Sugar...the Final Frontier

Ok, so I'm fully embracing my "geek" status with this post. Bear with me, please!

I'm a long-standing fan of most things Star Trek related. I know, I know...DORK!

I've collected memorabilia since the early 80's, and love to read many things about Gene Roddenberry's utopian view of the 23rd century and beyond. I'm amazed at the depth of detail the creators/writers gave to the Trek universe. After all this time, it's still....umm...fascinating!

I also love the look/feel/design of the shows and movies. So much so, that when Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan came out in 1982, I fell in love with the uniforms. How slick! I had one built in 1988, by a costumer from the Eugene Opera company. It was a hellish, expensive project. But the result was well-worth it.

Jump ahead to recent times...Deep Space Nine is my favorite show of all the series, and when Star Trek: First Contact premiered, with new uniforms again, DS9's uniforms were updated to those soon after. THAT uniform I really love.

Sooo....I've decided to create a sugarpaste self-portrait of sorts. It will be me wearing the newer uniform, pictured here
And the figure will be sitting in the captain's chair, of the Enterprise-E, pictured here

I've already done a first 'run-through' of the figure in the uniform. It was not what I'd hoped for... BUT, having learned a lot in the process, I can now procede with more confidence.
On that note...I'm going to get back to it. I'll keep you posted as to how this progresses.

Joyeux Anniversaire Molly!

Last Saturday was the 18th birthday of the daughter of another of my coworkers. She's a fifth-year French student, a figure skater, and she loves her cat named Kirby. Her birthday had a Paris theme, and I suggested doing something other than the Eiffel Tower for the cake, since the E.T. would be prominent in the party's decor.

So, with all her "likes", and only a pair of photos, this is what I designed. The famed Paris cafe, Le Procope, is the backdrop for the topper. Molly is seated at a wrought iron bistro table with coffee and croissants. She's wearing her skate club jacket (no logo, since it was hidden by the chair's back), with her name on the breast of the jacket. it's the SMALLEST wording I've ever painted on anything! OY! Her beloved Kirby, wearing a yellow beret, sits under the table (presumably waiting for crumbs, or for a mouse to wander by..). And of course, Molly's skates, complete with lime-green fuzzy 'soakers' are within arm's reach, too.

The party was a fun one to help with, and the cake was a huge success!

Best wishes, Bryn!!!

Bryn, the receptionist at work, is leaving the zoo after 10 years.....

I was asked by my manager if I could make a cake for Bryn's going away party, but I didn't have time to do that much. I did offer to make a small keepsake topper for her, and the picture included was the result. Bryn, with her faithful friend Willie the Schnauzer. Willie's dressed in his favorite hat, and bandana, ready for the wilderness!

We're all going to miss her, but she's moving to eastern Oregon to follow her dream. Lucky woman! She'll be opening an animal sanctuary near the town of Mitchell. Stay tuned for more of Bryn's endeavors to help the animals! Kudos to you, Bryn, for all you've done for the Oregon Zoo, and may you have much happiness and success in your future!

Engineer Greg's birthday

I have the pleasure of working with some of the greatest people at the Oregon Zoo. We laugh, we kvetch, conspire, all as a part of a fun family of sorts.

For a fun surprise for a coworker and friend, another of the family hired me to create a birthday cake. The recipient of this cake is an engineer on our Zoo Train.

I designed the cake, and had a lot of fun (and a REALLY late night) finishing it. The "topper" if you will, is a sugarpaste (rolled icing) cut-out replica of the train logo, with a figure of the birthday boy in his engineer garb, also made from sugarpaste. It's all edible, with the exception of his wire glasses. It was SO much fun to do! My friend was so happy when she saw it. The birthday boy hasn't seen it yet, so I'm anxiously awaiting word on his reaction to it.

Introductions

Ok, so this is my first real blog. I'd like to do this "right", but I've never done this before. Go easy on me, all right?

I'm Scott. I'm a 40 year-old self-taught cake decorator of 26 years (yikes!) Cake decorating has been a hobby of mine for a long time, and even a lucrative one for the most part. I've been to culinary school and trained as a pastry chef, but those jobs are hard to come by. So, I bake a lot, mostly just for friends, family and coworkers. I'm glad to do it for 3 simple reasons; one, the practice. I love trying out new ideas, techiques, and all; two, the smiles it brings to peoples faces when I arrive at work or a gathering with home-baked goods; third, and most importantly...I'm not tempted by sweets sitting around the house all the time! :)

I live in the City of Roses, Portland, Oregon. I've been a "transplanted" Oregonian since 1986, and I don't think I'll ever leave! The seasons change nicely here. It's easy to get from one place to another. Food, shopping, art, theater, nightlife, and the beautiful surroundings of the Pacific Northwest, all right here. I won't complain!

Currently, I'm working at the Oregon Zoo in Admissions. It's not what I'm "trained," nor went to school for, yet it's a GREAT place to work! It pays the bills (for the most part.) The people are fantastic, the zoo itself is beautiful, and getting more so all the time, and the animals....that's ANOTHER blog for another time (Animal Tails, coming soon!)

One animal I will talk about regularly is my pup. His name is Scharffen Berger. Yes, it's a mouthful. And yes, he DOES respond to such a long name! He was born a chocolate dachshund, but has grown into his wire-haired roots just a bit. He has short hair, mostly chocolate in color, but with the double-coat and lighter markings on his shoulders and haunches. He's SUCH a handsome boy! And GODS, is he ever smart!!! More on him later....

Ok, that's pretty much it for a start. How'd I do? I guess we'll find that out soon enough...