Owner & Creative Director of Sweet Art Factory makes her own fondant. She calls it Faux Fondant. Since fondant can be quite expensive and bland tasting, Jill creates her fondant using marshmallows, powdered sugar and a variety of clear flavorings (her favorite is almond flavoring). With just six easy steps, you'll be ready to decorate cake, cookies, brownies and cupcakes!
Ingredients:
1 16 oz. bag on Minature Marshmallows
2 lb. Confectioners Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp. Gum Paste Mix (we sell 2 oz. jar)
1 Tbsp. Clear Extract or Flavoring (we use Almond)
Shortening (to coat your hands when mixing)
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Step ONE & TWO
Place marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute. Stir and add your extract or flavoring. If not completely melted, heat at 20 second intervals until you can stir it and it is very smooth. Do not overheat.

Freedom Flag Cake: Find this cake and how-to instructions in Jill’s Foster's book, Creative Cakes Anyone Can Make. 
Star-studded Table 
You don’t have to purchase expensive table decorations to make a festive table. 

• Tablecloth: Buy red or blue plastic or vinyl tablecloths and 4th of July stickers. Place the stickers on the tablecloth. 
• Centerpieces: Purchase small clay pots, blue and red acrylic paint, and small American flags at the craft store. Paint the pots red and blue. When dry, turn them upside down and stick the flags in the hole. This not only makes a beautiful table, it give keeps the tablecloth from blowing away on a windy July day. This is a great kids project. 
• Dinnerware: Purchase red and blue paper plates and alternate them in a basket. Buy red, white and blue plastic ware and put in a clear plastic cup with a festive napkin. When your guests come to the table, they only have to pick up the cup and plate. Keep a permanent marker handy to write names on the plastic cups to keep track of their drinks. 
• Sweet Surprise: Put clear bowls filled with red, white and blue bubble gum balls around the table for added fun. 

Simple Finger Foods 
Create a table of finger foods for people to come and grab in between games and activities. 

• Star Sandwiches: Make star-shaped sandwiches by cutting stars using a large star cookie cutter. Fill sandwiches with strawberry jelly and cream cheese for a red ribbon delight. 
• Fruit Fun Skewers: Using bamboo sticks slide fresh strawberries, marshmallow, and watermelon squares to create a red and white enjoyment. 
• Veggie Platter: Cut the top and clean the seeds out of a red bell pepper. Fill the pepper with your favorite veggie dip. Layer cut-up vegetables on a platter. On a hot day, sprinkle top of veggies with crushed ice. 
• Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad: Mix cut-up strawberries, blueberries, mini marshmallows with sour cream and coconut for a scrumptious salad. Spoon in plastic cups for a quick grab off the table. Make the night before and store in the refrigerator for a better tasting salad. 
• Chips and Salsa: Make a nacho platter with chips, salsa and sour cream. If you have time, make your own chips by using our star cookie cutters to make star chips. 
• Hot Dog Bar: Create a grab-and-go hot dog bar by putting ketchup, mustard, relish and crushed onions in squeeze bottles. Keep the buns moist in a covered container until the hot dogs are ready off the grill. 
• Chicken Kabobs: Grill pieces of marinated chicken, cherry tomatoes and pineapple chunks for a quick bite between tug-o-war. 
• Star-shaped Cookies: Using our USA cookie cutter, make sugar cookies. Decorate using our red, white and blue star quins. You can make these days ahead and store in airtight container or freeze in a storage bag.

Wild and Wacky Games 
Outdoors games create the wonderful memories of the day. Enjoy family fun with these simple and affordable games. 

• Water Balloon Toss: Fill red, white and blue water balloons with water. Store in a bucket filled with water before the game. Have teams of two stands face-to-face and toss the balloon to each other. Those who did not drop the balloon take a step back. Each team keeps stepping back until only one team is left. 
• Patriotic Yo-Yo’s: Fill red, white and blue water balloons with water. Tie a heavy-duty rubber band to the ends. The balloons will become a fun yo-yo for the kids. Blue Bubblegum Blowing Contest: Purchase Blueberry bubblegum and give each participant a chance to prove they can blow the biggest bubble. 
• Pillowcase Races: Using your pillowcases, have each person jump in their pillowcases to the finish line. Use detergent to get any grass stains out. 
• Red and Blue Plate Toss: Purchase a hula-hoop and red and blue paper plates. Have participants see how many paper plates they can toss into the hula-hoop circle. 
• Watermelon Eating Contest: Cut large wedges of seedless watermelon. See who can eat the watermelon the fastest.

Using any one of our cookie cutters, you can create a fun way to decorate your rice crispy treats. Just make up a pan of treats. Follow the Rice Crispy Cereal box recipe using rice cereal, marshamallows and butter. Spread out in a cookie sheet and cool. We used a star cookie cutter to cut out shapes. We inserted cookie sticks and decorated the treats. Using a sturdy pot, we put floral foam and tissue paper to create an wonderful way to display the treats

I love single white flowers with a hint of yellow. It reminds me of a fresh breeze of an August evening after a hot day. I found a way to make Calla Lilies using Airheads® candy. I love Calla Lilies because they bloom throughout the year and come in many colors. Shown are a one-tier version and a two-tier stacked version for special occasions. So simple to make, yet sensational.
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​Stenciling with Color Paste/Food Coloring:
What you’ll need:
1. Baked sugar cookies (if stenciling on a cookie)
2. Royal Icing or Fondant (see our recipes)
3. Food Color (our Americolor Gels are great to work with) 
4. Stencil of your choice
5. Sponge Brush or Air Brush Machine

​Method:
1 | Either naked or top-coated cookies (with royal icing or fondant) may be stenciled, but it you choose the latter, make sure the Royal Icing top coats have dried to the point of being quite hard (ideally overnight).
2 | If using fondant, use the cookie cutter to cut the same size of fondant and place on the cookie.

3 | Choose a stencil that lies very flat across the top coat and whose pattern fits the top coat with some room to spare on all sides. If your stencil is too wide for the cookie, it can lift up at the edge of the top coat, allowing the stenciling icing to sneak underneath into areas it shouldn’t be. Place other cookies next to it to keep the stencil level. 
Thin the color gel paste with alcohol (I like vanilla vodka) or clear extract. The alcohol will dry the stencil quicker. Dab the brush in the color and use a paper towel to dab excess. You don't need it saturated.

​Using Stencils on Cakes, Cookies & Cupcakes
 
A unique & easy decorating technique YOU can do!  With a stencil, the right foundation (royal icing, fondant, gumpaste & even crusted buttercream), and some practice, anyone can make gorgeous stenciled works of art.

​Stenciling with Royal Icing:
What you’ll need:
1. Baked sugar cookies (if stenciling on a cookie)
2. Royal Icing (see our recipes)      
3. Food Color (our Americolor Gels are great to work with)  
4. Stencil of your choice
5. Offset spatula or fondant smoother                                     
Method:
1 | Either naked or top-coated cookies may be stenciled, but it you choose the latter, make sure the Royal Icing top coats have dried to the point of being quite hard (ideally overnight).
2 | Mix the remaining Royal Icing not used for top-coating to stenciling consistency, and tint it with food color gel to contrast the color of your top-coated or bare cookies.
3 | Choose a stencil that lies very flat across the top coat and whose pattern fits the top coat with some room to spare on all sides. If your stencil is too wide for the cookie, it can lift up at the edge of the top coat, allowing the stenciling icing to sneak underneath into areas it shouldn’t be. Stenciling-newbies are best off using stencils with relatively wide openings spaced relatively far apart (no closer than 1/16 inch). Closely spaced openings make it much harder to achieve a crisp pattern, as the icing is more likely to run together between openings. If you choose a tightly spaced stencil despite my words of caution, then err on the side of thicker icing in order to minimize running and blurring. Remember: you can always adjust the icing consistency whenever needed by thinning with additional water, or thickening with powdered sugar.
4 | Work with one cookie at a time. With one hand, hold the stencil firmly against the cookie top. (When there isn’t a lot of room for my fingers on top, I’ll use a trussing needle or toothpick to steady the stencil.) Check to make sure the stencil is still lying flush against the cookie top coat in all areas. With the other hand, grab a small offset spatula and spread a thin layer of icing over the openings in the stencil. The icing need not be applied any thicker than the depth of the stencil; otherwise, you’ll leave peaks in the icing when you lift off the stencil. However, be sure to apply enough icing so you can’t see through to the top coat. Most important: Do not move the stencil while applying the icing, or the resulting pattern will be blurred.
5 | Lift the stencil slowly and steadily off the cookie; then wipe any icing off the bottom of the stencil before proceeding to the next cookie. For the sharpest patterns, wash and thoroughly dry the stencil after every 2 or 3 cookies. Do not rub the stencil dry, or you can damage the stencil. Instead, lay it flat between sheets of paper towels and gently pat dry.