Artistic Flower Arrangements

On Monday, 4/27/09 we had a really good scare in our community.  I live in a wooded area and most the lots are 1 acre or more.  Anyway, one of the homeowners smelled smoke and low and behold a fire indeed had started in a field near them.  During this time I was inside working on the computer when I heard sirens and thought oh, no one of our neighbors had taken a turn for the worse  and was being taken to the hospital.  I called one of my neighbors to find out what had happened and found out that instead a fire was engulfing some of the properties on their side of the complex.  By the time it was all done, we had 50 acres of our community burned by the brush fires.  (We were very fortunate that the fires remained near the ground and had not gotten up high into the tree tops.)  The next day I went out with hubby to see what had actually happened and the area looked like a battle zone.  I could not believe all the damage that was done to the land.  Thank the Lord that no homes were burned, even though the fire did come to within 30 feet of a few. Now I have a good understanding of  the devastation fire can do, even if it was small compared to what happens on the West Coast.  My heart goes out to all those folks that have lost everything they had in such a manner.  I have included some photos of  the area for all you to see.  My hat is off to the men and women who fight these fires, Thank You for saving our Community.

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How often have you struggled to find that perfect birthday gift only to end up buying something trivial and boring? It happens to the best of us and is particularly likely to occur if you are looking last minute for a gift. Flowers are the perfect way to go when you need something that is meaningful. Go to flowers for more information.

There are plenty of reasons to give flowers as a birthday gift. Here are just a few:

- Flowers are beautiful and can be chosen to fit the recipient. Even guys will enjoy receiving a more masculine potted flowering plant.
- You can always find flowers, even last minute. Or perhaps do your own flower arranging.
- There are online florists who will allow you to order online for delivery in another state or even country.
- Flowers go with everything. You can pair a bouquet of flowers with a box of chocolates for a romantic gift, tickets to a soccer game for a sports fanatic, or with a stuffed animal as a cute gift for a child.
- Most people don’t think to give flowers as a birthday gift, so chances are, your present will be quite unique.

But just picking up the nearest bunch of flowers isn’t a good way to make your gift meaningful. You want to choose the right flowers for the occasion and this can take a little bit of time and research, though it’s still possible to do it last minute.

Things to Consider When Choosing Flowers

Preferred flowers: Do you know what the favorite flower of the recipient is? Rather than buying generic roses, you’ll find your gift is far more appreciated when you bring a bunch of gerber daisies . . . the birthday girl’s favorites!

Secret messages: Did you know that in Victorian times, flowers were used to send messages? Each flower has a specific meaning and together, they can be used to form a secret, one-of-a-kind message. For example, baby’s breathe means “festivity”, gardenias mean “joy”, and orange blossoms stand for “fertility”. By combining select flowers and providing a key, you can give a very special birthday message. Refer to flowers for more information.

Long-lasting: If you really aren’t sure which flowers to choose, consider going with longer lasting flowers like daisies, mums or carnations which will stay fresh and lovely for several days to a week. That way the recipient can enjoy them for a long time.

Accessories: There’s no reason to stop with just the flowers. To make your birthday gift truly special, present them in a way that will thrill the recipient. An example would be forget-me-nots in a teacup for someone who enjoys a tea party, a handpainted vase in their favorite colors with their favorite flowers inside, or perhaps a potted plant along with a trowel for planting it in the garden.

Gender: Women aren’t the only ones who enjoy receiving flowers, but for men, you will have to be more selective. Obviously a bunch of roses won’t be the ideal birthday gift for a particularly macho man. Men might prefer something a little more masculine, like a flowering branch or a plant that has plenty of greenery. But don’t overlook flowers as a gift for a male friend . . . over 60% of men say they would like to receive flowers. Combine it with a bottle of celebratory champagne and you’ve got yourself the perfect birthday gift.

Flowers offer true value as a gift, particularly if you personalize them to fit the personality of the person you’ll be giving them to. Don’t fret about flowers not being a suitable gift, they really are one of the best. Visit flowers for further information.

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Here is the second article on the Principles of Flower Arranging for your enjoyment.

Principles of Floral Arrangements: Emphasis

‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’. This very popular phrase holds very true for flowers, a true gift of nature. There are quite literally hundreds of thousands of varieties of flowers, each with a different shape, color, size and fragrance. Nature has provided us with flowers which bring a vibrant splash of color even to the drabbest of winters and paint the landscape all the colors of the rainbow in the spring and summer.

For centuries now, humans have used flowers for decorative and ornamental purposes. They have been used in various forms for livening up living spaces. Bunches of flowers, garlands of flowers, even dried flowers on paper have been used as decoration. In fact, one of most common forms of using flowers – the elaborate, yet highly effective flower arrangements, can be traced back many thousands of years.

Different cultures have, over time, developed their own distinctive way of flower arranging. Today, all these various styles are used around the world to achieve different effects. Some of the earliest records of flower arrangement point to China. The Chinese were also among the first to use containers of water to hold flowers so that they last longer. In Asia, the Japanese were also developing their own style of flower arrangement in which shape and form were the focus more than anything else. The practice of using flowers as garlands and wreaths was started in Egypt, Greece and Rome.

Today, the use of flower arrangements is very extensive and more and more people are becoming  professional florists. However not everyone can afford to hire professionals. In this case it helps to know at least the basics of flower arrangement, which contrary to popular belief, are not very difficult to learn. Once you know the basics of flower arrangement, it is relatively easy to play around with different styles and experiment with different types of flowers and  floral combinations.

Flower arrangement can be broadly classified into three styles, which can be then revamped and modified to suit the specific occasion or event. The three styles include the Oriental style of flower arrangement in which lines and form is given importance, the Traditional or Western style in which there is the use of many flowerstogether, and the Modern flower arrangements in which there are no rules really, except a preference for the Oriental style.

Whatever the style of arrangement, there are some basic principles that underlie flower arrangement. Following these basic principles is helpful as it provides simple guidelines to achieving the best results. One of the more important principles of flower arrangement is Emphasis. Emphasis is basically the dominant part of the floral arrangement or the focal point of the display. This aspect of the arrangement is the one that generally gives character to the entire set up and tells the viewer what is most important in the whole arrangement. Using the principle of Emphasis, the flower arrangement can bring to focus the color, texture, shape and even size of the materials used.

When you emphasize a certain part of your floral arrangement, you are basically drawing the viewers’ eye again and again to a certain part of your flower arrangement. In traditional styles, emphasis was basically one point from which all the other parts of the arrangement radiated out. Hence if you want to have a color theme, the center of the arrangement can have flowers of the same color, and have flowers of a contrasting color, leaves, other materials that provide texture (like dried stems, cones etc) around it.

Finally, using emphasis can also tell the viewer what the purpose of the floral arrangement is. This is  possible by the way you set your focal point up. Hence Valentine’s Day floral arrangements will usually have red or pink roses/chocolates in the shape of a heart in the center, with other material around it completing the display.

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I am so excited to tell all my readers about my new website Petal Picker.  I developed it so that anyone could find the right flower for the feeling they are try to express to that favorite someone.  Petal Picker is a convenient all in one location method of doing just that.  How, many times have you wanted to know what flower to send for a particular occasion?  How many other times have you wanted to send a floral bouquet or arrangement that expressed just the feelings you wanted to express.  Well, come to my new site and see for yourself.  I think you will be delighted to use my new floral tool and come back again for more.  When you do visit, please be sure to let me know what you thought of it.  I am always open to suggestions from all my loyal readers.  Just click here to go to Petal Picker and enjoy.

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Mother’s Day is a special time for mom. She works hard to make sure that you and everyone else is happy throughout the year. But what about her? Doesn’t she deserve a day devoted all to her, so she can feel extra special? After all, she is your mother. Since Mother’s Day comes year after year, it often seems to get harder and harder to figure out what to get her with each passing year. You definitely do not want to get her the same thing as you got her last year, and you also do not want to get her the same exact thing as someone else might be getting for her. You want to make sure that your gift is unique and very individual, something from the heart. Go to flowers for more information.

Here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas to help you along your way:

1.  Create your own handmade flower arrangement.  What better way than to say I Love You Mom than with a floral arrangement you made. This can be done for very little cost.  You can even use containers from around the house.  An old bucket, a watering can even an old shoe (just be sure to use a waterproof insert), a few of many items that you can use for a container.  Now fill it up with Mom’s favorite flower or flowers. You now have an inexpensive Mother’s Day gift. Use your homemade card from item 3 below and you are all set.

2. Have a portrait made together. She will absolutely love this. There is nothing more dear to a mother than her children. You can also buy her a nice outfit for the family photo together. Tell her that she can keep the outfit and wear it anytime that she wants. After getting your picture made together, get a nice frame to put it in, and give it to your mom for Mother’s Day.

3. Make her a card. This does not mean getting a regular piece of construction paper and some crayons and writing: “I love you mom, happy Mother’s Day” on the card. Unless you are four years old, you need to take some time and really make an unforgettable masterpiece out of your homemade card. Get some old pictures of you two together and glue them to the card. Try going out to a craft store and getting some special glue-on designs and artsy stickers. You could also try to add some pizazz to your card by gluing things like buttons, flowers, and cute, cut out pieces of fabric to the card. Once you have made your card, your mom will never forget the beauty and thought that has been invested into it.

4. Mother’s Day only comes one time a year, so you should make it one that she will never forget by buying her a couple of gift cards to her favorite shops. A girl has got to shop! Everyone knows this. What better way to treat your mother to one of her favorite activities! Refer to flowers for more information.

5. Go all out with the classic box of chocolates and bouquet of flowers. You cannot go wrong with this gift idea – never. Unless you got the same thing last year, this is an idea that is a winner every time. Even if you did get this for her last year, you can always spice it up by adding an extra gift that is not like anything else that you have gotten for her in the past.

6. Get her a custom made gift basket. You can locate gift basket retailers virtually everywhere online. They usually carry things like specialty chocolates, coffees, soaps, lotions, perfumes, gardening supplies, spices, recipe books. Basically all of the nifty little treats that moms love. You cannot go wrong with a gift basket, be sure to throw in a card and you will have the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

No matter what you choose to get for your mother, just make sure it is something as special as she is, and from the heart. This Mother’s Day needs to be the best one yet, and we should all strive to show our moms how important and appreciated they really are. We only have one mother, let’s let her know that we care by presenting her with the perfect gift this Mother’s Day. Visit flowers for further information.

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As promised, here is the first of six articles about the Principles of Flower Arrangement. I hope you enjoy this and the coming segments.———-Judy

For centuries flowers have been cultivated for their beauty, fragrance and color. Due to the amazing variety of flowers available and the natural beauty they lend to any place, flowers have long been used for decorative purposes. They have been used to beautify the barest of dwellings and used for special occasions and festivals.

One of the most popular ways of using flowers is to place them in artistic and creative arrangements. However, floral arrangements, though commonly used today, have developed over centuries and across cultures around the world. Some of the earliest records of flower arrangements have been traced to China. Here Buddhist beliefs led to meanings being assigned to flowers and thus determined their use in arrangements. China was also amongst the earliest cultures to place flowers in containers of water to prolong their life. Closely following China was Japan, which developed its own distinctive style of flower arrangement, relying more on shape and form. It was in Egypt, Rome and Greece that flowers were used for making garlands and wreaths, both to wear and to use for decoration.

Today, at an individual level and at the level of hotels or bigger gatherings, people love having flower arrangements around. And while most people will randomly arrange flowers and branches in a vase, there is in fact an art to flower arranging. Of course this doesn’t mean that only professionals can employ this art to make stunning pieces of work. Anyone sitting at home can also learn the basics of floral arrangements and with a little creativity make some fun and beautiful flower settings.

A floral arrangement is simply a combination of different elements which, when put together well, produces a visually striking and appealing display. Technically, there are 3 basic styles of arranging flowers. Any other style is generally a take on one of these.

The Oriental style of floral arrangement emphasises lines. The Traditional or Western style is based on the use of many flowers together in the arrangement, and the third Modern style has no rules really, but does pay more attention to line and form.

Whatever the style of floral arrangement, there are certain principles that should be followed for a beautiful and complete looking display. One of the more important principles to follow is Balance.

Balance is the one aspect that gives a floral arrangement its visual appeal and determines whether it can be classified as a formal or an informal arrangement. Balance in a floral arrangement is to be maintained in two areas – physical, the actual balance of the arrangement so it stands up straight, and the other is the visual balance so that it looks balanced to the eye.

Visual balance in a floral arrangement can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. In a symmetrically balanced arrangement, the two sides of the display are identical. Such arrangements are generally meant for formal use and give a slightly serious and rigid appearance. On the other hand, asymmetrical floral arrangements are different on either side of an imaginary central axis. These are more fun, active, informal and dynamic.

Balance in the appearance of the floral arrangement is related to the correct use of color and weight of flowers (the visual weight and not its actual weight). Generally dark and dense flowers appear heavy. As a rule, for a balanced appearance, heavy flowers are placed at the bottom of the arrangement and lighter ones towards the outer edges and upper portions.

Putting a pleasing floral arrangement together is a matter of practice and creativity. All it requires is a willingness to experiment and have some fun with flowers.

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