From p_jp55’s photostream at Flickr

I’m not good at remembering flower names. I like gardening but to identify the flowers, let alone to remember the scientific name is like going through the agony of taking my Biology exam all over again. This flower I’m making, it’s called Gerbera (that’s what the PME magazine says). It got me confused with sunflowers . Well, they look the same to me. Only thing the sunflower’s center is bigger. Thankfully, you could use this technique I’m going to show you to make both gerbera and sunflowers.

The cutter I’m using is from PME. Other items needed would be a wire, semolina flour, egg white, modelling tools, foam, black powdered colour, round cutter and a calyx cutter.

First, colour a small round piece of gumpaste brown. Mould it into a cone shape to fit the middle of the cutter. Take a hooked wire, dip it into egg white and insert into the cone.

Prepare to make the gerbera’s center. Colour the semolina flour with some black powdered colour.

Dip the cone into egg white and smother it with the darkened semolina.

Colour the gumpaste. Cut out a few round shapes.

Frill the edges with the modelling tool. Smooth the edges outwards to thin it. Use lots of cornflour to avoid the gumpaste sticking and for easier frilling.

Make at least two. Then, brush the surface with egg white.

Slide it up to stick to the bottom of the cone.

The gerbera’s center will look like this :

Now prepare the petals. Push in with the modelling tools to get the vein impression.

Thin the petals edges and then press the middle so it would curve up. You will need two layers of petal to make one gerbera flower.

Brush with egg white and slide up the wire.

Then prepare the calyx.

Secure with a small round piece of green paste.

The flower is ready !

Looking back at this gerbera, I think it would look better if the center is slightly smaller, don’t you think ? Maybe I’ll try that next time…

Anyway, to make a sunflower, just omit the frills and make the cone bigger. Have a real-life flower picture next to you for easy reference.

Till the next post, Happy Ramadhan (fasting month) to all my Muslim friends and visitors, all over the world. Thanks Sri for this lovely card, which simply translate – ” keep smiling, keep shining, during Ramadhan” .

And thanks to Yozora for this award :

Really appreciate it. Take care, all.

Image : BluMania on flickr

I made some daisies today..it was so much easier compared to making “Lily of the Valley” flowers. Here are the items needed to make the daisies.

1. Untinted gum paste
2. Rolling pin
3. Tiny pencil or stick
4. Small wire or use your cake tester/ satay stick
5. Daisy cutter
6. Sponge
7. Water and brush
8. Stiff wires, 6 inches each
9. Yellow royal icing
10. Piping bag and tip
11. Styrofoam block

Method :

Roll the gum paste and cut using the cutter. 2 pieces will make one flower.

Lay one shape on the sponge and roll the petal areas only, with the thin stick. Do not roll the centre part. The petal will become slightly bigger and thinner.

Do this with the wire to get the lines.

Wet the centre of the first shape, and stick the second shape on top. Press down and the daisies will curve up naturally.

I put mine in a small palette, cushioned with some cottons and let it dry for an hour.

Now prepare the stem. Roll a small ball of gumpaste and stick to the end of the bended wire.

Pipe some royal icing on top of the ball and stick the flowers.

Once the flowers are attached to the stem, pipe the yellow stamens.

Stick all completed flowers on the styrofoam to dry overnight.

If you find some of the petals drooping (oopsie-daisies ), don’t worry just glue it with the royal icing (and pray that nobody will notice).

So, here’s the end result :

Mission accomplished.. beddy-bye now ! Take care all of you..salam.