Hi everyone!
I'm wanting to make my first gumpaste tiara. I saw instructions for RI ones, but I thought it sounded like an accident waiting to happen so gumpaste it is! I'm wondering if anyone has any "don't do this!" advice or things you wish you would have known before you started? Any tricks of the trade would be great as I know they can be pretty tricky.

I've only made one, but it was easier than I expected. I didn't use gumpaste, but a fondant/tylose mixture. I wrapped some waxed paper around an oatmeal box and made the tiara on that. I let is set on that til the outside surface was dry then slid it off the box and waxed paper so the back side could dry. Pretty easy. Here's how it looked:

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1458074

I painted it with a brush. I wish I had an airbrush; I think that would have looked better.
Good luck; be sure to post pics.

thanks for your reply! I'm happy you had such a good experience! I'll try the oatmeal box with the wax paper. How did you attach the intricate pieces to eachother? Is it just the "gumpaste glue" that we hear about on here?

Actually I think I just used water. It's been a while since I made that cake. But the glue would probably work even better. Also at the time I didn't have an extruder and rolled all those pieces out by hand, so the sizes were not exactly the same. An extruder would work much better.

Having made a couple of tiara's (in my photo's), i would go with hand rolling the paste rather than extruder, much faster! Also, make at least one spare to allow for breakages.

I have made quite a few of them. Here are the instructions I use - hope they help some. I never have them break - and I love using the extruder! (but you don't have to use one if you don't have it) If you have any questions, just ask! Here is one I made: http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1433541&sub=1433526

Gumpaste Tiara

1.  I use all gumpaste (not colored) to make them that way I can paint them whatever color I want when I am done. When I do paint them, I use the amiericolor sheen paints, they give a nice sparkle to the finished tiara. Have the gumpaste ready, and make some gumglue (put a small piece of gumpaste in a container and add some water (1/4 t. of gumpaste to about 1 tablespoon of water) that is the gumglue.
2.  I use the Makins green T extruder to make the ropes but you can roll them by hand just use something like a fondant smoother to roll the rope back and forth to get it nice and the same thickness that works. The more pressure you use with the smoother on the rope, the skinnier it makes it.
3.  Get a small oatmeal canister (or a jar/can about that size 12around) Tape the template of the tiara on there, make sure the bottom edge of the pattern is close to the bottom of the canister. (I get the templates from that section of the gallery on CC) then tape a piece of wax paper on top of the template. I then lightly grease the wax paper with shortning that helps the gumpaste stick to the surface some.
4.  Knead your gumpaste till very smooth I knead in some shorting to help it come out of the extruder better. I also lightly grease the inside of the barrel of the extruder. Load the gumpaste and use which ever die you want for the parts of the tiara.
5.  Now, making the ropes, I look at the template, and I make each rope long enough that it can be cut in half so that each side has the exact length of rope that way both sides stay symmetrical. I just work in sections, do one side of the design, then the other. I also lay the oatmeal canister on its side kind of leaning on a folded up towel so that it helps keep the pieces where they are supposed to be.
6.  AT EACH intersection, I use the gumglue just a dot or two of it. It will meld with the gumpaste and help hold it all together when it is dry.
7.  When you have all the pieces made and set on the template, make one more rope only make it a lot thicker than the others. You want it as long as the whole bottom edge of the tiara lay it at the very bottom edge and put gumglue everywhere there is a piece of rope this is the bottom of the tiara. (look at my pics, you can see what I mean) This is why I want the template bottom near the bottom of the oatmeal canister so that bottom edge is at the bottom of the canister when it is setting upright.
8.  Now just let it dry. It will take a day or so. After it seems dry, gently remove the wax paper (with the template on it) from the canister I cut the tape, and lift the oatmeal canister out of the way then gently peel the wax paper off the back of the tiara, and let it dry again just setting there.
9.  Now it is ready to paint! Just paint it whatever color you want and let it dry and you are done.
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WOW Loucinda! Thank you for taking the time to post your process. I can't wait to try it and see how I do! I wont have those shimmer colors for a bit, but I'll try to use some color alternative that will make it look pretty I'll post pictures when I'm done.
Thank you again!

Great info, thank you!!!!

You're welcome!