ok, here is a pic of the first BC rose that i have done...its fustrating me...first off they look flat and my icing is so stiff i can hardly squeeze the bag...2nd...they keep sliding around w/ paper and w/o...so can yall offer any suggestions? thanks!
I really wanna get thei down cause so many people wont darn roses...lol
I think it looks pretty nice.. The edges may be ruffled a bit if your icing is too stiff.. I just started making roses and I found the easiest way was to make them around a hersheys kiss.. I put a dab of icing on a parchment square and "glue " the kiss to the parchment and then form the rose around the kiss.. it is the perfect shape ..
Liz
ahhh.....i think imma have to get me some kisses tomorrow (today)...thanks!!
Try a bit of piping gel to thin the frosting. I too have the problem sometimes with my base sliding around. Your rose is pretty. I am very impressed you taught yourself. I'm taking Wilton 2 for the 3rd time this week because I just can't get that darn Victorian rose. Part of my problem was I was spinning my nail the wrong direction.
I would put an other tbsp of water in the icing, if you go by the wilton recipe, so the consistency is medium , that is what we used in the wilton course and it worked fine
also, you can buy sticky tack at michael's, which you can use between the nail and the parchment paper, so it won't slide off the nail
A couple things I've learned over the last 36 years of decorating: whatever your recipe, you can add some light corn syrup (like Karo) to thin down your icing without affecting the taste or "graining" (i.e., Karo, unlike water, will not make your icing look "grainy" when you color it). Because Karo is a glucose-based type of sugar, it will also not affect the flavor. Just be gradual with your addition, and you'll be fine. What you want is a firm, but smooth icing. Too stiff/dry and it is better suited to the carnation.
Now, as to your rose itself ... it's looking pretty good already. Not bad for your first attempt ... my first one looked more like a cabbage! Not bad, but I could use some improvement way back then, too! The thing to remember is that roses AREN'T hard!!! I find flowers like the carnation, the wild rose, and the daisy to be more difficult, but maybe that's because I could always go out and look at them in my Dad's garden and try to improve until mine got to looking like the real thing.
It will be "flat" if you don't make your inner "cone" tall enough. I generally start with a cone that is 2-1/2 times the height of the opening in my rose tube. I have found for myself that the extra 1/2 helps my roses look better.
I don't generally use parchment ... I used to but, like you, I couldn't get mine to sit still so I could make the flower. What you need to do is put the base of your tube as close to the center of the flower nail as possible, and turn just the nail, keeping the position of the tube as still and exact as possible. That should help you to avoid it "walking away" from you while you are making the rose base. Don't make it any wider than about 1/2 the width of the nail. Put your tube above the bottom cone and do the same thing again, blending the two cones together into one. Now, put the tube on top of the large cone, BUT.....only leave 1/2 of the tube sticking out of the icing. You need to have about 1/2 of the tube embedded in teh center of the cone tip. Now make your last "spin" around and taper it down so it makes that signature "point" and blends down into the base.
From that point on, you can continue the way you have formed your petals. Try to make each subsequent row a little bit lower than the preceeding one so that your rose has a more natural look and will appear less like something "Flat Stanley" would take home to his wife.
Great start, though! Keep practicing and you will find what works for you! Good job!!!!! 
The problem I have is that my base "walks" around on my waxed paper. The wax paper itself stays in place with florist clay or double stick tape. I like the idea of thinning with corn syrup, I used to do that and don't know why I stopped, will try it again.
I concur with the corn syrup, it gives it flexiblity and really helps with the frayed edges. the other thing you can check is to be sure that the narrow end of your rose tip isnt too narrow. You can try to gently open it up with a butter knife if it is really narrow. Your rose itself looks very nice! The thing though that really help me the most though was the corn syrup. I feel lucky that I really never had trouble with the rose. Rosebud though.....that is a different story....I will just stick with the roses!
If you want to solve the problem of the ragged edges. When you
make your icing take 1 cup of it and mix it with a 1/4 cup of the Wilton
canned icing. To make the greatest flower nail for BC roses only and they well not fall off. Get a 1/4" dowel rod, cut it to about 6 to 8". Then
sharpen 1 end in a eletric pencil sharpener. Then go to Wal-mart and buy
1 1/2" Wood wheels in the craft section. Then stick the pointed section
up thru the wheel ( the flat section up) so just the sharpened section
is exposed. When you cut your waxed paper just use a hole punch to
cut the centers out. Just remember that they are only for BC roses.
I made about 8 up and when I do roses I just leave them on the nail.
They lift right off with the plastic scissors.If you have any questions about the nail e-mail me.
Thanks yall!! I was really shocked that i was able to pull it off because i had talked to other local people who do this for a living and they had all told me that the rose was the hardest thing to get. I just read the instructions in the wilton yearbook and went from that. I wish that i could take classes but i would have to travel about and hour and half to take them 
so most of what i have learned i have learned from you guys...reading your post and looking at your cake which BTW are wonderful.
Thanks so much yall!!
One other thing - check your tip (I assume you're using a 104?). I was having the exact same problem and found a new tip in my box I didn't know I had. The one causing the ruffled petals was kinked at the wide end (almost like a sharp point in it) and too small and pinched at the narrower end - thus the crinkled petal look. I did save it, because I actually have roses in my garden that look like that! But using a new tip made a HUGE difference in my roses and made them more consistent.
Also check your pressure. Don't be afraid to use stiff icing and a heavy pressure.
One other thing to remember - your cone base makes your initial wrap around the top... make sure your next three petals are above that center wrap. They need to stick up above the center and look a bit like a tri-corn hat (think Paul Revere! LOL). It makes a huge difference and keeps it less cabbage looking for the next 2 layers of petals.
I am a Wilton Decorating Instructor and I find that making sure your 104 tip is angled properly helps. The flat side of the tip can be angled closer or farther awau from the rose base to control how much your petals hug each other or flower out. It looks like you might want to try to make your petals in a more petite but sharper curved arch for each petal and then angle the petals out a little more gradual than in the photo.
The Victorian Rose is made with TIP 68 or 69, if I can remember corectly and it is a more petite rose with tighter hugging petals. That rose is made wide the tip that looks like a wavy version of the 104 or 104 tips. Make sure you start your 1st 3 petals higher up on the rose base and add the following layers of petals slightly lower with each row.
As for the runaway paper squares, use parchment paper instead of slippery wax paper and attach to you flower nail with a nice dot of icing to hold it in place. Hope all the wonderful advice obtained from so many members offering assistance helps. What a treat to have acess to so many creative minds! Be blessed.
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