Royal Icing Sun Hat

I decided yesterday's flip flops really needed an accessory: a sun hat! All you need to pipe sun hats are the same tips and colors from the flip flops (round tips #12 and #3 or #2, and star tip #16), parchment paper squares, and a dusting pouch filled with a 50/50 mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar. Start by piping a flattened ball with the #12 tip; hold the tip just above the surface and perpendicular to the center of a parchment square. Squeeze briefly, and pull the tip away straight up while stopping pressure. Touch a fingertip to the dusting pouch and tap down the peak that will probably form; you'll be left with a relatively flat dot. 

 You may want to use a flower nail for this next step; I wish I had. Holding the tip just to the side of the dot and just above the surface, pipe continuously while moving the tip around the outer edge of the dot. When you reach the starting point, stop pressure and pull the tip away.

 Tap the ending edge down smooth with a dusted fingertip.

 Allow this disc shape to firm up for a while, then pipe the center. Hold the tip at a 90 degree angle just above the center, and squeeze until the icing meets the edge of that circular seam in the middle while moving the tip upwards. Stop pressure and pull the tip away. Stop here if you want a witch hat…

 …or touch a fingertip to the dusting pouch and tap it down into a smooth, rounded shape.

 Allow it to firm up for a while, then start decorating it. First, I piped a #3 band around the crown (I really wish I'd used the flower nail to get this line perfectly smooth; my pressure wasn't exactly steady while I was rotating the parchment with one hand and piping with the other).

 Then I piped a couple of little tails to make the band look more like a scarf tied around the crown.

 Then I decided what I really wanted was a #16 star flower with a #3 dot center to match those on the flip flops.

 I have absolutely got to get to work on some summer-themed cupcakes; maybe next I'll pipe a tiny bottle of SPF 50 sunblock…

Royal Icing Flip Flops

 Shoes don't come any less complicated than flip flops (aka thongs), making them one of the least complicated decorations you can pipe. How sweet would these be on a cake or cupcakes to celebrate summer or the beach? All you'll need are two colors of stiff consistency royal icing, round #12 and #3 tips, a small star tip like #16, parchment paper squares, and a dusting pouch filled with a 50/50 blend of powdered sugar and cornstarch. Start by holding the #12 tip just above and perpendicular to a parchment paper square. You'll want to pipe both "soles" on the same square, so you'll have the best chance of getting them close in size.

 Squeeze until the icing is barely visible around the edges of the tip, then move the tip along and just above the surface in a gentle curve, while decreasing pressure. When you get to the "heel," stop pressure and pull the tip away. If a peak remains, touch a fingertip to the dusting pouch and tap it into place.

Pipe its neighbor, and use your dusted fingertip to nudge them into being as identical as possible. Don't get carried away refining them; absolutely no one will call you on it if they aren't perfect. 

 Make as many pairs as you think you'll need and allow them to firm up for a few minutes. You can speed this process up by placing them under a desk lamp.

 Using a contrasting color and the #3 tip, pipe two diagonal lines from the center to the outer edges (basically an upside-down V). 

 Tap down any unsightly peaks and allow the straps on the flip flops to firm up. The project could be considered done at this point, or you could add some decorations…

 …like tiny flowers piped with a star tip (the smallest I had on hand was a #16; smaller might have been better).

 Finish them off with a dot from the #3 tip. Allow the flip flops to firm up completely before peeling away the parchment and wowing everybody with their cuteness.