your performance during the class, I am assured that it will still be a fantastic course! Be blessed and may the strength of the Lord comfort you and your family as you continue to mourn the loss of your mother.
Thank you for your beautiful testimony!! It rang so true to my heart. I look forward to taking your class. I was so excited when I received the e-mail from Craftsy. It felt like Christmas! My prayers are with your family. God Bless. -Claudia Lopez
Bought it, I couldn’t wait! Your cakes are amazing!!! You really must stop making more Craftsy classes they’re a temptation I can’t resist, LOL! Congrats on a new success, you deserve all the recognition you are getting I am so, so, so happy for you Can’t wait to get started on this new class, yipee!
Hey Jessica,
I just signed up for your new class this morning as soon as I heard about it. I haven’t had the time to look at it yet because I had to go to work, but I’m positive that it will be great. I have several cake designs that I drew a few weeks ago that I have been pondering on how to tackle them. Sure enough, I see in your overview that your lessons will go over many of the things that I have questions on, so I’m really excited. I must say that out of all the cake decorating classes that I have signed up for on Craftsy (and it’s been a lot), I find your instructions to be the most practical, and genius in its simplicity! I just wanted to let you know that.
I admire your humble and servant like spirit and am encouraged by your testimony you shared with us. I’m sorry about your mother, but just continue to abide in the peace that only comes through Christ and continue to let Him use you. It speaks volumes. Reading this post came at the right on time for me. Just this morning as I was driving to work, I was talking to God about how much I really enjoy cake decorating. But there is a part of me that often questions how I can use this to give God glory. I know that in everything we do we should glorify God, but I don’t always understand how, especially in this area, when I know that it is just cake.. But God used you as a reminder to me that He can use anything for His good purpose. I don’t need to fully understand it. I just need to continue with my relationship with Him and to seek Him first, and He will do the rest through cakes and everything else. So thank you for sharing that and may God continually bless and guide you.
Amen sister!! What a fantastic message! Thank you!! Yes…when ever we seek Him with our whole heart, He will be found! When we abide in Him, only then will we produce fruit (John 15). THEN we can be used in great and beautiful ways. Through even silly things like cake!! LOL!! So, I pray your passion for Jesus would grow, that you would seek Him first and in that you will find the daily tasks He has set out for you, that will in turn fill your life with incredible joy and show others His love!! Praise the Lord for your heart!! Protect it!
Blessings to you!!
Jessica
xoxo
Hi Jessica, it’s Denise again! I just finished watching the first three lessons…..and it’s just as ridicously awesome as the first one!!! Love, love, love it. I could have used the metallic lesson last month when I did the wedding cake, ha! One of the tiers was all gold, and boy did I have a hard time covering it without having an airbrush. It took me a very long time to work out the streaks and now I know why! But no harm done because now I’ll know exactly what to do the next time without having to invest hundreds in an airbrush!
So while I was watching my brain was working overtime and I thought, how awesome it would be to have a hands-on class with Jessica! So I think you should pray about that and see where the Lord leads you. I’m thinking your classes would sell out within minutes!
Blessings to you,
Denise
Jessica you have nothing to worry about girl!! I ordered my video yesterday morning and watched it straight through. You did a wonderful job!! Thank you for your words in this post I have been trying to wrap my mind around a few things going on in my life and your blog was just the reminder I needed! God doesn’t always give us all the answers but we have peace to know rhe situation will turn out just as He planned it. The ride might be a bit bummpy but it will be ok. Keep up the good work! Can’t wait for the next one!!
Amen girl! The bumps make us tougher, gives us more empathy towards others who struggle and grow us up into the woman HE wants us to be!! Hang on tight…He’s in control! xoxo
Jessica, I pulled up your blog post about your new cake class the day you posted it, but didn’t get to read it until today. But God meant for me to read it TODAY! =) Thank you so much for your love & passion for Christ that is pouring through you to others. You are making me & others want to be more Christ-like, & helping us to focus on our priorities, not cakes, so you couldn’t ask for more. Lots of love & prayers to you today!
Praise the LORD!!! That is my heart!!!!! I’m so happy you see that and are desiring to be more like Christ and desiring to put your priorities in the right order! Hugs and blessings to you!!
Jessica
Thank you for such wonderful testimony and a reminder that we need to nurture the relationships that we have both with God and our family. I truly believe that you have planted a seed in so many people’s heart by writing this post. I know that some people will read this post and think “why does she have to bring Jesus into this?” My prayer is that, they will come to know Him and experience the joy and peace they have be missing. God’s blessings.
Thank you for such a wonderful prayer!!! That is my hope!!! I pray whoever reads this will be challenged and inspired to know Jesus and to allow HIM to rule their hearts!! HUGS!!!
You are such an inspiration. Thank you.
(where do you buy your metallic foil and wafer paper in PDX?)
HI Jessica, so human to share your bad experience and I really appreciate it. I took both of your classes and believe me that both are fantastic classes!! georgeous designs, amazing your creativity I love how you play with colors and use them, I love the unique ideas that you have and the way that you give real person tips. I am so glad to realize that there are more things in life than cakes, family, friends and time goes so quickly to lose those moments!! congratulations and enjoy life because we only have one!
So silly questions, but how did you attach the sign AND make it stand up? Is there a support behind it?
Are you talking about my Strawberry Shortcake cake? There aren’t any signs on the cakes under this post?!
Oh goodness. Yes I was talking about your SS cake. I guess I scrolled around & got lost w/my post!
haha!! I added some melted chocolate to the back of the sign and put a popsicle stick on the back of it, then when it was dry, I inserted it into the cake. Simple!
Hi Jessica…..I just read your post and it brought me to tears. I am sooo sorry about your great loss. Your deep faith, makes me question why I don’t share the same strong belief as you do, especially since my daughter does, and I so admire her for that. This isn’t the first post of yours that I’ve read….I’m a new self-taught cake maker and love, love, love your work! Every time I read your posts, your deep faith gets me all choked up. I hope that someday I, too, can have the same incredible relationship you and my daughter share with our Lord. Thank you for sharing your amazing work!
Hi Ann Marie! You are so sweet and I appreciate you posting this comment!! Yes…this year has been incredible. But, I’ve also seen the Lord in a deeper and greater way! So, there is joy in the “mourning”.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God. I pray that you will dig into His sweet love letter to you and seek Him with your whole heart. What you sow, you’ll reap and He promises that those who seek Him with their whole heart will find Him. And, what JOY, beauty, peace and love you’ll find there. There is nothing like knowing what your purpose is…there is nothing compared to being in fellowship with our maker. It is the greatest richest experience ever. There you will find that incredible relationship.
I praise the Lord for you and pray your heart will desire after Him…and that you’ll know how much He loves you!!!
Blessings!!!
Jessica
Again, I’m all choked up! I don’t think there is anything you can write that doesn’t move me! Thank you for your sweet response, Jessica. I appreciate your taking the time out of your busy schedule to write me. May God continue to bless you and yours.
Ann Marie
You are such an inspiration to my mother, and I resinate and appreciate everything you said in this post. You are human, you are not a machine that can crank these delicate creations out flawlessly. The world might expect more of you, but God only asks you to show up and do your part, He will do His:)
Thank you for your honesty. It needs to be shown in others and ourselves more.
Oh what sweet words to my soul! Yes, you are right!! Thank you for your encouragement and blessing!! YES, He has and will continue to do His work in me as I am open and seeking His will. I wish you the best!!!