Materials and tools needed for work

The supplies needed are simple. When I first started making my wafer paper flowers, I worked with the same range of supplies I do now. All the supplies are similar for ones used in sugar flower crafting. You can start with a few of them for practice and then grow your supply list larger.

Basic  supplies:

1. SARACINO Wafer Paper 26 mm thickness 

2. Hamilwoth floral Tape 12 mm Olive Green 

3. Hamilworth metallic floral wires - for petals and leaves use 26-30 gauge and for Flower Stalks - 20-24 Gauge

4. Modeling Tools - Ball or Dresden Tool

5. Sugar Gardens - edible glue 

6. Sugar Gardens - rolling foam board 

 

7. Sugar Gardens - Drying Foam

Home Supply Tools

scissors, corn starch,  wire cutting pliers, paper wetting solution – vodka or water, sponges for wetting petals – household sponge cut in smaller pieces, brush for glueing petals  and foil 

 

Extra supplies

• Petal veiners
• Food colors - petal dusts and gel colors
• Food varnish
• Brushes for tinting and painting

 

WAFER PAPER

 

Wafer paper has historically used in the food industry for a long time. It’ s made from potato starch, water, vegetable oil and is safe in contact with food.

For example, it has recently used by cake decorators. It can be coloured, printed, painted, trimmed and shaped in delicate flowers.  Wafer paper is suitable for many types of different designs in cake decorating. Due to its light, almost transparent structure, it’s an exciting medium for creating delicate leaves of flowers that are difficult to distinguish from natural ones.

 

As with all modeling materials, wafer paper has both its advantages and disadvantages in flower making.

 

Advantages:

- the finished product is lightweight. Possible to make voluminous flower arrangements which not damaging the structure of a decorated cake 

- thin and perfect for blooming flowers with dozens of petals

- the finished décor withstands a humid climate. Comparing to sugar flowers, which are extremely sensitive to excessive humidity, wafer paper flowers can be made even in rooms with relative humidity above 70% or stored there for at least a couple of months

 

Disadvantages:

-  it is harder to give a smooth colour without prior  airbrush colouring entire sheet

- difficult to form naturally looking leaves with visible veins

- it ‘s impractical to make small compact décors such as berries and buds

 

 

What Wafer Paper to Choose for creating your wafer paper flowers?

There are different gradation wafer papers on the market. I recommend using the tiniest 0.27 mm thick. Wafer paper of 0.30 and 0.35 mm thick also is used to make some flowers if 0.27 thick paper is not available. For a modern, artistic effect, 0.6mm thick wafer paper is suitable for different projects.

 

The wafer paper brand used in my tutorials is Saracino brand, currently the only one available in the market with a thickness of 0.27 mm.