I love fresh flowers. If I won the lottery, I would have fresh flowers delivered to my home every week, professionally arranged and displayed in my home.
However, I've not won the lottery yet, so I have to resort to doing my flower arranging on my own.
I've got the BEST IDEA to share with you so that you too can have beautiful flower arrangements for under $5.00.
Yes, under $5.00!
Here's how...
It starts with the small bouquet from Wal*Mart. This one had 4 mini yellow roses and 2 stems of Burgundy mums.
I filled a glass hobnailed jar with water and half of the flower fresh packet that comes with these flower bouquets. There are several other options to use, including Thieve essential oil. It's up to you, but I do recommend using something to treat you water so that your flowers have a longer life.
Now, comes the "real magic" of this arrangement...
FAKE FOLIAGE, STICKS, AND FLOWERS.
Yep...this is a collection of faux greenery that I have had for over 5 years! I've purchased it all at craft stores when their faux flowers are on sale. Notice that some of the stems are bent so they are "shorter," however, because they are all wired inside their plastic stems, I can lengthen them OR shorten them as needed.
So, I'm an avid Real Housewives of Beverly Hills watcher, and Lisa Vanderpump does this exact thing in her arrangements; well, her weekly florist does this exact thing. Now of course, she has a six-figure flower budget for her home, (yes, I said 6-figures) and her arrangements are OVER. THE. TOP. Think expensive hotel lobby, GIANT ARRANGEMENTS. I don't have that budget, but I did "borrow" her idea.
I keep them bunched together in a drawer, but when I start an arrangement I pull them out and separate them into like groups. I have a set of dark brown "sticks," some thin sticks with small mossy colored leaves, 3 stems of small white flowers with lime green leaves, and a nice grouping of green leaves which are reminiscent of succulent leaves.
I start by adding the fake flowers to the vase. They go right into the water, and because they are plastic it doesn't hurt them at all. Starting with the fake flowers creates a strong base in which the real flowers can be "held."
I make the arrangement very organic, distributing the faux stems out on all sides and up the middle.
A standard rule of thumb when arranging flowers is to mimic the vase you are using. This one in tall and straight up and down. The height of the flowers needs to replicate the vase, adding a few inches right in the middle point. The highest point needs to be in the center of the arrangement and the other pieces need to "umbrella out" from that point. I want my real blooms to be the stars here and my faux stems to be the supporting cast.
Next, I add the Burgundy mums, opposite of each other (because I only have two), and slightly above the starter faux pieces.
Next I add the 4 yellow roses. One rose is in the center at the tallest point while the others fan out through the sides.
The faux stems are holding the real stems in place, which makes it easier to place the real flowers exactly where I want them.
Now, it looks good just as it is, but I'm not done. I want to add the the texture that this arrangement to really finish it off.
I start by adding the small stems with flowers throughout the arrangement. Because they are "wired," I can bend and move them through the other stems, really giving it that romantic, organic look that I prefer in my arrangements.
See how the piece now has some "movement" in it? Plus, if you didn't know that there were faux stems in here, would you even guess it?
Again, you can be done at this point, but my favorite part is adding the dark brown branches.
The branches always add just the perfect touch. Because the arrangement is now very tightly packed, many of the branches are just nestled in the top layers gathered at the mouth of the vase. Some are just held in place by the faux foliage.
Add as much as you want, BUT, keep stepping back and look to see where you need to adjust your branches. Turn the vase around and look at it from all sides as well. You will see "holes" that can be plugged with the faux pieces. You can also reach under the arrangement, at the top of the vase and maneuver the whole of it around. It's sort of a twist that you give it that slightly makes some things reposition them selves.
Place your flower arrangement where you will enjoy it the most.
Add water as needed. I typically use a watering can with a thin spout so that it doesn't make a mess.
When your real blooms are spent, take out your faux stems and store for another arrangement, OR, just go buy yourself another $5.00 bunch of real flowers and start again.
What great tips do you have for making beautiful arrangements?
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