Paradise Lost Cake

This cake was entered in the 2006 Mid-Atlantic Cake show, Intermediate division. It was my first cake show and I placed 2^nd. Starting from the bottom, the cake board was covered in tan fondant and sprinkled with brown sugar to look like sand. A silicone mold was used to make the fondant sea shells. The first tier was covered in fondant and then blue piping gel to look like water. The sea animals were made out of fondant using a silicone mold and then hand painted with food coloring. The dolphins are on wires to make them look like they are jumping out of the water. The middle tier was covered in fondant and brown sugar, with more fondant seashells. The third tier was covered in green fondant with shredded green fondant around the base to look like grass. The orchids on top were hand made out of gumpaste and dusted with petal dusts.