Shirley Manbeck is here helping me this week.  She has a hint for those who like shiny leaves.  Mix piping gel and vodka and then dip your dry leaves in that mixture.  I spent most of the day doing that myself.  Hundreds of leaves we have for the cake next weekend. Hundreds of leaves we have for the cake next weekend have now been dusted with color, dipped and we still have to assemble them in groups and tape them together.  We will certainly have  sore fingers when we get that all done.

Final ices plans:   here’s hoping you have your registration in to be able to take advantage of the less expensive fee.  You also will not be able to choose your demos from the schedule until you register.
The Thursday night even is always a special time at ices.  It is an evening that the local  show has to show off something of the flavor in their area.  A special night to spend with friends from past years and make new friends and have some fun.

Do you have your sugar entry done yet"?  Well mine isn’t done but i am at least making plans in my head.  Remember, one of the bridal magazines has plans to be there to take some pictures for future magazine issues.  Don’t miss out on your chance to have your work showcased here.

Important things to pack for ices:
1.  Comfortable shoes,  comfortable shoes and comfortable shoes.  2.  Be sure and bring personal necessity items if you might need them.  Hotels don’t always have those necessities for you.  A friend had to take a bus and then walk three blocks to find those for herself.   Not handy or convenient for her.
3.  Comfortable clothes for attending demos and just general walking around.
4.  Something nice to wear for banquet night.
5.  Comfortable shoes,  comfortable shoes and comfortable shoes.
6.  Leave the heavy purse at home or in your room.  Put your important things such as billfold, money and etc. In a belly bag on your person.  You will have so many things to carry around that having those important things handy on your person instead of your shoulder will make a big difference by the end of the day.
7. Camera and lots of film for capturing all those special  sugar creations and new friends.
8.  An extra empty collapsible luggage piece.  You always go home with more than you take - you will need this for all your purchases and goodies.
9. Comfortable shoes,  comfortable shoes and comfortable shoes.
10.  The last couple of years we have been provided a large canvas bag to collect all the handouts, small purchases and etc.    If you have one available at home you can pack - they sure do come in handy instead of a purse.
11.  Notebook and pencil for taking notes in demos and writing addresses of new friends.
12.  Snacks to carry with you.  You may not have the time to eat between demos (plus they are expensive).  Pack a few crackers, beef jerky, candy bars and etc.  Just to have if you need them.
13.  A few of your business cards for new friends or vendors.
14.  Something simple and small for a handout.  These are given out or exchanged with convention attendees and are great ice breakers.
15.  If this is your first convention please do not hesitate to speak to others and ask questions.  We are one big family and  you will find us more than willing to help others.
16.  Comfortable shoes,  comfortable shoes and comfortable shoes.
17.  If you purchase books - ask the authors to autograph them for you.   They will  be glad to do that for you.
18.  Pack lots of patience,  a good attitude, a big smile and be ready to learn more than your brain can hold.  Be sure and write down anything you really want to remember.  You will have so many new things coming at you that it will be extremely hard to remember all of them.
19.  Remember all of the people working at the convention are volunteers - (they would be glad for you to volunteer to)  -  they have been given a job and are doing their best to carry that out.
20.  Demonstrations are just that - not classes - just demonstrations.  Learn all you can and be grateful that that demonstrator has been willing to share information and techniques with you.
21.  If you have one of those two wheeled shopping carts - those are wonderful to use at convention.  You really accumulate lots of things and papers and your bags will get very heavy.

As you can probably tell  comfortable shoes is the absolute most important thing to pack.  It doesn’t matter that they are stylish, pretty or cute.  Old tennies that are comfortable will work very well.  Be good to your feet they will have lots of walking to do that week. 

DOLORES' PART 

I let Earlene explain the finer points of Rolled Fondant or gumpaste.

IDEA: There are so many wonderful methods to use for decorating that special cake. Its mostly in knowing a few tricks to it all. Like the small petite doll pan for a graduation hat....or the ball pan for a larger one. Use A Piece Of Cardboard Or A Square Cookie For The Mortar Board...Pipe A Tassle.

IDEA:- to use a square of wafer paper as a graduation scroll. I airbrush it kind of brownish, write on it with a non-toxic pen. A Bic pen is non-toxic and the colors won't run. I think they make Bic pens in other colors too. Then hold it over a steaming pot, roll it around a pencil and coax it to look like a scroll. Place it on the finished cake.

IDEAS: Also, check out my Message Board for more ideas. I've been adding pictures as much as possible, when someone mentions a cake from an old Yearbook etc. Like today, someone wanted a dragon. I found a wonderful picture of one cut out of a horseshoe pan.

FINAL ICES PLANS:  I hope everyone now has their registration fees paid for ICES. The deadline is June 1st for regular price registration. After that, it will become more expensive. But you may even register at the door if it becomes necessary to do that. I'm sure Millie and Carolyn have more news for us about this??? What new NEWS have     we ladies?
 

ABOUT LEAVING AOL AND THESE CHATS:    Please don't worry too much....we aren't going far away! But YOU need to know!    All the chats like ours are on special sites. Liz Waters owns the Food Club and AOL pays her to be there. Now they aren't going to pay her anymore (or <any> OTHER private places). The Cooking Club will eventually be deleted by AOL...soon! So if you want to log any of our recipes etc, do it NOW. TO LOG: Go to the top of your AOL screen, pull-down menus and choose 'My Files' - On this menu, choose 'Log Manager' - This opens the recorder box. You will see 2 choices. The TOP one is for logging chats. The bottom SESSION LOG is for recording many pages. You can move from one message to the other and record them all. NOTE: Just be sure to arrow down the screen to the very bottom of a message. It only records what is shown on the screen. I called mine session.log - Then, when you exit AOL, you can open your LOG and read what you have recorded. If you want to reformat it (delete parts), just open the file in your word processor (Microsoft WORD does a great job.    They aren't telling CL's when this is going to be over. Some rumors have it that it won't be until July now. I suppose they just expect us to keep all of you hanging on to the end and then just be disappeared some Thurs. when you log on. That stinks! We WILL keep you informed. But we don't really know anything.    This all comes at a bad time. If  it does last into July I will NOT have time for anything. My brother comes home for mid 2 weeks of July then ICES for all of us. Bad timing! By emails I have gotten I realize that we need to talk about this and really need to make it more clear to everyone. I will be leaving AOL of course, when they dump the chats and my free log on. I have another place and Earlene is setting hers up too. AOL costs more, is slower, less reliable and we no longer have any need for them. So, with all this in mind, we have decided to go on with our chats from my web site. I have it all set up already. You can go to http://w3.one.net/~proicer/index.html and there you will see a 'box' about the chats and a link to the place. We've decided that Thursdays are too rough, so we've chosen the first Tuesday each month. Yes, only once a month - for now. Maybe later we can do more, but we will see how this goes first. Our first chat is going to be Tuesday July 6th at 9PM EST. The topic will be 'LEGALITIES AND PRICING" - With these chats there won't be the structured content there was on AOL. We would like for you to give just as much input as we do. I hope this is okay???? I have told some people that don't have AOL and they can't wait. Please help us to make this a success! COMMENTS BELOW CARJAR4:  I'm sad that I have to miss this.  ): Icing Wiz:  did they give a date when chats will end? Dolores777:  nope...they are keeping it a BIG secret] Thinkchoc:  Got an e-mail today for a letter writing campaign to AOL from another cake decorator Dolores777:  Think...may as well not waste your time! Its a done deal now Icing Wiz:  this is true My son hates AOL GumSeeMow:  I just signed on to ATT. Rangodam:  can't we just start our own new chat room under PEOPLE up at the top of our AOL screen? Icing Wiz:  It gets real frustrating getting kicked off or frozen Dolores777:  wait til you see how much faster other servers are!!!! You'll hate it more! Icing Wiz:  how much was ATT Gum? Dolores777:  I won't have aol any more CARJAR4:  Do you think we are going to lose each other. Dolores777:  CAR...go to our web sites...we'll stay there Dolores777:  http://w3.one.net/~proicer/index.html Ising C:  cable modems will be starting up here later this summer.. husband works at cable company and loves how fast it is! Pwd Sugar:  We are all just going to move to the other site on a different night. GumSeeMow:  Icing. I think $14.95. I have 4 phone lines and they are all billed on one bill. Pwd Sugar:  Much better for us that are cake decorators. Bridal1:  Yeah!  Tuesdays are better nights! Rangodam:  what time? (9PM EST) Dolores777:  for us too Bridal...now WE make our best night, not AOL Dolores777:  I don't think we can log the chats at all Thinkchoc:  Good side to it is now everyone can join chat not just AOL' ers Dolores777:  Right on Think...tonight I went there and somebody was there who can't get here to these chats - she just can't wait Akentish:  Still not sure how to do this, do we cancel AOL or what? Pwd Sugar:  So we will all have a new night and a new place to go - now we won't have to lose touch with all of you. Dolores777:  I will cancel and Pwd too...we won't need it. We are getting local ISP's GumSeeMow:  Aken: I am going to cancel AOL. What they have exclusive I don't care. Thinkchoc:  Akentish you can register for new chat on Dol's site Dolores777:  Ak...or anyone...you can get there to our new chats from aol or any other ISP Akentish:  CAR and I are new at this and do not understand how and what to do? Dolores777:  Just save your name and password once you get it and use it each time Akentish:  can you e-mail me and I will print out and figure it out that way Dolores777:  Ak...I will format this chat and send it to my site so you can read it more carefully -next week Pwd Sugar:  Akentish go to Dolores's web site and then to the new chat site. CARJAR4:  Dol , are you saying we have to change our name and password Dolores777:  CAR...just to get into the chat...nothing to do with aol Dolores777:  DO NOT use the password you use anywhere else Icing Wiz:  so on July 6 th the first new chat will be through Dolores web site? Dolores777:  Icing...YES July 6th - IF Earlene agrees Pwd Sugar:  Sounds fine to me Thinkchoc:  Dol once we fill out the handle and password we are registered right?? Dolores777:  right Think...but you do it each month again when you log in Dolores777:  Akentish - here: http://w3.one.net/~proicer/index.html GOOO8:  Dol--I checked your site tonight and didn't see where to click on chats Dolores777:  GOOO...right on the top almost. Maybe I should put that in a color box Thinkchoc:  It will be interesting figuring out who we all are again with new names!! Pwd Sugar:  with a title "New Chat Site".   That might be helpful. Akentish:  Thanks Dolores got that web site # will check it out and print thanks so much Dolores777:  Think...I like using my own name best Icing Wiz:  do other ISP's have buddy lists and fav place stuff? Dolores777:  email us if you need help and I'll send up this chat too -- to help more Pwd Sugar:  If we all use our real names (if you are personally comfortable with that) it will be less confusing for us Thinkchoc:  I'm going to do the same thing Akentish:  Thanks can't believe AOL is being so stupid Dolores777:  Icing...you CAN IM each other. Most others use ICQ...an IM program ShariH1071:  Sheila: you can download a Buddy List program that runs separately from AOL itself Dolores777:  You can IM on Netscape, there is an icon. On Netscape I don't get hardly any sex mail either! Got one today - 1st in weeks CarolA5238:  Dee,my husband is checking your site, I'm ready let's, go. EHM63:  What is this I hear About AOL trying to get rid of the food section Dolores777:  EH...they are booting us soon. I am going to be sure and send this chat to my aol page so you can all read it EHM63:  First AOL is cutting my access Numbers now they are cutting the food section Dolores777:  EH...really? They may not be as solvent as they want us all to think? Thinkchoc:  trying to get on AOL at 9pm takes forever here always no circuits avail Dolores777:  On regular ISP's you can log on any old time and it runs faster too Dolores777:  Rang: yes - here http://www.sugarcraft.com Thinkchoc:  my daughter wants to go to Netscape Dolores777:  But tonight the girl that joined me on that chat board was using Explorer and she could...turn off the ads...that’s nice since they flash all the time Aura427:  think-i guess IM used to Microsoft explorer-i had a hard time navigating EHM63:  I think AOL is stupid to get rid of the Food Section Dolores777:  I never did use Explorer but I WILL find a way to turn off those flashing ads! EHM63:  Was on Prodigy and they got rid of Classic that's why I change to AOL Dolores777:  I wish I wish...ICES would get a message board and a chat room for us!!!!!! Bridal1:  good idea Dol Hear that Kim? Pwd Sugar:  Seems like the most logical place to have it. Kimfess:  Yes, I heard.  We are trying to get everything straightened out on the new site, before we think about doing anything like a chat. GOOO8:  It was fabulous Chris; another one is being planned for the fall Icing Wiz:  yes we are second to Texas I believe - over 300 members Dolores777:  I understand Kim...but we can wish Kimfess:  But it is a possibility.  We are keeping it in mind. Pwd Sugar:  Wishful thinking today maybe insight for tomorrow’s future for ICES. We don't want to rush things.  Just have a foot in the door with possibilities for the future Dolores777:  I'm just glad we are getting our ICES web site all worked out for the better at this point JWGPKG:  Well, I'm checking out!  See all you good people next week (maybe)! Dolores777:  yeah...maybe...guess AOL will tell us one day and boot us the next : ( Pwd Sugar:  Maybe?  Right - wish we knew the cut off time to Thinkchoc:  Dol, do we have to register on your site for the new chat? Dolores777:  yes Think...remember your name and password then log in as that one each time. I'm going to go by Dolores777 if I can Thinkchoc:  So we'll all have new names?? Dolores777:  ONLY for the chat, otherwise you do as you like Pwd Sugar:  I thought I would use my real name there.  Less confusing for everyone Thinkchoc:  I agree so we'll all know who we are! Dolores777:  Thats pretty much what people do on my message board. I like that Dolores777:  I'll have to remember at ICES - BOTH your names...the real one I don't hear much Pwd Sugar:  This disguised names is hard for some of us who don't have wonderful memory's

Pwd Sugar:  Shirley is here and we are dusting, hundred and hundreds of flowers and leaves.
wraping  etc all those
Dolores777:  oh good...I like that part...when the flowers come to life
Pwd Sugar:  Me too =  they are so dead until you get that done.  Shirley has
been working on about 50 Alstromaria today and they still have a ways to go. It is in the lily family and has six petals and comes in several colors.  A neat large filler flower.
Dolores777:  oh - what color is this one?
Pwd Sugar:  White, Ivory, peach, yellow and just a little green. Real soft colors

MHohimer:  I haven't received Shirley's ices registration yet, Earlene.
Pwd Sugar:  Millie they are moving to Ohio this year and she probably won't  be able to come to convention this year
MHohimer:  I'm sorry to hear that.
Pwd Sugar:  Her husband is from Cadiz and they have bought a house and are working on it to move by the end of the year.
Nadgabjoe:  Do we get the tickets for the reunion before we leave for the convention
MHohimer:  No, you get all tickets when you arrive at Convention

JWGPKG:  Believe me, LOTS OF FILM- for ices!
Dolores777:  yes...digital ! I wish- -I always buy 10 rolls of 36 picts each
JWGPKG:  I felt so proud of myself for ending my last roll of film as I left the cake room --
Dolores777:  I even have my mementos partly ready
Pwd Sugar:  You needed a whole roll of film just for Mercedes beautiful
creation.  Wow was that a mega p
Dolores777:  I didn't use my purse last year...just the bag, has a pocket inside for money etc.
GOOO8:  Suggestion for addresses:  if you have preprinted self adhesive labels cut those up to hand
Dolores777:  right GOOO...or business cards
Dolores777:  We bring our coffee pot so we don't have to hurry out for breakfast too
Icing Wiz:  someone told me there are coffee pots in the rooms
Dolores777:  maybe coffee pots??? Anyone know?
Icing Wiz:  right Janice Marriott has coffee pots and ironing stuff in room

Akentish:  Where is this show going to be
Dolores777:  AKen...cakes
Akentish:  I realize cakes but what state?
Dolores777:  any state...ICES convention - Kansas City
Dolores777:  Its relaxing to have coffee in the room and get a good start

Bridal1:  Be sure you come to the Thursday night event and you don't want to miss the Grand Opening Ceremonies which will be outside (we hope!)
MHohimer:  We don't get to see the demos, you know.
Icing Wiz:  when is grand opening? Thursday also?
Bridal1:  Friday morning after Wedding Breakfast Brunch. The Brunch is actually breakfast, but we are calling it a Wedding Brunch
Saturday night is Banquet with a New Year's Eve Party!
Dolores777:  Oh wow...guess we can wear gold and glitter then???
Bridal1:  sure wear whatever - formal or masquerade or whatever you'd wear for New Year's Eve
Icing Wiz:  Oh I just noticed you are no longer "Chef"
Dolores777:  We never were Chefs...AOL gave us that handle

Rangodam:  does anyone have a good recipe for Raspberry Filling they would like to share?
Dolores777:  Rang...I use the one we carry...or I also mix some icing into it for a dif. Taste
Dolores777:  Rang...I've seen one...maybe on my message board, not sure
Bridal1:  Dol sells raspberry filling and it is good - already made in bag.
Dolores777:  I use our raspberry filling mixed with buttercream icing. Its real yummy like that
Rangodam:  how quick can I get that Filling from you Dolores?
Dolores777:  Rang...can ship next Tuesday...3-4 days then
Rangodam:  oh well, too late this time.  Do you have a catalog?
Bridal1:  Rang, you can also buy raspberry preserves and do it that way.
Rangodam:  just put plain old preserves in?
GOOO8:  suggest looking for seedless
Bridal1:  yes Rang, just plain old preserves in the bottle.

Chrismrisa:  where do i get info on DOS and cake shows in FL?
Dolores777:  Chris...ask on my message board under ICES...they'll tell you
Icing Wiz:  I am in fl where do you live Chrisirma?
Chrismrisa:  in Orlando
GOOO8:  Oh my gosh, another Orlando-an?  Can't be!
Icing Wiz:  Oh Janice lives in Orlando! we just got back from West Palm from
an ICES Day of Sharing all about wedding cakes
Kimfess:  Chrismrisa, you should contact the ICES rep in Florida.  Her email
address is Ploeger642.-
JWGPKG:  Chrismrisa - FL is a strong contingency!

Bridal1:  Anyone been to the new ICES site and seen the new registration form?  Millie is getting
bunches already.
Pwd Sugar:  You have a form to fill out the first time and then you have to
give your personal name and password to get in again. Some of us may have to use First name and last initial.  To many
Dolores777:  ICES site: I think it is just great...but not the animation