Click on the image above to see step-by-step directions.

1. Cut four 12-in. by 6 ½-in. rectangles out of pink fondant; cut one rectangle in half. Also cut 3-in. wide strips of pink fondant, two 12 ins. long and two 6 ins. long. Allow the fondant to dry for 24 hours. Prepare an 18-in. round cake board by covering it with black fondant and gluing a black ribbon around the edge. Stack a half layer of cake on top of a full layer and trim to 12 ins. by 6 ins.; crumb ice the cake. Place the cake in the back center of the cake board. Attach the dried fondant rectangles to the sides of the cake using buttercream icing.

2. Attach the strips of pink fondant to the remaining rectangle of fondant using melted white chocolate to create the top of the shoebox. Pour melted white chocolate into the lid to strengthen it. Allow the chocolate to dry.

3. Cut four strips of black fondant about 1 in. wide by 8 ins. long. Run an embossing tool along both edges of the strips. Attach the black fondant strips to the corners of the shoebox using melted white chocolate. Trim the edges.

4. Cut squares of white and pink fondant and scrunch them slightly to look like tissue paper. Allow them to dry before using on the cake.

5. Add puffs of buttercream icing to the top of the shoebox to attach the dried fondant tissue paper. Fill the top of the box with the tissue paper.

6. Create the shoe out of black fondant. Cut the sole into the proper shape, and prop it on a cut Styrofoam cup to dry to achieve the arch of the shoe. Form a pointed heel out of black fondant; cut strips of black fondant to form the straps for the shoe, and place them over an arched piece of cardstock to dry. Let all elements dry overnight.

7. Airbrush black pearl color on all the shoe parts. Once dry, set the sole on top of the heel and attach with melted chocolate.

8. Attach the strips of black fondant across the toe of the shoe with melted chocolate; trim if necessary. Cut a strip of black fondant for the shoe tie, and airbrush with black pearl color. Attach it to the heel of the shoe with melted chocolate. Drape the tails of the ribbon over the instep of the sole. Embellish the shoe by piping dots of gray icing across the straps of the shoe and on the tie. Place silver dragees on the dots of icing.

9. Position the shoe in the shoebox on top of the tissue paper; add more tissue if needed. Prop the lid against the side of the box. Use tip No. 124 to outline the edges of the lid with dark pink icing.

10. Outline the bottom of the shoebox with dark pink icing. With the same No. 124 tip, pipe several pink roses on a flower nail, and position them at the corners of the box and lid.

11. Use a cut paper tube to pipe white vines around the roses. Then, add Happy Birthday in black icing on the side of the shoebox using a cut paper tube.

12. Cut an oval out of black fondant and attach to the box lid with water. Use a cut paper tube to pipe the dot border around the plaque, and add the words Born to Shop. With a cut paper tube, overpipe black details on the dark pink border around the box lid.

13. Use a cut paper tube to add pink rosebuds around the base of the cake, and a v-cut paper tube to add the white leaves. Pipe black details on the corner of the lid with a cut paper tube.

14. On the remaining sides of the shoebox, pipe curlicues, flowers and dots with a cut paper tube.

15. Finish the design by spraying the entire cake with white pearl dust.

TAMMY MONTESINOS, decorator for Central Continental Bakery in Mt. Prospect, Ill., began working in the bakery while in high school. After attending Kendall College, Chicago, she returned to Central Continental in the cake decorating department. Montesinos began entering decorating competitions in 2005, when she won second place in the Chicago Area Retail Bakers Association's regional competition. In 2006 and 2009, she competed in the Retail Bakers of America's national Creative Decorating Competition.