Chalks Vs Petal Dust Questions
Decorating By southernbelle Updated 21 Jan 2007 , 3:15pm by stephanie214
I have a question I hope someone out there in ccland can answer.
Just did a tasting today and the bride wants a wedding cake that is pictured in Wilton's Tiered Cakes book. It has a cascade of roses and leaves that Wilton sells (of course) It comes in white and says you use chalk to brush on the roses and leaves for your desired colors. I had never used the chalk before and it looks like a lot of trouble. Can't I just use petal dust instead. I need a soft pastel green, pink, lavendar and yellow.
they are basically the same. I buy artists pastels and scrape them with an exacto blade. I sometimes use the color straight, sometimes I mix it with cornstarch (to cut the color a bit) - the same way I use petal dusts. i steam the items after dusting them to set the color and give them a little sheen.
btw - LOTS of places sell the gumpaste flowers, and if you have the time and inclination, you can learn how to make them yourself.
I can make the flowers myself but would have to charge the bride extra. They are looking to cut costs slightly. Plus I am a Wilton Instructor and get 40% off the rose spray. So it is more cost effective to go the prepared rose spray.
When you steam the flowers to set the color, what do you use?
I buy non-toxic chalk, use a ginger grater to make the powder and apply the dust. It's fast and easy, clean up means throwing away the piece of wax paper you grated the chalk on to and washing the brushes. I've never steamed, but that would be a nice idea to "lift" the color a bit.
Agree with all the above. I use chalk because of the huge variety of colors versus the expense of 76 colors of petal dust...which you can't buy anyway!! I grate the chalk in a tea strainer. It gives the finest powder. I like to steam to "set" the color, but don't particularly like the sheen that it imparts. I think you can steam them very lightly to control the sheen, but I don't have the best luck with that.
I tried steaming for the first time this weekend and prefer the sparkle that straight dusting give 
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