Citrus Shine
You'll Need:
Smaller vase, pint glass or plastic storage container
Medium cylinder vase
6 lemons
knife
1 bunch of orange tulips or yellow/orange parrot tulips
1 bunch of yellow tulips
1 bunch of orange spray roses or 8 to 10 stems of regular roses
Thick green floral tape or rubber bands
Scissors
3 stems of lemon leaves
Directions:
1. Fill the smaller vase, pint glass or plastic container three-quarters full with water. Place it inside the medium vase.
2. Slice the lemons about 1⁄8" to 1⁄4" thick, depending on how much space there is between the two vases.
3. Place the lemon slices in between the two vases, until the space is entirely lined with lemon slices. The slices will overlap. You can cut the lemon slices in half to better fit at the top of the vase.
4. Prep all the flowers.
5. Spiral the tulips together so that the orange and yellow flowers are evenly mixed. Secure the bouquet with floral tape or a rubber band and set aside.
6. Spiral the roses together. Secure with floral tape or a rubber band.
7. Cut the stems of each bouquet so the flowers rest on the edge of the vase.
8. Place the bouquets side by side inside the inner vase. If the arrangement doesn't look full or round enough, fluff or tug gently at the flower heads to create a fuller, more domed look.
9. Cut the lemon leaves to 3" to 4" long. Create a collar of leaves around the flowers by placing the stems inside the inner vase, so the leaves drape over the entire circumference of the outer vase.
Design Tip:
You can really use anything to line the vase—berries, seeds, legumes or candy, which is especially colorful for the holidays—although be mindful of the temperature to make sure the candy doesn't melt. It's also fun to match the flowers to what you're using to line the vase. So if you use orange slices, use some orange flowers. If you use limes, use a bright green flower like a spider mum or button mum to tie it all together.
Tomato Can Flowers
You'll Need:
Empty tomato can
Water
Clear floral tape
2 handfuls of mixed flowers cut from the backyard (bougainvillea, asters, lantana, greenery) or 1 premade wildflower bouquet with a mix of flowers
Scissors
1 bunch of orange ranunculus
3 to 4 very firm tomatoes on the vine
Optional: floral pick or kebab stick, thick green floral tape
Directions:
1. Fill the can halfway with water. With the clear floral tape, make a 3 x 3 grid over the opening of the can.
2. Remove any leaves from the bottom half of the backyard (or bouquet) flowers and cut them to about 6" to 8" long. Place the mix of flowers evenly throughout the can. Pull up any stems that fall down. The blooms should extend out from the can an inch or two on each side.
3. Prep and cut the ranunculus to about 7" to 8" long. For the ranunculus that have multiple small buds on thinner, secondary stems, cut them off where they meet the base of the main stem and set aside.
4. Place the ranunculus evenly throughout the arrangement, clustering 2 to 3 stems together in some areas for impact.
5. Pull the ranunculus up and out toward the edge of the arrangement so they are slightly higher than the backyard flowers. The design can be slightly asymmetrical.
6. If the tomatoes are small, about 2" in diameter, you can place their attached vine inside the can as described below. If it feels like the tomatoes are too heavy or the vine won't stay in the can, secure the vine to a floral pick or kebab stick with thick green floral tape. Cut the stick to the same height as the can. Place the vine (whether on a stick or not), in the front left portion of the can, and rest the tomatoes on the can's rim or allow them to hang over the side.
Design tip:
As an alternative, you could spray-paint the can gold or copper for an inexpensive yet beautiful look. If you do so, I'd recommend sticking with white and cream flowers, adding in touches of buttery yellows and peaches or simple greens.
Glitter Fest
You'll Need:
3 stems of hot pink roses
1 bunch of green button mums (or 3 to 4 stems)
1 bunch of yellow freesia
1 bunch of pink tulips (or 3 to 4 stems)
Scissors
Thermos
Clear glue or egg whites
Paper plates
Silver glitter
Directions:
1. Prep the flowers and cut all the stems to about 6" long. Fill the thermos three-quarters full with water.
2. Spread clear glue or egg whites on a paper plate. Put a pile of glitter on another paper plate.
3. Dip each rose head lightly into the glue, and then into the glitter, as if you're breading chicken. Lightly shake off any excess glitter.
4. Set the roses on a clean paper plate so that the blooms hang off the edge. Dry for 10 minutes.
5. Place the mums in clusters evenly throughout the outer edges of the thermos, so the flowers are leaning against the edge.
6. Place 2 roses in the middle of the arrangement and have the third rose resting on the rim of the vase. Each rose should have room around it so it can breathe.
7. Insert the freesia in clusters of 2 to 3 stems, evenly balanced throughout the arrangement.
8. Fill in any empty spaces with the tulips, angling them outward.
Design tip:
Experiment to discover the color combinations you like best. Some of my favorites are: yellow/pink, plum/light green, bright red/burnt orange, and bright yellow/light green.
Enjoy arranging your blooms and devour the details of some beautiful decor at your upcoming celebrations!
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