Fondant Frames for Cameos - Tutorial

This is the final post for how I did my fondant cameos. It has to do with finishing the cameo pieces with a type of frame for a nicer edge. For the frames I try to look at my molds a little differently. I look to see how the molded fondant piece can be cut apart to use for a frame. Sometimes I use a lot of little pieces, and other times just a few.

For this frame I'll be using a snowflake mold from First Impressions Molds. As with the other molded fondant posts I'm pushing a ball of fondant into the cavity and pressing out any air with my finger wrapped in a plastic baggie. 

Again this helps to keep the fondant from sticking to my finger and pulling back out of the mold.

 Cleaning up the edges as I go with my plastic wrapped finger I push and squish the fondant to one end of the snowflake adding fondant if needed. I remove the excess and clean up the last edge using my fingernail (still in plastic) or the blunt end of a toothpick.

After the excess fondant is removed it should look like this with clean edges and the fondant should be flat with the top of the mold. Place this in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

After about 10 minutes pop the snowflake out of the mold right side up onto parchment paper.

Note: The fondant will start to soften up right after leaving the mold so leave it undisturbed until it dries.

If condensation appears on the mold let it air dry before using again, or if you need the mold again right away dry it with a coffee filter as these won't leave lint on the mold.

For my cameo frame I will need two fondant snowflakes, so I will mold another one as soon as I dry my mold. 

This is one whole snowflake. I'll need two snowflakes to finish a frame that will fit around the cameo.

 To make the frame pieces fit around my cameo I cut each snowflake in half.

Now I need to fit the cut halves around the section of cameo where the frame piece will go, so I need to use the part of the oval cutter (same cutter I used to cut the cameo background) to match where it will set around the cameo.

This piece will go on the side of the cameo as I'm using the side of the cutter.

Hopefully this photo will help clarify what I mean.

 I used the top and bottom of the cutter to cut the section where the top and bottom snowflake frame piece will go so it will fit around that part of the cameo. I then did the same with the sides.

Now all the frame pieces fit snug against the cameo. The cameo can now be adhered with a dab of royal icing to an iced cookie followed by the individual framing pieces. Any gaps will be filled in with sugar pearls or royal icing dots.

Here are two photos of Christmas ornaments cookies using snowflake frames that I did last year for a magazine tutorial. The photo on the left shows an iced cookie with just the fondant pieces attached. The photo on the right shows a finished cookie with fondant pieces, jewelry transfers, individually place sugar pearls and dragees, as well as simple royal icing accents piped on to fill in some empty spaces.

♥ Happy Decorating ♥