Any icing experts (or just some one who know more than me) in the house?

[lizzylemon]

Barley Sugar / Thelma - I was thinking of just adding the gum to some existing fondant icing I've already got. Im sure its damp enough to disolve the powder but wondering if it will work. Woddathink?

[lizzylemon]

Barley & Thelma, I was thinking of adding the gum to some existing fondant Ive got. It doesn't have to last forever, just through to Xmas day. Wodda think? Will it work?

[Thelma Sanders]

Gum Tragacanth is a powder that can be added to fondant icing (10ml/2tsp of powder to 500g/1lb of icing) to give a more pliable consistency for moulding flowers and free standing figures, and it will ensure that the decorations dry quickly and set harder than normal.

from Cake Icing Hints & Tips | Kitchens Guides | Kitchens - Cookware specialists for over 40 years

I've never done that myself though. Good luck

[Creemteez]

Hiya Lizy. Petal paste is not that hard to come by. I live in the wilds of Cornwall and both my local towns have shops that stock it. I always use it for fine work on my cakes and it really does last forever if kept dry - suprisingly strong too! I might well try the recipe for Mexican Paste as that sounds a good alternative- though I worry about achieving a uniform product when mixing my own.
It sounds like a lovely idea, though - go for it, what's the worst that could happen?

BTW, thanks for the "plug", Jules!