Step 1

2 days in advance: Make message oval. Tint 5 oz. fondant blue and mix with 1/2 teaspoon Gum-Tex. Roll out 1/8 in. thick and cut oval using pattern; let dry on cornstarch-dusted board.

Step 2

Also: Make rope. Tint 6 oz. fondant yellow and mix with 1/2 teaspoon Gum-Tex; roll two 1/8 in. diameter ropes and twist together. Attach rope to edge of oval, leaving 4 in. at bottom. Cut 2 in. from end to attach to bottom of hand. Let dry.

Step 3

And: Make cookies. Prepare and roll out dough. Cut cowboy and left arm using patterns. Also cut 2 each 2 x 5 in. supports for oval and 2 1/4 x 5 in. supports for cowboy. Bake and cool. Position cowboy and arm cookies on waxed paper and decorate with royal icing. Outline cookies with tip 3; pipe in face, hands, hat band. Cover pants, boots and hat with tip 16 stars. Cover shirt with tip 13 stars. Pipe in tip 3 scarf (pat smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch). Pipe in tip 3 mouth, pull-out hair and outline eyes. Pipe tip 4 outline ears and dot nose.

Step 4

Bake and cool cake; position on foil-wrapped board. Ice background and rocker areas smooth. Outline horse, saddle and bridle with tip 3. Pipe in hooves, eye, saddle, bridle and ear with tip 5. Cover horse with tip 16 stars; pipe tip 3 dot nostril and outline mouth. Pipe tip 18 pull-out tail and mane. Pipe tip 363 shell cactus at bottom of cake. Attach supports to cookies with melted candy; let set. Position cowboy on cake. For reins, tint a 1 in. ball of fondant blue; roll out 1/8 in. thick and cut a 1/4 x 7 in. strip. Position on cake. Attach 2 in. rope piece to hand with melted candy; pipe tip 5 fingers over rope and reins. Print tip 4 message. Position message oval.

*Combine Brown with Christmas Red for dark brown shown. Combine Golden Yellow with Lemon Yellow for yellow shown.