Before I get asked to move this to the Naughty forum, I'm not being rude!

I'm after some advice on how to make balls/beads out of sugarpaste to edge my cakes with. I have seen that there are some molds on the market but I'm specifically interested in those that vary in colour and size e.g. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkcakebox/1098602569/

Has anyone out there made beads/balls like this? Is it a case of balling up your sugar paste and popping them on the cake? Would you use sugarpaste, mexican paste or something else?

I tried to do this by hand on my Christmas cake this year but the beads ended up squashed as I pressed them against my cake. Do I need to leave them to harden first then glue them on?!

Any advice most welcomed!
Best,
Selena

It a simple matter of pinching off some fondant and rolling it into a ball
If you want to ensure each is the same exact size then roll out your fondant to different thicknesses and cut w/different size tips. Lightly dust the fondant w/cornstarch &/or powdered sugar. Take a tip such as #5 and cut until the dough comes out the lg end Now separate them & roll into a ball. For larger beads, use a larger tip &/or turn the tip over using the largest end as a cutter. Want even larger ones roll the dough thicker &/or find a bigger round cutter.