AHi everyone! I'm new to cake decorating and to this site, I'm glad I found this place :-) I have yet to try making sugar flowers and was wondering if there is anything else I can use instead of a groove board?? I'm a stay a home mom on a tight budget. Iv been buying all these supplies and things are getting tight, so I didn't really want to spend $25-$35 on just a little board with grooves in them. I know how creative you all are on here, so any advice would be appreciated. TYIA!

Hi Izzy, you can get a smooth surface placemat( with a pattern for judging your petal thickness) for $1 for 2 pieces from one of the 99cent stores...cut it in half ; cut very,very thin slivers with a fair space between each groove using sharp, small scissors; glue the halves together. You can use the other mat to roll your flowers and as a work surface. Hope it helps you.  Valerieb52

AWow thank you soooo much, what a great idea!! :-) I knew I could count on someone on here to be creative and give a great idea!!

I actually have these clear plastic "cutting boards" that I got from the $.99 store, I wonder if those would work?? Idk if they are too thin. I got them to have a smooth work surface and a place to dry things on. A placemat might work better though since I would have to use a hot glue them together and the ones I have are pretty thin and the glue might melt it.

Thanks again! Going to try making one this weekend :-)

The 2 piece Wilton Flower Impression Mat set is very nice.  One of the mats has a single, long groove in the back, along with all of the nice veining options the set presents.

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=B756F5AB-1E0B-C910-EA33735B9D932678&fid=BF238D8A-1E0B-C910-EACDE429E586F467

The set retails for $14.99, but with a coupon from Joann or Michaels, it can be as low as $7.50.  There are also online purchase options (ebay, etc.) that start at about $10.

I think it's a great product and investment.

Rae

I do wired flowers this way, no groove board or inserting wires into tiny pieces of gumpaste necessary: http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2011/03/wiring-gumpaste-quick-way.html