• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Little Vintage Baking Company

A baking and cake decorating blog. Find elevated recipes, tutorials, and resources for bakers and sweet makers.

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Work with Me
  • Portfolio
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

gum paste leaves

Gum Paste Dogwood Branch Tutorial: Part Two

June 17, 2020 By Ashley 1 Comment

Here we are at part two of the dogwood branch tutorial. In part one, I covered how to make the dogwood bracts, centers, leaves and small buds. This second, and final part of the tutorial will cover making the blooming buds, dusting the flowers, buds and leaves, then compiling the arrangement along with some final touches. You can find part one of the dogwood branch tutorial here.

Dogwood Branch Tutorial

Make the blooming dogwood buds:

1. Make a cone shape with a small piece of white gum paste. Place the tapered end into the second smallest hole of a foam pad with holes (Mexican Hat method).

2. Roll the paste thinly over the hole. Carefully remove the paste from the hole and place flat side down, stem side up. Center a 4 petal cutter over the stem of the paste. Cut out the flower. Remove any stray pieces of paste by running your finger along the edge of the cutter.

3. Place the flower stem back into the second smallest hole of the foam pad. Use a ball tool to elongate and cup of each petals.

4. Remove the flower from the pad. Brush a small amount of sugar glue in the center and bottom edges of each petal. Insert the wire of a dogwood center through the center of the flower, taking care to guide the wire down through the stem.

5. Cup the tightly petals around the center.

6. Hang the buds upside down to dry completely.

Dogwood Branch Tutorial

Dust the dogwood centers:

1. Dust the centers liberally with moss green petal dust.

2. With a small bit of burgundy, lightly dust a few areas of the center to give it a bit more of a realistic look and a bit more depth.

Dust the dogwood bracts:

*Be sure to apply dust sparingly as you dust the bracts. The goal is to build and layer color. This is how you make sugar flowers look more real. You can add more color, but you cannot remove it once it is on.

1. Lightly dust the center edge (the indentation we made) of the bracts with moss green.

2. Lightly dust very edge of the indentation with the brown dust, right over the edge of the moss green. The color should look gradient with a fine brown edge that continues to moss green.

3. Along the edges of the bract, with the exception of the center indented edge, and about a third of the way down the sides of the bract, very lightly dust with the dusty pink. Brush from the edges towards the center so that the color tapers off. The edges should be where the majority of color is. You’re going to be inclined to be a bit heavy handed here, but don’t. Less is more.

Dogwood Branch Tutorial

Dust the blooming dogwood buds:

1.Liberally dust the gum paste “stem” of the bud, tapering the color upwards, about halfway up the flower. You want the color to be darkest at the base of the flower nearest the wire.

2. Dust the base of the flower nearest the wire with brown, about 1/4″ up from the bottom of the bud.

3. Lightly dust the edges of the flower bud with dusty pink, dusting downwards to create a gradient of color, about 1/4″ down.

4. Just the very edges with moss green to mute the pink and give it more of blooming appearance.

Dust the small buds:

1. Liberally dust the small buds with moss green dust.

2. At the base of the buds, near the stem, liberally dust with brown dust about 3/4 of the way up from the bottom.

Dogwood Branch Tutorial

Dust the leaves and tape the wires:

1. Liberally dust front and back of the leaves with rose leaf green.

2. Activate the glue of the moss green tape by stretching the tape. Tightly tape the wires of the blooming buds, and larger leaves with the tape, finishing about halfway down the wire.

3. Tape a small leaf beside each small bud, taping about halfway down the wires.

Compile the dogwood flower:

1. Place the bracts two at a time, opposite each other, underneath a dogwood center, and tape with moss green floral tape. Place the remaining two bracts underneath and on opposite sides of the first two, and tape all the way down the wire. If you are using two different size bracts, place the larger ones first, opposite each other. Then place the smaller two opposite each other, underneath the larger two.

Dogwood Branch Tutorial

Create the individual stems of the branch:

1.For the first stem, tape together two of the small buds, staggering them so they’re not too close together, with the twig brown tape.

2. Tape two leaves onto the stem, also staggering them.

3. Finish the stem by taping on one of the dogwood flowers. Continue to tape all the way down the stem. Set aside.

4. For the second stem, tape a blooming bud to a small bud, staggering them so they’re not too close together.

5. Tape two leaves to the stem, opposite each other and slightly staggered, followed by an additional leaf. Tape all the way down the stem. Set aside.

6. Create the main branch by taping together a blooming bud with a leaf, staggering them.

7. Add another leaf to the stem. About 2″ down from the leaf, add the second stem ( the stem with the small and blooming bud).

8. Tape the stem with the flower to the main branch, about 3″ down.

9. Tape a 20 gauge wire to the branch, just below the flower. This will reinforce the branch and keep the branch from toppling over.

10.Tape an additional flower to the branch, followed by a leaf.

11. Add the third and final flower to the branch, taping all the way down the wires. Cut off any excess wire. You want to leave about 5″-6″ inches of stem to be able to insert the arrangement into a cake.

Dogwood Branch Tutorial

Final touches and finishing the arrangement:

12. Dust the branch with a combination of the leaf green, and brown dusts to blend the areas where the two different color tapes meet. This will make the colors look gradient and the branch more realistic.

13. Use a travel steamer or a tea kettle to *carefully* steam the arrangement to set the color. Be careful not to burn your fingers in the steam. Just carefully wave the arrangement through the steam to remove the chalky appearance. You don’t want the arrangement to look wet – you just need minimal steam. Let the arrangement dry completely.

Many of the techniques shared in this tutorial can apply to many other flowers and flower arrangements. For more tutorials and resources, check out these posts:

Essential Tools for Making Sugar Flowers

Gum Paste Peony Tutorial

Gum Paste Blackberries, Leaves and Blossoms Tutorial

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Sugar Flower Tutorials Tagged With: dogwood flower, flower, gum paste, gum paste flowers, gum paste leaves, gumpaste, sugar flower tutorial, sugar flowers

Gum Paste Blackberries, Leaves and Blossoms Tutorial

September 23, 2019 By Ashley 6 Comments

I’m absolutely thrilled to be sharing with you an amazing new flower paste/gum paste. Created by my friend and fellow sugar flower artist, Arati Mirji of Sweet Symphony, this sugar flower paste was gifted to me to try and I think it’s absolutely fabulous. It’s incredibly easy to work with, rolls out very thin and allows ample work time before drying. This paste doesn’t dry right away and will stay flexible, much like a bean paste, for a short amount of time. Compared to other name brand pastes, Flower Paste by Arati Mirji  is considerably softer than what I was used to, but I found that it wasn’t at all sticky, it stretches beautifully and holds veining exceedingly well. It took me no time to get used to it. It also holds color, gel and petal dust, better than any commercial paste I have used in the past. Even dry, the thin petals seemed strong and light, and I even dropped one when assembling with no damage. This paste is perfect for both beginner flower makers and advanced, and has quickly become my favorite.

Gum Paste Blackberries

For a recent sugar flower collaboration, Still Life Sugar Flowers, hosted by yours truly, I created an autumn, moody inspired arrangement filled with poppies, ranunculus, David Austin roses, nasturtium, forget me nots, cosmos, dahlias, leaves, vines and blackberries. I love making gum paste blackberries as I think they look amazing in sugar arrangements. Today, I’m sharing with you a tutorial on how to make my gum paste blackberries, blossoms and leaves using Flower Paste by Arati Mirji.

Supplies:

Gum Paste/Flower Paste (I used gel food color to tint the paste.): dark purple, moss green, magenta, dark green, pale yellow and white, Floral Wire: 22, 26, 28 gauge (green or white), Moss green 1/4 width floral tape, Small rose petal cutter (1/2- 3/4″ size), Rose leaf cutter, All purpose leaf veiner, Firm foam pad, Groove board, Rolling pin, Jem veining tool, Small craft scissors, Small seed head stamen, Petal dusts: moss green, blush pink, plum, mocha, golden yellow, rose leaf green, aubergine, Paint brushes, Clear alcohol – such as Everclear,  Confectioner’s glaze, Ball tool, Craft pliers, Sugar glue, Piping gel

Gum Paste Blackberries

To make the green, pink and dark purple gum paste blackberries:

1. Form a piece of paste the size of a small gumball into a cone shape.

2. Bend the end of a piece of 22-gauge wire into a hook with craft pliers.

3. Dip the hook into sugar glue, wiping of the excess. Insert the wire into the thick end of the cone shaped paste.

4. Twist the paste onto the wire, removing any excess paste. Set aside to dry for a hour or so.

5. Roll a bunch of small balls, (4-5mm) to create the detail of the blackberry.

6. Working with one blackberry at a time, brush a liberal about of piping gel onto the cone shape. Working from the base of the cone at the wire, place the gum paste balls working around the cone and up towards the top.

7. Once the cone is completely covered with the balls, carefully and lightly squeeze the blackberry so that the balls flatten slightly and fill in any small gaps on the cone. Take care to keep the blackberry shape while flattening. Set aside to dry completely.

Gum Paste Blackberry

To make the gum paste blackberry leaves:

1. Roll out a piece of dark green paste over the groove on a groove board. Remove the paste and lay the paste groove side up on the board.

2. Center the rose leaf cutter over the center of the groove and cut out. Remove an stray pieces of paste by running your finger along the edge of the cutter.

3. Dip a piece of 26 gauge floral wire into sugar glue, wiping off any excess. Insert the wire into the groove of the leaf.

4. Place the leaf into the double sided veiner and press firmly to vein. Set aside to dry on bumpy foam.

Gum Paste Blackberries

To make the gum paste blackberry blossoms:

1. Fold 9 double sided seed head stamen in half and secure with floral tape.

2. Make a hook at the end of a piece of 26 gauge floral wire. Using the pale yellow paste, roll a small piece into a cone shape. Dip the hooked wire into sugar glue, wiping off excess. Insert the wire into the tapered end of the cone shape. Work the paste onto the wire so that it’s firmly adhered.

3. Make small cuts all over the cone using small craft scissors. Set aside to dry completely.

4. Once the center is dry, fan out the taped stamens into a circle shape. Insert the wired center through the stamens and tape with floral tape down the wire.

5. To make the petals, roll out a small piece of white paste over the groove of a groove board. Remove the paste and lay groove side up on the board.

6. Center the cutter of the top of the groove on the paste and cut out the petal with the small rose petal cutter. Remove an stray pieces of paste by running your finger along the edge of the cutter.

7. Dip a piece of 28 gauge floral wire into sugar glue, wiping off any excess. Insert the wire into the groove of the petal.

Gum Paste Blackberries

8. Thin and widen the petal using the ball tool. Vein the petal using the veining tool, giving the edge a slight ruffle for movement. Set aside to dry completely.

9. Repeat the steps to create (5) petals total for each blossom.

Dust the blackberries:

1. For the unripened green blackberries, dust the berries liberally with the moss green petal dust.

2. To add some variation and to resemble a ripening blackberry, dust some areas, like the tip of the berry, with the plum petal dust.

3. For the ripening pink blackberries, dust the berries liberally with the plum petal dust.

4. To add some variation and to resemble a ripening blackberry, dust some areas with the aubergine petal dust.

5. For the deep purple/black ripe blackberries, mix a bit of the aubergine dust with a few drops of clear alcohol to create a paint. Paint the blackberries for a dark, saturated blackberry.

6. Dip the blackberries in confectioners glaze to give them a glossy, realistic appearance. Dry completely.

Gum Paste Blackberries

Dust the leaves:

1. Liberally dust the leaves with the rose green petal dust, concentrating on the edges and center of the leaves.

2. Tape the wires of the leaves with floral tape.

3. Steam the leaves to set the color. Set aside to dry completely before assembling.

Dust and assemble the blossoms:

1. Dust the stamen and the center of the blossoms with golden yellow petal dust.

2. Dust the top of the center with a little bit of moss green dust.

3. Make an edible paint with the mocha petal dust and clear alcohol. Brush the tips of the stamen to add a little bit of color. Set aside to dry.

4. Dust the base of the petals with the blush petal dust.

5. Place the petals one at a time, spacing them evenly around the center, and taping with floral tape all the way down the wire.

6. Steam the assembled blossom to set the colors and let dry.

Assemble the arrangement by taping the components with floral tape.

I hope you guys try this paste and love it as much as I do. For any questions regarding the tutorial or additional products used, let me know in the comments. Also, check out my Essential Tools for Making Sugar Flowers post for more information on supplies.

Gum Paste Blackberries

If you make gum paste blackberries, leaves and blossoms using my tutorial, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram. I love seeing your Little Vintage Baking creations!

For more sugar flower tutorials:

Gum Paste Peony

Gum Paste Olive Branch

Filed Under: Sugar Flower Tutorials Tagged With: gum paste, gum paste blackberry, gum paste blossoms, gum paste flowers, gum paste leaves, sugar flower tutorial, sugar flowers

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi, I’m Ashley! Welcome to the Little Vintage Baking blog – where you will find recipes, tutorials, resources and more for bakers and cake decorators.
Click here to learn more!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe by E-Mail

Never miss a new recipe or a tutorial! Enter your email to be notified of new posts!

Categories

As Featured On
As Featured In

Copyright © 2020 The Little Vintage Baking Company. All rights reserved.

Privacy and Copyright Policy