Tuesday 24 January 2012

First Time Pastillage & Roses

In tonights sugarcraft class, we made pastillage cards.  I used pre-mixed pastillage powder.  I think it is straightforward enough if you want to mix your own up.  You put 3/4 pack in a bowl, add 25ml cooled boiled water and mix.  When formed into a dough, add the rest of the powder, mix and knead.  I needed to add a little frop more water, perhaps no more than 5ml (I didn't measure this amount).  Once kneaded, put in an air tight bag and let it rest for half an hour.  Pastillage dries very quickly.  The oval is the base, and the arch with the cut out oval, is of course, the front.  I think I may have transferrred it onto the drying board in not the best way, as it doesn't look quite as linear on the outside shape as it should be.

They should take 24 - 48 hours to dry.  After about 24 hours, or a bit less, they should be turned, so the other side should dry evenly.  I put the tiniest amount of caramel colour in the paste to make it an off white colour.

I have some of the paste left.  I am tempted to try and make a box out of it, or a small container.  I shall see how time goes tomorrow evening or the evening after.

 In between pastillage-ing, I continued with my roses.  I didn't get far as I had dye some more flower paste.  It is a slightly lighter shade of pink, but I'm not going to worry, it will be a near a match as possible.  Out of the nine roses, two will have two petals, four will have 2+3 and three will have 2+3+5.  The + indicates that you put two petals on, let them dry then put three on, let them dry etc.  This really confused me, till the penny dropped.  I think I will be doing some sugarcraft this week! 
Nine small roses will be required for the card and the nine larger ones will be for the Spring Flowers Bouquet.  There will also be some small white flowers in the card.  Thes are made freehand, not using cutters.

There was good banter up our end of the table.  The class is laid out in a horse shoe shape.  I sit just before the curved bit and it it this end that is full of chatter.  It's good fun.  The lady who sits next to me has lent me lots of sugarcraft books last week.  I am slowly working my way through looking at them. I have confirmed that I will go to the Cake Decorating Class on 11th March.  For this we need an 8" sponge cake.  I'm looking forward to that.  I could quite get into this cake decorating malarky.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love reading your psot about sugarcraft.
I go to the Wednesday class and love it.
I was also a novice until I started in September, now I'm hooked.

CarpeDyem said...

Thank You! It's a small world! We shall have to compare notes. Are you going to the Workshop Day in March?