New Online Sugarcraft Tutorial..ON SALE NOW!

FINALLY!!! What more can I say...it's ready and online for sale at Extra Icing website and of course here on the blog...just look to your right! The tutorial doesn't explain how to cover the cakes, but you've all seen me do that on You.Tube so many times, but it does include lots of new stuff! I'm happy to see this one up and running...hope you enjoy it! Cheers!

Catch a glimpse of my work on Rachael Ray Show today!

YES! Today on the Rachael Ray Show you can see a glimpse of my work. The Producers of the show asked me some time ago for permission to use some of my work on the show so of course I said OKAY!! I have no idea how much of it will be seen but the theme of the show is playing with food. I can see where I fit in with this. I won't see this show in Scotland but I have many US buddies who are going to save a tape for me so I'm sure I'll see it soon. You can find my name on the list of features in the show. That in itself is enough for me! Woohoooo!

A few places available in August London class

Just a few places left for the London class....Girl's Best Friend....which I have just completed in Canada this month. The August classes will be my last in London for 2010 so it would be great to go out with a "full hoose"! Hahaha! There are still 4 places left in the class to fill so if you would like to come and join me for some great fun, madness and mayhem then book now at Extra Icing and I'll see you there! I'll be back in London early 2011 with a list of all the available classes throughout the year. Hope to start listing those by the end of August for you. Book your spot today for Girl's Best Friend....you know you want to! Yay!

Happy Birthday Jamie!!

My son is 21 today! I had to quickly put a cake together for him and in my haste, I ruined a 6" cake that should have sat on top of this one! Never mind. Upon my return from Canada I had little time to work as I was also on babysitting duty for all 3 grandchildren due to the mummy and daddy of two of them taking part in the Big Fun Run. The third's mummy and daddy were out celebrating the birthday boy's big day a day early. So this is all I had time for but it sums up my son in a nutshell. He is very laid back and can sometimes overdo the "sauce" just a little, has always been a poser and sees himself as a ladies man....his opinion, not ours!....and to make him laugh I just had to add Sooty and Sweep who were his all time favourite TV characters. He used to own the glove puppets....I'm sure I still have those somewhere! hahaha! Anyhoo....this cake was better than no cake at all. Happy Birthday Jamie. Love you lots! Mum x

Hip Hip Hooray!!

Congratulations to my girls...and Dave...for their fantastic effort in the 5K Big Fun Run on behalf of Daniel to raise money for Downs Syndrome Scotland. My girls came in at 27 minutes (Vicky far right), 35 minutes (Dave...Daniel's daddy) and 37 minutes, Daniel's mummy, Claire. Collectively they have raised just over £700 for the charity. Well done girls! (..and Dave!) I am soooo proud, I could hardly hold my camera straight to take the pictures of them coming in at the Finish line. Andrew and Daniel were there to give their support and cheer mummy and daddy on. Baby Tegan squealed her support too for her Aunties and Uncle...her daddy was getting over his own little marathon from last night as he celebrated his 21st birthday! All in all a busy day for granny....but an extremely proud one too!

The Big Fun Run - Downs Syndrome Scotland

This Sunday, my girls are running to raise money for Downs Syndrome Scotland. They are taking part in The Big Fun Run in Edinburgh. Granny on the other hand, will be waiting at the Finish line with Daniel....and big brother Andrew and cousin Tegan. A day full of kiddies for me which means a lot of ice cream! Help us raise a little more for Downs Syndrome Scotland by visiting my Just Giving page. Thank you!

Farewell Ontario...til next time!

Well....it's all over! The Canada classes with Flour Confections (Lisa Bugeja) have come and gone in a whirlwind. I arrived in Toronto on Friday but my belongings didn't arrive until 11pm on Saturday. All I was worried about was my hair straighteners....one has to get one's priorities in order, eh! hahaha! Anyhoo....as soon as my suitcase and I were reunited it was full steam ahead. Lisa took great care of me and the students, making sure everyone had what they needed and providing lunch which is always a bonus when possible. These classes were booked a looooong time ago and since then have discovered that teaching my Bride and Groom in one day is actually pretty near impossible. Despite that, my students did a fantastic job and took on board all I had to say and were very understanding about the content of the class. This being said, all future classes involving two figures will be over two days. I will certainly be returning to Canada and a new Bride and Groom class will be on the menu. A HUGE thank you to everyone who came along and for the little chocolate gifts too....you know me too well. A massive THANK YOU to Lisa Bugeja for taking care of everything...including my toiletries and mini straighteners to see me through the first day! I had a wonderful time and look forward to seeing you again...hopefully in 2012! Yay!

Coming soon! - "Mum to be!" Online Sugarcraft Tutorial

Here it is....the latest Online Sugarcraft Tutorial created by Lorraine McKay and part of the Extra Icing series of tutorials for your pleasure. This is my version of a pregnant lady, keeping a modern theme and based on so many young ladies parading around in the summer heat with pretty tops and jeans no less. Gone are the days of the oversized smock dresses and maternity tights! haha! Anyhoo....this tutorial is all about the figure with additional instruction on how to decorate the cake. Covering the cakes is not included but design preparation and execution (ooooh! get me!) most certainly is. A simple design which can be adapted easily to suit your personal needs. This tutorial will teach you how to make the figure's arms all in one without unsightly seams at the shoulders and also I introduce my little tools to show you how to get more definition and smoothness in your facial features. The tools used in previous tutorials still apply and the "extras" are purely optional....but I'm sure you'll want them! Oooooh the suspense! Watch out for this tutorial being released by the end of July, if not sooner.

Workshop subject featured in Party Cakes Magazine

In this issue of Party Cakes I have no less than 6 cakes featured. Among those is the "Girl's Best Friend" workshop subject I will be teaching in New York in November and have already taught in L.A. this year. There are a few step by step projects in the magazine, not done by me I hasten to add, but well worth taking a look at. The magazine is brimming with cake ideas to inspire you. You can buy from W.H. Smith in the UK or online at Global Sugar Art and Sugarshack. "Girl's Best Friend" is also one of the class subjects in Canada where I will be heading next Friday. There are still places available in the New York classes for November and you can book direct through Extra Icing website.

New Online Sugarcraft Tutorial in the making!

Yes!! I'm busy working on the latest of the Extra Icing Online Sugarcraft Tutorials. The subject is one that has been requested so many times....but it isn't a Bride and Groom, sorry. That is one subject that I will be keeping for another format at a later date. However, a sneak preview to the preparation of the cake before the most important part of all is added to finish it off....the model! hahaha! Covering the cake is not included in the tutorial but I have offered this information so much on You.Tube and Vimeo that I'm sure you know by now how I prepare a cake for decoration. I will be introducing a new technique to the tutorial....well, not so new if you have taken my classes but in the written and photographic form it will be. The tutorials are downloadable written instructions accompanied by an abundance of photographs to help the visual learner. The projects can be printed off to use as a personal guide. I hope to have this one finished before I go to Canada in less than two weeks. Fingers crossed I can meet my deadline! Cheers!

Weekend workshops in London

Yeah....well....I WAS here to do workshops, honest I was. Just what you wanted to see, me shoving a Magnum ice lolly down my tonsils and just what I need too to help keep me in shape! hahaha! Well, you only live once....and I so enjoyed it. The day before this relaxing photo was taken I was zipping along the M6 towards London but stopped off first of all to do a photo shoot for Cake Craft & Decoration magazine. This took a couple of hours out of the journey so by the time I reached London I was ready for sleeeeeeep! A visit to Sugarshack making sure all was ready for the next few days of class and then it was time for a little trip into London to enjoy my only day off. (are you feeling sorry for me yet??) So...with the heat being so tremendous and cooling down in order it was a Magnum to the rescue. The following 3 days were filled teaching the increasingly popular Head and Hands class then a 2 day Bride and Groom class. For those who took the Head and Hands class, it was fabulous to hear how much they benefited from it before going on to do a full day class. With 4 hours dedicated to creating fine detail and facial features, the students were thrilled with their own improved skills over the next few days. This is definitely one class that will always be added to the list when I travel. The next London classes are in August and there will be no more until early next year. Sugarshack are extending the class room and making room for yet another one. Woohooo! If you haven't signed up for a Head and Hands class before and feel it would be a benefit to you then don't wait til next year. There are only a few spaces left for the August class so book now. See you there!