SPRING 2023 TERM WEEKLY CLASSES
Hi all,
These are the Bring-your-own weekly classes.
This term, the online weekly classes will be held via zoom and the recordings will be stored on new private facebook pages. This way you can not only watch back the recordings, but you can ask questions and share images in the groups.
The zoom links will be stored on the facebook pages and can also be found in the members section under "my bookings"
Enrollment opens 31st March for Summer 2023.
new page and Equipment list coming soon
Any questions, please just ask.
Rhi
NEW PAGE FOR SPRING TERM WEEKLY CLASSES 2023
Ingredients and Equipment - Facebook groups will contain photos of cutters/veiners
Each week please check the list for your class to see the ingredient and equipment required, these are only suggestions as you may have tools or ingredients that you would prefer to use
but please assume that
Each week you need the following basic tools: -
New to cakes? Scroll down to the bottom of the page for my youtube video about cake tools
Modelling tools set such as PME, to include Dresden, ball tool, bone tool, cone tool, scribe, non stick smooth work board, edible glue and brush, small rolling pin, corn flour puff. kitchen roll, paint palette and brushes (PME do a set of 5 brushes which have 3 detail brushes and 2 dusting brushes which is a good starter), palette knife, small sharp knife, scalpel (no.11 blade), small sharp scissors, cutting wheel if you have one. (long rolling pin for covering cakes) Apron, baby wipes, dish cloth and tea towel, kitchen roll, gloves if you prefer to wear them.
Polystyrene dummy for flowers/models at least 6" wide with a box at least 10-12" tall to put the dummy in.
For flower courses also include: jem 12 a/b texture tool, pliers, florist wires and tape, PME spray glaze, grooved board or non stick flower work board, celpad or flower pad or your hand. Flower cutters will be listed next to the relevant week. PVA or Impex hi-tac non toxic glue fand nivea or cold porcelain work , or trex or PME petal base for sugar flowers..
Paste - I will be using Cold porcelain: Hearty soft deluxe and/or modena - please add white oil paint if using just modena as it is translucent (it becomes opaque when the paint or a small amount of hearty soft deluxe is added). Wilton winton oil paints Sap green is invaluable as a leaf base colour when colouring cold porcelain.
You are welcome to use sugar florist paste such as Squires kitchen or platinum, or sugarflex (I do not recommend pastes that say "flower and modelling" however, simply heaven flower modelling paste is suitable too).
Colours: You are welcome to choose different appropriate colours for all courses, I will suggest what I will be using.
In the flower groups you have the freedom to choose your colours but I will be making flowers the colour of the advertised fresh flowers.
Monday Evening 7-9pm. 7 weeks £80
Please enrol first then you can request to join the FB group
FB group (available to enrolled students only)
A later start this term but we will have a great term
Flower making can be really relaxing. Whether you are new to flowers or not, it is all about breaking down techniques and the air drying clay makes it a lot easier to learn as there are less breakages. I will be demonstrating using cold porcelain/air drying clay, you could use sugar if you wish.
Varieties will be: Butterfly Ranunculus, Bells of Ireland and Umberella Plant
FULL
This will also be in the new facebook group soon with ingredients and equipment.
I will provide templates for the cutters so that you can see what you have, and there will be photographs in the next couple of days in the new facebook group which you can join when you have booked your place.
(please note there will be gaps in the schedule due to other teaching commitments)
Cold Porcelain users
- You can choose your own preferred, I will use Modena and Hearty soft deluxe which I will show you how to mix, I also have all of these below and can chat about them, here are some suggestions:
Modena - Translucent, firm. (On its own or combined with Hearty soft deluxe which is opaque and soft and lightweight)
OR Hearty soft deluxe (opaque, soft and lightweight) on its own.
Or Mama Dora Porcelana flex (or modena) mixed with Nicron soft (or with Hearty soft deluxe)
OR another mix is Mama Dora Flex (or Modena) mixed with Thai Green and Artista soft deluxe (or Nicron soft)
You will also need: Cold cream eg ponds or nivea, pva or Impex hi-tack glue
Flower Paste Users
- ( I will be demonstrating in cold porcelain)
You can use any paste you prefer. I like using Squires kitchen sugar florist paste either on its own for quick flowers, or mixed with either Simply heaven (both available from Vanilla Valley) or Nick Lodge flexi paste (available from Sugarinuk) or Natalie Porters own flowerpaste available from Immaculate Confections
You will also need edible glue, trex or PME petal base. You can also use impex hi-tack glue for glueing stamens together
Week 1 16th Janaury - Umberella Plant - Remember to check the basic tools list above. I will add additional tools required per week as well as that basic list - Cutters needed - a simple leaf which can be adjusted and I can provide templates. Veiners - an all purpose leaf veiner is fine, I will compare to the veiners I have on Tuesday and show photos of those you can use. - Florist wires - range of wires depending on the sizes of leaves you would like to create from 18g for a stem (or 20g) and including 26, 28, 30g for the leaves white wires and florist tape - pale green or nile green . ivory/cream or yellow or pale green (sap or apple or gooseberry) and spruce green paste etc as the cold porcelain/flower paste options above. (depending on which colour you would like to make) Polystyrene block minimum of 6" to put flowers in.
No Class this week
Week 2 30th January - Umberella plant Continued - Dust colours to include - (we will use my variegated ivy method to colour the paste to start - I will show you) lemon, vine, moss, woodland, aubergine, squirrel brown or rust Cake star or PME spray glaze
Week 3 6th February - Butterfly Ranunculus - paste - as per your choice from the info at the top of the page. florist wires - to include 29g, 28, 30g white wires Florist tape - pale green, nile green. Cutters - can use regular ranunculus cutters, but we will soften the shapes. (Could use squashed metal individual rose petal veiners from just under an inch tall up to 2 inches depending on how large you would like it) Veiners - Ranunculus petal or a veiny rose petal veiner. If making leaves, can use two part leaf cutters and veiners, or start with simple leaf shape, individually wire and join them together as I have shown previously (pre shaped two and three part leaves are much easier though). MondMohn on Etsy has a nice selection of Ranunculus items at a good price.
Week 4 13th February - Butterfly Ranunculus continued - as above plus Dust colours to include - colours of your choice, but include vine green, daffodil and lemon yellow, moss green, woodland green, aubergine, brown. Spray glaze cake star or PME spray glaze
Half Term this week, no class
Week 5 27th February - Bells of Ireland (Moluccella) - paste, cutters and veiners (I bought from Magic Flowers AD in Latvia and was £21 for both incl postage but takes up to a month - Gio's collection in america is a fab set but postage is a lot, plus robert haynes has wonderful ones - choose your budget) - or Template will be provided, Veiner - could use something like an anemone leaf without the main centre stem for the small leaves and could do a pulled flower without veins, 26, 24, 22 g white wires, florist tape.
Week 6 6th March - Bells of Ireland continued - as above
Week 7 13th March - Bells of Ireland Continued - Dusts to include - vine green, daffodil yellow, moss green, woodland green, aubergine, rust or squirrel brown, brown, white. Cake star or PME spray glaze and equipment as above
Tuesday 10am-12:30pm Figure Modelling
Fortnightly class 4 weeks £60 - intermediate
Please enrol first then you can request to join fb group
FB page (enrolled students only)
This will be a fortnightly group. Figure Modelling - We will be making a fantasy figurine of your choice. This group is not aimed at beginners, it is aimed at those who have already made models before and I will assist you with your figure as well as demonstrating my own figure through the course. This class is a fortnightly class to give you time to continue on your figure between classes. You are welcome to gather inspiration. I will be making a female fantasy figure. Faces, hands and feet will be made by hand but you are welcome to bring a face mould and learn how to adapt the face to suit your character.
Please check the basic tools list above by clicking this link
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This will also be in the new facebook group soon with ingredients and equipment.
The fortnightly dates for this term are below (please note there may be gaps in the schedule due to other teaching):
week 1 17th January start - Creating armature for figure - Bring - Bring - cake dummy to put figure onto and work on if you would like to keep the figures after class and move them to a cake later in the future, or you can bring a small wooden chopping board/wooden block approximately 1 inch deep and minimum of 4" round, plus philips screw driver and 3-4mm head 12mm tall phillips screws x 2 and optional bradwl.16g or 18g and 25g wires and white florist tape Pointed nose pliars (which include a cutting section, or separate wire cutters), Please see equipment list below for what you will need to bring each week. Please bring the rest today too as we will start modelling when we have finished the armature.
week 2 - 31st Janaury - Figure - equipment and tools as list below as well as basic tools list at top of the page
No Class this week
Then half term this week
Week 3 - 28th February - Figure - equipment and tools as list below as well as basic tools list at top of the page
week 4 - 14th March - figure - equipment and tools as list below as well as basic tools list at top of the page
plus appropriate dust colours - we will discuss colours in class
Equipment needed
You will need either Saracino Pasta Model or a similar modelling paste, The figure will not need more than 300g of Saracino Pasta Model (or similar as mentioned earlier). Choose your own skin tone and clothing colours. You can choose the figure you wish to create and are welcome to bring in an inspiration photo. Head up to 50g, if arms and legs bare, they could be approx 15-20g each. The amount of coloured paste depends on the style of clothing you choose.
Tools needed: Modelling tools eg PME modelling tools and also (optional) Cerart modelling tools such as the hard point tool (white with red tip), no 0 or K605 2 or 4 round silicone, K106 no 2 pointed silicone (I can also explain which regular PME tools to use in their place). Pointed nose pliars (which include a cutting section, or separate wire cutters), Cocktain stick, workboard of your choice. Edible glue and cornflour puff. Glue brush, dusting brushes (I use filbert brushes which as similar to eye shadow brushes. Dust/gel colours of your choice but including either Saracino - skintone, Pink and brown for skin features (or chosen skintone colours) - or other similar colours in other brands. Palette and paint brushes. Dipping solution or clear alcohol for painting. Scalpel and regular sharp knife. Palette knife. Tweezers.
Tuesday 7-9pm. 7 weeks weekly class £80
Please enrol first then you can request to join the fb group
FB page (enrolled students only)
This will be a mix subject group. Subjects are: Bluebells, Long-eared rabbit model, Lavender, Rice cereal Hedgehog, Stencilled cookies, Chocolate treats
Please check the basic tools list above by clicking here for the regular equipment.
FULL
This will also be in the new facebook group soon with ingredients and equipment.
Remember a polystyrene dummy to put your flowers in (6" or wider) and a box at least 12" tall (can you box extenders, but better to keep boxes that you may receive incl shoe boxes - flowers and figures go soggy in plastic boxes) You will need a board and box to put models in
The dates for this term are below (please note there may be gaps in the schedule due to other teaching):
Week 1 - 17th January Start - Bluebells - Bluebell cutter by tinkertech (or create from hand), 24, 28, 30g white florist wires and white or pale/nile green florist tape. white and green flowerpaste or cold porcelain (see list above). Micro or mini white or yellow matt stamens, pointy scissors (straight and fine points such as make up scissors) plus wire cutters and regular scissors
Week 2 - 24th January - Continue with bluebells - as above including dust colours to include:
Week 3 - 31st January - Childs long-eared Rabbit toy Model - Bring - up to 150g white Saracino Pasta Model. Dust colours to include - colours of your choice, eg creams, beige, lemon, pale pink, pale blue plus brown and black. I will provide black dragees for eyes. Dust brushes, palette, dipping solution. Detail paint brush to paint patterns in the ears eg spots, gingham, flowers, name etc Tweezers to create texture
Week 4 - 7th February - lavender sugar flowers- Bring - flower paste or cold porcelain (your choice) see list above for paste info, regular modelling tools set small margherite/daisy plunger cutter small, pale lilac paste and green paste, 18g or 20g and 28g white wire, green florist tape, dusts to include lavender/lilac, lemon yellow, vine/citrus green (or mix lemon with moss green), violet, moss and dark green, smallest plunger blossom cutter.
28g white wires PME spray glaze
NO Class this week
Half Term this week
Week 5 - 28th February - Rice cereal Treats Hedgehog - Either 2 bars of pre-bought rice cereal treats or mix 100g with 100g of marshmallows (heat marshmallows in microwave until doubles in size, stir in rice cereal, cover bowl with clingfilm or wait half hour and empty contents into strong food bag), Sugarpaste up to 250g in white. Scissors, I will provide black dragees for eyes, bring modelling tools as in the basic list at the top, Dust colours to include - dusky pink (or similar) brown, dark chocolate (or mix brown with black), black, white, either vodka, dipping solution or nielson massey lemon extract, painting brushes, palette
Week 6 - 7th March - Stencilled cookies - Bring - either home made simple shape cookies or you can bring Rich tea or ginger nuts (stronger biscuits). If you already own stencils, you can bring those, or you can use from my collection. Dust colours of your choice, you can choose lustres as well as regular dust colours, plus palette and paint brushes. We will ice with sugarpaste, so bring up to 250g white sugarpaste, rolling pin, palette knife, edible glue or piping gel or seedless jam to fix the sugarpaste to the cookies.
Week 7 - 14th March - Chocolate Easter Treats - Bring - Your choice of chocolate mould (or you are welcome to use one from my collection), plus we will create a chocolate bar which you can add your flavours such as nuts, fruits, sweets such as mini eggs, dried raspberry pieces, chocolate crispies cake decorations, optional cocoa butter and dust colours to paint inside your mould. Bring one bag of 400g of Callebaut chocolate (Vanilla Valley keep them in stock). Dark chocolate sets quickly, but you can bring your flavour of choice. The white and colours such as strawberrys etc take the longest to set. FYI Branded chocolate to eat is not always suitable d so avoid Cadburys, but some supermarket own brand chocolates such as the Lovells in Sainsburys do temper quite well, so you can buy that as a cheaper or more convenient to buy alternative.