The Mat, my new favorite tool!

Back in Spring time I was at a class chatting with some other cake decorators and asked the lady next to me what her favoirte tool that she can't live with out would be.  She said "the mat" by sweetwise.com .  So when I got home I checked it out and had to have it once I saw the video they have on it.   What it is: two silicone food grade mats that you roll your fondant between and then use it to cover your cake.  

This is my fondant that I covered the Hello Kitty Cake with. 

I love the mat!  I can roll it out and then get the cake and prep it and get it ready with out worrying about my fondant drying out.  It is easy to lift the fondant onto your cakes (all you do is take off the top layer of the silicone and then hold the other side and position it over your cake!  Then peel the mat off the fondant!) so no more of the fondant stretching and ripping as you are trying to lift it over your cake.  The mat is huge as well so I have more than enough room to roll out  fondant for my biggest cakes. The site says you can cover up to a 20 inch cake with 4 inch sides!

The only problem I have ever had with it was trying to put both mats together to roll it up with out getting air bubbles between the mats when storing it.  So I just roll them separately and got a mail tube (like the one they send it in) for the other side of the mat.  And if that is the worst then it is SOOOOOO worth it!  I chatted with the sweetwise.com owner about it and she gave me some tips on how to fix that.  YEAH!  It has saved sooo many head aches with covering cakes with fondant.  And it is not expensive! Only $18.99  There are very few tools or mats that are that important and that cheap.

Sweetwise in general is a great site for cake decorating items with great shipping and great sales.  Check them out when you get a chance.  Right now the original mat is out of stock, but I talked to the company and they said they should be back in stock soon.  And they are coming out with new mats that have markings to help you know how big to roll your fondant and such.  (I didn't receive anythings from posting this.  I just love the product and so wanted to share it with you so you would know).   I will post more on favorite tools and new tools that I love in the future as well.