A Calgary artist on Saturday, December 7 delivered a 3D replica of the Gouge House, in Drumheller, where Shawn Pallesen operates Tyrannosaurus Rest Bed and Breakfast. The best part is that it is all edible.
Kacey Bae is a queer, non-binary artist who specializes in food and perishable edible art. They have done a variety of different projects including Calgary City Hall and the Airdrie Public Library. After staying at Tyrannosaurus Rest B&B a couple of times and enjoying their time in Drumheller, Bae set about wanting to create this model.
Bae drew upon the expertise and technology of Thunder Laser Canada, which operates out of the Fuse 33 Maker Space in Calgary and set about on a plan to create the replica.
“I met Shawn and heard the stories of the Jesse Gouge House, and learned that it is not just a house, that it is historic. It has a lot of stories but it was built with love and community,” said Bae.
Jesse Gouge was one of the founding fathers of Drumheller. While much is said about Sam Drumheller and Thomas Greentree, it was Gouge who was an industrial pioneer. A lawyer by trade, in 1907 he came north from the United States to Canada. He eventually settled in Acme opening an implement dealership. He travelled to Verdant Valley to set up a binder and was exposed to the coal mining potential of the area. He and Garnett Coyle formed Newcastle Coal Company and opened the first mine. He became an active community member involved in the board of trade, the local Rotary and the Coal Miners Operators Association. The house was built in 1912 and was the family home for 27 years.
The model Bae built is not a typical gingerbread house. They baked 16 pounds of gingerbread and had to come up with a recipe that was structurally sound, but also could withstand the heat of the radiation lasers to cut out the 58 pieces. The entire house is edible, with the glass made of isomalt sugar; it is bonded using English toffee and the white details are white chocolate.
In all, it took about 26 hours to create.
“Eight hours was just figuring out how to create a three-dimensional sculpture from two-dimensional images,” explains Bae.
On other projects, Bae had CAD drawings that showed a three-dimensional representation. With this, Bae was only able to use still photographs that Pallesen took with his smartphone and a little bit of drone footage to come up with the representation. They also had a few historical photos. Another 10 hours of labour was dedicated to baking, before the cutting and eventual assembly.
“It was like assembling a three-dimensional puzzle. To make this I need to have knowledge on architecture, I need knowledge of graphic design to make vector designs to cut it out with the laser, I needed to have experience with radiation laser to cut it properly, I needed to be a baker, and apparently I needed to be a good 3D puzzle maker too,” laughs Bae.
Pallesen is impressed with the work and is very happy with the final product.
“It is way beyond my expectations, it’s a really cool, project,” said Pallesen.
After seeing it, he says while it is edible, there are no plans to ever eat it. He is working on figuring out a way preserve it and to share the art, possibly displaying it for people to see it in the community.
For Bae, the work shares the spirit of his art.
“My whole art is about life is so short and it is a shame that we are not actively making it sweet.”

    From phishing scams to identity theft, cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, making it vital for Albertans to stay vigilant and informed. As more of our personal and financial information moves online, protecting yourself from these digital threats is critical. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of falling victim to cybercrime, as well as reporting it if you do.
    Drumheller RCMP encourages everyone to stay vigilant against these common cyber threats:
Be wary of unsolicited emails, text messages, or social media communications asking for personal or financial information. These may appear to be from legitimate sources but are often designed to steal your data.
Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown or unverified sources, as they may contain malware or viruses.
Scammers often create fake websites that look like official ones to trick users into entering sensitive information. Always verify the URL and ensure the website is secure (look for “https”).
Keep an eye on your online accounts for any strange activity, such as unexpected password changes or transactions you did not authorize.
Be cautious of job offers that seem too good to be true or require upfront fees. Scammers often use fake employment offers to collect personal information.
Be skeptical of high-return investment opportunities, especially those with little to no risk. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
 To keep yourself safe from cybercrime, the RCMP suggests the following precautions:
Create complex, unique passwords for each account, and avoid using easily guessable information like birthdates or names. Consider using a password manager to securely store your passwords.
Ensure that your operating system, antivirus software, and apps are regularly updated to protect against security vulnerabilities.
Regularly check your bank accounts, credit card statements, and online profiles for any suspicious activity.
Avoid accessing sensitive accounts (e.g., banking, email) over unsecured public Wi-Fi networks, as they may be vulnerable to hackers.
Regularly back up important files and data to a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage, in case of a ransomware attack.
Stay informed about the latest cyber threats and scams. Awareness is one of the best defenses against cybercrime.

    If you suspect you’ve been a victim of cybercrime, report it to your local RCMP detachment or through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
    For more tips on how you can protect yourself from cyber crime, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and on X @RCMPAlberta.