TV Appearances

Create and Craft TV can be found on Freeview 36, Sky 674, Virgin 748 and FreeSat 813 - and if you choose your times then you'll be able to see Frances give some amazing demonstrations from a selection of her books.

The first show - aired on Sunday 21st September - seemed to be a great success, the producers were pleased and Frankie's FaceBook pages and email accounts went into melt down for hours afterwards. If you missed that show then you have two more opportunities to see her live - Sunday 2nd November in the afternoon and on December 14th. You can also look out for the re-runs but why not come to say hello at Cake International, the absolutely HUGE show held at the NEC from 7th November until 9th. Frances will be signing books and demonstrating her Tiny Sugar Shoes, Fancy Dress Babies, Sensational Animals and her Wonderful Fairies.

We'd love to see you.

Dublin Sugarcraft Guild 22-23 March 2014

We'll be in Dublin this weekend for the Sugarcraft Show there - we hope you'll come and say hello as we're looking forward to seeing all our friends and our Irish "family".

Frances said; "I'm looking forward to the Dublin Sugarcraft Exhibitio - I'll be demonstrating this little sleeping baby fairy in the demonstaration room, and the rest of the time I'll be demonstrating other techniques on my stand."

We'll be selling Frances' books, cutters, moulds and the tools she uses for her work and she'll be signing her books at her stand. See you at the City West Hotel at 10 am on Saturday.

Check out the details HERE

Scotland in September

Having had a three week trip to Australia and then an August of rest and regrouping, working on stock, ideas and planning for the remainder of this year and next; we began the late season with a jolly jaunt north of the Border to meet up with the talented Paul Bradford and David Brice his business partner at their light, airy and superbly situated studio in Kenmore on Loch Tay.

Paul has been in the cake decorating business since 2001 and has designed cakes for the Bee Gees, famous footballers and Monacan Royalty. Recently the business has expanded into online tutorials and now boasts a customer base in the tens of thousands from all over the world.  Several TV appearances have ensured his continuing success and popularity and we were to spend five days or so filming some of Frances' work for future online programs which will be available shortly. 

Both Paul and David are consummate professionals and yet Frankie and I felt instantly at ease in their company. In fact Paul and Frances had so much to talk about and so many ideas to share that we almost had to guide them to the table for lunch and dinner and even on our long, wonderfully scenic and weather blessed walks they would still be head to head discussing technology, sugar, Sugarcraft, books and teaching methods along the way intermittently stopping to take in the breathtaking scenery that surrounds Paul and Davids' studio.

The Magical View from the Studio

Yet in between the filming and the photography we did have time for some wonderful food, long languorous but invigorating walks with the dogs Ben and Leo, a little bit of fishing (Mike) and an occasional glass of wine. If you ever get the chance to visit Paul and David we sincerely recommend you take the chance; Paul's new book is now available and the ongoing Internet tutorials are available for all levels of ability - check out their superb website HERE

Wired Sugar Lily - With Frankly Sweet Tiny Shoe Cutters

As promised, another new tutorial from Frances is available to watch on her YouTube Channel. This time, how to make wonderful lilies using the petal shaped cutter from her Tiny Shoe Cutter set

We very much hope you enjoy it.....

A Trip To Sweden - Kakburken

Recently, Frankie was invited to Sweden by Camilla of KakBurken - her Facebook page is HERE - to teach Tiny Shoes, Fairies and Fancy Dress Babies for a weekend.

It was a wonderful few days for Frances and she was very well looked after and welcomed by the Swedish enthusiasts. The results in all three workshops were beautiful and the models made were proudly displayed at the end of each session. Judging by the comments on Facebook and Twitter it would seem that the students enjoyed themselves too.

Frances didn't get to see too much of the Swedish Countryside due to a flight delay, but the hospitality of her Swedish hosts left nothing to be desired and left an abiding memory of friendly faces and bright, warm sunshine.

Frankie's present from Sweden

Huge thanks to Camilla, Jonas and Cordelia for their assiduous attention to Frankie's comfort and for looking after her so well.

Cake International - ExCel

There was a lot of this going on - this is  Diane

Another show over, another weekend full of meeting with fans new and old, meeting our friends and making many more. As always, these shows are extremely busy and by the evenings the team are tired and hungry and ready for a well earned glass of wine or beer - or two.

This was a quiet time...

But, as I said, our friends are there, and it's always nice to catch up even if it is only a week since we last saw some of them at Manchester. Naturally, not everyone goes to every show and so there are others to chat to - if only we had the time.

This year there were a few stars available to stalk - if the mood took you; Paul Hollywood, Mitch Turner, Mary Berry and John Whaites to name just a few, and the hall often rang with cheers and applause as they took stage.

Busy, busy busy

We sold out of a few items despite planning this show like a military campaign, so if you couldn't get what you came for, please visit our web shop HERE. Our apologies if we caused you any inconvenience.

As close as I could get to Paul and Mary - the crowds were phenomenal

A Weekend in Manchester

An impressive Building

It was a very busy weekend at The Cake And Bake Show - the first one to be held in the North. 27,000 visitors over the weekend and more celebrities than you could throw a cupcake at made it a little difficult at times to travel even the 50 yards or so to the toilets. But time and again I heard the same expression - the Northerners are a friendly lot; no impatience, pushing, impoliteness or frustration, just friendly chat, banter and a n awful lot of genuine interest.

The Wedding Showcase are area was a hit - and with smiles like these , why wouldn't it be?

The food sellers were mobbed incessantly, buyers four deep around their stands, until their wares were sold out. The public theatres, both free and charged, were always busy and the air was full of the excitement and smells of baking.

More celebrities than you could throw a cupcake at...

Yet, we found time to make new friends, to learn new skills and become excited all over again about baking, cake and icing. We shared our experiences, our stories, our recipes and of course we sold our products too.
We hope those of you who went enjoyed it and will come and see us at The next Cake and Bake show in London.

Next week we will be at Cake International in London and can only hope for the same enthusiasm and friendliness there, pop over and say hello....

John and Cat,  GBBO stars popped by...

YouTube Tutorials

Just a reminder to all of Frankie's Fans, there are tutorials available on her YouTube Chanel, just search for Frankly Sweet.

Many more will be added in the future so why not subscribe and be informed directly when new tutorials are released

Cork Sugarcraft Exhibition

We just love our trips to Ireland; we Honeymooned here and we have made both friends and many wonderful memories in the Emerald Isle. So it was lovely to be back in Cork City for the biannual Sugarcraft Exhibition at Little Island at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

There were 300 entries into the Competitions - the largest number ever, and in all the years we have been coming here the standard has got better and better every time. This year was no exception and over the two days of the show there were many comments regarding the standard of the work, which, even to a layman like me, was exceptional. 

Exceptional Work...

As always, Frankie was busy demonstrating; Tiny Shoes on the stand and Fancy Dressed Babies and Fairies in the Demonstration Rooms and the show was busy all over the two days with Sunday afternoon - Mother's Day -  proving to be just as popular as the Saturday.

The Craic was good too; Murphy's here in Cork, not Guinness, with a Jamieson's chaser - or so I'm told, the Cork Sugarcraft girls looked after us so well, and made us so welcome, that it was a real wrench to leave. Unfortunately, the Ferry Company tried to help, cancelling our early morning crossing due to the severe weather, but we got across on a bumpy little catamaran Ferry later that evening which tried its best to relieve us of our hearty meals, but we're made of sterner stuff, and we survived both the crossing and the snow storm that hit the South East corner of England and made our midnight drive across Kent a minor adventure.

Worth it?

Every single wave tossed, Snow flurried moment!

Can't wait until 2015! 

20 to Make Mini Sugar Bags

Frankie's new book 20 to Make Mini Sugar Bags is now available HERE

It compliments her 20 to Make Mini Sugar Shoes Book and her Tiny Shoe Cutter Set and details how to make handbags of various design  to match those wonderful shoes you have all been making....

 

Bristol Workshop

Jo's Tiger Baby...

In recent weeks, the West Country has been suffering, once again, from incessant wet weather. The rain has been virtually constant and rivers, streams and fields are waterlogged as ever more rain falls on already saturated land. One had to feel sorry for those people who are cleaning out flooded homes for the third time in as many weeks, but by whose demeanour one would never guess the despair they must certainly be feeling, a cheerful face put towards the TV cameras that broadcast their plight across the nation.

The lunches were fantastic

We drove towards this unfolding story on Friday, as Frances had arranged another weekend of classes and workshops at The Aztec Centre in Bristol; one day making a  Fancy Dressed Tiger Baby and some tiny Sugar Shoes and the next day spent creating Lily The Pink Fairies. Whilst the rain continued to pour outside, the ladies laughed and worked their way through the two days, enjoying the company and certainly the lunches, but also leaving with some high class pieces that they had created with a little help from Frankie.

The time flew by and the laughter gradually subsided as each of the students packed away their creations, preparing themselves for the damp and dark journey home. As always we hope the weekend was enjoyed by all and we look forward to meeting our new friends and old again in the future.

Another lunch...and Laura's stray Hubbie...

NEC Cake International

Jacqui Kelly's Wonderful shoe shop

Each year thousands (yes, I mean thousands) of ladies and some gentlemen descend upon Exhibition Hall 17 or 18 of the NEC at Birmingham for the now, three day Cake International Exhibition at which hundreds of competitors show their creative creations vying for the glory of 'Best In Show'.

Traders also arrive in their hundreds to set up and display their wares for inspection, discussion and, hopefully, purchase, but this year the anticipated excitement for all parties was dissipated slightly as another, sister exhibition was set up at the EXCEL Centre in London Docklands earlier in the year. It was still busy, especially on the last day, but the numbers were certainly down on previous years.

A Lifesized Cake version of Dobby won Gold

There was some great work around though, and some fantastic pieces the making of which in some cases defied belief given that their constituents were edible and made from sugar. The judges had their work cut out indeed.

Busy, busy, busy...

It was also a good time to catch up with good friends from Holland, Scotland, Ireland and all around England, we really are very lucky, most of them bring us teas and coffees, tablet, macaroons, chocolate, Dutch Tulip bulbs and, of course, cake! Knowing how busy it can get, they look after us very well. It's also a great time to catch up with our fellow Traders, some of whom we only see once or twice a year. Mike also got his annual chance to watch his favourite Bamix exhibitionist.....!

Deborah Harwood's lovely creation usiing Frankie's Tiny Shoe Cutters

See you all next year in London, Manchester and Birmingham!

Patchwork Cutter Weekend

Jan's Autumn Fairy

 What a Wonderful Weekend!

We had been invited to The Wirrall by Marion and Gerry Frost of Patchwork Cutters who often run demonstration and Workshop weekends at their fantastic complex near Greasby. We both loved the Countryside and the weather held well until the aftermath of Hurricane Nadine hit the UK on our journey home. The traffic was disrupted as the skies opened, unleashing oceans of rain and gale force winds across the South which steadily moved northwards meeting us on our way back to Kent.

...and the fire escapes are...

It didn't matter though, the journey was well worth it - we were treated like guests by Marion, Gerry and all the friendly ladies who attended. Northern Hospitality is all we could have wished for - we felt like Royalty - and I have no talent, remember!

Gerry and Frankie at Red Rocks

The demonstrations and the Workshops were fully booked covering Tiny Shoes, Fancy Dressed Babies and Fairies from Frankie and some intricate cutter pieces from Marion. The finished work was excellent and everybody took a completed fairy home. Many ladies also made the most of Frankie's new book having arrived just the day before we left and signed copies were eagerly purchased to compliment the Tiny Shoe Cutter Set.

Finished  Fairies

Our huge thanks to Gerry, Marion and everybody who made our weekend memorable and fun. Even Nadine couldn't take the edge of our enjoyment.

wonderful work ladies...

Mini Sugar Shoes

Frankie's long awaited book to compliment her tiny shoe cutters is to be released at the end of this month (September).

The shoe cutters have been available for some time and the number of hits on YouTube has testified to their popularity - the instruction videos are easily accessible to anyone wishing to supplement their knowledge of how best to use them.

The new book has twenty ideas, many of them new ranging from flip-flops to full blown high heels, Boots and booties -  and advance orders are already high. Later, a Tiny Sugar Bags book will be released to give further ideas with the shoe cutters...watch this space.

Sugarcraft Weekend - Maidstone

A collection of Lily The Pink Fairies

This was another wonderful weekend that sold out quickly; the opportunity to make Tiny Shoes, Fancy Dressed Babies and The Lily The Pink Fairy. The two days were busy but each student completed the pieces  and took them home with them.

The great thing about these groups and workshops is the camaraderie that develops during the day. By the late afternoon, Facebook, Twitter and e-mail addresses were being exchanged, not just between Franc and the class members, but also among themselves and trying to get them all to go home was a challenge itself.

We sincerely hope that everyone was proud of their work and enjoyed the weekend as much as we did.

Coming Soon.....

......the long awaited book to compliment the Tiny Shoe Cutter set....should be available in October 2012....

Followed by 20 to Make Mini Handbags Book to complete the set......early 2013.....

See us in Holland and Cottenham in October, the NEC in November and Bristol in September....

Holland June 2012 - Boskoop

Bart Van Vliet  runs the Holland Sugar Art show every year, usually around May, but this year due to the Telford International, he delayed it a few weeks. The venue was also changed as there were more stands and more visitors than in previous years. This is good for all, obviously, and we both take pleasure in being welcomed back each year by Frankie's many fans, and the friends we have acquired over the years.

With the larger venue came a new area- Boskoop instead of Alphen - but Holland is a beautiful country, especially when you leave the motorways, and seeing new towns and hamlets is a great experience. We both love the countryside very much as it appears to be a well maintained country, clean, tidy and picturesque. The Dutch take pride in their houses, gardens, towns and cities. If life is a book, then travelling gets you off page one and I sincerely believe that if it's expansion of the mind you want, journeys abroad will provide it for you. 

This year we were joined by quite a large British contingent including Alan Dunn,  Karen Davies,  Edable Art, Georgie Godbolt, Sunflower Sugar Art, Celcakes and A Piece Of cake. 

The Dutch Traders were also there in number including our very good friends from Mjam Taart, Ellen's Cakes and Cakes by Bien. It was fantastic to catch up and to spend the rare idle moments of the weekend nattering and sharing a coffee.

We always look forward to our Dutch trips; we have many friends in Holland but our especial friends are Renita and Patrick with whom we stay whenever we can. They make us incredibly welcome and are very good to us in such a genuine manner that is much more European than British in its palpability. 

But over the years we have met these others who appear to look as forward to our visit as do we -some traders and some customers - but the one thing about the Dutch that I particularly admire is their certitude, their strength of character hidden within the natural and honest attitude they have to others. 

They are a forthright people as a whole - a nation of seafarers and conquerors too, remember - and some interesting discussions take place over a bottle of wine. The European perspective is sometimes vastly different to that of the British and makes for a lively and intriguing debate. 

I am often surprised by the European mindset. It reminds me of a joke by the German comedian Henning Venn; “The British are not sure if they should be part of Europe?  - Get a mep!"

But the generosity of the Dutch never fails to amaze me. There were some very nice Indonesian Dutch ladies at a show in Apeldoorn a year or two ago who had a young newly born boy, Adam, and we got into a conversation about babies in general as my daughter was expecting my first grandchild at the time. Six months later when we turned up to an Exhibition in Saint Nicklaas in Belgium, they surprised me to tears by handing me two boxes of presents for Laura-Anne my daughter and her new son, not yet born, Elijah. We hardly knew them and certainly had not done anything for them other than striking up a friendship that was mutual in its distribution of favour.

This time, Bien and Tirza from Cakes By Bien, handed us a bag of Dutch goodies for no apparent reason other than that we had a lot of fun with them both in Dublin earlier this year and struck up a deeper friendship than previously. We certainly learned a lesson in appreciation from our Dutch friends and their attitude to friendship. A wonderful weekend and we look forward to October and our return.

Holland June 2012 - Boskoop

Bart Van Vliet  runs the Holland Sugar Art show every year, usually around May, but this year due to the Telford International, he delayed it a few weeks. The venue was also changed as there were more stands and more visitors than in previous years. This is good for all, obviously, and we both take pleasure in being welcomed back each year by Frankie's many fans, and the friends we have acquired over the years.

With the larger venue came a new area- Boskoop instead of Alphen - but Holland is a beautiful country, especially when you leave the motorways, and seeing new towns and hamlets is a great experience. We both love the countryside very much as it appears to be a well maintained country, clean, tidy and picturesque. The Dutch take pride in their houses, gardens, towns and cities. If life is a book, then travelling gets you off page one and I sincerely believe that if it's expansion of the mind you want, journeys abroad will provide it for you. 

This year we were joined by quite a large British contingent including Alan Dunn,  Karen Davies,  Edable Art, Georgie Godbolt, Sunflower Sugar Art, Celcakes and A Piece Of cake. 

The Dutch Traders were also there in number including our very good friends from Mjam Taart, Ellen's Cakes and Cakes by Bien. It was fantastic to catch up and to spend the rare idle moments of the weekend nattering and sharing a coffee.

We always look forward to our Dutch trips; we have many friends in Holland but our especial friends are Renita and Patrick with whom we stay whenever we can. They make us incredibly welcome and are very good to us in such a genuine manner that is much more European than British in its palpability. 

But over the years we have met these others who appear to look as forward to our visit as do we -some traders and some customers - but the one thing about the Dutch that I particularly admire is their certitude, their strength of character hidden within the natural and honest attitude they have to others. 

They are a forthright people as a whole - a nation of seafarers and conquerors too, remember - and some interesting discussions take place over a bottle of wine. The European perspective is sometimes vastly different to that of the British and makes for a lively and intriguing debate. 

I am often surprised by the European mindset. It reminds me of a joke by the German comedian Henning Venn; “The British are not sure if they should be part of Europe?  - Get a mep!"

But the generosity of the Dutch never fails to amaze me. There were some very nice Indonesian Dutch ladies at a show in Apeldoorn a year or two ago who had a young newly born boy, Adam, and we got into a conversation about babies in general as my daughter was expecting my first grandchild at the time. Six months later when we turned up to an Exhibition in Saint Nicklaas in Belgium, they surprised me to tears by handing me two boxes of presents for Laura-Anne my daughter and her new son, not yet born, Elijah. We hardly knew them and certainly had not done anything for them other than striking up a friendship that was mutual in its distribution of favour.

This time, Bien and Tirza from Cakes By Bien, handed us a bag of Dutch goodies for no apparent reason other than that we had a lot of fun with them both in Dublin earlier this year and struck up a deeper friendship than previously. We certainly learned a lesson in appreciation from our Dutch friends and their attitude to friendship. A wonderful weekend and we look forward to October and our return.

BSG International Exhibition - Telford

After a delay of some seven years - the BSG International Exhibition is back - this year at the Telford International Exhibition Centre in Shropshire. Held over two days with over 50 traders stands, the halls were spacious and the exhibits and stands well spread out.

Frances spent her time demonstrating her tiny shoe cutters both on her stand and in the Demonstration Hall and saying hello to all her friends and fans who came up to see her over the two days. 

Her Tiny Shoes are extremely popular and you can check out her demonstrations on YouTube and click on the video below for much more information.