Artistic Flower Arrangements

Funeral Flower Etiquette

A great deal of pain accompanies the death of someone you love. Words are really not adequate to describe the hurt involved. Nevertheless, it is important to express sympathy for people going through the grieving process. Although your words can’t erase their pain completely, they can help. When you empathize with someone who is experiencing such sorrow, it can at least help them cope with the situation.

A big part of the immediate healing process revolves around what you can do to make the family of the lost loved one cope and deal with the loss. There are many different ways this can be done and they involve expressing your condolences by way of both verbal and material gestures.

One of the biggest material gestures that one can do in the immediate future is the gift of funeral flowers. It is always a good idea to order sympathy flowers from a trusted florist. There can never be a shortage of sympathy flowers when one passes. This is not to say that flowers are the only thing one can use to show their support for the family.

A gift basket, showing sympathy, might also be a good choice. It could include a number of things: chocolates, a decorated diary, perhaps photographs of the deceased in better times. Such things can go a long way to help people cope. Seeing the deceased in happy times goes a long way to turn sorrow into better thoughts.

The material gestures are nice, and certainly appropriate and even necessary, but we must also not forget the simple verbal gestures. Reaching out to help the family in any way possible can go a long way. Whether it be an offer to bring over dinner, giving a younger child a ride to or from sports practice, or even doing their laundry, I can assure you that the gesture will make the families’ life a lot easier during the most painful of times.

Because there is so little that anyone can do to ease the grief of losing someone we love, we often turn to expressions of sympathy such as funeral florals or sympathy gift baskets. When we order sympathy flowers, we hope that the bright colors and soothing scents of the blossoms will somehow lesson the heavy hearts and sadness felt by the friends and family of the deceased. With gift baskets, it is the comfort food syndrome – sweets, chocolates, fresh fruit and other delicacies – that we hope to provide to the mourners. These baskets also provide an opportunity to tuck in pictures or other mementos of the deceased.

Funeral Flower
Regardless of whether you choose to send funeral flowers, a gift basket or offer help with chores or transportation, keep in mind that your thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated by the family as they deal with the pain of their loss.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

In my previous post I have discussed about bringing the beauty of flowers into your bedroom .

You’re sitting there looking around your living room and you can’t help to feel that it needs something.

The furniture is nice, the room itself looks good, but you can’t help wondering what it is that’s missing. Why not bring some life back to your living room with some fresh cut flowers? Anything from a simple arrangement to the ultra-elegant hanging crystal array, can really add that much needed something to the room.

I will leave the actual flower selection up to you, but here are a few great ideas that will bring life back to your living room:

Potted Arrangements

You don’t necessarily have to make a cut-flower arrangement; live plants will work as well. That tall concrete-look planter that you keep on your front porch will likely fit well in your living room. Choose your favorite flowers, and then plant them in a mix that fits.

Keep the planted arrangement in front of your window and you will have a year-round showpiece.

Coffee Table Pieces

That silver vase, or even that glass water jug, may make an interesting container to make a showpiece for your coffee table. If the same old arrangement doesn’t work for you, why not use a crystal bowl? Fill your bowl with water and float some fresh cut flowers. Add some floating candles for some added nighttime flare.

Hanging Arrangements

Another great idea to add some life to your living area is a hanging arrangement. Get hanging planter, or, if you do some searching you can even find crystal vases that are meant to hang. Make your fresh cut flower arrangement, and hang it up for the world to see.

This would look great hanging from a chain.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

The bedroom is another place where flowers can make quite a big impact. Match the flowers to the mood and feel of your bedroom. If whimsical is more your style, then choose brightly colored flowers. If you want a more romantic look, choose roses or other fragrant flowers to create that romantic retreat look and feel. The bedroom is a great place to add the beauty and life of flowers.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

While sitting at my computer this morning watching the birds feeding I was delighted to see a male and female Cardinal. Mr. Cardinal is an extremely bright red and very protective of his Mrs. the two of them have been enjoying their newly found feast put out early this morning along with a multitude of other wildlife. Since we have about an inch of snow on the ground the birds have found this easy dining very appealing. At one point I think there were approximately 30 birds on the porch. (Gold finches, a Downy Woodpecker, Morning Doves, Nuthatches, Titmouses, Chickadees, Sparrows and a Redbellied Woodpecker, just to name a few.)

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

Let’s begin in the Kitchen with our first post:

The kitchen table is the first area that people think of when they are considering putting flowers in their home. Rather than simply placing one large flower arrangement in the center of your table, why not put a line of smaller arrangements in the center of your table? Simpler is better when using flowers in your home. Whether you use just a few stems in each container or a large number of flowers, you will find that adding flowers to your table will help to give it a focal point that will make your dining or kitchen table more inviting and beautiful.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

My poor sore hubby. Last night was not too good for him. I asked him to please go out and get the mail from the mail box, since I had never bothered earlier in the day, and he graciously offered. Little did I know the terrible consequences of my request. It was about 9 PM when I asked him to go out. I never realized it had been drizzling rain out a sort of misty type drizzle. Anyway, it was also cold enought to create what we call “black ice”. The type that makes the pavement just look like it’s wet, but it’s actually pure ice. Well, he took that first step on the first stair and his foot went right out from under him and down the cement steps he went, all 8 of them. He painfully got himself up and still walked the 100 yards to the mailbox and back. (Bless his heart.) He managed to get back into the house, I got him to sit down and we rubbed his back up good with some muscle rub.

Today, needless to say, he is pretty sore and thankfully no broken bones. I’m ordering him to bed rest to get that back to feeling better. Later today we found out that a section of the main highway had been closed during the night because of the icing conditions and a 17 car pile-up that occurred not far from the house. I’m just glad I did not have to drive in that weather last night and take him to the emergency room, we probably would never have gotten there.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

Flowers are a great way to add some flare to any room. A simple arrangement can transform even that dark, drab room into so much more. Using flowers in your decorating is easy, and you’ll find your guests remembering your beautiful flower arrangements instead of noticing that the coffee table needed finishing. Even just to add some color, you cannot go wrong with a floral décor. Any room can be decorated with your next floral creation.

This is why decorating your home is an important part of making your space more inviting and comfortable. Adding flower arrangements in your home can add even more life and visual appeal that will make your home into that welcoming space that you have been looking for. Flowers can instantly add a sense of peace to a home with very little effort. Whether you use them in your bedroom, in your living room, or in another room, you will find that adding flowers will help to add just the right touch of life to your room and your home, but where should you start?

Over the next few post I will be discussing decorating ideas that might just help you to decide what to do with those drab spaces you want to liven up. I will be covering: Kitchen, Bedroom, Living Room and Other Miscellaneous Areas. So be sure to check back and find out how to bring the beauty of flowers into your home.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter

If you are in for some amusing myths and facts about Valentine’s Day then check out my recent article Let’s Think Valentine’s Day. I’ve also included a quick lesson on making a rose bouquet floral arrangement. So if you are looking for some light reading and a way to make an inexpensive but unique flower arrangement take a gander.

Learn about Flower arranging – FREE lesson and newsletter