A springtime and personal favorite, sweet peas are grown in a variety of colors, mostly pastel shades of pink, purple, blue and white. Make them in four pretty stages of bloom including a bud, a partially open flower, a closed flower, and the fully bloomed sweet pea. The tiny calyxes finish them cleanly, and are worth the little bit of extra work. Sweet peas are beautiful simply gathered into a small bouquet, or tape a few flowers and buds together into a stem so they peek out between larger flowers.
1. Roll a 1⁄4in (5mm) ball of white paste into a 1⁄2in (1cm) long cone shape.
2. Attach the cone neatly to hooked 26g wire (see Getting Started).
3. Pinch along one side and just over the tip of the cone firmly with your thumb and fingers to flatten.
4. Smooth the flattened section with a ball tool on a foam pad. Make a second pass with the ball tool on the outer edge to add a slight ruffle or wave. If needed, gently press the reverse side of the center between your fingers to keep it from getting too wide. Allow to dry completely before using.
5. Make a center for every sweet pea flower, plus a few more to use as buds.
If you make any centers that are just too large to use in the sweet pea flowers, save them to use as sweet pea buds. They will be perfect peeking out of an arrangement!
6. Roll white paste thinly to 1⁄16in (2mm) and keep it covered to prevent drying.
7. Press individual spots on the paste firmly and evenly with a petal veiner.
8. Cut the inner petal shapes by centering the cutter over the veining.
9. Place the petals on a foam pad with the veining facing down. Thin the outer edges with a ball tool.
10. Go around the edges again with more ball tool pressure to lightly ruffle them.
11. Apply a small amount of sugar glue to the reverse side of the sweet pea center.
12. Attach the inner petal with the veining facing towards you and the notch lining up over the base of the center. Smooth the petal to the center to secure.
13. Hang the sweet pea to dry to help keep the petals from opening too wide. Let it dry completely before adding the outer petals. These can also be used as partially open versions of sweet peas.
14. Prepare the paste in the same way as for the inner petals, including veining, and then cut the outer petals.
15. Place the petals with the veining side down on the foam pad, and thin the edges with a ball tool. Then lightly ruffle the edges of the petals.
16. Apply a small amount of sugar glue down the middle of the reverse side of the inner petal.
17. Attach the outer petal with the veining facing towards you and the notch lined up over the base of the center, as for the inner petal. Smooth the outer petal where it attaches to the inner petal to secure. Continue to step 18.
18. If desired, pinch the paste at the top center of the petal, creating a center vein.
19. Dry some of the sweet peas hanging so they are more closed.
20. Dry additional sweet peas lying face up on the backs of spoons so they are more open and fully bloomed.
21. Roll green paste moderately thinly and keep it covered to prevent drying. Cut out several 5⁄8in (1.5cm) calyx shapes at a time.
22. Place the calyxes on a foam pad and widen each section with a small ball tool.
23. Pinch the tips of the calyx sections with your fingertips.
24. Apply a small amount of sugar glue on the calyx and slide up the wire to attach it to the base of the sweet pea. Press with your fingers to secure it around the base of the flower.
25. Glue a calyx to all of the sweet peas and buds, including all four stages of bloom. Allow them to dry completely before dusting.
26. Dust cosmos pink on the edges of all the petals, both front and back.
27. Dust a small amount of kiwi green on the reverse side of the petals, just above the calyx.
28. Dust kiwi green on the top and underside of the calyx.
29. Once all petals and calyxes are dusted, gently steam the sweet peas for a few seconds to set the color (see Getting Started). Let them dry before using.
Sweet peas are also beautiful in white, and are quick to finish. Dust the backs of the petals and the calyxes with soft green, and then steam to set the color. Allow them to dry before using.
