Okay, you've got my mind buzzing with all the pics on here! I'm really itching to try my hand at gumpaste flowers. Only catch is, I hate to work fondant and I'm scared this is going to be to similar. Any advice for a first timer, things I need to know before I start?

Gumpaste is easier in some ways. You work with much smaller bits of material. Here is my 2-bits, for whatever it is worth.

Many flowers have components that have to dry first, before you can finish the construction. Roses need a central cone that is already dry, others need stamens or bases. So if you want to work several flowers in a row for practice, make the bases one day and put the flowers together the next, or even much later.

It dries out very quickly so only work with a little at a time.
Double bag the paste to keep if from drying out.
Go through the list of items required and gather everything together before you start.

A piece of oasis (floral foam) is very handy to hold the flower while you work, and something to hang the flower upside down is handy as well.
I have even used a pasta drying rack-very handy.

Don't worry so much about getting it very,very thin at first. After a couple of tries at the form, thinner gets easier. Have fun!

JoAnn

Weird .... i love fondant but hated gumpaste........
I got the wilton kit and that was helpful it had several flowers in there and were fairly easy to eyeball just by looking at the pictures

Don't use icing sugar or cornflour when rolling out. Instead lightly grease your board and cutter with crisco. If the gumpaste feels a bit sticky you can also knead a little crisco into it.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I picked up the Wilton gumpaste kit last night and the ingredients to give it a shot. I'm not sure if I'm adventurous or crazy, I just like to know if it's something I can do. I prefer to work strictly in buttercream, but the gumpaste flowers I've seen on here are simply breath-taking.

Also, does anyone know how best to store gumpaste flowers, or any advice on how long they will last after they are made?

JoAnn hit the nail on the head....I love gumpaste but hated working with fondant. Gumpaste seems more pliable and easier to work with. I also bought the Wilton time saver book and cutters but later bought a cutter with all rose petals attached (Wilton's is an individual petal) and it seemed to work better.
You can start out and buy the Wilton canister of gumpaste mix and all you do is add water. Then you gradually add powd. sugar. And like MissBaritone said, instead of using more PS, you use Crisco to keep it from being sticky. It's so easy to color too! Enough of that! Try it!

Just store them somewhere dry. I have some on display in a cabinet that I made nearly 6 years ago and they're as good as the day I made them

...they don't need to be stored in an airtight container then?

Not at all. The only stipulation is wherever you store them must be dry as gumpaste can absorb moisture which will cause the petals to droop

I finally git to try my hand at gumpaste flowers, about 2 wks ago! I've been so busy I haven't had time to post the pics, but finally got them up today. I think they turned out ok for a first attempt, it took a while to get the feel of this new medium. I need more practice, but i had fun working with the gumpaste!

I finally got to try my hand at gumpaste flowers, about 2 wks ago! I've been so busy I haven't had time to post the pics, but finally got them up today. I think they turned out ok for a first attempt, it took a while to get the feel of this new medium. I need more practice, but I had fun working with the gumpaste!