Sunday, August 1, 2010

Gum Paste Flowers Galore!


I was really fortunate to be able to take the Ultimate Gum Paste Flower Class from Nicholas Lodge for the past 5 days.  The class was AWESOME.

First of all, I'm really lucky because I happen to live about 12 mins away from the International Sugar Art Collection (ISAC) where Nicholas has a beautiful gallery of supplies and equipment and a state of the art classroom.  The wonderful thing is you don't have to bring anything to class with you-- they have all the equipment you need in the classroom.   They even supply lunch and hot cookies in the afternoon.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  :)

Anyway, the classes are really well organized and over the 5 days we made: the rose, stargazer lily, lisianthus, stephanotis, hydrangea, sweet pea, daisy, gerbera daisy, calla lily, cymbidium orchid, cattelya orchid, dendrobium orchid, gardenia, as well as buds and leaves, variegated ivy, bird's foot ivy, eucalyptus, and ferns.

The top picture is obviously the gum paste stargazer lily, with a bud and a few lily leaves.  Here it is again:


Just to clarify, the petals, bud, and leaves, as well as the anther in the center are all gum paste.  Everything in this little arrangement is wired and taped together with floral tape.  The stamens for this flower are paper.  The color is all done with petal dust and then the flower is steamed to set the color.  The leaves are also dusted and then sprayed with an edible lacquer for some sheen.  So while this flower is 'edible', it's really intended for decorative use. 

Here's the other stuff I made.

Gum Paste Rose and rose bud with leaves:

I freaking love this rose.  And I think the leaves are super realistic.  See the little thorn peeking out from behind the rose?  Also gum paste.

Gum Paste Lily of the Valley
 

Bird's Foot Ivy:


The ivy was painted with diluted gel and then the vein accents were painted on, and the whole thing was lacquered.

Variegated Ivy:

My calla lily, from the top:

Side view:


My Gardenia Spray:

Pearled Stephanotis:  (Yes, the pearls are edible.)

My daisy spray:

Gum Paste Cymbidium Orchid:

My Cattelya Orchid:

Eucalyptus and 2 fern fronds:

My Lisianthus Spray-- I love this color.  I had never heard of this flower before.

My carnation/ bud:

My dendrobium orchid spray:

Hydrangea:  I fell in love with these little guys.

Sweet Pea Spray:

And finally, the Gerbera Daisy:

Aren't gum paste flowers amazing?

Me and Chef Nicholas Lodge:


I learned so much in class and had such an amazing time.  Sad to go back to grad student life tomorrow and that proposal I haven't written yet... 

Hope you enjoy the flowers! :)

You'll probably see some of these again when I do my show cake for the September 12 Pattycakes Competition...

20 comments:

  1. Absolutely breathtaking! I wish there were classes like that around here.. Amazing job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want to take classes. I study from books, and on line, but there is nothing like being there. You did a fantastic job. I look forward to seeing your cake for the competition.

    ReplyDelete
  3. All the flowers are so beautiful and so life like!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So perfectly done! I love the rose too and the gerbera daisy :)

    (I wish I can attend a class like this!)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love them all, but I LOVE the Lisianthus!

    -Becka

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loved all the details u do, great job..hope I can do that one day.. loved it all so much :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. HI Roxanne,

    Love your work and I actually bought Nicholas Lodge's series of 3 manuals in cake decorating. Wish I could take some of those classes but don't think they are offered all the way here in Montreal, Canada!

    Where can I purchase the flower cutters used in the class (and in the manuals) ?

    Take care and I'll surely continue to write to you via FB :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your stargazer lily is amazing. I am currently attempting them for my friends wedding cake and they are a challenge! I am going to use yours for inspiration!
    Hours of fun

    ReplyDelete
  9. WoW, but doesn't surprise me that an engineer could produce such excellence. I am a self taught, mechanic, handyman, autobody tech, probably the master of many crafts with no master of any other than a creative and will to do good, and make good things. As a profession, I'm production manager and have 3 kids in college and know all too well the hours they spend studying and working hard in their pursuit of success. For you, as I find it so very satisfying to "relax" and meditate as almost an addiction to powdered sugar creations. Keep up the studies, and enjoy the relaxation! I honestly wonder what you'll be doing 10 years from now???? maybe building the worlds largest edible bridge ? !

    ReplyDelete
  10. does the gum paste actually taste good?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Not great, but the purpose is to have edible, food-safe, hand crafted decorations. I wouldn't necessarily advise biting into these, especially because they're all wired.

    ReplyDelete
  12. hi, where can I have classes in illinois?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very nice work. Which of the courses did you take with Nicholas Lodge?

    ReplyDelete
  14. The flowers can be gifted when feel that you are missing someone, say get well soon to family/friend/relatives when they are ill or say I Love You. Flower delivery

    ReplyDelete
  15. On the off chance that you pick a flower at the time that it looks awesome, it will keep on opening while at the same time drying, leaving you with a flower past that 'wonderful stage'. rose teddy

    ReplyDelete
  16. This flower gathers it's water in kind of cup at the focal point of the plant. The first occasion when it flowers you ought to get just one flower shooting structure the middle. site

    ReplyDelete
  17. Other apparatus put together arrangements that are with respect to the market incorporate ice chests that can screen the situation with food, checking for deterioration or comparable, while robotized cleaning can assist with lessening residue and soil in the house.promenade west los angeles

    ReplyDelete
  18. Freezing at present approach it's really a opinion to express could possibly help virtually anyone as well appeared to be suffering with frustration researching nevertheless A internet business is known as a little bit of unsure plainly is permitted to meet jewelry and also educates on through outlined in this article. livrare flori cluj

    ReplyDelete
  19. Conventional data getting article. This post is really the best on this productive subject. Florarie florisis

    ReplyDelete