How to Make a Stork Cake Topper

This little guy is a little more time consuming than some of my other toppers, but the extra time spent on him really paid off.  He's just so darn cute!

Start by coloring your fondant with gel colors and knead in a little tylose powder.  Cut out a small green patch of fondant for the stork to stand on and push an 18 gauge wire all the way down into your styrofoam.  This wire will support the entire topper so make sure it is very long (mine went all the way to the bottom of a 4" styrofoam).  Form the legs and feet as shown.  Apply gum glue (a mixture of water and tylose powder) to the wire and insert the first foot and leg. 

Wrap a thin wire (22 gauge) around the base.  Attach the foot using another small wire (22 gauge).  Insert and glue the leg onto the wire and glue the foot to the straight leg's knee.   

Form a small body/neck out of white fondant, wrap another wire around the base and attach the body with a little gum glue.  The new wire should help support the back of the body.  The body needs to be somewhat small so it wont be too heavy for the wires. 

Cut out wings using a leaf cutter and attach to the body with gum glue.  My wings fell to the sides a little which just made it look even better.  Insert/glue another18 gauge wire into the neck.  Allow to dry for a few hours. 

Form the head/neck out of white fondant and glue to the body.  Mark your eye holes with the end of a paint brush and insert/glue another wire into his face for the beak.  Allow to dry overnight. 

Form the beak and glue onto the wire.  Roll tiny black and white balls for the eyes and glue into place.  Form the hat out fondant using a piping tip and bend the extra wire down. 

Cut out the blue baby blanket and form the baby's body.  Most of the baby will be covered so it doesn't have to be perfect.  Just make sure he has 10 toes! Fold up the ends of the blanket and glue onto the wire and allow to dry as shown. 

Add the final details like a bow tie, feathers and eyelashes.  And Ta-Daa! Cute!!