Cake Decorating starter kit?

[dakotablue]

I really really want to make a dragon cake for DS1 3rd birthday and DS2 1st is coming up in a month.

This year I made a monkey cake, which turned out ok.. my friend who has awesome tools bailed out last second so I used knives.
https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/383990_2691413477647_1025796802_32320150_579205630 _a.jpg

Anyway I want to buy my own starter kit, but then got really overwhelmed. Does anyone have any recommendations what to start with? I don't want to spend a lot as its really just for me and occasional use, but I have some Christmas money Dh says I have to spend on me and not the kids :giggle.

Thanks!!

[Kiara.I]

If you're just doing pretty basic stuff, then all you really need is one of each kind of tip. I would recommend getting metal tips, just because that's what *aaaaaalll* the good decorating kits have in them, so I kind of think the plastic ones are the cheaping-out version. And buying tips separately, they only cost, what, $2.50? It's not exactly expensive.

Wilton is the evil empire of cake decorating. They make *everything*. There are other brands, but Wilton is easy to find and quite reputable, so if you see that, it's probably okay. And Walmart carries it, so it's easy to find. ;) If you have a Michaels in your area, you can pick something up on 40% off. I don't know if Joann's does coupons like that or not.

If it's some random no-name thing at the grocery store, I'd skip it, personally. It's a fine line between not getting expensive stuff because you don't really need it, and finding stuff that's so cheap that it's hard to use and puts you off.

Something like this would get you started off quite creditably.
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E30B20E-475A-BAC0-5B7097668FF344EB&fid=3E32BAAF-475A-BAC0-56D011F830AD0257

And of course if you have a michaels, a joanns, or even a walmart near you, you can probably add separate tips and icing colours as needed. For storing it, I eventually got one of the toolboxes they sell, but I was taking classes in it, too. For home use, just get a small cardboard box or something to keep your tips and icing colours together in.

[LovinBeingMommy]

I have a Wilton's kit. My cousin took their classes and got me a set. We have a super old set, too, but I don't know what kind they are. Basically, an old-fashioned version of this (http://www.target.com/p/Wilton-Professional-Grade-Dessert-Decorator-Silvertone/-/A-10260022?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C10260022&CPNG=kitchen&ci_sku=10260022&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=). I like ours better.

[Kiara.I]

Oh, I should add, I find the tip couplers very useful, so I'd make sure that whatever you got has them.

Basically, what it means is that if you want to do little stars and writing (for instance) with the same colour icing, you don't have to fill two separate bags, you can just unscrew one tip and screw on the other.

[JellyBean]

I got the huge caddy tool kit from Michaels that is $100 and used a 50% off coupon. THey almost always have 40 or 50% off every sunday on one item. I think them have a smaller toolbox kit for 50 which would be $25. They really have everything you need!

[RiverRock]

If you just want the basics, I think you should get a cloth icing bag, coupler, and two tips: a star and small circle for lines. My next favourite tip is for making a shell border. If you prefer to have less clean-up you can buy plastic bags, but the fabric bags are easy to clean and will ensure that you have it around when you need it. Having more than one bag/coupler will ensure that you have the colours accessable for finishing touches.

[StumblinMama]

If you just want the basics, I think you should get a cloth icing bag, coupler, and two tips: a star and small circle for lines. My next favourite tip is for making a shell border. If you prefer to have less clean-up you can buy plastic bags, but the fabric bags are easy to clean and will ensure that you have it around when you need it. Having more than one bag/coupler will ensure that you have the colours accessable for finishing touches.

:up This. I have a friend who bakes cakes professionally now, and I think she started out using the Wilton method :yes

[dakotablue]

Thanks so much!
I think I'll head over to ACMoore this weekend.

Its funny I've been so in shopping online mode I forgot that I could go to Acmoore, Micheals for cheaper. Most everything else I buy I can't buy locally. I appreciate the reminder.

So excited to plan DS2's birthday cake, I think I'll have to send some trials into work with dh :giggle