Ambulance Paramedic Bag using DTC Zipper Mould

Jo Marshall-Orr lends her talents to the DTC blog show off the zipper mold and her amazing talents.

I made this bag using the DTC Zipper mould - I found it a fantastic way to get definition and it looked so real I was asked many a time if I had used real zips.

This mould is really easy to use with this simple tutorial

Equipment: DTC Zipper Mould, rolling pin, stitching tool, Fondant knife, white fat & 50/50mix of Fondant/Gumpaste

Very lightly grease mould with white fat
Roll 50/50 Fondant/Gumpaste  into a log same approximate length of mould

Squish 50/50 mix into mould

roll over with rolling pin to smooth & get good definition

Scrape off excess using a fondant knife

Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes this helps alot in de-moulding anything from silicone

De-Mould I start at the thicker end

Flip the Mould over & place zipper onto backside this makes it easy to remove after

Using the stitching tool add a deeper impression along the zip

Doesn't this look so real! I love this mould.

As shown in the photos I then used a little rectangle of the same colour of the cake & using the stitching tool made a piece to fit over the ends of the zip for a sewn in look.

Hope you enjoy this mould as much as I do

Jo from Ciccio Cakes

http://www.facebook.com/CiccioCakes

To get the effect of the 2 zippers joining just fold under the end bits and use the stitching between them 

Product Used:
Zipper - Closed

Also Available:
Zipper - Open

The Jabot Mold

What is a JABOT? 

My friend Wikipedia defines Jabot as :
Jabot (pronounced /ʒæˈboʊ/ ( listen), from French jabôt: a bird's crop); alternatively a bird's croup or craw. Originally the term jabot referred to the frilling or ruffles decorating the front of a shirt.^[1] It has evolved into a decorative clothing accessory consisting of lace or other fabric falling from the throat, suspended from or attached to a neckband or collar; or simply pinned at the throat.

My other friend Thesaurus defines Jabot as :

Noun

1.

jabot - a ruffle on the front of a woman's blouse or a man's shirt flounce, furbelow, ruffle, frill - a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim

There... a Jabot is a fancy neckwear!

Because of its intricate details, the cake industry has adopted it as one of its classic designs and pattern.  There have been ways to make jabot details from royal icing. And as the industry evolved, they have developed a  more convenient way to create a uniform look for a Jabot piece. Resin molds, Plastic  and Silicone molds have popped in the cake decorating market.

I was given the opportunity to discover ways to use a jabot silicone mold. As it looks convenient to use, I will have to say it is  very tricky, it is not complicated, it is  time consuming, the result is rewarding! the piece is such a beauty!

DTC offers 2 styles of jabot mold found in this link :
Jabot #1
Jabot #2

Both designs are stunning!

I tried doing the the pieces using fondant, it works but we have to consider the time and the structure of fondant. Fondant cannot be thinned out as much as we can thin out a gumpaste. And because the product will be a thin and delicate piece we need more elasticity and a more stronger paste to do the project. Therefore, we  have to use gumpaste to deal with the Jabot Mold. The fondant can be mixed with a little amount of tylose powder to add strenght and elasticity. The RTU (ready to use) gumpaste is conveniently available in the market. There are many recipes by different cake experts for homemade gumpaste.

 Materials: 

DTC's Jabot Silicone Molds
2 inch size ball of well kneaded gumpaste
shortening (crisco)
rolling pin
tooth pick
dresden tool
small fine clay knife
6 inch rolling pin
foam pad
steamer
forming mat
fine scissors
wire brush
Lots of patience!


 Knead the  gumpaste well and form a  sausage , place the rolling pin on the sausage lengthwise and  flatten it out in the middle making sure that you create a thin well .

Roll sides, lengthening and widening the paste. 

Rub a small amount of crisco on the mold. Lay the sheet of gumpaste you just rolled and press gently but firmly to the mold making sure that the gumpaste adheres and goes through the nook and crannies of the details. 












Make sure the middle portion is thin enough that you can almost see the mold through. 













Trim the edges and smooth the edges with your fingers.




Try to lift the gumpaste off the mold, this is an event that may may you nervous, you shouldn't be, as the shortening you rubbed on the mold will help you lift it up effortlessly!. Lift slowly and check if you got the details. If you left out some, return it back to the mold and press the part where it needed the details with your clay knife.

If you need to patch some broken strings, this is the time to do it. Don't worry if there are film of gumpaste still on the piece, we will clean it out later.













Lay the piece on a foam pad and let it dry for 10-15 minutes.

If the piece has slightly hardened a bit after 15 minutes, take your dresden tool or toothpick, poke the film  of gumpaste on the foam. 

It is easier to  poke the dried film than when it is moist. 










Yes, the back part of the piece will look messy, you can clean it out using the wire brush, but be gentle. Do everything on top of the foam pad so to keep the piece still and safe.  








Steam the back portion of the piece to clean out any remaining bits of  gumpaste scraps.









Let the pieces dry to form on the forming mat for a curved look.  If you don't have a forming mat, use a roll paper towel.



If you want it flat, just lay it on top of a foam or a box with a paper towel.









Note : dry it front side down since the back portion has been steamed. Remember that the back part is moist and will stick on to anything if you dry it back side down.



When the piece has dried up totally dried up you can go back and trim the edges and the details for a more cleaner look.

I hope this short tutorial has been helpful in dealing with
the jabot mold.

Please stay tuned for the continuation of this tutorial as I will be using the jabot pieces in combination with other classic molds that DTC is offering.

Happy Cake Decorating!
 Joanne Wieneke
The Little Cake Patch





DTC Products Used:
Jabot #1
Jabot #2
Scroll Oval Center
Filigree Butterfly

Bridal Motif Lace

A special thanks to Renea Feagin for the latest blog posting. Learn some tricks to using one of our lace molds! 

Lace Press Tutorial

By Renea Feagin, Baked Expressions

Tools needed:  fondant/gumpaste mix, DTC Lace Press mold, fondant roller

1.        Roll out fondant/gumpaste to about 1/8” thick or down to a 2 or 3, using a pasta machine. 

2.       Lay the fondant/gumpaste over the mold.

3.       Position the silicone lace over the mold, matching up the pattern.  Press into place.

4.       Continue pressing the silicone lace into the mold, using a small fondant roller.

 

5.       Gently, start peeling away or removing the excess fondant/gumpaste from the mold.

6.       Once excess removed, it should look like this. 

7.       If there is a little fondant/gumpaste sticking over the outline of the mold, just push it back in the mold so that there is no fondant/gumpaste over the outline.  This will prevent you from having to trim the finished lace.

8.       Flip the mold over and bend it at the end or corner and allow the lace appliqué to fall out and release from the mold.

a.       At this point, you can use the mold as one piece or cut out desired portions of the lace appliqué

9.       Brush the back of the mold with water.  Do not over apply the water.  The appliqué should be “tacky” to the touch but not too wet.

 

10.   Place the lace piece on an iced cake and decorate as desired.

Finished Product!

Visit Renea's Facebook Page to check out more of her wonderful designs.  Baked Expressions

Products Used:
Bridal Motif Lace Mold

Texas Star Hibiscus Tutorial

A special thanks to Charla Tatom for the latest blog posting. Learn to make a Texas Star Hibiscus! 

The Scarlet Swamp Hibiscus or Texas Star is brilliant red with petals more separated than those of other hibiscus, giving the blossom a star shaped look. To make this flower, roll a 1.5" ball of gumpaste into a log. Roll out 1/16" thick over groove on the back of the flower & leaf impression mat. Trim the excess that hangs off the bottom of the mat.

Turn the gumpaste over and spread some gum glue on one side of the ridge.

Take a 4" piece of 24g cloth-covered wire and place it next to the ridge. Gently press the ridge over the wire.

Cut a template for the petal out of cardstock. The petal should curve to the left when you place it over the middle of the wire. Cut around the template with an exact-o knife.

Place the petal onto Decorate the Cake's AWESOME Hibiscus Veiner and gently press with thin shaping foam.

Place the petal, back side up, onto a piece of thick shaping foam and frill around the top half of the petal with a ball tool.

Turn the petal over and using a dresden tool, make long strokes from the edge of the petal toward the center. This will cause the gumpaste to ruffle a little more.

Pinch the gumpaste around the wire at the bottom and then curve it around the end of a paintbrush or whatever this small round gumpaste tool is called??

Now you need something to help shape the petals as they dry. You can get 1" styrofoam balls and cut them in half. Or you can dig in your child's toy box and find some Squinkies bubble containers and cut them in half.

Place the 1/2 ball under the right edge of the petal. Let the petals dry 2-3 days.

Now for the pistil. Trim a few stamen to 1" long. Take a 7" piece of 18g wire and wrap 5 stamen around it with floral tape. Continue to wrap the floral tape down the wire, about 4"

Slide the wire through a small ball of gumpaste so that it is in the middle of the taped part.

Roll the gumpaste between your hands, working the gumpaste to each end so that the green tape is completely covered.

Using tweezers, insert the stamem into the gumpaste

Spread the top stamen out a bit

Stick the pistil into a block of styrofoam to dry.

After the petals have dried, it is time to give them some life with petal dust. First, I used a yellow sunflower color in the middle of the petal.

Then I used a plum color along the edge.

Finally I brushed some moss green lines in the lower part of the petal that curves in.

Here's the difference a little petal dust can make. I was making more of a fantasy hibiscus, and I ended up brushing the whole petal with some old gold luster dust as well. I also brushed the ends of the stamen with gum glue and then dipped them into some red & gold disco dust.

FINALLY - it is time to put the whole thing together. Attach one petal at a time to the wire with floral tape. Keep adding petals until you have 5, then continue to wrap the wire with the tape until it is nice and secure.

On the base of the flower, I cut the wires down and then used a calyx cutter and some green gumpaste to finish it.

Voila! A Texas Star Hibiscus.

Guest Post by Charla Tatom, owner of Celebrate With Cake!

Products Used:

Hibiscus Veiner

Products Used:

Hibiscus Set