FLOWER TALK
March 2008 -
Issue #3
Welcome to "Flower Talk" from http://www.artisticflowerarrangements.com
In This Issue:
- The Wedding Season is Just Around the Corner
- Feng Shui: Creating Chi with Flowers
- Create this April Showers Watering Can Flower Arrangement
- Tell Us What You Think
- Become and Affiliate
THE WEDDING SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER 
The big day is coming and you want it to be something special. What better way to do it than making your own wedding bouquets and centerpieces? By creating your own flower arrangements, you can add your own special creative touch that you can be proud of. The memory of your wedding flowers will remain alive for not only the ceremony and the reception, but also for the enjoyment you had while crafting them before the festivities.
COLLECT MANY IDEAS
There are many places where you can get ideas--magazines, books on floral arranging, fine floral shops, five star hotels on a Saturday (they are filled with weddings on that day), and any public place that you think displays nice floral arrangements. Be sure to take a camera with you so that you will have something to help you remember what you saw.
GET ORGANIZED
The more organized you are, the easier it will be to make your own 
wedding flower arrangements. Get a notebook with pockets or a manila envelope to put all your pictures in. Having all of the pictures together will make your life much simpler. Once you start making decisions about what you are going to do, you can throw away any of the pictures that do not fit into your design.
CAPTURE THE MOMENT WITH COLOR
Decide on a color. Your favorite color is probably the best option or maybe you found bridesmaids dresses that you cannot do without. These are the sources from which you want to choose the colors of your flowers.
HAVE A FLOWER BUDGET
Let's face it. Weddings are expensive. You have to pay for the dress,
reception, including food and drinks, music, gifts for your bridesmaids and ushers, and numerous other things. You'll need a budget for your flowers. But, keep in mind that the flowers set the tone, add color and scent, and are memorable for the guests. You don't want your flower budget to be so low that you can't create arrangements that will make a lasting impression.
PICK YOUR FLOWERS
There are so many flowers that come in the color you choose. The key to purchasing flowers is to make sure your local flower shop carries the ones that you want. Make sure that the flowers you choose are in season. If they are not in season or your flower shop doesn't carry them, then you may have to make a special order.
GET HELP
Flowers are perishable and need to be arranged at the last minute. Because of this, you'll need a lot of help to get your arrangements completed on time for the wedding. Get your friends and family to help.
The more the merrier!
PREPARE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
You'll want to have each step of your flower arranging process written down for everyone. List the supplies first, then how to assemble each part. Make sure you have enough of everything; maybe even more than what you need, for what you expect to make.
KEEP THE SUPPLIES IN ONE PLACE
Having the supplies in one place, like a large box, will make finding them much easier. You don't want to be running around the house looking for a pair of scissors the night you are making the arrangements. Be sure to have a set of supplies for every person that is helping you to make the process run much smoother. You'll need scissors or clippers, floral tape, ribbons, floral moss, flower preservative, rose strippers if you have roses, corsage pins, and vases.
KEEP THE FLOWERS COOL
Since you'll be making a lot of arrangements, you'll probably have the flowers at your house a few days before the wedding and will start making the arrangements then. Make sure you keep your flowers in a cool place so they are kept chilled. A good idea is to reserve a room that you can crank the air conditioner up, but don't allow the cold air to blow directly on the flowers.
WATER BUCKETS - A MUST 
You're going to need to keep your flowers in water at
all times. Get tall buckets so that the stems will be supported.
CREATE A WORK AREA
You'll need to dedicate an area of your home specifically for working on the flower arrangements. Cover the entire area with plastic or carpet cover because some flowers will bleed into the flooring. You'll need a deep sink to soak the flowers, several large tables, trash bags, a large garbage can, and a space nearby to set finished bouquets and arrangements.
PRACTICE MAKES PERPECT
Allow yourself to have one or two practice runs before you actually start making the
flower arrangements for your wedding. Get a small supply of flowers beforehand and practice making one centerpiece and one bouquet, by doing this; you can avoid having any surprises when the real masterpieces need to be completed.
WORK AHEAD
Since the flowers are perishable, you'll have to wait until a few days before the wedding to actually assemble them. But, there are other things you can to get ready for the big day. You can make bows, gather the containers, purchase candles, fill votives, fold napkins, print the wedding programs or reception menus, and assemble the table favors weeks ahead. Be sure to keep everything together in the same place.
AT THE END OF THE RECEPTION
Ask a friend to get your centerpiece containers, candlesticks, decorations, votive holders, and any flowers you want to keep at the end of the reception. Be sure you give your friend bins, boxes, or bags and wrapping materials along with instructions on what to save and what to toss.
Feng Shui: Creating Chi with Flowers
The perfect way to create chi is by making flower arrangements using the principles of feng shui. By using flowers for feng shui, you will attract positive energy, fulfillment, and joy in every aspect of your life.
One very important thing to keep in mind when making flower arrangements for feng shui is to stay away from dry or fake flowers. Dry or fake flowers, according to the rules of feng shui, symbolize lifelessness and decay. Fresh flowers, on the other hand, represent balance and calmness and promise to deliver good energy flow throughout your home or office.
There are particular flowers that are well-known for creating chi. If you are looking for stability and endurance, make arrangements with sunflowers.
Passion and romance, something everyone is in search of, can be brought from cyclamen. To encourage calm and general well-being, place spider plants around your home. It is believed that the long, cascading leaves are what bring in chi.
If you are looking for fame, recognition, or approval of your work, African 
violets are the perfect choice.
Besides using certain flowers for certain types of chi, it is important to place specific colors and types of flowers in specific locations of your home or work environment. For their tender and harmonic 
properties, pinks are used for the bedroom. Likewise, red tulips will bring romance. For protection, place a wreath of flowers on your front door. Use reflective ribbons for added protection. Lilies and orchids, which are balance-inducing, should be placed in active areas. These flowers are also good for restoring peace and harmony after an argument. Large masses of green, round-leafed plants need to be placed around all electronic equipment.
Finally, you can use lilies for knowledge, bamboo for chi to your parents, forget-me-nots for friends, and roses, loci, and orchids for marriage.
Lilies Bamboo Forget-Me-Nots Roses Orchids
Create this April Showers Watering Can Flower Arrangement
For instructions on how to create
this April Showers Watering Can
Click
here
Tell Us What You Think
We've received our first feedback for this category:
Evelyn Ekanem wrote:
Dear Judy,
I've really enjoyed your articles and I must say they've been very educative. For instance, I did not know that adding ice cubes could help flowers last longer.
The Q&A page is a wonderful idea. I believe a lot of people like me have so many questions we would like to ask you.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you Evelyn for your input. I will most definitely put the Q&A page in the newsletter if I get enough responses. I'm glad you are enjoying Flower Talk........Judy
We'd love to hear what you think of this issue!
Please send your comments, questions and ideas for upcoming issues to us at:
Become an Affiliate and Earn a 50% Commission!
If you have your own website or know someonewho does I am looking for individuals who would like to earn extra cash by becoming an affiliate and promoting my book "Flower Arrangements Made Simple"
on their site. I am offering a 50% commission for each book sold. All it takes is signing up with clickbank.com which is free for affiliates. Once signed up you will be given a sales pitch page you can use on your site or if you prefer you can develop your own. The choice is yours.
To get to the affiliate site go to:
Wouldn't you like to amaze your friends and family,
Flower Arrangements Made Simple
