I took the first two levels. I enjoyed it because I took it with a friend. I took it about five years ago but all techniques are forgotten. If you practice, I think you can get pretty good results. I have another friend who is interested and I would do it again.

I took the first workshop. My background was similar to yours - years of making birthday cakes for our kids having read some instructions and then improving.

I learned useful skills. It also helped me be more relaxed when decorating. Most of it was on fundamentals - skills you could use on almost any cake - not tacky. The instructor was excellent. There was a thread (probably scrolled off the board by now) by someone who didn't have such a good instructor. The instructor can make a big difference and even though they are all trained, they aren't all the same quality.

Some of the things covered:
How to get the cake ready for decorating
Boarders
Writing
Some simple flowers and roses
Making a ribbon and bow
Color striping in the bag (to make a clown with a Wilton clown head you stick on top - the closest it got to tacky but the stripping and the skill to make the body, arms and legs can be used for other things).

Except for the clown head, the projects used basic decorating tips and tools that are useful on any cake. None of the special Wilton character pans and such were required.

The first class was a demonstration by the instructor and an explanation of what one needed to bring the next time. For all the following classes, you bring a frosted cake to decorate and the frosting prepared in the colors for that week's project.

Thanks so much. I do know that the instructor you get is pretty much the luck of the draw, but I was hoping there'd be a minimum of clown heads and a maximum of basic technique. Sounds like it might be worth a shot. I really appreciate the information.

Maureen, I took all three classes two years ago because I wanted to learn how to make my own wedding cake! It took me about 9 months to do all the classes because they offered them a different times and had to have a certain amount of people signed up.

It was A LOT of fun, but a lot of work (I work a full time job too), so going to class after work and having all the supplies or project materials ready was a bit of a pain. You won't believe how much you will learn by taking those classes and you'll never look at a "professionally" decorated cake the same again. :-)

In the end, I was able to make my wedding cake and saved hundreds of dollars! It was beautiful, plus it tasted better than anything I could buy!

I took a class years and years ago - I really didn't learn all that much that I didn't already know because the class pretty much just covered the basics. But what I did learn was little "tricks" that make things so much easier and seeing the techniques demonstrated first hand helped as well - I'm more of a visual learner so seeing is much more helpful to me than reading instructions and trying to follow them.

I think the class was well worth it. And I'll second gardengrl - having the time to get the cake baked and the frosting mixed for the classes with working as well was the toughest part!

Lisa

gardengrl, your post is USELESS without pictures ;-) so get back in here and show us that wedding cake girl!

Loves2cook...I KNOW! I have pics, but my job has stupid website blockers that won't let me get to my Photobucket account. I'll have to post a pic later at home.

If you have the time and interest I say take them. I took all three some years ago. You will learn basics and tips, which will help you as you move ahead in your decorating, plus cake and cookie decorating is so fun and addictive..

Here is a link that might be useful: cake & cookie decorating

You have some beautiful and fun things in your album happytime. Thanks for posting. The wedding cake was gorgeous. Love how you did the anniversary cake afterward too. The bunny in the pot is so cute. Very nice work. Decorating can be addictive.

I took ONE class and never went back. The only thing I learned in that Cake Decorating class is that I hate to decorate cakes. And I hate the clean up even more.

It's messy and tedius and time consuming and me no likie.

Now that's just me - I have friends who have taken this course and LOVE it. I can't wait to see some pictures of your creations. Hope you'll share them with us.

LOL, Shaun, I learned the same thing. I took a 6 week course about 20 years ago, once a week for 6 weeks, and I got a lot of basics like edging, making flowers, that type of thing. We didn't make any clowns, LOL.

Although I really don't like to decorate cakes, I do it anyway. I make birthday cakes and anniversary cakes and party cakes. I made my own wedding cake, not nearly as pretty as Kathy's but it tasted good, LOL, and I made the world's tackiest Easter cake a year ago, which the grandkids thought was the best thing ever.

maybe if I wasn't decorating a cake after working a 10 hour day, I might like it better....nah, I wouldn't, LOL.

I'm just not patient enough.....

Annie

I've thought about taking a decorating class, too, but I don't like to eat decorated cakes. I don't like icing all that much. However, it could be a useful skill to have, since I do like to bake.

Sally