Probably you all know that I recently relocated to Ocala Central Florida. And, of course, there are a lot of new things I never experienced before, like the change of seasons, the nice temperature and also the cold mornings and the frosted grass. I never lived by a horse farm, or enjoy the presence of the squirrels running and chasing one another around the oak trees. Behind is the hectic life of the big cities, where many of us get so entangled in the daily struggle to survive, that we forget to smell the roses along the way.
Yesterday, looking through my kitchen window I saw in my neighbor’s garden a beautiful small flower, what really amazed me was to see such delicate flower enjoying the 40F degrees of that cool morning. Later in the morning I asked my neighbor the name of the brave flower and she told me, “It is a Wild Rose”. It is such a beautiful flower that I decided to tell you:
How to make a 5 petal open rose or Wild Rose
First, make the center of the rose. Wrap cotton thread around two fingers about 16 times. Using a wire number 28, twist both ends of cotton firmly to prevent cotton from slipping out. Cut into two equal halves. Trim as required. Cut a piece of wire gauge 24 about 4 inches long, bend the tip. Make a small ball of pastillage tinted brown, moist the bended tip of the wire and attach a small pastillage ball. Let’s dry for a few hours. Once the center is dry, paint cornmeal with yellow dust. Dip the dried center in the gum glue and then into the yellow dusted cornmeal. Paint some more cornmeal with brown dust and dip the tip of the cotton stamen in the glue and then into the brown cornmeal to make the brown pollen. Separate the stamens with a pin. Let’s dry. Once the pieces are dry, with floral tape, attach the stamen to the pastillage center, making the center of the rose.
To make the petals of the Wild Rose
For this you will need a 5 petals cutter. Balling tool, pad, wooden ball, and a round flower dryer. If you do not have a flower dryer, cover the mouth of a glass or plastic vase with aluminum foil. Leave it slightly loose to cup, with a pin make a small hole in the center.
Tint a small ball of pastillage light pink. Roll out leaving a thick center in the petals. This will form a base to help secure the stamens. Work the edge of the petals using the balling tool, then with the wooden ball press the center of each petal. Lift the flower from the pad. Place gum glue at the base of the stamen and insert the stamen in the center and place to dry in the flower dryer inserting the wire through the small hole you made with the pin. When the flower is dry, tint pastillage in moss green and cut a calyx and attach at the back of the flower.
With a very fine brush, dust the edges of the flower with a shade of dark pink. You will find a good set of instructions on how to make this flower in the book Wild Flowers by Alan Dunn page 41. Visit http://www.marivis.com/page/page/4995997.htm
I invite to visit my site and look at the Sweet and Soul, there you will virtually be able to browse through my personal home library. The books you will find there are the foundation of my cake decorating knowledge and my personal growth.
