If your using gumpaste how do you get the varied colors of different seashells to look real?
And if your using chocolate, I assume you paint the shades in the mold details before filling with the rest of your chocolate? (yes/no)
Thanks in advance
On gumpaste shells, I let them dry completely and brush the dusts on dry. I leave some all white and just dust with Super Pearl luster dust, others I add just highlights on the edges or sections of the shells. I like Georgia Peach luster dust, and Peach petal dust. Or for the Starfish I like Nicholas Lodge's Cream petal dust.
For molded chocolate you can color melted cocoa butter or melted white chocolate and paint a thin layer into the shell mold, let it set up a few minutes and then pour in melted white chocolate and chill. Or, you can mold them of a marble effect by pouring in melted white chocolate and then swirling in a tiny bit of melted semi sweet. And, you can let molded all white or all semi sweet chocolate shells set completely, bring to room temperature and brush with dried luster or petal dusts.
These are gumpaste and are dusted with dry colors I mentioned.
Too funny Shirley.. I was just in the galleries and saw your picture.
Are all of these sells gumpaste or chocolate or half & half?
Are you using liquid, paste or gel color?
I just had a long chat with an Event planner today and she said she had 2 beach weddings in September. We are continuing our talk next week but she was very impressed with my work and this might be a big thing for me. I've never done shells before and want to start practicing so they will look great if she contacts me.
So I'd really like to get lots of ideas for different elements of ocean stuff. (fish, coral, sea grass, etc.)
Those are gorgeous, Shirley. You do a lovely job with the shading! I'm thinking that you made your own molds, yes?
I was not happy with the quality of detail in the commercial molds I found, so I'm slowly making my own using Amazing Mold Putty and real seashells. (I buy a new box of putty every time Hobby Lobby has a 40% off sale.) They turn out really pretty, and I can't wait for someone to ask for seashells on their cake! I may break down and take in a "no occasion" cake using them soon...just to brag a little, doncha know. I love making them and love how they turn out. So far, I've just done white chocolate. I use the super white melts you can get at Hobby Lobby, which are several shades whiter than the Wilton melts. Makes just beautiful shells.
I have a few orders for seashell cakes this year, but so far I've used real shells brushed with the pearl lustre-dust. It saves tons of $$$ for the couple and saves me all that work! 
I do soak the shells in a very mild bleach/water mix overnight, then let them dry for a week before I dusted them, as they were making direct contact with the buttercream:
Those are gorgeous, Shirley. You do a lovely job with the shading! I'm thinking that you made your own molds, yes?
I was not happy with the quality of detail in the commercial molds I found, so I'm slowly making my own using Amazing Mold Putty and real seashells. (I buy a new box of putty every time Hobby Lobby has a 40% off sale.) They turn out really pretty, and I can't wait for someone to ask for seashells on their cake! I may break down and take in a "no occasion" cake using them soon...just to brag a little, doncha know. I love making them and love how they turn out. So far, I've just done white chocolate. I use the super white melts you can get at Hobby Lobby, which are several shades whiter than the Wilton melts. Makes just beautiful shells.
Thanks, No, they are all made of gumpaste, no chocolate. I just dusted them when they were dry. These were made in commercial silicone shell molds. I have made some of my own molds with Silicone Plastique, but my favorite shell molds were from Sugar Bouquets. Sadly she has gone out of business. Now I recommend two favorite places, the first being Fine Arts Molds, the second One Stop Candle.
http://www.fineartmolds.com/aquatic.html
http://www.onestopcandle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=OSC/CTGY/CMML
I have a few orders for seashell cakes this year, but so far I've used real shells brushed with the pearl lustre-dust. It saves tons of $$$ for the couple and saves me all that work!
I do soak the shells in a very mild bleach/water mix overnight, then let them dry for a week before I dusted them, as they were making direct contact with the buttercream:
I never thought to do that with the real shells. Sure would cut down the paste shells.
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