Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under silk flowers | Comments are off
Silk or real; what’s a bride to do? For many brides, the question is really perplexing — especially for those who want to mix a dash of “Do-It-Yourself” into their wedding flower preparations. Obviously, silk comes with some advantages — it’s tough and shelf stable, and the petals won’t come off at the worst possible moment. On the other hand, silk flowers don’t always look real, and they aren’t always a bargain, either. The fact is, the silk versus real dilemma is more confusing than ever, thanks in part due to the increasing sophistication — and accompanying cost — of silk and latex flowers. To navigate this new terrain, we interviewed Paul Ajao, a professional florist and cofounder of Pure Botanics, a UK-based floral designer who specializes in weddings. You keep hearing that silk flowers have gotten “better and better.” Yet when you go to the local craft store, they look just about as artificial as ever. Where are these super-realistic flowers, and how can a bride get her hands on them? It’s true that artificial flowers have improved. But the quality varies widely from brand to brand. In addition to craft stores, take a look at which brands your local florists are using. After all, their reputation depends on delivering a beautiful result. Also, they might be able to order in artificial flowers for you — ones that you can’t get in the craft stores. One brand with a great reputation that florists use regularly is Sia, which you can find in the UK, US and Australia. Is it true that artificial flowers photograph poorly? And does that include the high-end latex type? When you take close-ups of artificial flowers, yes, it can be pretty obvious that the flowers aren’t real. But this depends a lot on the quality of the artificial flowers you’ve used. Remember that any shiny surfaces may cause the camera flash to “bounce,” which looks pretty unnatural for flowers. The common off-the-shelf flowers can be pretty shiny. One argument for silk flowers is that fresh flowers are seasonal, but some florists are suggesting that season isn’t so important these days — that almost everything can be imported all year round. Are you finding this to be true? Well, some of the most common cut flowers, such as roses, gerberas (gerber daisies) and orchids, are available all year round. So you don’t have to worry about seasonality with these flowers. But others, like peonies, lily of the valley and ranunculus, have a definite season. Expect to pay more if you buy out of season. And the quality may not be as good. Just to illustrate how important season can be: a florist we know planned her whole wedding around the very brief time in spring when lily of the valley was in season, so she could use fresh! What’s your personal feelings on silk vs. artificial flowers? As a professional florist, would you mix them in arrangements — for example, use silk for the super-pricy flowers like calla lilies or orchids? Personally, we love working with real flowers. But it’s true that silk definitely comes with some advantages. For starters: – They won’t wilt. – They’re a lasting memento of your big day. – They’re easy to transport if you’re getting married abroad. – You can prepare them long in advance. The last point’s important if you’re preparing flowers yourself. By their nature, you have to arrange fresh flowers the day before the wedding at the earliest — and usually the morning of. This doesn’t leave you much time to switch gears if you aren’t happy with the results. On the other hand, you can experiment with and arrange silk flowers weeks in advance. That leaves you plenty of time to relax and pamper yourself in the run up to your wedding! And yes, you can mix artificial and real flowers with great results. A friend of ours loves ranunculus and wanted them in a mixed bouquet with roses and gerberas. Unfortunately, ranunculus was out of season for her wedding date, and would have cost a lot. So she opted to tuck artificial ranunculus into a fresh bouquet. The results, and the photos, were beautiful. Anything else you want to add? Contrary to popular opinion, don’t think that silk flowers are always going to be cheaper than real. Many of the quality ones are as expensive as the real thing — if not more.
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under dried foliage | Comments are off
Before planting, the plants must be prepared. The following
suggestions will help insure that your roses grow into healthy
bushes, trees, etc.:
1.Your new roses have probably dried out during shipping or
storage, therefore before planting, either bury the roots in wet
saw dust or peat moss for several days or soak them overnight in
water. Keep the roots wet when planting, do not let them dry out.
2.Prune damaged and broken roots.
3.Prune main roots just enough to reveal white healthy tissue.
This will help more roots grow.
4.Prune the plant back to three or four healthy canes. Try to
keep the center of the plant empty. Prune the healthy canes back
to about six (6) inches using sharp pruning shears. Keep the
cutting blade on the lower side. Cut at a 45 to 60 degree angle.
Cut about one fourth inch above an outside bud union.
5.In order to prevent infection, treat the cuts with some type
of sealent or sealing paint.
6.Make sure that you have removed any suckers that may have
started growing during shipping or storage.
The following should be taken into consideration when selecting
where to plant your roses.:
1.Roses are susceptible to mildew and funguses, therefore plant
where there is good air movement in order to help the foliage
stay dry.
2.Plant where the bushes will get at least six hours of sun a
day with as much morning sun as possible.
3.Try to plant away from large trees and shrubs as they will
compete for food, moisture and sunlight.
4.Find an area with soil that drains well or add gravel or
cinder below the prepared soil. Poor drainage may cause root rot.
5.Try not to plant on a steep slope. Soil erosion can cause the
root structure to become exposed.
6.Plant the bushes at least two feet apart, two and one half
feet is better.
Digging and preparing the hole.:
1.Dig your hole twelve to sixteen inches deep and fifteen to
seventeen inches wide.
2.Work compost or planters soil (not potting soil) into the
loose dirt.
3.Make a cone of the prepared soil in the center of the hole in
order to support the spread out roots and to hold the bush at
the proper height. In cold winter areas the bud or graft union
should be between one and two inches below the soil level. In
mild climates the union should be an inch or so above the soil
level. Planting the union below soil level helps protect from
the cold and planting the union above soil level makes it easier
to detect and remove suckers.
4.Place the plant over the cone, spreading the roots and then
fill the hole with soil mix untill it is about two thirds full.
Now fill the hole with water, let it soak in and then fill with
water again.
5.After the second fill with water has soaked in fill the hole
to the proper level with the remaining prepared soil. Now gently
firm the soil around the plant.
After planting the roses it helps to add an organic mulch.:
1.Organic mulches can help rebuild the humus content of the
soil, retain soil moisture, encorage root growth, controll
weeds, prevent soil crusting and erosion, help even out soil
temperature, add helpful bacteria, etc..
2.There are numerous types of organic mulch, such as bark,
pecan hulls, peat moss and buckwheat hulls.
3.Contrary to old beliefs, mulch can and should be left on all
year long.
For more information on what to look for when buying
roses see http://www.nationalrealtorsdirectory.com/planbe
forebuyingrosesarticle.html
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under wreaths | Comments are off
For More Info or to Buy Now: www.hsn.com Bring the outdoors in with the freshness of the Casa di Francesca Set of 2 Wreaths. Delightful in their diminutive shapes and rich color and texture, these classic forms add an elegant accent to… Prices shown on the previously recorded video may not represent the current price. View hsn.com to view the current selling price. HSN Item #500529
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under dried pods | Comments are off
1. Keep your paint in a workable state. Acrylics dry super fast, it’s important that you only squeeze out a little bit of paint at a time. You may want to invest in a small water bottle so that you can regularly moisten your paint when it’s out of the tube.
2. Be sure to blot your brushes. It is recommended to keep a paper towel or cloth next to you as you are painting. Get into the habit of regularly wiping and rinsing your brushes after each use. This helps to prevent wear on the brush’s ferrule and ultimately fights against paper blotches.
3. Use a painting easel to support your unfinished paintings. Look for other types such as French easels that may come included with an canvas carrier and extra room for supplies. When it comes to an easel, do your research and choose the one that is perfect for your artistic flow.
4. Improve your flow and keep your colors vibrant. You may want to use a flow-improver medium rather than simply water while painting. This increases your color flow with minimal loss of color opacity.
5. Use painter’s tape to support your hard edges. Without damaging an existing layer, you can place tape in areas where you want to make sharp lines or avoid painting overall. These tapes do not stick permanently to your artwork and they don’t leave behind any residue.
6. Experiment with your paints. If you are working in mass medias, you can use acrylic paints as an adhesive material. There is no need in wasting glues or time, if you are working on a collage you can use your wet paint as glue.
The other things to keep in mind when using acrylic paints is both blending and glazing. You want to make sure to mix your colors as soon as you squeeze them from the tube. Likewise, while glazing you should do it layer by layer and avoid any buildup. Of course pre-planning is highly recommended. If you know you will be painting with acrylics be sure to invest in the proper acrylics, stay-wet palettes, towels and containers, and of course the appropriate painting easel.
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under dried flowers | Comments are off
With the wedding season fast approaching, many brides are wondering what they’ll do with all those flowers; flowers used to decorate the church, the bouquet, rose petals that will get scattered on the ground by cute little flower girls, mini-arrangements used at the reception…that’s a lot of flowers! Some brides will donate their flowers to local hospitals and nursing homes, but the majority will just end up throwing them away.
What a waste.
For those of you who would like to do something different, here’s a way to turn your flowers into something that will last a lifetime-or longer!
You will need as many flower petals as you can gather-the more fragrant, the better. You will also need a mortar and pestle (or a blender you plan on never using again), a cast iron pot, three or four rusty nails, a cork board, and a bunch of straight pins.
Gather together your flower petals, and start mashing them in the mortar, until they have the consistency of wet clay, or run them through the blender with a few drops of water until they make a reasonably smooth paste. Dump the mashed flowers into your cast iron pot with the rusty nails, and set aside for at least 24 hours to allow some of the water to evaporate.
Mash the flower goop up again, removing the nails. Once it reaches the consistency of modeling clay, you can start making beads. If it hasn’t turned into a clay-type paste yet, set it aside for another day, add a little more water, and mash it up again.
To make the beads, simply roll the paste in your hands to form balls. Make the balls about the twice the size of the beads you want, and use the straight pins to affix them to the corkboard. Hang your board in a dry spot, and turn the beads daily; it will take 6-8 days for the beads to dry completely.
String your beads as you would any other bead, to make necklaces, bracelets, or even a rosary.
Your flower petal beads won’t look like much when you first finish them, but the more you wear them, the smoother and more polished they will become. Depending on the type of flowers you use, they will range in color from a sandy yellow to a mahogany brown.
The real beauty of these beads isn’t the way they look, though. Each time you wear them, your body heat will cause the beads to warm, and they will release the scent of your bridal flowers. Any time you need to remember your wedding day, you can wear your beads, and enjoy your bouquet all over again.
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under dried flowers | Comments are off
So what are bulbs really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about popular bulbs, info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.
Now that we’ve covered those aspects of popular bulbs, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
Flowering bulbs are among the most popular of all ornamental plants, and they have enjoyed striking popularity for many years. Bulbs are renowned for their hardiness, color and variety, and there are enough types of bulbs to please even the most discriminating gardener.
With so many bulbs to choose from, it can be difficult to choose the right ones, so we present here a quick rundown of some of the most popular varieties of bulbs for the garden.
Crocus bulbs typically bloom in early spring or in late winter, and they feature tubular shaped flowers ranging in size from 1½” to 3″ long. Crocuses come in a rainbow of colors, and they are a staple of many gardens. Other types of crocus, such as the saffron crocus, bloom instead in the fall, and the flowers can rise from the bare ground weeks, or even only days, after the bulbs are planted. It is important for crocus bulbs to be planted as soon as they become available in the fall. The best way to plant crocus bulbs is two to three inches deep, with a spacing of three or four inches between bulbs. Crocus bulbs should be planted in good quality soil with good drainage, and they should be provided with full sun or partial shade and watered regularly during their growing and blooming seasons.
Dahlias bloom from summer through fall, and they also come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. The size of dahlia flowers can range from two to twelve inches, and the height of the plants themselves can vary from just under a foot to more than seven feet for certain stake varieties. It is best to plant dahlias after the last frost of the spring, and the roots should be set between four and six inches deep. Tall dahlia varieties should be spaced four or five feet apart, while shorter ones can be spaced from one to one and a half feet apart.
Dahlias should have access to full sun, but in areas where the summers are very hot they may benefit from partial shade as well. It is important to observe a regular watering schedule during the bloom and growth cycles of the dahlia.
Dahlia bulbs can be left in the ground if the winter temperatures do not go below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but most gardeners prefer instead to dig the dahlia bulbs up at the end of each growing season. To do this, you should wait until the foliage has yellowed, then cut the stalks back to approximately four inches. The clumps of the roots should be permitted to dry in the sun a few hours, then placed in boxes in a single layer and covered up with either sawdust or dry sand. The bulbs should be stored in a cool dry place over the winter and replanted the following spring.
Galanthus Nivalis
The galanthus is more commonly known as the snowdrop, and it is one of the first plants to bloom at the end of the winter. These plants are typically six to eight inches in height, and they feature one bell shaped flower on each side of the stalk. Snowdrops are best suited for colder climates, and the bulbs are best planted in the autumn of the year. The bulbs should be planted from three to four inches deep and about three inches apart. Snowdrops typically do best in full sun or partial shade, and they like regular watering during their blooming and growing cycles.
Those who only know one or two facts about popular bulbs can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under silk flowers | Comments are off
Planning a wedding? Have you checked out the price of wedding flowers yet? If not you’re in for a shock. But if you use budget silk wedding flowers you can save heaps and still have great looking wedding flowers.It’s quite a debate isn’t it? Do you use silk wedding flowers, or real wedding flowers? Well the cost certainly suggests that it’s better to use silk wedding flowers, because budget silk flowers for your wedding are dramatically cheaper than real flowers.Particularly if you buy right. How do you buy right? Online.Now of course you can’t really buy real flowers online. Yes you can ORDER them online, but usually they will be delivered from a local destination. However with silk flowers there’s no problem transporting them so you can buy them from a supplier that can ship them to you wherever you are, at a great price. Provided you buy right of course.If you buy budget silk wedding flowers online you’ll slash your wedding budget. Flowers can be a huge part of any wedding budget, and so if you’re struggling to cover all your costs then you need to make some savings, and silk flowers is a great way to do so.And forget the impression that many people have that silk wedding flowers look tacky and second rate. Modern silk flowers look as good as real flowers when you’re guests arrive, and they usually look much better than real flowers when your guests leave.That’s because real flowers wilt. The petals fall off. They droop from lack of water if the stem doesn’t quite reach long enough. And within a couple of days they’ve pretty much had it.Silk flowers, on the other hand, look as good at the end of the day as at the beginning. And they look as good a week later, and a month, and so on. If the bride wants a keepsake from her wedding day her silk flowers will look good for years to come.And if you’re a fan of a certain type of flower, and want them for your wedding, you’re a little stuck if they aren’t in season when your wedding is planned. Want Tulips in January? Forget it. Unless you use silk tulips, in which case you’ve got plenty of options.And even if they are in season, you may well find that the color you want is hard to get. Not if you’re buying silk wedding flowers.So if you’re in the process of planning a wedding, consider using budget silk wedding flowers. Firstly you’ll dramatically slash your budget, which is a good thing. And secondly they will look equally as good at the wedding, or reception, as real wedding flowers. And there’s lots of other good reasons too.Check out budget silk wedding flowers for a budget saving at your wedding. You won’t regret it.
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 under wreaths | Comments are off
The Christmas wreath is as popular today as it was when it was first introduced to the world. People take great pains to make these beautiful Christmas decorations but most people have no idea just how far back the tradition of the wreath really goes. It goes back to Pagan times and the ancient culture of the Persian Empire. The wreath that was hung on the doors of the family homes during this time was actually a symbol of wealth and importance. Granted, the wreaths of the Persian Empire were smaller than the ones that hang on doors today. As a matter of fact, they were worn on the head and were encrusted with jewels. The Greeks made wreaths of laurel that were placed on the heads of winning athletes during the Olympic Games.
This tradition was continued by the Romans and they were worn on the heads of leaders, such as Julius Caesar. Eventually they moved from headgear to wall and door decorations, possibly as a souvenir of the athlete’s victory. It is believed that this is how the tradition of hanging them on the wall was born. From here the tradition of hanging a wreath made of evergreen was started and it moved into Eastern Europe. The wreath was decorated with candles and lit during the cold winter evening in order to help rush in spring and the good weather.
The Christmas wreath tradition moved from pagan traditions to a Christian tradition, typically used by the Catholics. The wreath was hung up during Advent and they usually had four candles in the middle of the evergreen circle. The wreath today is a circle, signifying that it had no beginning and no end and is considered in the Christian religion a symbol of God and eternity. The candles in the wreath were traditionally white or three violets and one rose. Each candle was lit everyday with the exception of the middle candle which was not lit until Christmas Eve. They were usually lit right before dinner.
The Christmas wreath is quite often made of evergreen boughs of holly and they can be real or artificial. While an artificial wreath will last considerably longer, they don’t have the same smell as a fresh wreath when made of real pine and other items. It can be decorated today with traditional items, such as pine cones, fruits, berries, lace and ribbon or it can be made with more modern materials for a different look.
Whether you hand make a Christmas wreath or buy one from the store it is important to remember how the wreath got its start and to reflect upon what it means to you and your family. These holiday decorations are a joy to behold on every door and make your home look warm and inviting no matter how you decorate it.
