NEW POSTINGS ON THURSDAY
 I’d like to share with you some with you some ideas for arrangements in the Small “Flower Girl” Basket. In the “Arrange It!” box, you will find the basics to start these arrangements.  The Oasis Floral Foam Brick is large enough to fix 3 separate arrangements. Cut 1/3 of the brick and soak it in a container of warm water. Soaking may take overnight. The basket contains a plastic liner. Remove the liner and place the soaked Oasis in the liner. It should rise above the liner about 1”. Using the waterproof floral tape in the “Arrange It!” box, lightly tape the Oasis to the liner. Replace the liner in the basket.  I begin my arrangements with the greenery. These arrangements all use leatherleaf greenery. This only uses 2 stems of leatherleaf. Cut the stems into small pieces. Use the pieces to cover the Oasis.  Two selections are tall. The flowers are taller than the handle of the basket. One arrangement is using pink miniature carnations, white daisy pom-poms, and Baby’s Breath. This is one small bunch of each flower selection. Use the Miniature Carnation as the primary flower. Place the white daisies lower than the miniature carnations. Finish the arrangement by placing small pieces of the Baby’s Breath heavily between the other blooms.
The third arrangement is features at the top of this post. It is pink miniature carnations and Baby’s Breath. These are the same mini carnations used in the tall arrangement. This basket arrangement is ideal for a Flower Girl in a Wedding. The flowers are arranged below the handle. This allows the basket to be carried by the handle without severe damage to the arrangement. Three arrangements can be designed for this small “Flower Girl” basket of the “Arrange It!”. All you need to add are your personal choices for the flowers.
Next week we will look at designs for the larger “Flower Girl” basket using larger selections of flowers.
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I am totally exhausted. I can’t think clearly. We have been going full speed since Christmas. It has been awesome. I have become more aware of the use of flowers since beginning this adventure.
Christmas was filled with helping others decorate their own homes. Going through Mom’s early designs has brought back a lot of memories and a lot of ideas to share. I still saved some for next Christmas. Mardi Gras was spectacular. The flowers throughout the season were abundant. The stages were colorful and bright. The guest rooms seem to have more flowers this year. The presentations I have seen were breathtaking. One day, I hope to share with you the designers that created these masterpieces. There is so much talent! Valentine’s Day brought roses everywhere you looked. The scent was magnificent! There were so many colors available. Now, I look forward to Easter! There are many ideas I am working on. There are three ideas I am working on for Easter. I hope to announce these ideas soon. Hopefully, next week! It is rewarding for me to share these designs with you. It also reminds of how much I have forgotten. Thank you for helping me get my memory back!!  Many of the roses available are at lower cost in bunches, not in arrangements. I would like to share the way I arrange a dozen roses. You will need: Dozen Long Stemmed Roses Tall Rose Vase Floral Waterproof Tape – ¼” wide 12 18” #20 gage Florist Wire 5-6 Stems Greenery Bow (Published last Thursday) Process the roses in warm water as you prepare to arrange the roses. Remove the leaves halfway down the stem of the rose. I recommend cutting the stems underwater. Place the roses in separate container than your vase. Let them drink water while you are preparing the vase.  Choose a rose vase. Roses drink a lot of water. This vase is made to hold a larger amount of water. Clean and dry the vase. I take waterproof tape and make a crisscross on the top of the vase.  Then, turn the vase sideways and tape close to the top of the rim, taping over the 4 ends of the crisscross. Allow the tape to double over the beginning of the tape. Then, I cut the ends of the crisscross to just below the tape on the rim of the vase. This helps to hold the roses in place as you make the arrangement. Fill the vase with water treated with floral preservative.
I start the arrangement with the tallest rose in the bundle. Place this rose in the center of the vase. You now have four roses in the arrangement. After wiring the next rose, place the rose to the back of the arrangement between the tallest flower and the flower to the right. Place the next wired rose to the back of the arrangement to the left between the tallest rose and the rose to the left. Place the next wired rose to the right side of the arrangement between the two roses. Repeat the same placement of the next wired rose to the left side of the arrangement. Place the next wired rose, by holding the stem close to the top of the rim on the right side of the vase, and allowing the flower to rest on the rim. Repeat this procedure of the next wired rose to the left side of the vase. Place another wired rose to back of the arrangement on the right. Place another wired rose to the back of the arrangement on the left. I take greenery and place them in the center of the arrangement to add height. Do not place the greenery taller than the bloom of the rose. Finish the arrangement by adding a bow to the front of the vase.
 There are many different styles of bows. The bow I use with a dozen roses arrangement is usually 5 loops on each side of a center loop with streamers. This bow is made by pinching and twisting the ribbon in the direction you desire. I secure the bow with a piece of wire wrapped with floral tape. I then place the bow to the arrangement.
The size of the ribbon usually used for vase arrangements is #9 and #3. #9 is about 1 ½” wide and #3 is about ¾” wide. #9 is usually used on tall vases, #3 on budvases. You will need for a Dozen Roses Arrangement: # 9 Florist Grade Satin Ribbon – about 12 feet 18” #20 Wire - Wrapped with Floral Tape Begin making the bow by making a tail about 8” long. Cut the bottom of the ribbon at an angle. The length of the tail depends on the height of the vase the bow will highlight. Pinch the ribbon, then twist the ribbon to create a loop over your thumb. This loop should be about 3 inches tall. Pinch the ribbon, then twist the ribbon to place the next loop at the top of the center loop. Pinch and twist the ribbon so the shiny side goes to the bottom of the center loop. These three loops should be the same size to make a fuller bow. Pinch the ribbon and twist it so it goes to the top and left, a little bit taller than the previous loop. Pinch the ribbon and twist it so that it goes to the bottom and opposite side of the center loop. Pinch and twist the next loop to go top and opposite the last loop. Pinch and twist next to go bottom and opposite. Pinch and twist the next loop to the center of the two top loops a little taller. Pinch and twist the next loop to the center of the bottom loop, the same as the previous loop. Pinch and twist the next loop to the bottom of the bow, then pinch and twist the next loop to the opposite side of the bottom of bow. Pinch and twist the ribbon to form the last tail of the bow. Cut the ribbon tail, at an angle, about 2” longer than the other tail. This forms the streamers of the bow. Complete the bow by taking the wrapped wire through the loops by running the wire over your thumb toward the top of your hand. Push the wire around the center of the pinched ribbons toward between your middle and ring finger, and down the bow. Turn the bow upside down, remove your hand, and secure the wire by tightly twisting close to the ribbon. Adjust the wire downward to make the bow front facing. Holding the bow by the wire, near the ribbon, you can adjust the loops to fluff out your bow. The bow is be placed in the front of the arrangement at the top of the vase. Remember, learning to make a bow is like appearing at Carnegie Hall - All it takes is Practice, Practice, Practice!
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