Tomorrow is September first. The year is beginning to wind down now that the lazy summer days are at an end. Chef Nicholas will only be teaching three more classes at our location in Georgia this year. Not only are there three Nicholas Lodge classes left, there are also only three classes left taught by visiting instructors in Studio B! Don't fret, there is still time to sign up for a class with us at ISAC before the year is out! 

This October Chef Nicholas is thrilled to be attending not one, but TWO fantastic cake and sweets shows: the Show Me Sweets Edible Art and Cake Competition and Canada's Baking and Sweets Show. This will be the first time that Chef Nicholas attends either of these shows, and is excited to bring his skills and expertise to the attendees. Chef Nicholas will be offering seminars at both shows, and the best news? Chef Nicholas seminars are free!*

Summer is coming to a close. The busy summer wedding season is wrapping up, and depending on where you live, the kids are either back at school, or will be in the next couple of weeks. The days will soon become cooler and longer as fall begins. Why not sharpen some of your cake decorating skills, as the summer rush slows down? Chef Nicholas has a lot of fantastic classes coming up this fall, and he would love to see you in class! 

Chef Joseph Cumm is coming back to ISAC! Last February, Chef Joe taught an amazing mini-chocolate showpiece class. This fall he's back to teach Introduction to Chocolate and Bon Bons! YUM!

Sweet Fest Business Convention is back in Atlanta, September 21-24, 2017! This is not your every ay cake show. Sweet Fest Con is aimed at helping aspiring and established professionals in the baking and sweets industry! Whether you make cakes, cookies, or candies, Sweet Fest Con can give you valuable tools to start, grow, and manage your business successfully!

At the 2017 Sweet Fest Con, Chef Nicholas was honored to be one of the seminar presenters; his discussion topic was branding and sponsorship. No surprise there- Chef Nicholas is the Brand Ambassador for Renshaw Americas! As one of the 2017 Sweet Fest Business Convention sponsors, Renshaw Americas is pulling out all of the stops! EACH AND EVERY conference attendee will be participating in a Renshaw Academy hands-on class!! Playing with all of the exciting Renshaw Americas products? Um, yes please!

The Renshaw Love Color Chart is amazing. So amazing that I featured it in last week's blog. Well, I decided to come back today, (yes, before our normal Thursday post), to give you all a gift. In this blog post you will find downloadable PDFs for the entire Renshaw Love Color Chart!! YAY! But wait, there is more! 

You will also find the 2017 Renshaw Product Guide. This handy dandy little book showcases all the products you know and love from Renshaw, but also introduces some beautiful, bright new colors and tool! The Renshaw Product Guide also includes some cake decorating tips that I'm sure you all will find helpful.

2017 Renshaw Americas Product Guide

Color Mixing Chart

I hope you are all able to download both files, and use them to their full potential! There is a wealth of information here, and I don't want anyone to miss out! 

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

WINNER of the 2017 Golden Tier Educator of the Year Award

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award.

Chef Nicholas, Renshaw Americas' Brand Ambassador, has been in Liverpool, England all week. He, and the nine Brand Ambassador Partners, have been having an amazing time visiting the Renshaw headquarters! On Monday they took a fabulous tour of the Renshaw Factory, seeing where all the amazing products are made (not just for us, but for the royal family as well!!). They also got to spend some time at the state of the art Renshaw Academy!

Well, I didn't think it was fair for those lucky ducks to get all the Renshaw love. Nope. So I wanted to share some of my own Renshaw goodness with you, including their new, and absolutely AMAZING, color guide! 

Monday marked Chef Nicholas Lodge's International Sugar Art Collection's 25th Anniversary. Chef Nicholas, Scott, and the rest of the ISAC family are incredibly proud of this achievement. Thank you to everyone who sent flowers, cards, texts, messages, and came to celebrate with us last weekend and Monday. The outpouring of support and well-wishes meant so very much to Chef Nicholas and Scott. ISAC is here because of their hard work and dedication. They have dedicated themselves to bettering the sugar arts world, and I think they have done just that. Scott asked that I share some of the photos from this weekend here on the blog. I hope you all enjoy!

Thank you again to everyone who helped make the ISAC 25th Anniversary weekend a great success! We, the entire ISAC family, truly appreciate all the love and support our students, clients, friends, and family have shown these past 25 years. Thank you for helping Chef Nicholas and Scott to this place! 

ISAC 25th Anniversary Fun Fact: In 2007, Chef Nicholas and Scott host the first Spring Open House event!

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

Don't just follow our blog! Follow Chef Lodge on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

WINNER of the 2017 Golden Tier Educator of the Year Award

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award. 

Hello friends! I needed to add a correction to the blog!

In-house, Chef Nicholas Lodge classes for the remainder of 2017 are included in the 25% off sale. To secure the 25% off special pricing, you must register for the classes in person at our store, or over the phone: (800)-662-8925.

In addition, the International Sugar Art Collection 25th Anniversary - Part 1 video is now working correctly on the blog. Below the video you find a link to International Sugar Art Collection 25th - Part 2. 

In just two days ISAC will celebrating our 25th Anniversary with a party at our Norcorss, Georgia retail gallery and school! There will be giveaways and prizes, a raffle, and... drum roll please.....

25% OFF THE ENTIRE STORE*!!!

*In stock items only, no speical orders, no layaway. Applies to physical store location only, excludes items on website. In-house Nicholas Lodge classes ARE included in the sale; must call to register for the special pricing.**

Well. I have been mentioning for months that the Nicholas Lodge International Sugar Art Collection is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. On July 17, 1992, Chef Nicholas and Scott opened the doors to ISAC, and here we are 25 years later ready to celebrate this momentous occasion. I mentioned last week that only one third of small business make it past the 10 year mark; only one quarter make it past the 15 year mark. Well, ISAC blew past 15 years TEN years ago! This is a very big deal to the entire ISAC family. All of our hard work and dedication has always been for our loyal fan base. 

Because ISAC would not have made it this far without our students, customers, clients, friends, and families, Chef Nicholas and Scott are hosting an anniversary party at our Norcross, GA retail gallery and school! There will be yummy refreshments, and some fun prizes and giveaways!

We always love getting new products in the retail gallery at ISAC! It is even more exciting when we know the product comes from a high end vendor like Katy Sue. In the past, I had written a blog post about the Katy Sue Creative Cake System molds. Now I am pleased to share three more Katy Sue silicone molds that are newly arrived to ISAC: mini butterflies, blossoms & birds, and rose stems. 

Earlier this year, Chef Nicholas had the honor of attending and teaching at CookieCon! He had the pleasure of meeting Tunde Dugantsi, also known as the Gingerbread Artist! She was born and raised in Hungary, and she moved to the USA in 2004. Tunde's cookie designs are a blend of traditional Hungarian designs with new and modern techniques! Tunde has never formally studied any type of arts and crafts, and has only been creating cookies since 2013. In that time Tunde has authored seven books, created many tutorial videos, and writes a blog! Chef Nicholas was so impressed with her cookies and their designs that he invited her to be one of our guest instructors at our Grand Holiday Open House, and to teach two classes after our open house!

Last weekend, Chef Nicholas and Scott were up in New York City for the NY Cake Show, the Golden Tier Awards, and a Renshaw Difference demo at the Chefs Warehouse. Oh, and it was Chef Nicholas' birthday too! It was a big weekend. Even BIGGER and BETTER because Chef Nicholas was nominated for one of the inaugural Golden Tier Awards: The Albert Kumin Educator of the Year Award!

We are celebrating ISAC's 25th Anniversary on July 17 of this year! To celebrate all the students and friends who have helped Chef Nicholas and Scott reach this important milestone, all Nicholas Lodge classes held at ISAC from NOW until JULY 17, 2017, are being offered at 25% OFF!!!!

There is no code needed to register; all the prices are 25% off on our website registration page! This is a pretty huge deal. If you have always wanted to take a class with Chef Nicholas, now is really the time. These classes will not be offered at this discounted price again! There are four classes to choose from: Intro into Rolled Fondant, Exotic & Tropical Flowers, Exotic and Tropical Orchids, and the 5-Day Ultimate Gumpaste Flower class (with PME Certification)!

Introduction to Rolled Fondant and 5-Day Ultimate Gumpaste Flower class (with PME Certification) are two of our most popular classes- sign up today to secure our special anniversary pricing!

We hope to see you in class this month!

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

Don't just follow our blog! Follow Chef Lodge on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Finalist for the 2017 Golden Tier Awards Educator of the Year

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award. 

Summer is here! One of my favorite things about summer is seeing big, beautiful blooming flowers every where I look. Even when I am at work, I see Chef Nicholas' beautiful gumpaste flowers! While you may not be nearby to take a class with Chef Nicholas in person at our school, you can always create your own stunning summer flowers by taking one of Chef Nicholas Craftsy classes! 

Chef Nicholas has been in "The Biz," for a long time. He has gained lots of friends, lots of products, and lots of respect. Not surprisingly, Chef Nicholas often gets to try new products that vendors send in order to gain his professional opinion. I love when I get to share these amazing new products with YOU! This week I am even more excited, because this is a product I have been dreaming of! The SuperSpatch, by JoSpatch!

Chef Nicholas has been traveling A LOT. I really cannot say it enough- the man is a machine. He recently had a break from traveling and got some time to relax here at home in Atlanta. He had quality time with Scott, got time to tend his amazing garden, and most importantly we were able to finalize his teaching schedule for the remainder of 2017! Yay!

Chef Nicholas is wasting no time- there are three classes in June. Yes, I realize that is next month! It's never too late to sign up!

Rolled Fondant Techniques with PME Certification is being offered June 17-19th. This class is one of longtime favorites. It's great for both beginnings in rolled fondant, but also helps old pros strengthen their skills! This course is a PME certification course; if you are interested in earning the PME Master Certification and diploma, this course is one of the three necessary modules. Due to the high demand for this class, it will be offered a second time, September 23-25, 2017.

Chef Nicholas will next teach two flower courses back to back: Exotic & Tropical Flowers, and Exotic & Tropical Orchids. Both of these classes are two day classes (June 24-25 and June 26-27, respectively). Flowers included in the Exotic & Tropical Flowers class will include: Hibiscus, Plumeria, Bird-of-Paradise, Bougainvillea, Anthurium and White Ginger. Tropical foliage will also be included. This class is one my favorites- I just love tropical flowers, and watching the students create these gorgeous flowers always makes me want to kick back on the beach with a strawberry daiquiri! 

The Tropical & Exotic Orchid class is perfect for those of you who make bridal shower and wedding cakes; orchids are a favorite wedding flower! In this two day class, students will maximize their time and create seven different orchids under Chef Nicholas' instruction: Vanda, Miltonia (pansy), Slipper, Phaleaenopsis (moth orchid), oncidium, Phaius, and Epidendrum.

July 8-12, 2017, Chef Nicholas will be teaching his 5-Day Ultimate Gumpaste Flower class with PME Certification. This could be Chef Nicholas' most popular class. It is intense, students will learn a total of 18 different flowers. That works out to more than three new flowers each day of class! What flowers are included, you ask? Well, let me share: The Ultimate Rose, Stargazer Lily, Calla Lily, Cattleya Orchid, Cymbidium Orchid, Dendrobium Orchid, Gardenia, Gerber Daisy, Lizianthus, Hydrangea, Stephanotis, Lily of the Valley, Sweet Peas, Carnations, Daisies, Eucalyptus, Ferns, and Ivy. Where appropriate, buds and leaves will be included. Oh, and it is a PME Certification class; it is one of the three modules needed for the Master Certification and diploma. Due to the popularity of this class, it will be offered again September 9-13, 2017.

 If you want to learn how to be amazing with royal icing, you can sign up for Three Day Advanced Royal Icing with PME Certification, August 19-12, 2017. During this class students will learn color flow, run-out, Wedgwood style figure piping, lace and filigree, Lambeth and English-style border work and string work. Students will learn the finer points of how to smoothly coat a cake with royal icing. Many different styles and techniques in this class can only be described as supremely elegant. Please note: Students attending this class must have attended the 3-Day Rolled Fondant Techniques Class with Nicholas Lodge, as the Advanced Royal Icing Techniques class will build upon skills and techniques learned during the Rolled Fondant Techniques Class.) As with the other PME Certification classes, this is one of the modules needed to earn the Master Certification and diploma. This class is also being offered a second time, September 26-28, 2017. This will directly follow the Rolled Fondant Techniques class, a perfect opportunity to take both classes back to back!

Finally, Chef Nicholas is teaching Fall in Gumpaste, August 26-27, 2017. I absolutely love the rich jewel tone colors of the fall flowers and foliage in this class. In this class students will create seasonal fall flowers, berries, fruits and leaves: Maple Leaves, Japanese Maple Leaves, Oak Leaves, Acorns, Blackberry, Chrysanthemums, Buckeyes, Chinese Lanterns and Fall Berries. My favorite are the Chinese lanterns; they are so delicate and papery looking- even though they are made out of gumpaste! 

Well, I hope that you all see a class, or classes, that you are interested in signing up for! We have had loads of requests for PME certification classes, so I expect to see lots of your sunshiny faces soon! 

Oh, and who wants to know the winners of last week's blog contest for the ProGel and edible Food Art Pen?! Without further ado, the winner of the ProGel is:

 Mary Thompson!

"I would love to try the red pro gel color. I make many, many French Macarons and red is a hard color to achieve. I would love i.e. To see how this color stands up against other brands. I have used the pens and I love them!!"

The winner of the Food Art Pen is:

Shupan Abraham

"I would love, love, love, to try the edible food art pen. I make x-box game controller cakes weekly. For one of the buttons, I have to make a round ball of fondant, paint it silver and put an 'x' on the top. Currently, the edible writing pens that I have don't make a defined 'x' on the ball. So, I have had to use a brush with some vodka and black power color to paint the 'x' on the top of the ball. I would like to try the edible food art pen to see if they would make my life just a little easier."

Thank you to everyone who entered, and congratulations to both winners! I cannot wait to hear what you think of the new colors! 

ISAC 25th Anniversary Fun Fact: In 2001, Chef Nicholas Lodge is inducted into the ICES Cake Decorator Hall of Fame. He is the youngest person to ever receive this prestigious award.

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

Don't just follow our blog! Follow Chef Lodge on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Finalist for the 2017 Golden Tier Awards Educator of the Year

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award. 

Beautiful, rich, and vibrant colors are so important in the cake, cookie, and candy making world. The perfect shade of the perfect color means a lot to a bride, or a child with a specific birthday cake in mind. That means you need a gel color that will work as hard as you do. Lucky for you, ISAC is proud to announce that we are carrying Rainbow Dust ProGel gel colors and edible, double-sided, Food Art Pens!

Edible Food Art Pens! Photo: S. Ewing/ISAC

Eighteen years ago, in 1999, Chef Nicholas published the first edition of Potpourri of Flowers. That book contained fifteen beautiful, life-sized gumpaste flowers. This book was to be the first of a trilogy of textbooks Chef Nicholas authored on gumpaste flowers. In 2014, New Trends in Sugar Flowers was released, and just last year in 2016, Spring & Summer Flowers in Gumpaste was released as the final book of the trilogy. While all three of these books have been extremely popular as instructional guides for making botanically accurate sugar flowers, Potpourri of Flowers has always stood out among the three.