ORCHID AND SEA HOLLY

ORCHID AND SEA HOLLY

Mar 3, 2019 | Flowers, Modelling

Author: Cassie Brown

FB: Cassie Brown

Skill level: INTERMEDIATE

You will need:

  • Non stick board
  • Small rolling pin
  • #24 and #28 or 30# white wire
  • Green florist tape 1/2 width
  • Tweezers 
  • Set of moth orchid cutters medium by Cassie Brown
  • Large tea rose veiner
  • Flower paste Saracino WHITE
  • Saracino Flower paste coloured green
  • Cornflour to stop sticking 
  • Trex
  • Orange airbrush colours
  • Burgundy gel colour
  • Fine brush
  • Airbrush
  • Sea holly cutter set
  • Sea holly or leaf veiner
  • Wire cutter

This is my favourite to make, known as a thistle its very popular with brides in their bouquets (something blue), there are over 250 species of thistle and they come in so many different shapes and sizes. It’s actually very easy to make once you get the hang of it. If you make just the centre of the sea holly but go larger on a 20# wire you have created a teasel. Have a go!

Step 1

To make the bracts, take a ball of green Saracino flowerpaste and roll into a sausage shape, using a thin rolling pin, roll a small ridge up the centre of the sausage. 

Step 2

Lift the paste off the board to make sure it is not sticking then using the medium sea holly cutter, place the cutter over the ridge and press down and gently move around the board to cut out the bract shape. Use cornflour if needed. 

Step 3

You will need 5 bracts cut out at the same time (this will stop the bracts drying at different times). Push a 30# white wire up through the ridge to just over half way.

Step 4

Dust the veiner with a little cornflour. Place the bract on the bottom of the veiner then place the other veiner on top and press down firmly with your hand.

Step 5

Make little cuts around the bract with small scissors so it looks like a thistle or feather.

Step 6

Where the paste is over 1/2 way up the bract bend to a 90 degree angle and place on the side of a board or piece of foam (the bract should look like a little person with no head, dangling his feet into a swimming pool).

Step 7

To make the centre of the Sea Holly take a 1/2 length of 24# white wire and bend a small hook in one end, using a pea size amount of green flower paste, roll into a neat ball, heat the hook of the wire with a naked flame (I use a candle) as soon as the wire is hot then push straight into the ball of green paste.

Step 8

Shape the ball into a slight rose cone shape. With a small pair of scissors start at the bottom of the cone making small cuts, work your way up and around the cone until you get to the top.

Step 9

Finished sea holly centre

Step 10

Dust the Indigo blue from the base of the bract and fade before the colour gets to the end. Then dust all over with a little silver shimmer. Also dust the centre of the sea holly with the blue and silver.

Step 11

To wire, try to do this when the bracts are slightly damp. Take the five bracts and bend the wire as close as you can against the paste then place them around the the centre wire using ½ width green florist tape. Stretch the tape to release the glue and secure to the wires about ½ an inch under the bottom of the bracts, tape about one inch down the stem.

Step 12

Holding the taped wire, pull the wires one by one down through the tape so that you get a neat and tight finish to the back of the thistle, adjust the bracts if needed then pull the centre of the sea holly down. Finish taping down the wire.

Step 1

Mix the flower paste with your fingers to soften then roll into a sausage, roll either side of the sausage to create a ridge in the paste for the wire, roll the top part of the ridge flat, for the top of the petal.

Step 2

Gently release the paste from the board then place the cutter over the top of the ridge, press down and move the cutter in circular movements to cut out, lift the paste and cutter, I like to roll my finger around the top of the cutter to make a neat finish.

Step 3

Hold the ridge of the paste in-between your finger and thumb and gently push the wire into the ridge using your other hand.

Step 4

Dust cornflour onto the rose petals veiner, place the petal on it and push the top veiner down to create the veins. Place onto a foam pad and gently soften the edges of the petals with a ball tool. 

Step 5

You will need to repeat this process to make 1 head, 2 arms which are the large petals and 2 legs. You will need to turn the paste over to create a left and right for the arms and legs.

Step 6

Roll a small ball of paste about the size of 1/2 a pea, into a cone shape, pinch a small node of paste on the top side of the paste to create a nose like shape, then use the rounded end of the ball tool to soften the edges of the cone shape.

Step 7

Roll a ridge into the paste then release from the board (add a little Trex to the cutter to stop sticking) align the cutter so you can see the ridge through the cutter, then cut out the paste to create the throat shape.

Step 8

Cut a length of 30# wire into 3 pieces, gently push the wire into the ridge of the throat. 

Step 9

Gently use the rounded end of the rolling pin and soften the inside of the ear like parts of the throat. This will make them curl up a little.

Step 10

Bend the paste and wire back on the orchid throat and leave to dry a little. Roll a very small piece of paste into a ball then place onto the throat of the orchid, using a little water to help it stick. Push the pointed end of the rolling pin through the middle of the ball to make an indent. 

Step 11

Place 2 drops of orange airbrush colour into the colour well of the airbrush, practice creating a shade of colour by pulling back on the trigger about 1/3 of the way and being about 2 inches away from the paper. Gently shade over the petals, I like to make the petals a little darker in the centre of the flower.

Step 12

Airbrush a fine mist of colour around the edge of the throat, then paint burgundy lines into the centre of the ear like parts of the throat. I then paint tiny dots onto the ball in the throat of the orchid.

Step 13

Cut green florist tape in 1/2 lengths, then using one of the lengths of tape, stretch to release the glue then tape around the back of the 2 throats. And tape all the way down the wire.

Step 14

Add the 2 large arms to the back of the throat and tape together. Then add the 1 head and 2 legs to the back of the flower and tape together.

Step 15

I have wired the orchids onto a single stem with 2 small buds then added the stem of sea holly and 2 Japonica leaves. This would look stunning draping from the top of a cake but also in a vase next to a plain cake. Have fun creating. 

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CREATE A LILY FLOWER

CREATE A LILY FLOWER

Feb 17, 2019 | Flowers, Modelling

Author: Carmen Montero

FB: De un bocado

Skill level: BEGINNERS

You will need:

  • White Saracino Modelling Paste or Flower Paste
  • Edible color dusts: yellow, aubergine, rose, red, green
  • Cornflour
  • Vegetable fat
  • Edible glue
  • 26 gauge wire white
  • 24 gauge wire green
  • Small roller
  • Pliers
  • Foam base
  • Set of cutters and veiner for Lily
  • Small scissors
  • Ball tool
  • Floral ribbon
  • Brushes

Step 1

Cut 5 pieces of 24 gauge wire to make the stamens. With the pliers rotate the tip of the wire to create a larger grip surface.

Step 2

Dip the wire in edible glue

Step 3

Insert the wire into a small ball of paste

Step 4

Form and roll the paste with your fingers to cover a third of the wire. Try to make sure this is as thin as possible to look realistic.

Step 5

Colour the stem in yellow

Step 6

Cover with red and aubergine powder colours with a little brush

Step 7

Achieve your look with your dusting

Step 8

Roll the paste using vegetable fat to prevent sticking to your work surface. 

Step 9

Cut out 6 petals using your lily cutter.

Step 11

Cut 6 pieces of 26 gauge white wire and insert into the previously prepared petals.

Step 12

Now sprinkle the veiner with cornstarch so that the petal doesn’t stick and mark the texture.

Step 13

Press firmly to form the veining pattern.

Step 14

Set aside to dry.

Step 15

When the paste is dry, use a soft brush to apply the dust colours. 

Step 16

At the base of the each petal we apply yellow mixed with green. Dust the rest of the petal using the pink colour.

Step 17

Take the stems and bind 5 together using florist green tape.

Step 18

Now add 3 large petals using the green florist tape. They should form a triangle shape.

Step 19

Add the 3 smaller petals in between each larger petals. Your flower is ready to go on your cake.

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BIRDS IN LOVE – WEDDING CAKE

BIRDS IN LOVE – WEDDING CAKE

Nov 20, 2018 | Cakes, Modelling, Painting, Uncategorized

Author: ANJALI TAMBDE

FB: GLOBAL CAKE TOPPERS

Skill level: BEGINNERS

You will need:
  • White Saracino modelling paste
  • Dark Blue Saracino modelling paste
  • Yellow Saracino modelling paste
  • Black Saracino modelling paste
  • Saracino wafer paper 0.27
  • Micro stamens
  • 24 gauge wire
  • Green tape
  • 10”, 8” and 6” round cake dummy with 4” height
  • Saracino cake covering/white
  • Cake drum/board 12” round and some covering
  • Edible paint- hot pink, white, green,red,blue and yellow
  • Round brushes various sizes from thin to thick, say number 0,2,4 and 8 or any equivalent (roughly 4 brushes)
  • Colour palette
  • Vodka (just a table spoon each) or any evaporator
  • Wipes
  • Rolling pin
  • Cake smoother
  • Contrast ribbon to cover the cake and drum and some glue or double sided tape
  • Knife, scissors
  • Some cornstarch required while rolling the cake covering
  • Any small bowl for washing brushes
  • Dresden tool
  • Ball tool
  • Shell tool

Step 1

Draw a bird shape using a ball tool on a flat rolled sheet of Saracino sugar paste.

Step 2

Cut the drawn outline with a knife tool.

Step 3

Cut all the edges well and smoothen if any rough or raw edges left.

Step 4

Roll thin strips in black and curl them to form the beak shape and eyes.

Step 5

Using the blue and light blue Saracino sugar paste form small droplets and start gluing on the bird base following a pattern and continue using some yellow, white and orange droplets.

Step 6

Make the branches with brown paste that is tapered from one end,Glue on the bird over the branches.

Step 7

Make one more bird facing the 1st bird in the same way.

Step 8

Again make some more branches in brown.

Step 9

Using a leaf tool blend them well.

Step 10

Mix some edible gel colours (blue and dark blue) with evaporators/vodka and start painting on the cake, using a flat brush dab and blend the two shades well, then add a bit of pink, red and orange and blend all the colours well.

Step 11

Make tiny wafer paper flowers

Step 12

Add few more highlights in dark blue.

Step 13

Cut a thin ribbon like strip in light blue sugar paste, approximately 2cm wide

Step 14

Brush with Saracino glue on one side.

Step 15

Glue it around the bottom of the cake.

Step 16

Trim the rest and blend the joints well.

Step 17

Using the edible marker draw some flowers and leaves on the second tier of the cake, mix some pink and orange edible paint and highlight the edges of the flowers.

Step 18

Blend the colours using white edible paint.

Step 19

Paint tiny dots in red and black in the center of the flower and blend some green around the flowers.

Step 20

Now with a pointy round brush draw the leaves in green.

Step 21

Blend using some light green and yellow/this can be achieved by mixing white or yellow in dark green.

Step 22

Brush some light blue in the empty spaces left between the flowers and leaves.

Step 23

Making the small birds is easy, start with an elongated ball of white modelling paste and taper from one end for the tail white a rounded end on other side for the head, make the eyes with a ball tool and add tiny eye balls.

Step 24

Add two tiny eyelids around the eyes.

Step 25

Blend the eyelids well.

Step 26

Make some feather texture on the tail with the knife tool or any pointy tool.

Step 27

With the shell tool texture the body.

Step 28

Roll a ball and shape it into a drop shape and flatten it to make the wings.

Step 29

Texture the edges of the wings with the knife tool.

Step 30

Texture the rest using the leaf tool.

Step 31

Join it to the body and blend with the ball tool

Step 32

Start painting the body starting with the lightest shade of blue

Step 33

Add a darker shade of blue on the top

Step 34

Using a thin brush paint standing strokes around the eyes forming a ring

Step 35

Paint a black ring just below the blue one

Step 36

Now paint the the eyes

Step 37

Paint the lower body with a light yellow edible paint

Step 38

Add some dark yellow and orange edible paint in the center of the lower body and blend well

Step 39

This is how it will look, make sure you keep the light yellow on both ends of the lower body

Step 40

Paint the tail in blue.

Step 41

Blend with the yellow and the blending will show some green on the tail too, make sure you have a bit of blue on the end of the tail and don’t carry the shading right till the end as it will result in a green tail

Step 42

Start painting the wings in shades of blue and then some black strokes

Step 43

Push a posy pick or a straw in places where you want the flowers

Step 44

Immerse the flower bunch into the straw/posy pick

Step 45

Create more wafer paper leaves around the branches and the flowers. Vein them, dust with green dust and use some Saracino wafer paper glue to glue them on.

Step 46

Make the birds legs with a wire and then tape it with brown tape, immerse it when the bird is completely dry. Place both the birds on top of the top tier of the cake

Step 47

Your bird theme cake is now ready

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WAFER PAPER ROSE

WAFER PAPER ROSE

Jun 18, 2018 | Flowers, Wafer Paper

Author: Carmen Montero

FB: De un bocado

Skill level: BEGINNERS

You will need:

  • Saracino white modelling paste
  • Saracino wafer paper thickness 0.27mm
  • Saracino wafer glue
  • small rolling pin
  • mixing palette
  • clear alcohol
  • pink powder or gel colour
  • green powder or gel colur
  • rose petal cutter
  • rose veiner
  • rose leaf veiner
  • 20 gauge wire
  • 3 x 30 gauge wires
  • florist tape
  • 2 makeup sponges
  • small scisors
  • pair of gloves

Step 1

Knead the paste and form a centre cone for your rose.

 

Step 2

Insert the 20 gauge wire into cone and let it dry.

Step 3

Cover the wire with florist tape.

Step 4

Using the rose petal cutter cut out 18-20 petals.

Step 5

Place your ready cut out rose petal on the veiner.

Step 6

Using a makeup sponge soaked in the diluted pink colouring wet the petal and take care not to drag or tear. Simply press lightly without moving. Allow to dry but not completely.

.

Step 7

Fix the first petal to the centre cone using wafer paper glue. Texture the remainder of the petals.

.

Step 8

Place the next petal in front of the previous one.

.

Step 9

Start adding the next layer of petals by adding one in the gap of the previous two.

Step 10

Continue adding petals, making sure the beginning of each one is placed slightly under the previous.

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Step 11

Add another layer of 3 petals using technique described in step 10.

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Step 12

You can make the rose as large as you require by adding more petals. If you are going to add more than 4 layers of petals, make sure you cut them larger than previous ones.

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Step 13

Whilst the petals are not completely dry they can be formed into shape using any circular tool, such as a small rolling pin.

Step 14

Cut out 3 rose leaves.

.

Step 15

Place the 30 gauge wire on the leaf veiner.

Step 16

Place the wafer paper leaf over the wire on the veiner. Press with a makeup sponge that has been soaked in the green dilution. Make sure you do not move and tear the wafer paper. Allow to dry completely.

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.

Step 17

Once the leaves are dry, they can be dusted to add a more natural look.

Step 18

Fix 3 leaves together using florist tape.

.

Step 19

Assemble the leaves and rose together using florist tape.

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