Easily recognizable for their creamy white petals and lush green leaves, the magnolia is an elegant choice for a statement flower. The colors here make a flower that looks a bit more mature, but you can create a completely different look by dusting the center with a few of your favorite greens. Because the petals are clean and simple, the magnolia comes together quickly, and the two-tone leaves are the perfect final touch.
1. Using pliers, create a closed hook in a 20g white wire (see Getting Started) and then wrap it 12 times around with white half-width floral tape to create a small bud.
2. Roll a smooth 7⁄8in (2.3cm) ball of pale beige paste into an egg shape. Then use your fingers to press the base into a gently pointed v-shape.
3. Dab the taped bud with sugar glue and insert into the center of the paste. Secure the paste to the wire neatly at the base.
4. Using small scissors, snip into the paste, starting from the base and working your way to the tip. Make the cuts small and delicate, overlapping and layering them so they are not too uniform. Make a few small cuts into the very top of the center as well. Use your fingers or a small tool to pull some of the bits of paste open to create more overall texture. Set aside and allow to dry completely for 24 hours before using.
5. Dust the bottom third of the magnolia center with pale green dust, and then add pale yellow dust over the remaining two thirds of the center.
6. Dust the top third with a pale mixture of orange and brown. Gently tap the wire on the edge of a table to knock off any excess dust. Steam the center to set the colors (see Getting Started) and let it dry before using. Additional color can be added if a darker center is desired. If more color is added, steam a second time before adding petals.
7. Roll white paste on the groove board to 1⁄16in (2mm) thickness. Do not roll the paste too thinly (so it becomes see-through) as magnolias are known for their thicker and waxier petals.
8. Cut a small petal, rolling the paste with the base of the petal higher over the groove on the groove board so you end up with a groove on the reverse side of the petal that is only about 3⁄4in (2cm) long. This is long enough to insert the wire, but most importantly, the finished magnolia petals won’t have the shadow of the longer groove on the petals showing through from the reverse. The petals will just look creamy and elegant without giving away the “secret” of using the groove board.
9. Dip a 26g white wire into sugar glue and then insert it into the groove and secure neatly (see Getting Started).
10. Gently stretch the petal with a few light strokes of a rolling pin.
11. Working on the back of the petal, thin the edges with a ball tool on a foam pad.
12. Lay petals face up in the apple tray with gently cupped formers to dry completely. Make three small petals per flower.
13. Roll paste on the groove board to 1⁄16in (2mm) thickness. Cut a large petal shape using a minimal groove on the reverse side (as in step 8). Dip a 26g white wire in sugar glue and insert into the groove, securing it neatly. On the reverse of the petal, thin edges with a ball tool on a foam pad.
14. Gently bend the wire 90 degrees at the base of the petal, towards the reverse side of the petal. Lay it reverse side down in a 41⁄2in (11.5cm) half sphere former to dry, feeding the wire down through the center hole. Smooth the petal to conform with the former. Make sure to dust the former lightly with cornstarch (cornflour) to prevent the paste from sticking. If the tip of the petal rises higher than the edge of the former, tuck a small piece of tissue behind it to prevent creases or any fold over. Make six large petals per flower.
15. As an option to make more open and side-curled petals, create the petals in the same way, but dry them in a foil former that has been shaped around a rolling pin.
16. Using green half-width floral tape (see Getting Started), wrap the tape under the base of the flower center two or three times. Tape three small petals around the center one at a time, spacing them evenly.
17. Tape the first three large petals so that they lay over the openings in between the first layer of inner petals.
18. Tape the last three large petals so that they lay over the openings between the previous layer of outer petals. Tape all the way down the wires to create a single neat stem.
