Simulation Cream Practice Projects

One of the reasons I wanted to make these practice projects is because my last simulation cream post was written over 10 years ago. It’s fun to see what changed, what stayed the same, and how much more comfortable I am experimenting now. If you’re curious, you can read that original post here: Part 1 and Part 2

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It’s been a while since I’ve used simulation cream. The last time I posted about deco whipped cream was over 10 years ago. It was my first time using it, and I wanted to encourage people to try it while learning from my beginner experience.

Now that The Cute Effect is in effect, I decided to buy some simulation cream and just have a go at it. This time around I definitely have more knowledge and experience, but I’m not nearly as practiced.

I decided to make a couple of small projects before diving into my Switch 2 Dock decoden project. These were also new brands of simulation cream to me, and the amount I needed for the dock was more than any other project I’ve attempted. Before committing them to something larger, I wanted to see how they piped, dried, and behaved.

I ended up making a picture frame and a compact mirror. Neither project was particularly complicated, but that was kind of the point. I wanted to focus on how the creams behaved, how they cured, and whether there was anything I needed to know before moving onto a larger project.

Supplies I Used

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Setting up the Piping Bags

So the cool thing is, when you get deco whip from Wing Charms, they put the bag of cream inside another piping bag so I didn’t have to dip into my piping bag stash. I pulled out the cream bag and massaged it a bit.

The next step is to trim the tip of the whip bag. Now I’ve definitely made the mistake of trimming the bag too high, so I preemptively put the piping tip on to guestimate where I should cut it.

Then I pull it out and cut it. Remember, you can always trim more if you’re worried about it. Then I gingerly put the piping tip on and move onto the other bag.

The same concept applies. This is the part where I failed numerous times. I tend to get scissor happy and cut too much off and the piping tip comes right off. Don’t be me. The best way I do this is to put the deco bag with tip (be careful, don’t squeeze) inside the secondary bag, draw a line, pull out the deco whip bag and cut where indicated.

After that, I slide the piping tip and deco bag into the freshly cut secondary piping bag and I’m good to go!

Simulation Cream Picture Frame Project

For this specific project, I just wanted to get used to piping in straight lines. I used traditional star tips and another tip that came free with the cream. I honestly don’t know what it is because it wasn’t labeled, but since it was smaller, I thought it would be a good opportunity to vary the size of the piping and add a few different visual notes.

To start, I piped out a small chain just to get rid of any fart bubbles and get a feel for how this cream behaved. The thing I always have to remind myself is simple: stop squeezing before pulling the tip away.

Once I got comfortable, I started piping around the frame. The goal wasn’t necessarily to make something perfect. I just wanted to get used to working continuously in a straight line.

It’s moments like these where I suddenly feel like everything is do or die. It’s not. Haha. Just squeeze, stop, pull away.

After I finished with the black and white simulation cream, I decided to add the bright pink piping. I started using it more like dollops because I had absolutely no idea what that piping tip was supposed to look like. Eventually it started turning into a mix between dollops and chains. Once I was happy with that, I started placing the cabochons.

The frame still didn’t feel quite balanced to me, so I decided to pipe the outside edge in black as well.

I opted to leave the bottom edge of the frame open and call it a night. I didn’t want to risk sticking my fingers into fresh piping, so I intentionally left myself a safe place to hold onto the frame if I needed to move it around.

How the Simulation Cream Dried

I came back a couple of days later to see how the simulation cream dried. This cream definitely shrank, but not in coverage. It simply wasn’t as puffy as it had been when it was freshly piped.

Thankfully, I was prepared for that because Wing Charms said that their cream shrinks as it cures. The first time I experienced that years ago with a different cream, I was so disappointed. Apparently it never crossed my little mind that simulation cream might change after drying.

Now it was time to finish that last side.

Here you can see the fresh piping is lighter than the portions that already had time to dry and cure. This is one of the reasons I wanted to try these creams before diving into my Switch 2 Dock project which is part of my overall Cutifying my Switch 2 setup. You never really know how a simulation cream is going to look once it’s fully cured.

Making a fun little project like this took a lot of the guesswork out of the equation. Not only did I get a better feel for the cream itself, but I also got a better idea of how the finished colors and texture would look after drying.

Panda Mirror Compact Project

I bought several different simulation creams to test, so I decided to make another project. This time I used the traditional star tip and alternated between black and white simulation cream for a panda theme.

Part of the reason I wanted to do a second project was to spend more time working with the creams. The picture frame helped me get comfortable piping again, but the compact gave me an opportunity to experiment with switching colors and working within a smaller space.

In general, when I do decoden piping, I wipe my tips as needed. While switching between colors, I learned pretty quickly that it was in my best interest to wipe them more frequently, especially after changing colors.

I work slowly because I’m kind of a diva about these things, and sometimes the tips get a little gooey or boogery. It’s not a huge deal, but you can absolutely see the difference in the finished detail when you take the extra few seconds to clean the tip.

I felt like I had a plan going into this project, but I wasn’t familiar with this particular execution pattern, so it sort of developed its own personality as I worked. Even then, I found it much more visually interesting than simply piping everything in white.

Once the piping was finished, I added the panda cabochons and called it done.

The Results

I don’t really do simulation cream projects as often as I’d like to, but I’m pleased with the results. It’s one of those crafts I love watching other people do because it always makes me want to start a project of my own.

The problem is usually sourcing the creams. That’s where my process tends to die. There are so many options, colors, brands, and techniques that I end up overwhelming myself before I even get started.

These two projects reminded me that sometimes it’s better to just pick something and begin. The small amount of uncertainty I had going into these projects is a lot smaller now than it was when I opened the first piping bag. I’m so excited to start working on my Switch 2 dock!

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