My Demo Corner

I am always happy to be invited back to do my sugar flower demo at the ORANGE COUNTY FAIR. It might be a little hectic to get so many flowers ready for display and deciding what to make or show.. Then I wonder what flowers I will demo and what to bring..and the big concern will I forget the most important things like my gumpaste???

The day arrives and it all just seems to work out fine. I did make many flowers for display that I offer classes on, and brought some flowers I just love to make and share.

On the first day of the fair I had set all of the flowers up behind me on long tables  that was provided. They didn't have the glass cabinet just yet.

Day 1 of the Orange County Fair

The next day the cabinet arrived and I set up all the flowers in it which I though looked pretty good..

Display is improving....

But, the following day I was given cake stands and plates which just made the display of the sugar flowers just POP...I was very happy!!!

Final Display of gumpaste flowers...

 More people actually noticed them in the case and stopped by to see what I was doing.

Note to self " buy a few cake stands and plates for displaying"

Thanks to everyone who stops by to just look, asks questions or to see my demo...
 

Love to share the art of sugar flowers

Day One at the Fair...

OMG... has it really been a whole year since the last fair????

 I had a very good first day.. Ray the fruit carver was there again... he is such a funny guy with lots of fascinating stories.. He attracts tons of fair goers... I will take some photos and post.. Here are a couple from last year...

Ray - fruit carving

Ray - fruit carving

I saw so many friendly familiar faces.... I have a great little spot with lots of space to display my sugar flowers.. My first day I had a couple of visitors come by to see me.. WOW!!! now that was awesome..

Here is a photo of me in action doing a demo adding petal dust to a flower...

Shaile Socher (me) dusting gumpaste orchid petals

Photo by Hollywood Chronicles

I will post more as my two weeks float by too quickly

My Experience at the Orange County Fair

Well, the Orange County Fair is almost over, this is the last week. It has been almost a month and it flew by much too fast.  This has been the first event like this I have been part of and I had no idea what to expect.

Remembering my very first day, hoping I brought everything I needed and wondering if anyone would actually stop to watch someone making flowers in sugar. I was very surprised and happy Edible Art was a very big hit with everyone. It was non stop the entire 4 hours and after the 1st hour I became quite relaxed and no longer nervous.  I have been enjoying doing a daily demo from the first day.

The flowers I create are very realistic looking and most people walking by would often say what lovely flowers not knowing they are in sugar. That was my cue to tell them they are made of gumpaste which then had people looking more closely at them. I would explain what gumpaste is made of and what the sugar flowers can be used for.  There are many people who don't know about gumpaste flowers and have never seen them. Then there are the many who watch the food channel and see them on the cake shows, either way people are very excited to see them in person.

What I have found very interesting is how many kids ask their parents to let them watch me make some petals. The kids ask all sorts of questions and want to know what everything is I am using. So many of them watch the food channel and want to go home and make some. Yes, spread the word of sugar art. I have met all sorts of people and some repeat visitors to the fair come back by.

Just a few days left and I will write more about my experience at The Orange County Fair very soon.

Sharing Gumpaste Flowers

As everyone already must know I am doing a daily demo at the Orange County Fair on the gumpaste flowers I make. It is day 2 and thought I would share what has been happening in brief.. This being my first time doing a demo like this I didn't know how to prepare..

I had my business cards made, a flyer saying what I do and all the supplies needed to make my flowers. I was very happy that the only thing I had forgot to bring was an offset spatula. I use that to make succulents. So, I am off to a good start.

I have come now with a plan of what I want to do but it has yet to happen. I have a ton of people coming by which is more than exciting for me asking questions and wanting to see different things I do. So i haven't had the chance to make one complete flower. Day 3's plan is to work on  a flower and when I start to do a demo put it aside to continue on later.. now, that is a brainstorm idea I didn't think of before.

It is very exciting to know that a majority of the people who come by and see all those flowers and find out they are all made of sugar think it is the coolest thing ever. I didn't know how many people don't know about sugar flowers and are interested in seeing them made and ask all sorts of questions. Even those who don't want to learn or buy them.. I love to share it all and hope to be able to promote sugar art.

Today, my second day I was asked by another exhibitor across from who works at a nursery to come do a demo for them. I was flattered and said yes of course and thanked her.. I am going to demo orchids but not sure which ones yet or when I will do the demo.

 I absolutely love doing this and hope to be able to start teaching others very soon.

I will post weekly of how it is going at the fair.