Deciding What Your Good At?

Decorating By catcreations Updated 1 May 2009 , 4:45pm by catcreations

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catcreations Posted 21 Apr 2009 , 6:55pm
post #1 of 20

What is your favorite flower to make, and what is the one you hate or struggle with. Any type of icing or gumpaste/fondant used. I feel I do well with most of the bc, ri, flowers I do some of the 50/50 blend but struggling with the others. Do you have good and bad flower days?
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19 replies
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Sugarflowers Posted 22 Apr 2009 , 4:02pm
post #2 of 20

Everyone has bad flower days. I love making gumpaste flowers but there are days that it's best that I not touch them! When my flowers start fighting back, I usually find something else to do.

For your flowers have you tried straight gumpaste? This will let you roll the paste thinner, allow the flowers to dry faster, and will be less likely to droop on you as you try to work with them.

As for what I don't like making - buttercream roses. I have discovered if I start left handed and then finish right handed then they come out a lot nicer. I have such hot hands that the frosting starts to melt if I hold the flower nail long enough to make a full rose.

Good luck.

Michele

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catcreations Posted 22 Apr 2009 , 11:41pm
post #3 of 20

thanks for your encouraging word, I have used straight gumpaste. For some reason it sticks to my hands and thin foam even dusting it with cornstarch/ps and me using shortening on my hands. I end up tearing it because it stuck to something and then I ruined what I had been doing.

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Sugarflowers Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 12:22am
post #4 of 20

It sounds like you have very warm hands and soft gumpaste. Try adding a little more tylose to your gumpaste to make it stiffer.

If I use powdered sugar with gumpaste the heat of my hands makes it a sticky mess. I use only cornstarch. I also keep a damp cloth available to clean and cool my hands. This has made a world of difference.

Keep working with different levels of softness in your gumpaste until it starts working for you. When I found what worked for me, my flowers quit fighting me quite so much.

Michele

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Danielle1218 Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 12:29am
post #5 of 20

I pretty much hate roses. For some reason when I make them they look better with RI than they do with buttercream. I cringe when someone asks for roses. I do like making RI flowers.

As for gumpaste flowers, I just don't have enough time. I am a full time teacher, advisor and I coach so I just don't have the patience or energy when I get home to make them.

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catcreations Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 12:41am
post #6 of 20

thanks Michelle I will definately try this.

Danielle I do well with the ri flowers too, bc roses are my downfall as well. They just never look as good as I hope they would.

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kansaswolf Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 12:58am
post #7 of 20

I never learned to make BC roses... Well, I understand the CONCEPT, but I've never wanted to spend the time to learn them well... There are LOTS of people out there who do a WONDERFUL job, but when they're not done well, they just scream GROCERY STORE CAKE to me. I've done some gumpaste work, but not a lot yet.

I have to say, my favorite flowers to do are roses made out of caramel! Or even Starburst candies... As long as the house isn't too warm, those come out looking great! I'm also in the process of making fondant petunias, and they're looking pretty good so far! They're so nice and simple to do! And these are all actually EDIBLE, unlike gumpaste.

I guess gumpaste is TECHNICALLY edible, but who'd want to eat it? icon_wink.gif

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indydebi Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 1:15am
post #8 of 20

Love making BC roses and I think the reason is because my first wedding cake was taking place in a rose garden, they wanted roses all over the cake, I'd never made a rose in my life .... but by the end of the day, I was a master at it.

Killing time at a catering one day (during the down-time), I showed a couple of my staffers how to make a rose out of tootsie rolls .... boy, were they surprised to learn it was the first time *I* had made a tootsie roll rose, too!

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catcreations Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 4:20am
post #9 of 20

kansaswolf, love the idea of carmel roses & I've seen the starburst one very cool. I love petunias & fondant ones at that yeah I would love to see a pic of them when your done!! icon_cool.gif

indydebi, seen your work your awesome! I love roses and I think thats why it bugs me that I feel like no matter how hard I work at it they as kansaswolf says look like what comes on the grocery store cakes. yuck icon_cry.gif

I would like to make a bc and gumpaste rose that is beautiful!!

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catcreations Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 4:22am
post #10 of 20

oh and I like tootsie rolls!! icon_lol.gif

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neecerator Posted 23 Apr 2009 , 2:42pm
post #11 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Love making BC roses and I think the reason is because my first wedding cake was taking place in a rose garden, they wanted roses all over the cake, I'd never made a rose in my life .... but by the end of the day, I was a master at it.

Killing time at a catering one day (during the down-time), I showed a couple of my staffers how to make a rose out of tootsie rolls .... boy, were they surprised to learn it was the first time *I* had made a tootsie roll rose, too!




How on earth do you make tootsie roll roses?
Do you roll them out thin an wrap them up, or what?
Signed,
Curious George!? tee hee icon_confused.gif

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kansaswolf Posted 27 Apr 2009 , 1:59am
post #12 of 20

catcreations - I finished my petunia cake, it's in my photos! I really like the way it turned out... icon_biggrin.gif

neecerator - I think tootsie roll roses would be similar to caramel ones, and I just stretch them out thin and use petal cutters just like for a gumpaste rose. Same concept, but you don't need edible glue to make them stick, since they're so sticky on their own. Really easy, and they look cool!

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floridagal Posted 27 Apr 2009 , 2:08am
post #13 of 20

I've never tried to make a bc rose, just the thought scares me! I really like working with gum paste and fondant. And I am really intrigued by the idea of making flowers out of caramels and starburst! And Tootsie Rolls. I've gotta try that!!

Melissa

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indydebi Posted 27 Apr 2009 , 2:09am
post #14 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by neecerator

How on earth do you make tootsie roll roses?
Do you roll them out thin an wrap them up, or what?



I just tore off pieces and rolled them between my fingers, letting the heat from my hands warm it and soften it, flatten it out into the shape of a petal (with my fingers) and formed the rose). We were just standing around during down time (the lull before serving time) and I just started making them.

I had been to an ICES meeting and played with some gumpaste, making my first gumpaste rose this way. It was fun watching a rose come together just by manipulating the material with my fingers like that! Wow! Had no idea it was so easy and fun!

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panchanewjersey Posted 27 Apr 2009 , 2:16am
post #15 of 20

As much I try to make nice bc roses I just can't get it, they end up looking weird, and I see how fast people make it look and easy. I would love to start making gp flowers but have tried the Wilton gp and hate it! I hear Nick Lodge is good, is there any other gp that anyone likes and recommends?

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BCJean Posted 27 Apr 2009 , 2:17am
post #16 of 20

I like making all flowers with buttercream......but my favorite is the Iris. I think it became my favorite because it took me several years to figure out an easy, fast way of making it. Computers weren't here yet. All I had was an Iris in one hand and a bowl of icing in the other....and then one day...there it was in full buttercream bloom. I felt like I had just given birth.

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Elise87 Posted 27 Apr 2009 , 2:35am
post #17 of 20

I'm sorta new to decorating and i have only gone as far as making roses but i really like making them but hope to branch out and make different ones as soon as i get some more piping tips and chalks to colour them.

I have done a gumpaste rose and i love working with gumpaste. But recently i did MY FIRST BUTTERCREAM ROSE! I tell you what, it sees like an impossible task and i was thinking how the heck do people do them, i could never do that! But oneday i gave it ago and it's not as impossible as i thought as long as you have a stiff consistency.

However mine was a bit too stiff so i got the frilly edges but i was told to add corn syrup which i will try but i kinna like the frilliness and i will just call it another flower lol I have my BC rose and my gumpaste one in my gallery if anyone wants to tell me what i can improve on, I'm always learning thumbs_up.gif

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catcreations Posted 28 Apr 2009 , 2:12pm
post #18 of 20

Elise87 your gumpaste rose is pretty, abd thats how my bc roses come out too!! =)

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shanna_banana Posted 1 May 2009 , 12:08am
post #19 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCJean

I like making all flowers with buttercream......but my favorite is the Iris. I think it became my favorite because it took me several years to figure out an easy, fast way of making it. Computers weren't here yet. All I had was an Iris in one hand and a bowl of icing in the other....and then one day...there it was in full buttercream bloom. I felt like I had just given birth.




Not to hijacck, but how on earth do you make an iris out of BC? I have been stressed out for days because I want to have iris on my Mom's Mother's Day cake. icon_cry.gif Would you mind sharing, or giving me a link to a good site with instructions? I would be soooo greatful! Thanks!

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catcreations Posted 1 May 2009 , 4:45pm
post #20 of 20

Go to BCJean and she may be able to tell you.

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