Our wish for you and your family...peace. love. joy. and the magic of the holiday season! We thank you for visiting here and sharing our joy in what we are so grateful to be doing everyday. Merry Christmas!
Jacqueline and Petalsweet x
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Funny how things change. I started making ranunculus flowers a few years ago...they have always been a favorite, and I still LOVE the fresh look of the white flowers with the gorgeous green centers. They continue to be a very popular flower for both weddings and cakes, but I've found my flowers have changed over the past few years - especially having spent so much time studying and practicing them, and now teaching them to students! Here are a few photos of flowers and buds I made several years ago...these photos now make me cringe thinking about how heavy, bulky and poorly shaped my flowers were at the time (so sad!). And it took SOOOO much time just to create a single flower! But I was so excited to try them, and very quickly fell in love:
And I started using them in cake designs - this is still a favorite from years ago:
I wasn't sure about what I was doing at all, but it was certainly fun to experiment..and with time my flowers improved and I figured out the techniques to shape and apply my petals to get a desired look and shape. They were still very stylized and a bit more whimsical than I wanted...but super cute and much more user-friendly:
Then things started to change a bit again, as they always do...and my style, taste and techniques started to become more refined, and I found the look of my flowers and buds evolving into softer and a bit more realistic versions:
Including this little peach number that took a really long time because I was experimenting with veining techniques. A money-maker this was not! That's the trick with a lot of sugar flowers, but ranunculus flowers for sure...you have to be very mindful when making them for your cakes...they can quickly become uber time consuming! Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead...and charge accordingly for your precious time!
So here's where I am today...I've played with adding wired petals to make the flower look more open and delicate. This is a great flower to use on it's own on a mini-cake...a real statement and definitely one of my favorites:
And I've come up with techniques and a formula to make a "standard" flower to which petals can be added or removed depending on the size flower I want to create. The ranunculus can be a bit deceiving in its simplicity...so for me, a formula is necessary for making a lot of flowers and it's really helpful for teaching classes. They're certainly not the most realistic versions in the industry, but they definitely fit my current style and the look I'm trying to achieve for Petalsweet:
And that chocolate cake design? It needed a little updating too:
I'm curious what things will look like in another few years...for me, the ever-evolving process is one of my favorite parts of making sugar flowers! They don't need to be perfect...but just a true reflection of my style and vision. How about you...do you like ranunculus flowers? Do you make them for your cakes? And most importantly...do you want to learn how to make them? If so, what's the best way for you to learn sugar flowers? As always...thank you for stopping by! x
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In addition to creating sugar flowers for our cake designs and classes, one of our favorite things to do at Petalsweet is to make flower buds...they are quick, easy, and can be customized for just about any flower or color combination:
They are also fabulous space fillers for arrangements, bouquets and toppers...and if you happen to be a bit OCD about gaps between flowers (like me...it's a serious problem my friends!), then you may just fall in love with these little guys as a great solution:
As many of you know, my flowers are quite stylized and I make a lot of my decisions about creating AND coloring flowers based on what I think looks pretty...not necessarily what is perfectly botanically correct. I keep things real enough so the flower can be recognized, but after that, all bets are off! A lot of you are already making and using my stylized hydrangea buds from my online Craftsy class...thank you so much for taking the course -I hope you have enjoyed it!
So having said all that, please note these directions are for my own version of flower buds that I have created for both form and function in my wedding cake business...they are a quick and pretty choice to use on cakes but are certainly not going to win you any horticulture awards!
Below are the instructions for two types of Petalsweet Buds:
Our very popular and super easy All-Purpose Buds
My version of some cute Gardenia Buds
The written instructions are first, followed by short videos to show you the process in real time. And lastly, there is a quick video covering the dusting process for both types of buds. They are both quick and simple to make...enjoy!
Tools and Supplies you will need:
Wire (18g, 20g, 22g, 24g the larger the bud = the heavier gauge wire)
Needle-nose pliers
White gumpaste
Sugar glue
Styrofoam
Knife tool
Petal dust and brushes
Pearl dust and brushes if desired
ALL-PURPOSE BUDS by Petalsweet
1. Prep wires by creating a small closed hook with the needle-nose pliers.
2. Roll a small piece of paste into a smooth ball, and then into a chunky teardrop shape.
3. Dip the hook into the sugar glue and wipe off excess (your wire should only be damp - too much glue will make your wire slippery, and it will be difficult to attach the paste). Insert hook into the wide end of the teardrop and secure the paste at the base. To attach, pinch about 1/4" of paste out of the base of the teardrop until the paste is thinned around the wire. Hold the paste between your thumb and finger and twist wire to remove the excess bit of paste.
4. Using the knife tool, press firmly into the teardrop from the bottom to the tip, creating three (3) indentations equally spaced around the bud. Reshape the bud if necessary.
5. Place wire in Styrofoam and let bud dry thoroughly 24 - 48 hours.
6. Using your preferred petal dust colors and a stiff, flat brush, dust green at the base where the paste and wire come together, then draw the color upwards through the indentations. If desired, use another color to lightly color the tip of the bud. We think pink is a really cute variation:
7. Steam gently if desired, and once dry, finish with a very light brush of pearl dust so the dried paste will catch the light and look less flat.
NOTE: You can make All-Purpose Buds in both smaller and larger sizes...but keep in mind larger buds will also be heavier in weight. For really large buds, you might consider covering a small Styrofoam ball or cone with paste to achieve a lighter result...then gently score with the knife tool as outlined above. You can also try using different colored pastes to create your buds before dusting...pretty green paste is a frequent favorite at Petalsweet:
GARDENIA BUDS by Petalsweet
1. Prep wires by creating a small closed hook with the needle-nose pliers.
2. Roll a small piece of paste into a smooth ball, and then into a long cone shape.
3. Dip the hook into the sugar glue and wipe off excess (your wire should only be damp - too much glue will make your wire slippery and it will be difficult to attach the paste). Insert hook into the wide end of the cone and secure the paste at the base. To attach, pinch about 1/4" of paste out of the base of the cone until the paste is thinned around the wire. Hold the paste between your thumb and finger and twist wire to remove the excess bit of paste.
4. Using the knife tool, press firmly into the cone from the bottom to the tip, creating six (6) indentations equally spaced around the bud.
5. Holding the bud lengthwise in front of you, gently twist the top and bottom ends in opposite directions until you have created a spiral in the paste. Re-shape as needed.
6. Place wire in Styrofoam and let bud dry thoroughly 24 - 48 hours.
7. Using your preferred petal dust colors and a stiff, flat brush, dust green at the base where the paste and wire come together, then draw the color upwards through the indentations.
8. Steam gently if desired, and once dry, finish with a very light brush of pearl dust so the dried paste will catch the light and look less flat. And for some quick and easy dusting...remember your buds should be completely dry before you add color to them! Look at them...all twisty and cute!!
Thanks so much for stopping by...x
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I've had the opportunity to make a few smaller cake designs over the past few months...whether they are for intimate weddings or even the occasional birthday celebration, there is a lot of interest in creating a WOW factor with a single tier. It's been a lot of fun for me...I love to create tight, lush and full arrangements of sugar flowers on larger designs - so imagine the challenge in creating an opulent and over-the-top feel when working with a very small surface area!
Here are a few of my recent favorites...I've also experimented with cake edges that are sharper and more defined...definitely a look I've picked up from my time visiting and teaching in Australia. What do you think?
Parrot tulips and freesia blossoms mixed with lots of buds and filler flowers:
Dark purple anemone flowers arranged on chocolate fondant...with a little peek of green and white buds and filler flowers to give it a fresh, modern look. I think it helps to have the ribbon in a similar chocolate color so it doesn't compete with the flowers:
A trio of my garden roses with a few buds and leaves...and finished with a dark pink gingham ribbon. The cake edges are softer and rounder here:
And finally, a graceful and stoic Southern magnolia flower...mixed with buds and hydrangea petals, and finished with the very important dark, glossy magnolia leaves:
What decorations would you use if you only had a single tier to work with?
Thanks so much for stopping by...more to share soon! x
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I think I may have made more than my share of sugar peonies over the past few years...
Don't get me wrong - they are still a huge favorite, and I still love making them...and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to teach them to so many lovely students all over the world!
The classic and original Petalsweet peony in white:
But recently I have been inspired to play around with how I create the petals and put them together, as well as experimenting with more color...there are quite a few gorgeous varieties of peonies out there, and I'm hoping to be able to capture a few of them in sugar (with a bit of luck and practice)...and thought I'd share some of my progress with you!
Here's the first bit of work with a peachy-toned peony with more of a ruffled edge on the petals...
Bare petals ready for color:
A bit of peach and pink petal dust:
The basic shape to the finished flower is similar, but a little more round, and the petals have a bit more of a romantic and feminine feel...and I love the soft peach and pink tones against the pop of yellow in the stamens. It's a subtle difference, but I really like it...and it's a move in the right direction for something new:
More coming soon...thanks so much for stopping by! x
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The final stop on my Australian tour this year was The Cake School in Ringwood...just about 20 minutes outside the city of Melbourne! My dear friend and lovely host Fran McGregor, owner of the school, picked me up at the airport on one of the few bright and sunny days during the trip, and we immediately drove into the city for the first order of business...a coffee and pastry from the famous Brunetti's:
The following day was all preparation for my three classes...including making paste and setting up all of the tools, supplies and student workstations:
In addition to the wonderful class room, The Cake School also has a beautifully appointed lounge/sitting room/lobby in the front of the building. It is gorgeous...with all kinds of wonderful vintage prettiness that Fran has collected over time:
First up was a class that covered the Ranunculus, Gardenia and Sweet Peas...lots of very lovely students to start my week of teaching:
The second class included two of my favorites...the Southern Magnolia and Parrot Tulip...and more wonderful students making beautiful flowers:
And finally, my last workshop before heading home was the Open Peony Topper...two days working on a beautiful peony flower and some of my favorite fillers (hydrangea and pulled flowers) and then arranging them on a single tier. How lucky for me to have another classroom filled with fabulous and talented students!!
Many thanks to all of my kind and very lovely students for coming to class and sharing your time with me! It was wonderful to meet you all and work with you - and congratulations on all of your stunning flowers! Thank you for making my time in Melbourne so special!
And endless gratitude to my lovely host Fran for taking such fabulous care of all of us during class...and for taking so much time to make me feel welcome and at home during my stay! I so appreciate the wonderful opportunity to teach at The Cake School! Thank you so much, Fran!
More flowers and photos coming soon...thanks for stopping by...x
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