CREATE THIS LITTLE KOALA

CREATE THIS LITTLE KOALA

Skill level: BEGINNERS

You will need:

    • 60g Saracino modelling paste coloured grey
    • 40g Saracino modelling paste coloured browN
    • 2g black Saracino modelling paste
    • 2g light green Saracino modelling paste
    • 1g white Saracino modelling paste
    • Black colouring
    • Brown colouring
    • Cake gel or other edible glue
    • Pink edible dust
    • Dresden tool
    • Veiner tool
    • Paintbrush for gluing
    • Small soft brush for dusting
    • Craft knife
    • Large, medium, small and extra small ball tool

Step 1

Colour 40g of modelling paste brown

Step 2

Roll into a cone shape

Step 3

Flatten and widen the base, smoothing with your hand, and create a slight bend in the trunk

Step 4

Score the trunk with the veiner tool to create a bark effect. Set to one side

Step 5

Colour 60g of modelling paste grey. You’ll only need a little black gel. Remember you can always add more!

Step 6

Roll 25g of the grey paste into an ovoid

Step 7

Place down, slightly flattening the bottom and arching to create the koala’s body

Step 8

Take a very small ball of white modelling paste, flatten and shape in your hand to create a rough triangle

Step 9

Place this onto the koala’s body as shown (when attaching small pieces of Saracino paste together you don’t need to use any glue)

Step 10

Use a little cake gel as glue, or cool boiled water, and position the koala onto the base of

Step 11

To make the legs roll 4g of grey modelling paste into two sausages (2g each)

Step 12

Shape these into a loose ‘S’ shape

Step 13

Flatten the end of each leg with the dresden tool or your finger to create paws

Step 14

Use the veiner tool to mark claws

Step 15

Soften the edges with your finger or the dresden tool

Step 16

Add the legs to the koala’s body, placing some glue on both the trunk and the koala

Step 17

To make the arms again roll 2 sausages using 4g of grey modelling paste (2g each).

Step 18

Use your little finger to gently roll and define a paw at the end of each arm

Step 19

Flatten each paw

Step 20

Slightly bend each arm and glue into position so the koala can hug the tree!

Step 21

Roll 25g of grey modelling paste into a ball and slightly square off the top and sides to create the head shape

Step 22

Use the large ball tool to indent eyes midway up the face

Step 23

Mark a line for the mouth with the veiner tool

Step 24

Use the dresden tool to open up the mouth

Step 25

Run the medium ball tool just below the bottom of the mouth opening to create the bottom lip

Step 26

Use the small ball tool to mark the outer edges of the mouth

Step 27

Create deeper eye sockets using the medium ball tool

Step 28

Roll 3 balls of black modelling paste as shown. Put the larger to one side for the nose. The smaller two are the for the eyes. These are too small to weigh but should be about the size of petit pois!

Step 29

Drop the eyes into the sockets. If they’re too large or small simply remove and try again

Step 30

Use the very small ball tool to make tiny holes in the top right of each eye for highlights

Step 31

Roll tiny white balls and drop these into those holes, very gently smooth into position.

Step 32

Now roll the reserved black paste into an ovoid for the nose and glue into position

Step 33

For the ears use the remaining 2g of grey modelling paste to make two balls (1g each)

Step 34

Indent these with the large ball tool and roll two small balls of light grey paste, place into the ears

Step 35

Smooth and flatten them with your finger and then indent with the large ball tool

Step 36

Use the veiner tool to mark the sides of each ear as shown

Step 37

Trim each ear with the craft knife to create a flat edge and glue into position on the koala

Step 38

Roll two tiny sausages of grey, from the ear cut off, and place into position as eyebrows

Step 39

Use a soft brush to add a little pink dust to the koala’s cheeks and mouth

Step 40

Push a cocktail stick into the koala’s body (if for a customer be sure to tell them it’s there)

Step 41

Position the head onto the stick – looking cute isn’t he?!

Step 42

To make the leaves use 2g of Light Green modelling paste

Step 43

Roll into small cones and mark the centre line with the veiner tool

Step 44

Glue into position on the tree and your cute little koala is finished!

ORCHID AND SEA HOLLY

ORCHID AND SEA HOLLY

Author: 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. 

CREATE A LILY FLOWER

CREATE A LILY FLOWER

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.

VALENTINE’S CUPCAKE TOPPERS

VALENTINE’S CUPCAKE TOPPERS

Author: SARAH BRAY

Skill level: BEGINNERS

You will need:

  • Red sugarpaste treated with tylose powder
  • Saracino modelling paste white
  • Saracino modelling paste rose
  • Saracino modelling paste fuchsia
  • Small piece of brown modelling paste 
  • Small piece of black modelling paste 
  • Sugar glue
  • Work-board
  • 58mm round cutter
  • Foam drying mat
  • Rolling pin
  • Paintbrush
  • Edible glue
  • Small dotting tool or small ball tool
  • Sharp knife
  • Craft knife
  • Blade tool
  • Stitching tool
  • Large heart cutter (approx. 35mm in diameter)
  • 10mm diamond plunger cutter
  • 13mm diamond plunger cutter
  • Heart plunger cutters (small 6mm, medium 10mm and large 13mm)
  • RulerCling film
  • Fine tipped edible black pen
  • Pink edible dust and brush

Toppers

Roll out red sugarpaste (pretreated with tylose powder) and cut 4 x 58mm circles. Set aside to dry completely on foam mat.

Step 1 Hearts on a cloud

Roll out fuchsia pink paste to approx. 6mm in thickness and place a piece of cling film on top. Smooth over with fingers so there are no creases and push heart cutter down on top. Carefully remove cling film (making sure the cutter hasn’t left any on the top of the paste) and set aside to dry. Repeat with the rose paste.

Step 2

Use a stitching tool to add detail around the edge of the rose heart and leave to dry.

Step 3

To make the cloud roll out a number of white paste balls in the palm of your hand. Try to have a variety of different sizes.

Step 4

Stick the balls onto the topper with the larger balls in the centre and getting smaller towards the two sides.

Step 5

Using sugar glue, stick the rose pink heart onto the right hand side of the cloud at an angle.

Step 6

If necessary turn the topper around and support the back with another small ball of white paste.

Step 7

Glue the second fuchsia pink heart onto the left hand side of the cloud, also add a spot of glue to join the two hearts together in the middle. Push together gently onto the cloud. Again, if necessary, add a white paste ball to the back to support the heart.

Step 8

You may now want to add in a small white paste ball or two just to finish off the cloud. Leave to dry completely.

Step 1 Arrow through heart

Roll out a piece of fuchsia paste about 6mm in thickness. Cover with cling film and smooth the top. Cut out a heart shape as before.

Step 2

Use a small dotting tool to make two dents for eyes and set aside to dry.

Step 3

Roll out a piece of white paste approx. 3mm in thickness. Use a knife and ruler to cut a strip approx. 16mm long and 6mm wide. Cut this into two lengths, one 10mm and the other 6mm.

Step 4

Using a piece of paste of the same thickness cut out 2 small diamonds using your diamond plunger cutter (1cm) Cut another diamond with a 13mm diamond plunger cutter.

Step 5

Cut the larger diamond into two triangles.

Step 6

Using sugar glue attach the small rectangle to the heart approximately half way down on the right hand side.

Step 7

Glue one of the triangles to the end of this rectangle

Step 8

Attach the other larger rectangle to the left hand side of the heart opposite the previous piece.

Step 9

Use sugar glue to add the two small diamonds either side to complete the arrow. Set aside to dry completely

Step 10

Roll two small balls of black paste and glue into dents for eyes. Add small pieces of white paste for accents.

Step 11

Using a small amount of sugar glue attach the large heart (with arrow) to the middle of one of the toppers and support from behind whilst drying.

Step 12

Using a small heart plunger cutter, cut out one small rose pink heart. Cut two hearts using a medium plunger cutter (one rose pink and one white)

Step 13

Use sugar glue to attach these hearts to the front of the topper 

Step 1 Love letter

Roll out the white paste to approximately 3mm in thickness. Cut out a rectangle approximately 35mm by 28mm with a knife.

Step 2

Remove a triangle from one of the long sides of the rectangle with a knife.

Step 3

Roll out another piece of white paste thinner to approximately 2mm in thickness. Lay the cut shape on top and using a knife cut around the three straight sides.

Step 4

Now cut the top of the envelope to make it look open 

Step 5

You will have two shapes like this.

Step 6

Roll out the fuchsia paste and rose paste fairly thinly. Using the large and medium heart plunger cutters, cut out one large fuchsia heart and two medium rose pink hearts.

Step 7

Attach the larger fuchsia heart to the envelope just slightly above the middle checking that when the other piece is overlaid it is poking out. Apply glue at the bottom of the letter and fix to the cupcake topper

Step 8

Use sugar glue to attach the other piece of the envelope on top.

Step 9

Add the two medium sized rose pink hearts to the top of the envelope with sugar glue.

Step 1 Chocolate box

Roll out the rose pink paste to approximately 2mm in thickness and cut out a large heart.

Step 2

Roll a strip of rose pink paste and set aside for a minute to slightly harden (as this makes the next step easier) using a long bladed knife in a rocking motion cut a strip approximately 1cm in width.

Step 3

Brush a small amount of sugar glue around the side of the heart.

Step 4

From the middle of the left hand side, start to wrap the strip around the edge of the heart to create the side of the chocolate box

Step 5

Use the blade tool to push the paste into the shape of the heart.

Step 6

With a craft knife cut off the excess paste and use a small amount of sugar glue to stick the two ends together.

Step 7

Using small balls of brown paste make chocolates for the inside of the box. Mark the tops of the chocolates with a small dotting tool, shell tool etc. Secure inside the box with sugar glue. Don’t worry if there is a gap on the left hand side as the box lid will cover this.

Step 8

To make the lid roll a piece of rose pink paste approximately 4mm in thickness. Cover with cling film as before and cut out a heart.

Step 9

Take a small piece of fuchsia paste and use a small mould to make a bow. Glue this to the top left of the heart with sugar glue.

Step 10

Stick the chocolate box to the right hand side of the topper with sugar glue.

Step 11

Add the lid at an angle securing with sugar glue. Set this to dry.

When completely dry use an edible black pen to mark on the faces and eyes of the hearts, envelope and chocolate box. Be very careful here as they are still quite fragile. Use some soft pink edible dust to add pink cheeks to the pale pink heart on the cloud, the pale pink chocolate box lid, and the envelope.

CREATING VARIOUS COLOURS with SUGARWHIZZ

CREATING VARIOUS COLOURS with SUGARWHIZZ

Skill level: BEGINNERS

FROM LYNSEY:

Never underestimate the power of colour! It’s such an important factor in making your creations beautiful, bold and unique to you. With Saracino gel colours its incredibly easy to create a never-ending range of colours, tints and shades, guaranteed to make your masterpiece stand out from the crowd. There’s a strange phenomenon in cake land that leads you to believe you need to own hundreds of pots of colour in all, shapes, sizes and colours. When the truth is you don’t. You only really need a few basic colours and a little knowledge to set you on your way. 

For this tutorial we’re going to concentrate on Saracino gel colours, however the same principles apply to the dust colours too. I’m going to show you a few basic steps and introduce you to a few colours to start you on your way. 

 

You will need:

  • Saracino Gel Colours:
  • White
  • Yellow
  • Pink
  • Red
  • Violet
  • Orange
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Brown
  • Black
  • Skin Tone

Take the amount of paste you need, knead and soften the paste until it is smooth. Using a clean cocktail stick, apply a small amount of gel colour to the centre of the paste. Fold the paste over so the colour is contained and begin to knead the paste gently. Keep kneading until the colour is unified and streak free. Add more gel colour a little at a time and repeat the kneading process until you reach your desired colour. The more gel colour you add the darker the shade will be.  If the paste becomes too warm during colouring it will appear soft and sticky. Don’t worry this isn’t permanent and can be solved easily by placing the paste in a clean food bag and leaving to cool down for a while. Once cool the paste will firm up again and will be easy to handle. For dark shades it is often best to colour your paste 12 – 24 hours before and leave to settle, the colour will develop more and the paste will be easier to work. For lighter shades you can colour and use immediately.

First up this may seem obvious but the simplest way to gain a variety of tints and shades is by adding different quantities of gel colour to white paste.

It’s impossible to give you the exact quantities needed to achieve each shade as it depends on how much paste you want to colour. Therefore, the easiest way is to experiment, start with a small amount of gel colour to create the lightest shade, increase the amount of gel colour a little at a time to create darker shades until you reach the colour you desire. The more practise you have colouring paste the quicker you learn to judge how much gel colour you need. 

I’ve given you examples of five different shades for each colour obviously there are many more shades depending on the quantity of gel colour you add.

Hard to believe but this cake was made and coloured using only Saracino Gels and dusts.

 

Saracino Gel Colour – RED

Saracino Gel Colour – Yellow

Saracino Gel Colour – Orange

Saracino Gel Colour – Blue

Saracino Gel Colour – Green

Saracino Gel Colour – Pink

Saracino Gel Colour – Violet

Saracino Gel Colour – Flesh

Saracino Gel Colour – Brown

Saracino Gel Colour – Black

For the tutorial I only needed small amounts to demonstrate so used around 2g for A however A can be any quantity, it doesn’t matter how much you have of A the scale is still the same.

B is roughly ½ the quantity of A. 

C is roughly ¼ the quantity of A.

D is roughly 1/8 the quantity of A.

For example, if A was 100g, B would be 50g, C would be 25g and D would be 12.5g .We’ve used these amounts as examples in the mixing guide that follows.

This should help you in scaling up and down for colouring whatever quantity of paste you need.

TOP TIP – When creating a new shade or colour, start small. Mix the colour you need with just a few grams of paste, keep a note of your combination and quantities. Then when you have the colour you desire, scale up the amounts. This way you wont waste huge amounts of paste if you create the wrong colour. 

Let the mixing begin…

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Grey 100g + Blue 25g 
  2. Blue 100g + Black 12.5g 
  3. Blue 100g + Black 12.5g + Violet 12.5g
  4. Blue 100g + Black 50g + Violet 50g

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Blue 100g + Green 50g 
  2. Green 100g + Black 50g 
  3. Green 100g + Yellow 12.5g + Violet 12.5g
  4. Flesh 100g + Green 50g + Black 12.5g

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Yellow 100g + Blue 12.5g 
  2. Yellow 100g + Blue 50g
  3. Yellow 100g + Green 12.5g + Violet 12.5g
  4. Grey 100g + Green 25g 

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Pink 100g + Blue 25g 
  2. Violet 100g + Blue 50g 
  3. Pink 100g + Violet 25g
  4. Violet 100g + Red 50g

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Red 100g + Pink 100g 
  2. Red 100g + Violet 12.5g 
  3. Red 100g + Brown 50g 
  4. Red 100g + Black 12.5g 

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Orange 100g + Brown 12.5g 
  2. Orange 100g + Blue 50g 
  3. Brown 100g + Red 25g 
  4. Brown 100g + Black 50g 

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Grey 100g + Orange 50g
  2. Grey 100g + Brown 25g 
  3. Flesh 100g + Red 12.5g + Black 12.5g
  4. Grey 100g + Brown 50g + Green 12.5g + Red 12.5g + Black 12.5g

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Yellow 100g + Orange 12.5g 
  2. Flesh 100g + Yellow 50g + Red 12.5g 
  3. Orange 100g + Red 25g 
  4. Orange 100g + Red 100g

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Grey 100g + Violet 25g 
  2. Grey 100g + Red 25g 
  3. Grey 100g + Pink 25g 
  4. Grey 100g + Yellow 50g 

Left to right, top to bottom.

  1. Yellow. 100g + Flesh 12.5g 
  2. Flesh 100g + Yellow 12.5g 
  3. Flesh 100g + Pink 12.5g 
  4. Flesh 100g + Blue 12.5g + Brown 12.5g

Now you’ve got a whole palette of colours to play with it’s a good time to point out that just like the original gels these new colours can by multiplied into many different, tints, shades and tones.

Tint – A tint is created by adding more white paste to your colour making it lighter.

Shade – A shade is created by adding more black paste to your colour making it darker

Tone – A tone is created by adding grey, or both black and white to your colour.

Last but not least is this little beauty… Saracino White gel colour. Which can be used for lightening colours. However, I usually just use white paste and I save this for magical things, like mixing it with a small amount of clear alcohol (or cool boiled water) and painting details such as the whites of eyes, highlighting and shading my creations, or simply painting patterns onto sugar work! The only limit on this one is your imagination.

Of course, this also applies to the full range of Saracino gel and dust colours. You can mix them individually with a small amount of clear alcohol or water or combine the gel and dust colours together to create endless new colours. All of which can then be used to paint and shade your creations, here are some of my favourite examples…

The most important thing to remember is to be brave, experiment and have fun!