I've just in the past few years really used a lot of foundant accent fun. I just tried gum paste for the first time andnthe color wasn't a pretty white it looked "spotty" or funky. I also thought making roses wasn't as easy as foundant. It also got cruchy quick even though I had it tightly sealed. I would love any tips or is foundant just better? Thanks so much!!!

why don´t you try this recipe, I have used this since I started doing flower, you can see mine at the gallery.

Gum Paste

1 tablespoon of CMC (CARBOXIMETHILCELULLOSE) GUMTEX
2 1/2 CUPS OF SUGAR 10x WITH NO CORNSTARCH
1 Tablespoon of crisco vegetal shortning
1 large egg white

Sift sugar with 1cup of 10X sugar, then add the egg white and mix, ad 1 cup more, mix and add the shortening then if is still too soft and the 1/2 cup left. Don´t add more. Work with shortening no cornstarch because it dries de gum paste. You call roll your petals cvery thin. If you have any question , please write me.

I use the ready made Wilton gumpaste although it tastes lousy (nobody will eat the flowers anyhow) but I generally find it is OK to work with...

I keep a sheet of saran covering any cutout pieces I have made...never letting it stay in the air as it will become crispy quickly!

I always put some crisco on my fingers and hands and knead it into the gumpaste I am working with...I find the trick to making flowers more easily is to brush only the barest hint of water on to the petals so they will stick..too much and you have a mushy mess...

I like gumpaste because you can really roll it out thinly...and the petals then look realistic.

Gumpaste needs to be soft & pliable before you try using it - when you pull it apart it should stretch, not break - so add plenty of shortening AND water to it ,to get it soft & elastic ( if it crumbles,is ragged around edges when rolled out flat,or cracks ...it is too dry, keep adding water & shortening )
hope this helps !!

Oh, you also need to work it in your hands 'cos the heat helps too

Thanks soooo much for the tips! I do think it was to dry. I made a 1/2 of batch and didn't do it right. I will also cover them when drying next time. I did like making them thin but seem to like foundant better right now. Thanks again

i forgot to tell you, the gum paste has to resto 24 hours, before you use it. that will make it very elastic. Every time you are going to use a portion you have to knead to make it pliable. You don`t have to add water. You can use to glue your petals egg white or a gum made with 1 part of cmc and 20 parts of water. it is better to use warm water to dissolve it, next day will be without lumps.

I have to be honest, I have never used the wilton gum paste, but when I make my paste I knead without microwave, maybe can loose elasticity, I don`t know for sure. Sorry, Why don`t you try the recipe I sent you.? I am going to take some pictures for the one I am going to make, so I can show you how does it look.

Thanks again I will try again and see how it goes.