Information

Mould dimensions

All of the pictures on this website represent the moulds in approximately the correct proportion to each other with regards to dimensions. For example, the majority of the round moulds (eg Dog Rose A001, Feathers B001, Tied Bow C001, Snowman D001) are 64mm in diameter. The Celtic Heart Knot C025 is 150mm to the extremities of the mould. The Teddy Bear C029 is 97mm tall. All dimensions relate to the overall dimensions of the moulds rather than the impressions taken from them. The largest dimension of any impression is typically about 90% of the largest mould dimension.

Mould useage

Making the impression

We recommend using a 50:50 mixture of sugarpaste and flower paste.

Using a lump judged big enough to just fill the mould, you press it into the cavity using your thumb and the heel of your palm, or a small rolling pin.

Any surplus can be removed using a small artist's palette knife (use a sawing action from the centre of the paste outwards) to leave the paste flush with the surface of the mould.

You should then be able to remove the formed impression by gently flexing the mould. Depending on the exact mixture you are using it should pop out cleanly. If there is any tendency for the paste to stick a light dusting of corn flour will help.

Alternatively you can freeze the filled mould to harden the paste first.

Note that some moulds with deep narrow cavities (such as the baby shoe moulds) can require significant care to both fully fill the mould and remove the model successfully.

Colouring the impression

The examples on the website were coloured mostly by using Sugarflair brand paste colours diluted in a 90% isopropyl alcohol, 10% water mix. This can be purchased ready mixed through sugarcraft suppliers and is called "painting medium" or "thinning solution". You can also use a high strength liquor like Polish Vodka but it must be 90% alcohol.

Normal strength vodka or gin (40%) have too high a water content to give good results. The high proportion of alcohol (at 90%) means that most of the liquid evaporates before the surface of the sugar paste starts to dissolve.

It is important also not to overload the brush. If the first coat of colour is too thin, wait until the surface is dry before going over it again with another coat otherwise you will just lift off the first coat and it will streak. Using this method try to build up layers of colour to give the subjects depth much in the same way as a water colour picture.

If using dusts as a colouring medium, apply them with a soft chisel edge brush when the surface of the decoration is hard enough not to be distorted but not totally dry (leather hard in other words).