Materials that can be sticky, fragile, temperamental, and very tempting to eat are a few of the many challenges gingerbread house makers face when building a sweet, competition-worthy structure.

These candy working architects need painstaking attention to detail, creativity, a steady hand, and of course a willingness to spend hours and hours and hours on their creation.

“You have to be very patient. It is nothing you can rush,” said Donna Brinson-Alexander, of Brookville, who earned Professional Best in Show in the Eighth Annual Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays Contest sponsored by Mix 107.7, Community News Group Dayton and the Downtown Dayton Priority Board as part of the Downtown Dayton Holiday Festival.

Brinson-Alexander’s winning entry was a late 1800s-inspired house that took her 60 hours over the course of three weeks to complete. She researched homes and furniture from the 1800s on the Internet to get an accurate picture of what her house should look like.

“The more detail the better; that’s what I enjoy,” Brinson-Alexander said. “I like the challenge.”

Brinson-Alexander’s attention to detail prompted her to string popcorn on the trees inside her house and to create oil lanterns for light.

“The most difficult thing about the house was making sure the wires didn’t show,” Brinson-Alexander said who had to drill a hole into the table to wire her oil lanterns.

Mary Yaegle, of Huber Heights, earned Amateur Best in Show at the same competition. After attending the National Gingerbread House Competition in Asheville, North Carolina, Yaegle worked diligently for four days to create her winning entry this year.

Yaegle said she is constantly on the lookout for materials she can use on a gingerbread house.

“Fondant and icing are two of my most favorite materials to work with. I use icing for décor like Christmas wreaths. Fruit roll-ups make great ribbons because you can twist and tie them,” Yaegle said.

Brinson-Alexander employs candy items like licorice, sticks of candy, gum for shingles and candy rocks and non-candy materials like coconut, lentils, and Rice Krispie treats to outfit her gingerbread houses.

“I use a lot of fondant and gum paste. I make furniture out of spaghetti. There are lots of things you can use; you just have to be creative,” Brinson-Alexander said.

Sometimes the best material for a specific part of the house proves the most difficult.

“For the windows on the house — you use crushed-up candy. Cook it in the oven at a high temperature or melt and pour it in the windows, but after two to three days in the windows, the candy starts to get hot, melt and crack,” Yaegle said. “You should put it in first, but you want to put it in last; it’s the most difficult thing to do in the house.”

Yaegle relies on a recipe for strength instead of taste.

“Mine is not very flavorful. I played with the recipe to make it hard. I take out the egg and baking soda to make the gingerbread have a stiff, harder consistency. There are so many recipes on the Internet,” Yaegle said. “The majority of the houses I do, I wouldn’t eat them after what they’ve been through.”

Yaegle suggests beginning gingerbread house builders start with the edible kind.

“Try the edible kind first — it’s more fun with icing, candies, and you have it on display in your home — it’s fun to eat,” Yaegle said. “If someone is into more elaborate houses, the person has already done cake decorating. The type I do is very detailed; it depends on the personality.”

“Be patient and have fun. That’s the most important part,” Brinson-Alexander said.