Sunday
May302010
Sunday Sweets: Shoes & Purses
May 30, 2010 Ok, so a few weeks ago when I said I found purse and shoe cakes a little boring, what I *meant* was I'd only find them boring until enough of you wrote in demanding that I feature purse and shoe cakes. Um. Yeah. That's it. ;)
So, by popular demand, here's the best of the best of the best! Sir!
(And just so we're clear: none of these are boring; they're awesome.)
Enjoy.
(Submitted by Venessa M. & made by Shams D)
(Sub'd by Leslea H. & made by How Sweet It Is Bakery)
(Sub'd by Tifany & made by Cupcakeenvy)
(Sub'd by Renee M. & made by Giordano's Pastries)
(Sub'd by Renita M. & made by Karen Lindsay)
(Sub'd by Brianna G. & made by Elite Cake Designs)
(Sub'd Iris M. & made by Truly Scrumptious Designer Cakes)
(Sub'd by Diana I. & made by Jacques Fine European Pastries)
(Sub'd by Anne Marie B. & made by Rosey's Sugar Palace)
(Sub'd by Abby D. & made by The People's Cake) Send your Sweet nominees to Sunday Sweets (at) Cake Wrecks (dot) com.
Reader Comments (99)
Well, call me boring. I adore every last one of those cakes (and cookies).
And I just don't get why so many people would be snarky about these. Their comments seem akin to "Fondant. Hate it." C'mon, people, they might not be your style, but tell me a stiletto isn't a lot tougher - thus respect-worthy - to craft than a book.
Thanks for the variety. There are plenty of us out there who are impressed by anything and everything that takes this much talent.
These are pretty friggin' awesome, actually!
Are you sure some of these are *cakes*?? My goodness they look so real! Amazing!
I think our boredom with the post reflects the boredom of the writer. This is why we shouldn't ask Jen to write on things she doesn't want to. This blog is all about Jen's (and sometimes John's) writing, not the cakes or their subjects.
The Gucci shoe looked so fake! No woman could wear a show like that, unless, you know, she's Barbie.
I thought that they were boring. There were no comments or descriptions on any of them. :(
Ooo, these are gorgeous. I want the black purse, the green purse, the red stiletto, and the polka-dot heels! Although it does feel a bit odd to go shoe shopping on a cake web-site :)
Gorgeously made, unbelievable talent to pull of some of those details. And as for "creativity" of the design, the way I see it is that it's no different than pointing to a cartoon character/book/sport/etc and asking a bakery to make it. Artistry is artistry, regardless of subject. But it is your blog, so don't feel pressured to post something you're not in to at all (although clearly you do even that well!).
I do agree with some that I'd looove to snicker at some purse/shoe wrecks ;) "When bad things happen to sexy shoes"
And, if you're taking requests... any chance that you could find sunday sweets candidates that "regular" people could afford? While some of us can order cakes like these for a major occasion (or even minor ones), I'd love to see what creative bakers come up with for those with tighter budgets.
I wish I could have seen them! Is anyone else having a problem viewing the site? It's all squished to the side..
"The best of the best of the best! Sir! With honors!"
You just keep giving me new reasons to love you!
Wreck on!
The pics are nice, but I missed Jen's comments on today's post. It's just not the same without them. (I kind of felt like your heart wasn't in this one. And I can't blame you.)
I think what made them boring was the lack of witty comments! I love shoes and purses, but I would never ask for a cake that looked like either one. The cakes were very well done, but really not my thing.
wv: brativ - the fourth in a long line of well-known brats.
Also, in addition to the "boring" factor, I can't get over how shoe and purse cakes are never really about shoes and purses, instead, they are about brands. Consuming branding... yuck...
i still think they're boring.
Love the Men in Black reference :) Swooon - Will Smith is awesome!
And, oh yeah, the cakes are way cooler than I thought they would be - amazing talent!
I have to say, I still find shoe and purse cakes boring. Even if they're well done, which all of these are, they're still kind of boring and overdone.
Wow, some serious skill on display here. The green purse is amazing! The itty bitty stitchwork, the buckles, the way the fabric drapes and folds makes it look very realistic.
Love that these purses and shoes aren't the same old pics posted all over lately.
I think they're kind of boring...sorry. They're really elegant and pretty much perfectly made, but just not interesting. You were right the first time. :P
I completely wear the shoe in the fourth picture!
beautiful!!
Wow that Gucci box.. if that isn't a real shoe on top I will eat my socks.. Those all look so fantastic I want to go out and buy shoes lol.
Pretty tacky, if you ask me. Much like the real life counterparts.
The shoe cookies are quite darling, I will admit that.
As many have said, these cakes display lots of skill but are not very interesting, otherwise. And your lack of commentary seemed to reflect your own lack of enthusiasm. Don't give in to pressure. Stick to the bizarre, geeky and/or ridiculously cute material that's more you.
I don't get how anyone could find them boring. The detail on them is terrific. I wouldn't necessarily would want to eat one, any more than I would want any other novelty cake. But I can sure admire the effort that went into them.
pretty, but boring
BRING BACK DARTH!!!
:D
These are amazing examples of the cake decorators' craftsmanship; BUT, I'm a little disturbed by how EXACTLY fondant and gumpaste mimic leather.
I don't understand *why* shoes/purse cakes are boring. Is it because it's too "easy" of a theme? But you all admit that they all are excellently done and show skill. Is it because shoes and purses *are* boring (especially as someone said, concentrating simply on brands)? Then that's just a matter of personal tastes, and this blog features lots of different areas.
I feel like there is some secret in the cake industry that I'm not getting.... I just don't understand *why*. To me they are pretty cakes just as any other (like books, like someone else said, which is also potentially an "easier" theme than others...).
I also like the fact that you can actually see there is a lot of cake to be had with them! (Unlike, say, some of the Lost cakes, where I wondered if there really would be anything for anyone to eat at the end of the day... *sigh). I don't know anything about purses or shoes or brands, but these cakes are interesting to me, because it they do show skill that I can't comprehend! Now that's interesting!
I think iI would break my neck if I even attempted to walk in the red Gucci ones...you know, if they were real, of coarse. I would never walk in cake.Ew.
I'm going to go on a rant here but bear with me. I think this post addresses as psychological issue between the so-called "elite frumpy geek" mind-set on the internet. I am curious as to why those of you who believe and identify yourself with geek culture believe, for some inexplicable reason, that this is not compatible with having any interest in fashion, style, or popular culture in general. Unless you see it as "cute."
Why on earth would anyone claim these cakes are boring? They're more creative than half the "sunday sweets" I've seen on this site. These purse/shoe cakes are works of art in their own right. The skill alone which was involved in their creation has to invoke a great deal of respect for the creators. Just because fashion isn't your cup of tea, don't slag off someone who's poured their time and talent into a masterpiece which you then dismiss because of personal issues.
I've noticed that people who make comments like this this tend to wear oversized baggy sweaters, t-shirts which don't fit, jeans, and tend to have very low self esteem although they try and disguise with what they see as humor, being self-deprecating and calling anything to do with high fashion, trends, or anything popular at the moment "boring." Or "tacky." Or "stupid." These are code words which reveal discomfort with fashion because it is a challenge to self-esteem. If you're not personally threatened by an issue, you have no reason to insult it, especially when the cakes displayed here are art in its purist form. I don't care if it's art in the form of shoes or art in the form of slugs. If it's done well it's art, pure and simple. And not "boring."
Art takes many forms and can break many boundaries and this is true of fashion as well, which is an undeniable form of art. One of the first feminists of our age was Coco Chanel who dared to raise the feminist flag in the name of fashion and demand that women be allowed to wear pants, albeit fashionable pants, not the loose fitting jeans and baggy sweaters so many geek girls think they need to wear nowdays because they are uncomfortable with their bodies.
I am a self professed geek who reads such websites as XKCD.com, who is close friends with several biologists and a couple of PH.Ds at the local university. I have a high IQ and yet I am also facinated by fashion and not ashamed to admit it. I dress stylishly. Fashion is an area of art. It effects the visual arts in many different forms, such as the current trends in painting, sculpture, etc.) To ignore it because it makes you uncomfortable or because you claim to find it boring- or because, as I suspect, it makes some people feel subconsciously insecure, is to ignore a great deal of life. If you decide that because you cannot play the fashion game, you call it stupid or boring. But it is only you shutting yourself out of it.
And geek girls, who are interested in fashion AND being brainy- let me give you a secret. They are the ones who get ahead because they have brains and are not satisfied to dress like they think less of ourselves. There is nothing wrong with being both brainy AND stylish. Makeup, high heels, and jewelry are not things which are going to degrade you as anti-feminist, or not smart. They are going to elevate your own self-esteem and make people around you take notice of your brains when you can show you are both intelligent as well as attractive. Smart and beautiful are not mutually exlcusive.
yikes!
I don't think anyone meant to insult the intelligence of anyone else, or the effects that fashion has on the world.
People c'mon! We are ALLOWED to be less entertained by something without you having to defend your ego.
THey're just cakes. That look like accessories. If we find them dull, it's like not having a taste for Ranch dressing. Doesn't make you any less of a human being.
Those cakes would all be more entertaining for me if they were badly done. :-) Lily
That Louis Vuitton cake is a knock off. Look at the pattern. A real Louis would never have an LV cut off, but this cake does.
That being said i know nothing about any other designer and have never owned anything designer so the rest of these look amazing!
Hint to those who are making designer cakes, make sure the good image you are basing it off is not a poor knockoff.
cool! I finally made the blog I am so excited! the thing about my shoe birthday cakes was not only did they look awesome but they tasted too good to be true. (one was red velvet the other italian lemon sponge... mmmmm) and yes I own a pair of shoes that look exactly like the one in the cake/picture!
Renee
Ahh...cakes like this make me want to surrender my mixer.
Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Yes, they're beautifully done, but they're still boring! Is that because I'm a WalMart shopper??!!
Those shoe cookies are absolutely adorable, what a great idea!!!
Most of these are fantastic, except the 4th one down, on the left looks a little like a casket!
I'm with Gwenn... I love all of these, except the hamster casket.
While these cakes are definitely amazing, I find shoe and purse cakes kind of boring, too. Which is weird, because I totally love actual shoes and purses. Maybe it's because I can't wear cake (not for lack of trying).
Awesome. Just had to include the red Gucci in my Shoe Beautiful blog.
http://shoebeautiful.blogspot.com/
(I am not above shameless advertising!)
I also have to say: I consider myself geeky AND a fashionista; I have no problem consoling those two elements of my personality. And I STILL think shoe and purse cakes are dull. I'm not blasting the cakes or people who like them. I'm just saying this site usually features cakes that are more visually stimulating than edible handbags.
sheesh! Tough crowd! Yeah, I'd never ask for a shoe or cake purse either (<--OK, had to leave that mistake, as soon as I realized it made me giggle) but they're still incredible in that 'my idea of making a really nice cake is hoping I manage to spread the frosting smoothly and not run out on the sides' way, while someone else here makes a realistic purse. If the green one was a real purse I'd buy it :) (unfortunately I imagine my keys would get lost in a cake!)
Agree with Lily - everyone should be allowed to express their respectful opinion (ie. the workmanship is beautiful but I find the subject matter boring). In fact, I didn't think any of the "these cakes are boring" comments were disrespectful in any way. No need to be all up in arms about it or insult the intelligence/self-esteem of people for whom shoes and purses are not stimulating!
I also agree that the cakes are beautiful, although not my cup of tea.
well-placed men in black quote! ;)
I love you for your MIB reference.
Oh, and the whole awesome blog thing, too.
The cakes are all well-made and some of them are amazing... Not my cuppa tea, though.
The MIB reference definitely made my day... :) :)
I'm with the "actually, quite boring" camp. I can't really be bothered looking at handbags, let alone eating them.
I've been spending a lot of time looking at rollerskates lately, though. Have you got any cakes that look like you could take them to the park and play with them?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27973472@N08/3378028490/in/set-72157615781116300/
Oh my gosh! Those are amazing! I surfed in via a link to your blog that a friend gave me in a comment on my latest post. I was at a party and the birthday girl has a shoe fetish. A cake with stilettos was made for her! Amazing.
These bags cakes are great...they look almost real some of them xx
i like it :D
Rawpower95 said...
I wonder if there's any good cakes of Converse Hi-Tops?
May 30, 2010 12:29 PM
Check out www.Facebook.com/artofthetart and look in the cake toppers folder :)