Thursday, September 27, 2012

A Cup, A Plate, and a Tube of E-6000:  A Love Story

When I decided I was going to do this blog, I did not consider how I was going to show off my superlative baking skills.  After the post on the Samoa cake, I thought to  myself; "Self. You need a cake stand."  So off I went.

The first place I looked was the big box store that starts with a "W."  They didn't have much of a selection, and to be honest, I didn't want to spend $25 for something that could get broken in this zoo I live in. 

Then I had a thought.  I could make my own cake plate!  I had seen these cupcake plate thingies around.  Somebody simply glued a pretty plate to the top of a candle stick.  Voila!  Cupcake plate.  I also saw some of those red cups that a certain country singer has made famous glued to candle sticks and called "redneck wine glasses."  They were $5 dollars a piece.  Really?  I still haven't decided whether it's ingenious or a sad testament to the taste of those who drink "wine" out of a large plastic cup.  I guess you can't be picky when your wine comes out of a cardboard box or a gallon jug with a screw top.

Where to look next? I got it! The best place to look for supplies for my crafty endeavor would be the dollar store.  That way if I screwed it up, I wouldn't be out too much cash.

Now. I love the dollar store.  The real dollar stores. You know, where everything is $1.00 or less.  Not one of those stores where it says "dollar" but when you get in there you realize the name is really a misnomer because well, their stuff is way over a dollar.  I consider those other "dollar stores" charlatans and frauds.

Did I mention how much I love the Dollar Tree?  My everyday dishes are from there. So are my wineglasses, my martini glasses, and my margarita glasses.  I know this probably makes me look like I have a drinking problem, but to be fair, those glasses could also be used for pudding, trifles, and parfaits.  Oh hell. Who am I kidding?  The closest those glasses ever get to pudding is holding my drink next to the plate that is holding my piece of cake, or pie, or cookie, etc.. Though I have made chocolate martinis.  Which in my estimation is the greatest thing in the world.  I mean, how can you go wrong with booze and desert in the same glass?  Chocolate martinis are a labor saver! Can I get an amen?

Right. The Dollar Tree.  I did not find what I was looking for at the Dollar Tree.  Where should I go next?  Goodwill!  I love Goodwill more than the dollar store.  I can spend hours in there.  My husband doesn't understand it.  My son however has discovered the joy of finding Assercrombie and Fish apparel that I will actually pay for. 

Anyway.  I soon found a large purple plate and a purple tumbler.  It was kismet.  The stars aligned and meant for me to use those for my cake plate.  They were on the same shelf! They were the same color! They had yellow tags (it was 50% yellow tag day)! I spent $2.  Well, more than $2.  I found two pairs of Calvin Klein jeans and the Velociraptor found some appropriately "shizzle" t-shirts.  I still spent less than what it costs to get my beard and mustache waxed.

My supplies:  A tumbler with a wide mouth, a large plate (something that a 9" round cake will sit on with an inch or so left at the edges), glue (I use E-6000 but you can use whatever you have that will bond glass), a marker, a tape measure, and some rubbing alcohol. 

 
Wash your items and dry them thoroughly.
 
Measure the circumference of the plate and find the center. .

 
Mark the center.

 
Line center of tumbler with center of the bottom of the tumbler.  My plate was clear so this was easy. 
If your plate is not clear approximate.  If when placed on the tumbler, the plate doesn't wobble you're close enough. 



 
Wipe the surfaces that will come in contact with the adhesive with alcohol to get rid of any residual oils.

 
Apply a thin layer of glue to both the bottom of the tumbler and the marked spot on the plate.

 
Join the two pieces together and wipe the marker off the plate with another alcohol wipe,



Put something heavy on the plate while the glue cures. Depending on the glue and the application this step could take 24-72 hours.
 


Bibbidy, bobbody, boo...
 

 
... a cake plate is born.

 
Now I have to figure out what I am going to make to  put on it.  My friend Ruth wants me to come up with a Thin Mint cake.  Hmmm....
 
Let me know what you think in the comments section. 
 
Ta ta for know!





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