I'm starting to get some gumpaste tools bought. Wish I could buy everything I want now, but wow does it all add up fast! Anyway, I'm wondering if buying the CelBoard that Nicholas Lodge uses as well as the CelPad is worth the money. The board is about $36 and the pad about $15. Is it worth it to buy these or can I get away with just a regular piece of flat board and foam? TIA!

There are two pros about the cel board. One of them is that your gumpaste does not stick to it. The other is that the back side has groves so you can roll out petals/leaves and have a thicker part to slide your wire into.

I bought the smaller of the two and wish I would have listened when I was told I would want the larger one later. Maybe if I get more into it I will look into getting that one too.

If you plan to continue with gumpaste work, I would recommend buying the larger grooved CelBoard and CelPad. They are very good quality tools that will last a long time and produce much better results than most inexpensive tools. Like TexasSugar, I bought the smaller board first, then had to go back and get the larger one. Buy whatever good quality tools you can, a few at a time. They really do perform better. Yes, you can "make do" with substitutes, but the learning curve is steeper, it is easier to become discouraged, and you'll end up buying the good stuff anyway if you keep working with sugar.

Thank you for the info! I was thinking of getting the large CelBoard and CelPad, but now that I've read your comments, I'm going to go ahead and order them both. I have grand illusions (or maybe delusions )of me being a master sugar flower artist one day. LOL! Thanks for the help!

While you are being delusional you might want to get both cel pad with holes and without holes. You are going to want both of those as well.