Tribal Wedding Cake Cincinnati feature

I was invited by Cincinnati Wedding Magazine to create a "Tribal" wedding cake, to be featured on their Winter 2015 Issue. I LOVE working with CWM staff!
The concept of this spread was led by the super talented Tamia Stinson who put together a very cool and sophisticated look for a modern bride who loved to travel around the world!

The magazine gave  me a clear direction that included a color palette and feel for the cake. They shared inspiration images of items they were considered to feature ...every of of them was so beautiful!

I ventured to hand paint an "Ikat" pattern on the cake, and add texture with layers of crystal sugar to simulate "beading" on the cake, and to relate the design to some of the items to be featured!

Hand painting this cake was such an enjoyable process. Most my cakes are iced with rolled chocolate rather than fondant. I LOVE its gourmet flavor and that medium is SO easy to work with!

Petal dusts diluted with grain alcohol worked beautiful for this project. I layered colors and added a touch of gold to enhance the sophisticated look of the cake.

The final result was very much that of an oil painting and the process was so relaxing!
Thank you Tamia, Megan and Brittany for the invitation. It is always an honor to create beautiful cakes for you magazine!...Looking forward to our next!