# Doing some sugar flowers



## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

My wife and I are making a wedding cake for a friend. No, we don't do this for money but I'm thinking maybe we should. Here's a pic of some sugar flowers in progress.





  








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kuan


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Oct 14, 2016


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## colleens (Feb 18, 2010)

Those are just beautiful!  Well done.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)




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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Some of the final product and the final cake. If you look at the cake I really messed up on the finish piping, I need bifocals. But my wife fixed it afterward.





  








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kuan


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Oct 18, 2016












  








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kuan


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Oct 18, 2016


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Wow. That's a beautiful cake. I hope for your efforts you at least got to sit at the head table.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Thanks @chefwriter I'd be totally into receiving input on the design and what we can do better. I know we can do better.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

I have no criticisms to offer, only kudos! Excellent work. The design has great eye transition and the color spectrum flows in conjunction with it as well. Just right. Ya done good!


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

How to do better? I have no skills in that area so no appropriate suggestions. Well, I guess you should buy bifocals. 

I'm sure there are books on it. 

I am curious as to what the colored pigments are. I assume they are edible. 

There  is a fancy cake place near the laundromat I use. I always stop by to see the window display. Your cake looks as nice as anything I've seen and they are always very impressive. 

Next time I go I'll stop in and ask about books and instructional sources.


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## rlyv (Oct 28, 2005)

kuan said:


> Thanks @chefwriter
> I'd be totally into receiving input on the design and what we can do better. I know we can do better.


It just takes practice. In looking at a close up of the picture, I would suggest getting your petals edges thinner. That will help with them being more realistic. 
The roses could be a little tighter in their shape. It helps to have a picture of the real flower you are making in front of you. Helps with petal placement and the overall look.
Nice job though, just keep making them.


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## uswahi 807 (Oct 18, 2016)

what is your currant status


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Uswahi 807 said:


> what is your currant status


What do you mean?


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

rlyv said:


> It just takes practice. In looking at a close up of the picture, I would suggest getting your petals edges thinner. That will help with them being more realistic.
> The roses could be a little tighter in their shape. It helps to have a picture of the real flower you are making in front of you. Helps with petal placement and the overall look.
> Nice job though, just keep making them.


Cool. I didn't think of using real flowers as a reference which should have been a no brainer! Thanks.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

@kuan,

First, what's up with your avatar? Second, you guys did a great job! The cake looks spot on. What a great personalized gift to the wedding couple. It's great because your gift will probably be remembered for their lifetime. The single greatest reason we do what we do.

There is no need for any type of critique. When it comes to flowers, sure, there is a common idea of what a certain flower should look like, but in reality there are usually hundreds of variations, shape, size, and look of a particular flower.

When you make something like this cake, you can only critique it if you jump outside the creator role and view it as a customer. Like anything else, if you create something, when inspecting, you will be focused on details the normal viewer won't. If you buy a Pagani Huayra, you will view it for the concept, shape, color, etc. Only the creator will find imperfections like fractionally off door gaps (which is common).

A talented and creative couple, but we knew that.

FYI Nix the flower producing idea, unless it's for supplemental income. Even if you're fast, the labor it takes to maintain a certain quality is usually cost prohibitive.

I'll see if I can round up a photo of one of last weeks cakes. It started out as a request for a Kate Middleton cake, and ended with this.* 21 labor hours* just for decoration.





  








cake1.jpg




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panini


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Oct 19, 2016


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## uswahi 807 (Oct 18, 2016)

I thought you were in california


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Holy moly, panini. That thing is a monster. How many was it supposed to feed, how do you transport such thing and how many thousands does it cost?


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Nice job @kuan.

Spot on balance of cake and flowers.

About piping?

We are all our own worst critics.

A bit of ribbon (ask the bride to supply some from her chosen colors) run around the base is a nice alternative.

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

mimi

Good God pan....

Absolutely YUGE.

Let me guess... a Dallas deb gets married at the First Baptist Church on (what street.. Lemmon Ave? I forget) and the reception is held at Daddy's ranch.

800 are invited but 1000 show up at different times over the long weekend.... for golf...bridesmaids brunch...reception dinner... massages..hair and makeup.

You must be doing 3rd generation Dallas brides by now.

Wedding...baby shower....baptism...first communion..confirmation,,,sweet 16....and on it goes.

The circle of life /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif.

m.


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Uswahi 807 said:


> I thought you were in california


No... still in Texas but I have been really busy with one of the Grand's this school year.

Slid right back into soccer mom and carpool mode.

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif

mimi


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

@panini OMG did you get on a ladder for that?

I guess you're right about it. We have way too much going on to be involved in wedding cakes. We were lucky to have friends who said yeah, anything you do will be fine, so we didn't have anything to sell, any phone calls to make, no in laws to deal with, etc. 

But thanks for your input, I was a bit annoyed at not being able to get the piping right the first time. I guess I'm not meant to be in this part of the business. But what you said is exactly what the bride said, that she will remember this gift for the rest of her life and of course she will get to keep the flowers.


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