Happy Thursday Y'all! This short week is just about gone, isn't it!!
Well, it's Tips and Tricks Thursday -- I think I'm just gonna give y'all a few quick tips for flower arrangements...
The easiest arrangement to do is to use just one type of flower in bulk. This is an elegant bouquet and you don't have to do anything except trim the stems. If you purchase or pick all of 1 color or type of flower, and put them in a simple vase - your table will be just gorgeous without much effort at all. Pitchers, mason jars, coffee mugs, vinegar bottles and oil bottles make great vases.
If you want to work with a variety of flowers, I'd like to suggest using the rule of 3's. If you will use 3 of each stem, your arrangement will have balance - trim the stems in graduated lengths for variety and insert them into the arrangement in chunks rather than individual stems -- this will give more balance to your arrangements.
Never put flowers in ice cold water or in hot water. It will shock them and they will not live as long. If you want to condition flowers, put them in tepid (tap water at room temp) and them place them in the refrigerator. This will allow the flowers to adjust to cooler temperatures gradually rather than shocking them. You can do this overnight for arrangements that need to last a long time or if you have blooms that need to open slightly.
Try using herbs and veggies in your arrangements. If you have small cherry tomatoes that can be cut by the stem, put them into your arrangement - same for peppers - cut parsley, sage or rosemary for added greenery -- you can "stem" vegetables like carrots and cucumbers and put them into styrofoam for added interest. Grapes, berries, lemons, limes, and apples make great arrangement additions as do artichokes and larger peppers. A kitchen arrangement filled with fresh vegetables and fruits makes such an attractive enhancement to your decor.
Filling clear vases with one type of fruit is a great easy arrangement idea. Tall cylinder type vases filled with whole oranges (or any single type of citrus) and sliced rings placed against the sides at the top can add a pop of fresh color to any table or counter top. Any citrus fruit will work for this project. This type of arrangement won't last more than 1 day though - so keep that in mind - the water will get murky.
If you need a quick fix of something interesting - put different types of lettuce heads in a large punch bowl or lined basket filled with ice water (if you use a basket put the ice in ziploc bags and place on towels inside the basket). Just lay them on top of the iced water and pack full. You can add in red cabbage, savoy cabbage and even some celery bunches (trim off any discoloration) -- talk about a pretty arrangement -- mist with water to give a fresh picked dewy look! Or if you won't have the arrangement out for a long time, make it look like a fresh bowl of "salad fixins" and just tuck whole tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, radishes, etc. into the lettuce leaves. You might need to use a few wooden skewers to make them sturdy - wouldn't advise using them on the tomatoes. After your event, these products can mostly be eaten. Just be sure to wash them and store them properly.
Some of my favorite arrangements come from my "yard flowers" -- if you have a pretty bunch of flowers, pick them early in the morning and place them in fresh water as soon as you can after cutting them. Mixtures of zinnias, oak leaf hydrangeas, daisies and tiger lilies are so striking with their bold colors and lacy petals.
Another simple idea for arrangements would be to fill a large basket full of potted plants. Purchase an assortment of brightly colored annuals (begonias, sweet potato vine, verbena, dusty miller, vinca and some herbs and arrange them in the basket lined with newspaper. You can even let a little of the paper hang over the edge for a market fresh look. Brightly colored napkins would be a good liner too. Arrange them according to height and color and in no time you'll have a re-usable arrangement that you can plant in your yard later. So so cute!
If you like melons, why not purchase a few and make them your centerpiece. Slice cantaloupe in half and leave the seeds and lean the halves against other whole melons. Watermelon could be halved and then quarter one half and then cut into large chunky pyramids. If you place this on a rimmed platter covered in hydrangea leaves, you can tuck fresh daises around for a really interesting "edible" arrangement. And the aroma will be heavenly! Just use the rule of odd numbers and purchase either all of one type or 3 varieties (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), adding in other fruit for interest (a combination of berries, bananas, melon, citrus, tropical and shaped fruit (pineapple, star fruit, ugly fruit, etc.) might be interesting in a basket - some cut, some whole.
The point is - use your imagination - purchased arrangements are convenient - but with a little thought and planning, you can personalize your party and make it interesting and fun for you and your family and guests.
Keep it simple, don't put too many different types of anything, and cluster your combinations in chunks rather than scattering them - and your arrangements will look beautiful. Don't be afraid -- give it a try -- you might just surprise yourself!
Have a great Thursday!! Be blessed...not stressed! Amy
Verse of the Day: Jeremiah 33:3: Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
Well, it's Tips and Tricks Thursday -- I think I'm just gonna give y'all a few quick tips for flower arrangements...
The easiest arrangement to do is to use just one type of flower in bulk. This is an elegant bouquet and you don't have to do anything except trim the stems. If you purchase or pick all of 1 color or type of flower, and put them in a simple vase - your table will be just gorgeous without much effort at all. Pitchers, mason jars, coffee mugs, vinegar bottles and oil bottles make great vases.
If you want to work with a variety of flowers, I'd like to suggest using the rule of 3's. If you will use 3 of each stem, your arrangement will have balance - trim the stems in graduated lengths for variety and insert them into the arrangement in chunks rather than individual stems -- this will give more balance to your arrangements.
Never put flowers in ice cold water or in hot water. It will shock them and they will not live as long. If you want to condition flowers, put them in tepid (tap water at room temp) and them place them in the refrigerator. This will allow the flowers to adjust to cooler temperatures gradually rather than shocking them. You can do this overnight for arrangements that need to last a long time or if you have blooms that need to open slightly.
Try using herbs and veggies in your arrangements. If you have small cherry tomatoes that can be cut by the stem, put them into your arrangement - same for peppers - cut parsley, sage or rosemary for added greenery -- you can "stem" vegetables like carrots and cucumbers and put them into styrofoam for added interest. Grapes, berries, lemons, limes, and apples make great arrangement additions as do artichokes and larger peppers. A kitchen arrangement filled with fresh vegetables and fruits makes such an attractive enhancement to your decor.
Filling clear vases with one type of fruit is a great easy arrangement idea. Tall cylinder type vases filled with whole oranges (or any single type of citrus) and sliced rings placed against the sides at the top can add a pop of fresh color to any table or counter top. Any citrus fruit will work for this project. This type of arrangement won't last more than 1 day though - so keep that in mind - the water will get murky.
If you need a quick fix of something interesting - put different types of lettuce heads in a large punch bowl or lined basket filled with ice water (if you use a basket put the ice in ziploc bags and place on towels inside the basket). Just lay them on top of the iced water and pack full. You can add in red cabbage, savoy cabbage and even some celery bunches (trim off any discoloration) -- talk about a pretty arrangement -- mist with water to give a fresh picked dewy look! Or if you won't have the arrangement out for a long time, make it look like a fresh bowl of "salad fixins" and just tuck whole tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, radishes, etc. into the lettuce leaves. You might need to use a few wooden skewers to make them sturdy - wouldn't advise using them on the tomatoes. After your event, these products can mostly be eaten. Just be sure to wash them and store them properly.
Some of my favorite arrangements come from my "yard flowers" -- if you have a pretty bunch of flowers, pick them early in the morning and place them in fresh water as soon as you can after cutting them. Mixtures of zinnias, oak leaf hydrangeas, daisies and tiger lilies are so striking with their bold colors and lacy petals.
Another simple idea for arrangements would be to fill a large basket full of potted plants. Purchase an assortment of brightly colored annuals (begonias, sweet potato vine, verbena, dusty miller, vinca and some herbs and arrange them in the basket lined with newspaper. You can even let a little of the paper hang over the edge for a market fresh look. Brightly colored napkins would be a good liner too. Arrange them according to height and color and in no time you'll have a re-usable arrangement that you can plant in your yard later. So so cute!
If you like melons, why not purchase a few and make them your centerpiece. Slice cantaloupe in half and leave the seeds and lean the halves against other whole melons. Watermelon could be halved and then quarter one half and then cut into large chunky pyramids. If you place this on a rimmed platter covered in hydrangea leaves, you can tuck fresh daises around for a really interesting "edible" arrangement. And the aroma will be heavenly! Just use the rule of odd numbers and purchase either all of one type or 3 varieties (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), adding in other fruit for interest (a combination of berries, bananas, melon, citrus, tropical and shaped fruit (pineapple, star fruit, ugly fruit, etc.) might be interesting in a basket - some cut, some whole.
The point is - use your imagination - purchased arrangements are convenient - but with a little thought and planning, you can personalize your party and make it interesting and fun for you and your family and guests.
Keep it simple, don't put too many different types of anything, and cluster your combinations in chunks rather than scattering them - and your arrangements will look beautiful. Don't be afraid -- give it a try -- you might just surprise yourself!
Have a great Thursday!! Be blessed...not stressed! Amy
Verse of the Day: Jeremiah 33:3: Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
No comments:
Post a Comment