...to make cake ornaments or flowers or whatever in gumpaste? Why not just use real flowers? I'm always in awe of what some of you girls can do with gumpaste.....I can hardly tell what's real and what's not, it's amazing. I'm just wondering why the extra work? Is it that you are artists and this is part of your work of art? That I can understand. Is it because the client specifically asked for it? What do they care if the rose topper is real flowers or gumpaste.
I'd love to hear your reasons for this. It seems like SOOO much more work and I'm totally jealous that I could never have the patience that you must have to make some of these flowers/figures, etc. A quick stop to the flower shop is all I can muster up. 
i used to think the same thing! go for real- nix the fake or gumpaste. BUT....as the proud mama of a recent wedding cake with my first official gumpaste ranunculus and freesias (yes, a full 12 hours of meticulous detail) i can confidently say that its part of the artistic expression. its nice knowing you can make something cool out of nothing. its a heck of alot of work, and by no means am i an expert, but i think i'll be doing more of these in the future.
OOhh...I like the keepsake idea, I hadn't thought of that.
Thanks, good reasons.
I was thinking too that it probably makes for a good conversation piece when someone sees a cake and realizes its all made and not bought. It shows how talented the decorator is.
I've not made any gumpaste flowers yet - still have some in the refrig to give it a try . If there is a certain flower a bride would want on her cake, it may not be in season, some flowers can't be placed on a cake for toxic reasons. For me it's a desire to make beautiful realistic flowers.
I was thinking too that it probably makes for a good conversation piece when someone sees a cake and realizes its all made and not bought. It shows how talented the decorator is.
so true! it to me, was obvious that my wedding cake flowers werent natures perfection, and who knows...maybe some thought they were silk? anyhow- when people approached me at the wedding, they'd say things like...you bought those right? and i'd say...UM NOPE, i MADE them. well, talk about bug eyes! that was a real conversation piece right there. people were amazed that it could be done by hand. and again, i feel like they were far from perfect, but i was proud none the less. it really is an art.
I know what you mean. I can't do them either. 
I already feel like I neglect my family spending the time I do making cakes and looking at this site. 
If I spent time making those my family would be even more impatient with me. 
I do like the looks of them on a cake and the fact that everything is edible though. Hey, maybe you guys that are great at them can sell them to me. How much would you charge for a beautiful 3 inch poinsetta?
And not just flowers, I'm even talking about figures like.....Umm....bugs on a kid's cake, winnie the pooh characters, cars, anything that you would make from gumpaste......
I just go to my kids toyroom and get some matchbox cars and put them on the cake. LOL!
Same reasons I suppose.....art, pride in work, conversation piece, glutton for punishment, need to do something tedious for 10 hours, desire to be center of attention....LOL! Just kiddin'
Yeah I confess. I'm one of those 'all edible' snobs. I get the warm fuzzies when someone says 'Oh my gosh...can you really eat ALL of it??' Especially kids, they really love eating the little decorations. I had to warn people not to eat the pins in a sewing cake I did - only because I couldn't work out how to make edible versions that looked like pins!
I for one used to feel like I was 'cheating' if I used anything non edible. but I have come to realise that if chosen carefully, sometimes they don't really detract from the cake. Not that I'm going to make a habit of it 
Yep...same here...self proclaimed snob. Although, it wasn't intentional. I just noticed that I would cringe inside at the thought of sticking a plastic decoration on my cakes. I think it is the "artistic expression" explanation. I do take a lot of pride in saying "I did that". (Although my DH told me to get over myself and stock some plastic decorations just in case...cause they could've saved my butt this weekend.! LOL)
Interesting timing, given I've spent several hours over each of the last two sundays making the gumpaste topper and side decorations for my sister's wedding cake. I just can't imagine putting on "fake" or slik ones, the cost to me for the real flwoers is more than what I can make out of gumpaste (only costs me my time). I am going to box them up toay, but will take a photo if I think of it to post here.
Even at this time of year I wouldn't be able to guarantee getting red mums, orange roses, and the white filler flowers.
I've only made gumpaste roses, and they were nice, but I thought, "no way can I make money doing this". I know lots of decorators who buy their gumpaste flowers now, because they are just not cost-effective with the time involved making them. And I really think the "all edible" argument is flawed if wires are involved. I've always been worried someone would chomp down on a wire and sue me. I wish someone could come up with a way to make some of those gorgeous flowers without wires.
And I really think the "all edible" argument is flawed if wires are involved. I've always been worried someone would chomp down on a wire and sue me. I wish someone could come up with a way to make some of those gorgeous flowers without wires.
Iâd have to question the âall edibleâ thing too. Iâve never made gumpaste flowers, but I was given some from a wedding I attended. I couldnât believe how hard they were. It brought to mind the saying âAnything is edible if you try hard enough.â
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