Fondant Carnation

I love waking up on a weekend morning feeling inspired! After spending time with my sister yesterday, and finding out that a carnation is her favourite flower too, I felt inspired to teach myself how to make one from fondant and i want to share it with you.

I had one, maybe two problems:

1. I don't own a carnation cutter
2. I have no florist tape! You need some! However, the fact that I didn;t have any will not affect the quality of this "How-To"

You will need:

• 1 small scalloped edged cookiecreation
• 1 medium scalloped edged cookie cutter
• Modelling fondant of your own colour choice (standard fondant will not work)
• Your rolling pin and tools
• Small calyx cutter (optional)
• A little green modelling fondant (optional)
• A cocktail stick
• Wire, curled over into a loop at the top 
• Florist tape (I didn't have any and you will see what I used later in this post)
• Edible glue / water
• Brush for glue / water

Step #1: Cover the loop with the florist tape

Here, I had a problem. As this was an impromptu make this morning, I had no tape. So I covered the loop at the top of my wire using modelling fondant. This was a bad choice so don't make the same error as I did, make sure you get florist tape, your fondant creation will grip onto it and wont slip off the wire as mine did at first. Cover the loop and a few mm's down the wire

Step #2: Cut your shapes

• For each carnation you will need to cut two small and one medium scalloped edges circles.
• Place them under cover so they do not dry off.
• If you are making more than one carnation, cut one small one for each carnation before you go onto cutting the other small one (and then later your medium one)

Step #3: Roll edges

• Using your cocktail stick, roll out each individual scallop. 
• If they crack or break, don't worry, this will add to the effect!

• Do this all the way around. 
• Already you can see the beautiful, frilled edged of the carnation forming.

Step #4: Add to wire, fold an dry

• Add glue / water to the centre portion of your frilled circle and place wire through the centre of your circle up to the tape.

• Fold in half and gently press together

Step #5: Bring edges to centre

• Imagine what you have in front of you divided into three portions ...

• Dab a little glue / water onto the centre portion and bring the right portion over then, pressing gently, stick it to the middle. 

• Turn your creation around and repeat.

• Pinch the underside so it grips onto any tape you have showing (or just the wire) so it's nice and tight.
• Hang your creation upside down to dry

Step #6: Second circle

• Repeat Step #3 with your second circle.
• Add a dab of glue / water to the centre, push wire through the centre and bring up, tightly by carefully, to meet the first circle. 
• Pinch gently so this second circle sticks to the first and also to the wire.
• Hang upside down and allow to dry
• At this point, you can stop if you only need the small carnation

Step #7: Repeat Step # 6 with the medium circle

• Repeat the previous step with the larger (medium) circle
• Hang upside down to dry

Step #8: Underside leaves (optional)

• Using your smallest calyx cutter, cut out some greenery

• Using your tool, spread out the leaves
• Add this to the bottom of your carnation in the same way as you have been adding the circles
• Pinch to the wire

• Hang upside down until dry

Enjoy your creation

I did not have a stem / bud vase at first to display my creation but hey, it looks mighty fine in my ornamental apple salt shaker I brought back from the States with me last Autumn (Fall)