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Just received my book by Alan Dunn on flower arranging. WOW
It's going to be more of a coffee table book, but there will be something in there that will be of help to me I'm sure. Absolutely amazing flower arrangements.
All of his books are wonderful...the one on roses and the one on orchids are basic reference books and they have a lot more than just those types of flowers in them. Totally worth buying.
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Just received my book by Alan Dunn on flower arranging. WOW
It's going to be more of a coffee table book, but there will be something in there that will be of help to me I'm sure. Absolutely amazing flower arrangements.
Yay! I have several of his books. I suspect there is a ton of things in there you can accomplish!
There is one thing in his book that caught my attention. I'm trying to picture it as I don't really understand his description.
I'm not sure if he means like a bow, or like a pretzel when he talks about "kitchen-paper ring formers".
I think he means parchment paper. so that both sides of the petal dry.
There is one thing in his book that caught my attention. I'm trying to picture it as I don't really understand his description.
I'm not sure if he means like a bow, or like a pretzel when he talks about "kitchen-paper ring formers".
I think he means parchment paper. so that both sides of the petal dry.
Twisted paper towels made into a ring. That's how I interpreted it.
@JWinslow I absolutely HAVE to post the link to your POPPY cake. It is so AWESOME, stunning..........you're very inspiring..
AI've just seen that cake, it's amazing, I'm totally gob smacked. Who would have thought that's what she meant when she was talking about a home for her flowers.....I'd imagined a single white tier - silly me! It really is inspirational, it makes you want to think bigger with everything!
OMG I just got back from the Post Office and I'm tickled pink. 
It's hard to believe that a little brown cardboard box wrapped in cellophane tape can bring such joy. @costumeczar Your store is so wonderful, and I've enjoyed all the goodies that I've purchased from your great selection
............there is a story here. and now I can tell it.:
When I went to the U.S Post Office to pick up the first package of petal dusts that I'd ordered from you, you posted that you sent a test bit of your gumpaste. It was a very thoughtful thing for a business to give a bonus to a repeat customer. Anyhow, what was in my mail box *and logged into the USPO computer as "package delivered" was actually a great big box that had a picture of a snow cone machine or something huge like that. It was addressed to someone else so I took it up to the counter and gave it back to them.
Days passed and my package didn't arrive. On faith, and on the knowledge that you are a true business professional Kara, with great products and fabulous artistic talent, I ordered another package and it arrived days ago. I told my husband that I didn't want you to feel bad that your bonus package didn't show up, so I held off from mentioning it.
Back to today. The first package arrived!!! There must be a word that describes the feeling of finding something that you thought was lost forever. Thank You Kara Buntin @costumeczar You're a peach.
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OMG I just got back from the Post Office and I'm tickled pink. It's hard to believe that a little brown cardboard box wrapped in cellophane tape can bring such joy. @costumeczar Your store is so wonderful, and I've enjoyed all the goodies that I've purchased from your great selection
............there is a story here. and now I can tell it.:
When I went to the U.S Post Office to pick up the first package of petal dusts that I'd ordered from you, you posted that you sent a test bit of your gumpaste. It was a very thoughtful thing for a business to give a bonus to a repeat customer. Anyhow, what was in my mail box *and logged into the USPO computer as "package delivered" was actually a great big box that had a picture of a snow cone machine or something huge like that. It was addressed to someone else so I took it up to the counter and gave it back to them.
Days passed and my package didn't arrive. On faith, and on the knowledge that you are a true business professional Kara, with great products and fabulous artistic talent, I ordered another package and it arrived days ago. I told my husband that I didn't want you to feel bad that your bonus package didn't show up, so I held off from mentioning it.
Back to today. The first package arrived!!! There must be a word that describes the feeling of finding something that you thought was lost forever. Thank You Kara Buntin @costumeczar You're a peach.
I'm glad it finally got there!
White carnations were todays adventure in gumpaste. just made a few small ones, they're drying. Now I know what good gumpaste is like. The difference between @costumeczar gumpaste and the stuff that I made is night-and-day. I could roll those petals so thing I could see through them almost. Looking forward to touching up the edges with some pink petal dust.
nice gumpaste @costumeczar 
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White carnations were todays adventure in gumpaste. just made a few small ones, they're drying. Now I know what good gumpaste is like. The difference between @costumeczar gumpaste and the stuff that I made is night-and-day. I could roll those petals so thing I could see through them almost. Looking forward to touching up the edges with some pink petal dust.
nice gumpaste @costumeczar
Good gumpaste makes a huge difference. What were you using, fondant with tylose in it? That's functional but it's not gumpaste, especially if you use commercial fondant to start with.
Yes, I can see what you mean! Seriously no comparison using REAL gumpaste. here's the first experiment in carnations.
They are smaller than I thought they'd be. Petal dust- First I tried a plastic craft brush - yuck. It didn't really work as it wouldn't hold the dust. So I dug around in my brushes. The stiff bristle brushes felt like they'd break the petals. Finally I found that I had a tiny sable brush. It held the petal dust well, and it floated softly around all of the petals.
Not that I got it on evenly, or well, but my hubby said that it did give some definition and dimension to the flowers. And I didn't put them into the jet stream of my tea pot this time. I got a small pan, boiled water, and waved each flower over the pan. At least the flowers didn't get wet, shiny, or melt like the last time.
I can't even tell if this is in focus 
my broke computer is kaput, and I'm still using the borrowed 10" one and I can't see anything. This is the largest in the PME ********** carnation cutter set of 3.
It's a start 
Those are good!
For brushes I use good artist's brushes so they won't drop hairs. I've seen people use makeup brushes, but if you do that make sure they're good quality or they'll start to shed all over what you're brushing.
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Those are good!
{Thank You @costumeczar.}
For brushes I use good artist's brushes so they won't drop hairs. I've seen people use makeup brushes, but if you do that make sure they're good quality or they'll start to shed all over what you're brushing.
Great! You just saved me a small fortune. I have tons of those.
I can see the difference in these wired gumpaste leaves already. I think they need to be darker. I just laid them out on the counter with a rose for a way to visualize them. They are not steamed or glazed yet. They still need to have the wires wrapped & be put together. Darker though Yes?? The greatest improvement on the texture and thinness of the leaves was absolutely-positively because of @costumeczar Kara's gumpaste.
Also a bit of the dark cherry red petal dust was put in the center and on the edges of the rose petals, the way that you guys suggested. Onward and upward always shooting for the stars, and landing on my roof.
AI would definitely go darker with the leaves. I use a moss green and also aubergine dusts for my rose leaves. You don't have to start with very dark paste, you can develop a lot of the colour with the dust.
Your progress is amazing! You are shooting for the stars....and you're up there in the galaxies, well done!
I would definitely go darker with the leaves. I use a moss green and also aubergine dusts for my rose leaves. You don't have to start with very dark paste, you can develop a lot of the colour with the dust.
Thank you. I used the moss green and took the photo. I have one shade darker and I just got done putting that on. I'd almost have to add black to get it any darker. It does look better.
I had to look up 'aubergine'. I put a touch of plum dust on the edge. But it's the middle of the night and my photos never come out well without daylight and some lamps.
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Aren't carnations such a stress free flower to make. What have you built them on? It looks like lollipop sticks. They are beautiful, though.
Sweet peas are a really good one too, MB.
Oh yes, the carnations were a pleasant surprise, la la la la, my fingers did get a workout frilling those edges, but that was the hardest part. I put them on the wooden Japanese toothpicks that I mail ordered from amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RAFUIU/?tag=cakecentral-20+toothpicks
the ends have ridges so they are supposed to stick well in the gumpaste when glued. That was something I think that Nicholas Lodge suggested. My brain is getting full, It's quite simply not that large to begin with.
I added a bit more of the petal dusts on the edges of those carnations tonight, just to give them more color. I think that I'll make some pink carnations to go with them and make my birthday cake with them.
these roses were done on those picks also.........
boy oh boy does it make it easy to stick into the cake. Not that I'm very skilled at the placement - design stuff. But good enough for government work.....
I know I'm not being very with it or professional here, but when I had to hang them upside down I just clipped them onto a rack with bulldog clips until they were dry. You know me, I could've used duct tape I guess.
Oh, sure...As long as the brush is soft it will grab the petal dusts. The plastic bristles won't.
@costumeczar An eye shadow brush like this one on amazon.com is what I used for adding the green petal dust to the leaves. It had been a concern for me that I'd break the gumpaste with the brush, but this brush is so soft and it held so much dust that it was easier than I thought.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I8Q880W/?tag=cakecentral-20+brushes+eye+shadow%5C
enough for one day.......off to bed and some light reading.......the original constitutional congress discussions by the Federalist & Anti-Federalists will put me to sleep.
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