shape a one and a half inch ball of red gum paste into a log about two inches long roll to less than 1 16 of an inch thick over the groove of a cornstarch dusted impression mat forming a ridge using the poppy petal cutter cut shapes brush the side of the ridge with gum glue adhesive place the wire against the ridge and fold the ridge over the wire place the petal wire side up on a cornstarch dusted flower impression mat dust with cornstarch and press with thin foam to imprint the veins place the petal imprint side up on cornstarch dusted medium foam using a ball tool soften the outer edge of the petal to ruffle for more roughly petals use a modeling stick to thin the petal edges dust the flour forming bowl with cornstarch and position the petal with the top edge overlapping the edge of the cup two petals will fit in each cup repeat this process to make three additional outer petals for the inner petals cut wire and ruffle two more petals position the petal in the bottom of a dusted flower forming bowl and let dry make a 1 8 of an inch hook on the end of the 26 gauge floral wire for the flower center shape a half inch ball of light moss green gum paste into a cone half an inch in diameter by half an inch high brush the hook with gum glue adhesive insert the straight end into the cone shape at the widest end pushing the wire through until the hooked end is about halfway through the cone press a small amount of dark moss green gum paste into the cornstarch dusted poppy center top cavity of impression matte attach the poppy center to the top of the cone with gum glue adhesive let dry for at least 24 hours in a craft foam block to make stamens wrap black cotton thread around two fingers 25 to 30 times remove from fingers and insert floral wire through the center fold wire in half and twist thread the loop and wire as tightly as possible slightly overlapping the base of the loop tape wire to secure the threads repeat to make four additional clusters using scissors cut the loops and trim the threads to desired lengths wrap the flower center wire with floral tape attach the five clusters to center lining up the twisted end with the start of the floral tape and tape tightly together tape the two inner poppy petals to the poppy center positioned opposite each other tape the four outer petals underneath and between the inner petals adjust the petals as needed and trim the stamen if needed wrap all wires together with floral tape you