Valentines Day Flower & Candy Arrangement

But Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be limited to only red roses. Roses in a variety of hues are popular among recipients, as are other flowers, such as lilies, tulips, orchids, gerbera daisies, hydrangea and callas. (In fact, tulips are one of the most popular choices for Valentine’s Day.)

No matter what choice of flower or color that you decide to give for this special holiday, you can’t go wrong when you pair it with candy. To build on that quintessential combination, we’ve incorporated candy into the actual floral arrangement and prepared a tutorial to show you how you can create your own flower arrangement for Valentine’s Day. You can choose whatever flowers you desire and match it to a candy that complements the colors in your blossoms.

Here’s How

Step 1

Choose a vase and then find another container that will fit inside. You need enough space between the two for your candy to fill the void. You can use a drinking glass inside your vase as long as the lips of both containers are of similar height.

Step 2

Fill the space between the two containers with candy. Among pastel-colored choices are traditional conversation hearts, petite nonpareil mints, Jordan almonds or hard-coated chocolate candies (such as M&Ms). Or choose solid red- or pink-colored candies, such as red-hot cinnamon candies, gummy bears, red licorice bites, sour cherry balls, raspberry drops, Swedish fish, jelly beans or wrapped taffy pieces.

Step 3

In a separate container, mix water with flower food following the directions on the flower-food packet. Carefully pour this liquid into the inside vase.

Step 4

Trim your Valentine’s Day flowers to the appropriate length. You can determine length by holding a flower upside down next to your vase. Measure how high you want the flowers to extend over the top of the vase and trim the stem at that height. Then cut all your stems to match.

Step 5

Remove any foliage that will be underwater from each stem.

Step 6

Insert each flower stem individually into the vase. Crisscross the stems to create an internal framework that supports the stems. Fill in with additional flowers as needed.

Make sure your loved one keeps their Valentines flower arrangement away from heat vents or bowls of fresh fruit. The heat will dry out the flowers, and the fruit will emit an odorless, colorless gas that is nontoxic to humans but lethal to flowers.

Add water to the arrangement as needed, every one to two days. Trim the bottom of each stem when you add water to ensure the bottom doesn’t become mushy, which impedes the uptake of water.

Of course, you don’t have to limit the gift of flowers to only one day a year. Research proves that people love to receive flowers any time of year. So whether you are giving Valentine’s Day flowers or giving a floral gift “just because,” take time to personalize your present and make the occasion that much extra special.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Halloween Pumpkin Flower Arrangements

Here are some trendy ideas for Halloween flower arrangements:

Pumpkin Halloween Vase

Pumpkin Halloween Vase

You can transform a simple faux pumpkin into an eerie daisy Halloween vase by spray-painting the pumpkins with a matte black finish. Once the pumpkins have dried, carefully etch the surface and cut a hole in the top with a sharp paring knife.

Then, fill with water and accurately measured flower food and drop in a bouquet of orange daisies to create an eye-catching Halloween masterpiece.

You can find flowers at a variety of retailers such as your local supermarket, the neighborhood floral shop, online sellers or brick-and-mortar florist shops.

You could even make your own black flowers… here are 3 Easy Techniques to Create Black Flowers.

Chrysanthemums on Pumpkins

If daisies aren’t your style, other options include chrysanthemums in different colors, shapes and sizes. To add some interest to the display, use a variety of shades of orange-colored chrysanthemums. To add even more interest, use pumpkins in different sizes. Place some on the ground and place others on hay bales and upside-down baskets to add some height.

Chrysanthemums in a Pumpkin Vase

Hags’ Huge Pot Display

What is Halloween without your usual pot-stirring, maniacally laughing witch? To recreate an iconic witch’s cauldron, sans the ickiness and gore, fill a black pot with natural, dried flowers, grasses and berries. Include a bag of scented potpourri and some bare branches to add dramatic–and aromatic–effect. Toss in a block of dry ice for additional spooky drama.

Looking for more Halloween ideas? Check out our 9 Tips to Create Ghostly Decor.

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Cake decorations that feature candied flowers combine the beauty of real blossoms with the deliciousness of sugary sweets. And the technique is easy.

Sugar-Frosted Flowers & Cup Cakes | Image by Christies Corner

Sugar-Coated Flowers Are in Again

Decorating with sugar-frosted flowers isn’t new. The practice was popular as early as the 18th century. Today, however, interest has been renewed with the popularity of bakery-inspired specialties. And for anyone who already loves flowers, the combination is that much more irresistible.

Flower Choices Are Abundant

Most people’s first impulse with a rose is to sniff it—not to bite it. But roses, along with a wide and abundant variety of flowers, have a delicate flavor that pairs well with a sugary coating. Specifically, edible flowers include: calendula, carnation, chrysanthemum, English daisy, gardenia, gladiolus, hibiscus, hollyhock, honeysuckle, impatien, jasmine, lavender, lemon verbena, lilac, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, primrose, snapdragon and violet.

In purchasing posies, ask your florist for organically grown plants. If your florist doesn’t have pesticide-free flowers in stock, he or she can special-order them from farms that follow chemically free practices. You can also find edible flowers in many specialty grocers’ produce departments or online.

Sugar-Frosted Flowers for Weddings | Image by Crystallized Flower Co

Frosting Flowers Is Easy

The supplies required for creating crystallized concoctions are simple: egg whites, sugar (regular, colored or superfine) and a small paint brush.

Step 1:

Daisies & Roses | Image by Candied Flowers

Dip the brush into the egg whites. Holding the blossom just under the flower head, lightly brush egg white onto each petal and all other parts onto which you want the sugar to adhere. Don’t use too much egg white or the petals will become heavy and droop.

Step 2:

Hold the flower over a plate and sprinkle the sugar on it. Recycle the excess sugar that falls onto the plate as it collects.

Step 3:

Place each blossom onto a flat surface, such as a cookie sheet. Allow the flowers to dry, for overnight or longer, depending on the size of the blossom.

Step 4:

To store, stack the dried blossoms in an air-tight container with sheets of baking parchment between each layer. While stored flowers can last for up to two months, they will taste and look their best if you use them within several days of creation.

Cup-Cakes & Sugar-Frosted Flowers | Image by Crystallized Flower Co

Create a Floral Artwork

Use your sugar-frosted flowers to decorate cakes, cupcakes and other desserts, as well as in high-end cocktails for special occasions such as a Mother’s Day brunch, bridal showers and weddings. And be prepared for requests to make some for your friends, because the unique beauty of these crystal creations is likely to inspire lots of interest.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

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Dark purple flowers mimic the look of black flowers Photo: Michael Daigian Design/Trisha Dean Events

Some flowers give the illusion they are black because their blooms are extremely dark red or dark purple, such as the Schwarzwalder calla lily. But if you want a truly black flower, you can’t rely on Mother Nature to deliver the color. You have to give her a little help.

Easy Steps to Create Black Flowers

You can create the black flower of your choice by following one of three techniques, none of which is complicated. You can dye the flowers by placing the stems in dye-enhanced water, dip the blooms in colored stain or spray the blossoms with floral paint.

#1 How to Dye Flowers Black

The Internet offers tips on dyeing flowers using food coloring or ink, but that advice is misleading. Such methods may work to a degree, but they aren’t as effective as using professional floral dye, such as Design Master’s Absorbit. Plus, professional dye products won’t inhibit the flowers’ water uptake, ensuring you get the longest vase life for your blooms.

Dyed Black Rose

To purchase floral dye, ask your florist to order it for you. (He or she can advise you on which colors will mix to achieve the deepest black.) Then ask your florist what blooms work best. Some experts recommend choosing white flowers, but others suggest choosing a dark color, such as red. You may need to experiment with both to determine which one to choose for your project.

Follow these steps once you’ve chosen your flower variety:

1. Leave flowers out of water for at least three hours once you get them home from your florist. When flowers are a bit stressed, they will absorb the dye-enhanced water more quickly.
2. In a container large enough to hold the flowers, add 2-3 teaspoons of floral dye to each quart of warm water (100-110 degrees Fahrenheit/37-43 degrees Celsius). Mix the liquid thoroughly.
3. Remove lower foliage from each stem. Cut stems at an angle with very sharp floral shears or a floral knife.
4. Place the stems into the dye solution. Allow them to sit in the water for 30 to 60 minutes.
5. While you are waiting, prepare a vase for your flower arrangement. Add floral preservative as indicated on the packet’s directions, mixing with the appropriate amount of water.
6. When enough time has passed, remove the flowers from the dye solution and rinse the dye off the stems.
7. Transfer your bouquet to the prepared vase.

The color of your flowers will intensify as the dye continues traveling up the stem. If dyeing different varieties, don’t expect the color to be absorbed at the same rate. Woody stems, like roses, take longer to uptake the dye than green-stemmed flowers, like carnations. Black roses also may not achieve even coloration unless you maintain the temperature of the dye solution while the stems are in the liquid. With those blossoms, place your container into a water-filled slow cooker on medium heat throughout the soaking period. If color is spotty, transfer roses to a separate container of warm water. Allow them to soak up the plain water overnight to further hydrate and spread the color throughout the petals.

Dispose of leftover dye solution by pouring it over newspaper to absorb it. Then toss out the papers with your normal trash.

Dyed Black Rose

#2 How to Dip Flowers for Black Blossoms

A faster option is the dip method. The same company that sells the floral dye Absorbit makes a product for this technique called Dipit. Directions are simple:

1. Choose flowers with fully opened blooms so the dye will more easily be able to coat each petal.
2. Pour the liquid dye into a container or bucket with a large opening to ease the dipping process.
3. Dip each flower into the solution for about 2 seconds.
4. Shake off the excess dye, allowing the extra liquid to fall back into your container.
5. Rinse each flower head under a faucet and shake again to remove the excess water.
6. Allow flowers to dry before handling so that you don’t stain clothing or skin with wet dye.

If your flowers aren’t as dark as you would like, you can redip them once they are dry. Simply repeat the steps above. As with Absorbit, pour any excess dye over an absorbent material, like newspapers, and then dispose of the papers in the trash.

#3 How to Spray Flowers to Create Black Blooms

Spraying flowers with floral spray paint is the easiest way to ensure a deep, dark, consistent black color. It’s also the messiest, so be prepared before you start by using drop cloths or newspapers to protect your work area from overspray. Also, make sure the area is well-ventilated, at a moderate temperature (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit/21 degrees Celsius) and not humid.

If your local craft store doesn’t sell floral spray paint, ask your florist to order it for you. Design Master makes a line called COLORTOOL that is specifically designed for use on fresh flowers. Regular spray paint is too harsh and heavy for delicate flower blossoms.

1. Shake the can well, before and between uses.
2. Turn the paint can nozzle to line up with the black dot on the rim.
3. Hold the can 15 to 18 inches from the flower head.
4. Spray each blossom, turning the bloom in your hand to get all sides and inside the petals.
5. For darker color, allow the paint to dry. Then apply another coat.

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Budgets are tight these days. As a result, most brides are being forced to get creative for their weddings to make every dollar they spend work as hard as possible. One way you can save some cash is to choose flowers for your bouquet—and all the other blooms for your bridal party— that are in season. Seasonal flowers are plentiful, which brings down the costs.

A hand-tied bouquet is easy for any bride to create herself.

Just as important for your budget is to work with your florist and let him or her know exactly what you can afford. Your florist can then guide you in choosing optimal bloom and designs that fulfill the look you desire within your price range.

Yet some brides are in such a budget bind that no matter how they work the numbers, they simply can’t afford the services of a florist. If that’s the case with you, don’t give up hope. You can still have a lovely bouquet to carry down the aisle. And you’ll have the added satisfaction that you created it yourself.

Make Your Own Bridal Bouquet

The easiest bouquet for a novice floral arranger to create is what florists call a hand-tied design. The easiest hand-tied bouquet—and one of the most stylish and prettiest—consists of one type and color of flower. Carnations and roses, among many other types of flowers, are a great choice for hand-tied designs for three reasons:

1.  They are plentiful year-round, which typically means they are very affordable.

2.  They are easy to work with because of their straight stems and minimal foliage.

3.  They allow you to create a sophisticated, monochromatic look.

To create your bouquet, first strip any foliage off all the stems. Next, grasp three stems in one hand. Hold the blooms just beneath their heads keeping the heads close together. Then, add individual stems around those in the middle, turning the bouquet as you place each stem to fill in holes and start to enlarge the overall bouquet. Place each “level” of flowers slightly lower than the original three so that you create a “mounded” effect. Continue adding stems until you have reached the size you prefer.

A monochromatic bouquet of pink carnations offers a vintage, retro feel to a bridal bouquet. (Photo courtesy of Zoe Rowlands, The Flower Company)

If some flower heads are too low, slightly loosen your grip on the bouquet so you can gently lift that head to the height you need.

Once your bouquet is complete, use floral tape (available from crafts/hobby stores, or simply use a long twist-tie or rubber band) to wrap around the stems to hold them in place. Place the tape as close as you can to the heads of the bouquet to keep them bunched closely together. Wrap more floral tape about 2 to 4 inches above where you intend to cut the stems.

Trim off all the stems to equal length using a pair of very sharp scissors or a knife. (Dull scissors will smash the stems, rather than slicing through them, which will inhibit water uptake.)

Next, take a length of ribbon to match or contrast with your flower color and being to wrap the ribbon around the stems to cover the rubber bands/twist ties. Once you have completely covered the stems, use decorative pushpins to hold the ribbon in place.

To maintain the bouquet’s freshness until your ceremony, fill a container with water to a level that allows you to place the bouquet into the container so the stems are submerged but your ribbon stays dry. Add flower food/preservative to ensure the longevity of your blossoms.

Once the ceremony is over, you can place your bouquet back into its container and use it to dress up a table at the reception.

You can find great how-to videos all over the web, simply go to www.YouTube.com and search. One that is particularly well-done is available from Lilly of the Valley Florist in La Quinta, California, U.S.A.

If you are adventurous and want to try something that is more complicated, check out this video for a new website being launched by BloomTube:

One other reference: For creative brides who want to push their bouquet-making skills to the next level, you can find inspiration for some gorgeous, well-crafted bouquets by well-known floral designer Rene Van Rem. His book, “Rene’s Bouquets: A Guide to Euro-Style Hand-Tied Bouquets” is available from a variety of online booksellers—including www.Amazon.com.

Written by

Gina B. Kellogg

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to our Updates, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

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Kate's Bridal Bouquet | Image: TheBeautyBridal.com

Unlike Princess Diana’s flowing waterfall of flowers 30 years earlier—resplendent of the opulent ’80s—Kate chose only a handful of posies for her less-lavish bunch. No expensive, exotic orchids or other imported tropicals for the new princess. Instead, Kate’s choices were all common flowers native to her home country of England.

Their simplicity, however, only added to their minimalist beauty.

If you want to duplicate the look for your upcoming wedding, check with your florist as to whether Kate’s choices of flowers will be available at the time of year you are being wed. While many of them may be familiar garden flowers, not all florists will have an easily accessible source for them. Plus, even if your florist can obtain these options, the blossoms may be out of season, resulting in exorbitant prices. If any of these issues impact their availability for your bridal bouquet, rely on your florist to suggest other choices that are in season, more affordable and that can replicate the same look at a fraction of the price.

The Flowers in Kate’s Bouquet

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus Orientalis)

ŸHyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
Hyacinths are popular due to their fragrant blossoms and wide range of colors (though Kate chose conventional white). You’ll recognize this beauty’s long clusters of flowers dripping from the stems.

Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis)
The small, white flowers of this plant are shaped like tiny bells. They are another fragrant posey.

Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
These ivory flowers grow from a scented shrub. Their glossy green leaves offered a striking but tasteful contrast to the pale flowers in Kate’s bouquet.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)
Another fragrant option, this flower features five-petaled blossoms at the top of each stem. (Kate chose this flower as a nod to her new husband.)

Even if you love the look of Kate’s royal bouquet, you don’t necessarily have to copy it exactly to get the same fashionable feel. Choose other varieties of blossoms with small, delicate flowers in a monochromatic color scheme. Discuss the options for your bouquet with your florist. Rely on his or her knowledge and experience to create a bridal bouquet that is as distinctly you as Kate’s was for her.

Written by

Gina B. Kellogg

For more on the Royal Wedding Flowers and Kate Middleton’s Bouquet, read this article by TheBeautyBridal.com.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to our Updates, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

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