I have recently gotten interested in making flowers for my cakes. I want them to be life-like with complete veins. I have done those in the Wilton courses but of course can't find others that I like. I let my husband create the bc roses and he does them so beautiful. Mine look like mums! I have toyed with the idea of making molds from poloymer clay and coating the molds with a non-tonic conditioner. I have also bought some molds and waiting on their delivery. QUESTION: Anyone out there who is making their own flower molds with polymer clay or any other medium and using gumpaste/fondant to press out their flowers and leaves? I sure could use some help and direction. Thanks.

You will need to use a food safe and food approved moulding substance such as the silicone kits you can get for making your own moulds. It needs to be food safe not just non toxic.

There are many different types of veiners on the market already.

http://www.duskyroseveiners.co.uk/

Here's some very helpful advise a new and fantastic friend gave me a few weeks ago:

Use your five petal cutter and place the "flower" in the palm of your hand. Use your large ball tool to work the petals out. This will give you the perfect "veining" you are looking for.

Get yourself a peice of foam board(about 1/4 of an inch thick) and make it into a 4 inch square. Poke a hole in the center of it. Next place the flower on the board with the hole in the center, and hold it in your hand, and then put an almost dry dab of water in the center of the flower. . Take your wire center(pre-made and dried the day before) and push it into the center of the flower. Make sure to hold the foam square in your hand between two fingers when you do this step.

Next, remove the flower from the board carefully, and put it between your index finger and your ring finger. Holding it tightly, and keeping the petals from touching. Take a damp brush and brush a petal wettting the entire petal. Wrap this around the center tightly. Take every other petal, this will be 3 all together, and do the same, making only the 3rd a little more "open" than the other two.

Next dampen the left side and the bottom of the petal to the right of the last one you have just done, placing it just at the edge of the last one placed. Wrap it around so that the top is just open enough to curl the very tip of it. Leave the right side of the petal open, ready for the next one.

Follow this same step for the next row, making sure that you pinch the bottom of the flower up to "secure" the petals in place. If you wrap the petals a bit looser as you go, curling them and pinching them abit to a V, you will achieve the perfect realistic rose. Turn them upside down and hang them to dry.

Be sure to check them after about an hour to make sure the petals are staying curled and back as they should. Let them dry for a day or two before putting on the calyxes.

I have never heard of using a mold for roses, and I don't think they would be very successful. A rose just looks so much nicer when done by hand, and your customers will likely agree. To me, using a mold for roses is like buying the ones that you see hanging in the grocery store in the baking isle. I just wouldn't do it.

I have faith that you'll do great making your roses.

OH, one more little piece of advise for you in making fonant flowers or other fondant decorations: When using fondant to make decorations, always use a mix of 1/3 to 1/2 gumpaste and the rest fondant. Depending on the fondant you are using. This will make it more pliable, and more cohesive, and much easier to sculpt with. It also helps it to harden more readily than just straight fondant. Especially if you live in a humid climate.

Good luck to you!