Helpful Hints for making Displays

Paper Mache
 Tear newspaper (any type or color) into small pieces and soak in water 3-4 hours. No specific amounts are required as long as the paper is immersed.

Take some of the paper/water mixture and blend in the blender until paper is mushy. Drain and pack into pan: Using a terry cloth towel, press paper into all the crevices and absorb excess water. You can mold a shell only, by pressing the paper mixture into the bottom and inside edges of the pan, or you can fill the mold solid if you like. (A solid piece will take much longer to dry.) When completely dry, remove from pan.

Mixture may also be packed into candy mold to make pins or use for party trims.

Cake Boards
 It takes approximately 23 single thick cake boards to make a 4" high cake shape. Tape them together; then cut a strip of poster board 4" high and the circumference of the boards. Place poster board strip around the boards and secure with tape. Decorate as desired.

Sugar Mold
Fill the pan with granulated sugar. Measure the sugar from the pan into a large bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of water for each cup of sugar and mix well. The mixture should feel like wet sand. Press into the pan and level. Place a cookie sheet or firm board on top of sugar mixture in pan and invert. Remove pan. Air dry for several days. When dry, paint will thinned royal icing to seal. Decorate as desired.

Great Stuff
Great Stuff is expandable urethane foam (available in hardware stores) made by Insta Foam Product. It does not contain fiberglass and is used for insulation. It is lightweight and is great for molding cake dummies in shaped or character pans. (Other brands work also.)

1. Cut cardboard to fit the outline of the pan.
2. Spray pan thoroughly with vegetable cooking spray.
3. In a well-ventilated area, squirt Great Stuff in pan. Fill pan approximately 1/3 full.
 4. Place cardboard cutout on top of foam in pan and press down firmly.
5. Weight down the cardboard to compress the expanding foam and minimize air bubbles.
6. Let dry 1 hour and unmold. Airdry over night. Decorate as desired.

Great Stuff also works well to fill clay pots for making Cookie Blossoms. Place some rocks in the bottom of the pot for weight. Fill and dry as above. Cookie Sticks may be placed directly into the hardened foam.

Styrofoam
This old standby can be cut to many different shapes. Decorate as desired. An advantage to using Styrofoam is that it can be washed and reused.

Rice Krispies
I don't have the recipe, but you can easily find that. Make Rice Krispie treats, grease the pan and press in. Unmold.

Shaped Pans
Decorate directly on the back of a pan using Royal Icing.

Lightweight Spackling
Lightweight speckling may be used to ice and decorate your display as an alternative to Royal Icing. It can be colored with Wilton Icing Colors and thinned with water as necessary. Allow 2-3 days to dry thoroughly. It comes ready to use and is available in hardware stores.