Want To Learn Sugar Flowers But Very Intimidated!!

Decorating By wgoat5 Updated 25 Sep 2007 , 8:02pm by ShirleyW

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 8:59am
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I have a big ole tub of gp and I have been wanting to start to learn how to make flowers BUT....I get nervous and scared and just don't. Which flower is the best for beginners and how long does it take to make 1 flower from start to finish...say a rose? Just exactly what cutters and materials do I need to make one (if I had to order everything)...can someone make me a list? Guide me? maybe come over and make one for me ? LMAO icon_biggrin.gif

Thanks
Christi

20 replies
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tana Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 9:50am
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I would love to know too!!! icon_cool.gif

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IHATEFONDANT Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 9:57am
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Don't be afraid of sugar flowers!! When I started I did a plain 5 petal flower and made apple blossoms...not hard at all and it taught me how to work with the gumpaste and get the hang of using dusts to shade.

I moved on to roses...they were a little more difficult but many people like roses on cakes.

I bought SCW book and ordered my first cutters from him.

It takes patience and alot of practice. icon_smile.gif

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 10:32am
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Ihatefondant what website would that be on? And what would I need to start...at least for the apple blossoms or maybe even daisies...I love daisies icon_biggrin.gif

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formerbuckeye Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 12:34pm
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wgoat5: in case Ihatefondant doesn't see your question, Scott's website is www.cakesbydesign.cc. He is amazing! I agree that any of the 5 or 6 petal flower would be the best place for you to start. After you get the hang of rolling, cutting and thinning gumpaste, you'll feel more comfortable branching out into other flowers. Good luck!

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 2:13pm
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Thank you formerbuckeye icon_smile.gif That is a awesome website!!!

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ibmoser Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 2:33pm
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I would recommend the DVDs by Nicholas Lodge http://www.nicholaslodge.com/
They are very detailed and very reasonably priced. Most videos cover two or more flowers and the single discs average $20. If you have problems with the website, just call the toll-free number - the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. You can watch the presentation as many times as needed and can call if you have any questions. It always helps me to see the process thumbs_up.gif .

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bobwonderbuns Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 2:33pm
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A real basic GP flower class will start you with techniques. I took one which taught daisy/filler flowers (with a couple of different centers) and the sweet pea made from circle cutters. The flowers were cute and easy and taught most of the basic techniques needed for other flowers.

Of course there are the videos -- Scott Woolley, Nick Lodge, and others have some great videos out. There are also tutorials on the internet and of course our very own ShirleyW on CC! icon_wink.gif You can PM most anyone on this site -- most are very willing to help.

Hope that helps some! icon_biggrin.gif Oh yeah, I almost forgot -- it's sugar, it's FUN! Don't let it intimidate you! Not one marathon runner started out that way -- they all started as toddlers who fell down a lot! icon_wink.gif

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jmt1714 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 3:41pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by formerbuckeye

wgoat5: in case Ihatefondant doesn't see your question, Scott's website is www.cakesbydesign.cc. He is amazing! I agree that any of the 5 or 6 petal flower would be the best place for you to start. After you get the hang of rolling, cutting and thinning gumpaste, you'll feel more comfortable branching out into other flowers. Good luck!




if you can swing, spring for lessons with him. he is patient and really a great teacher.

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FromScratch Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 3:55pm
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Oh how I would love to take lessons with SCW or Nic Lodge.. alas I don't live anywhere close to them.. icon_cry.gif

But my best advice is to get GOOD tools and just play with it. Don't be afraid of it.. it is afterall like Mr. Wonderbuns said just sugar. What's the worst that happens?? Your first flowers are too thick and look like wiggly lumps of god-only-knows-what? So you scrunch it up and try again.. icon_wink.gif Scrunching up a piece of GP that isn't cooperating is very theraputic really. My first GP flowers weren't perfect.. but no flowers are.. It took me a good 3 - 4 days to get ruffling to work.. and it's still not 100%. Just have fun. If you can get the DVD's (though Scott Wolley's DVD's are $$$$$$) do it.. if not a book will help.. if not just look st flower pictures and give it a whack. I still can't do roses.. but I still try. Shirley is a HUGE help and always so generous with her knowledge. She turned me onto Nic Lodge's GP recipe and it was a life saver.. really wonderful stuff. Good luck and be sure to show us what you do.. even it is a lumpy god-know-what! icon_lol.gif

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krazykat_14 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 4:12pm
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Silly question: are Gum Paste flowers and Fondant flowers different?

If they're not too different, I got the Wilton kit for making flowers: it has a BUNCH of cutters, tools and a step by step book on how to make them.

The book starts off with apple blossoms and daisies, then goes into carnations and roses. It's not bad, I'm not quite patient enough to go through each step like I'm supposed to, I skipped straight to roses. My rose buds aren't bad, but my full roses are pretty cabbage-ish... icon_lol.gif

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bobwonderbuns Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 4:59pm
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That's not a silly question. Gumpaste is a sugar paste made with either tylose or gum trag and dries more brittle. Fondant of course is a sugar dough made with either corn syrup or glucose which dries hard but not super hard/brittle like gumpaste.

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SCS Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 5:05pm
post #13 of 21

You could also get books out of the library which may help.

Also, practice, practice, practice, and be patient!

If you can get to any classes, that would be good as you often get tips on how to do things that you don't necessarily get from books.

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tiggy2 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 5:11pm
post #14 of 21

Gumpaste can be rolled much thinner then fondant so you get a more realistic looking flower. The cutters that come in the wilton kit do not give you a good clean cut. If you PM Shirley she has links to some websites with great cutters would be happy to tell you what you need to get started.

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 6:47pm
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Thank you all for your help, I think I am going to give it a try .... I will have to buy a video I guess, cause Im not close to Scott or any of the other ones either icon_sad.gif .

I bet a lot of people do it for hours and it seems like making the flowers themselves would be nice therapy icon_biggrin.gif

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 6:47pm
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Thank you all for your help, I think I am going to give it a try .... I will have to buy a video I guess, cause Im not close to Scott or any of the other ones either icon_sad.gif .

I bet a lot of people do it for hours and it seems like making the flowers themselves would be nice therapy icon_biggrin.gif

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ShirleyW Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 6:50pm
post #17 of 21

Hi Christi,
Cindy AKA bobwonderbuns just pmed me about this thread and your questions. You have already had some very good answers, about all I might add is that no question is a silly question. I called gumpaste, sugarpaste for years because that is what one of my first flower books from Australia called it. After getting a computer and joining cake forums I found that most refered to it as gumpaste and people from England call our rolled fondant "sugarpaste." So you learn new things every day.

I think you are lucky to have that tub of gumpaste to practice with, once you get the feel for it you can try a recipe like Nic Lodge's and compare.
Don't be intimidated by the gumpaste flowers, try them, either you will find they are not your favorite thng to do, or you will love making them and go wild buying every flower cutter and veiner available (voice of experince speaking here icon_rolleyes.gif ) Having the proper tools and good quality tools is very important, many years ago I bought the Wilton set, the book and used their recipe. I was so discouraged by how crude the flowers looked, not thin and delicate as I had seen in other books. It took finding Rosemary Watson's website Sugar Bouquets and ordering her videos and tools before I caught on to how easy it is to make a very realistic flower in gumpaste. I wish she was still in business or her tapes were readily available for beginners because they really were helpful. If one called "A Bakers Dozen" ever comes up on eBAY at an affordable price I would suggest you jump on it. It isn't the best quality audio and Rosemary spends too much time rummaging around for her tools, but all in all it is easy to follow along with her as she creates the flowers. If you should decide you love making them I would strongly suggest saving your money and taking a class from a good instructor like Nic Lodge. If I had my choice over any of them I would chose Alan Dunn, he is my flower idol, but is in England. I keep hoping he will tour the U.S. and teach some classes in California. I would feel I had learned everything there is to know about gumpaste flowers if I were able to study with him, his books are wonderful as well.

In the meantime there are many members here who make lovely gumpaste flowers and I'm sure are always willing to share or help you along. You can always pm me.

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 7:01pm
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sorry again icon_sad.gif

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 7:02pm
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oops sorry icon_sad.gif

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wgoat5 Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 7:04pm
post #20 of 21

Thank you so much Shirley!!! I LOVE to look at the flowers on here. And it IS my intent to learn. I have worked with GP but never made 1 flower. Just decorations. Is Nic Lodges recipe better then Satin Ices ready made GP?

I think the reason I am scared to do them is I have NEVER done anything that remotely turned out as pretty as the flowers and such on this website. Never in my life...ANYTHING except my children icon_smile.gif. I have no other talent...and my cake talent isn't very good either but I am learning. And with wonderful people like you all helping us then we should have no problem icon_biggrin.gif

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ShirleyW Posted 25 Sep 2007 , 8:02pm
post #21 of 21

I just looked at your photos Christi, if you can make a bow that pretty I think you can make lovely gumpaste flowers as well. I have not tried pre-made gumpaste so I can't really tell you what the difference might be. I love SatinIce fondant so imagine their gumpaste must be nice too.

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