Unique Wedding Ideas Everything Old Is New Again 5 Fun Tips For A Retro Wedding

Magazines and websites are bursting with the latest trends in wedding ideas and themes - and just trying to sift through them can be as overwhelming as actually planning an entire wedding! So take a deep breath, relax and consider this: some of the most unique wedding ideas can be found by looking back to fashions and trends of days gone by.

If youre considering going the black-tie route, how about an Art Deco 1930s look? It was an era that is reminiscent of elegant Hollywood-style glamour, and youd be surprised at how much you can accomplish on any budget, large or small.

And for something completely different: what could be more fun than a wedding that evokes the spirit of the groovy 1960s, a time of peace, love and understanding could there be a better theme to start off your married life?

Whether youre going for funky or formal, here are some suggestions to help plan your idea of a retro wedding:

Polaroid Instant Photo Guest Books

Capture every moment of your wedding day with Polaroid instant pictures and hand-written sentiments from your guests! Polaroid instant photo guest books buck the digital trend and are all the rage among brides today.

Polaroid cameras and photos are definitely retro, and theyre making a new age come back because unlike digital or 35mm photos, the Polaroids develop instantly. When theyre combined with notes from all your friends and family the instant photo guest book becomes a memento filled with memories that will last forever!

Hint: Put a couple of outgoing friends in charge of taking the photos and making sure that all your guests write something in your instant photo guest book. They can either circulate during the reception taking the pictures and getting the notes or you can set up a table for guests to visit. And be sure to have a back up camera and plenty of film for do-overs!

The Honor of Your Presence is Requested Retro Wedding Invitations

Set the tone youre trying to create from the start with wedding invitations that reveal the theme youve chosen for your wedding. Custom designs can be easily accomplished with just a few keyboard strokes! Display 1930s-era sophistication with heavy, cream-colored paper stock and deco-style type fonts which can be further accented with period clip art. For your 60s-style invitations, use paper stock in the pastel colors that were popular then or go all-out and have tie dyed invitations! Think about including flowers in the design as well. These can be printed on the invitation itself or how about adding some dried wildflowers inside the invitation envelope?

Hint: You can order custom-designed stamps from the Post Office that will reflect the mood youre trying to convey before your guests even open the invitation envelope! (Some suggested examples: New Yorks Deco Rockefeller Center or Empire State Building, vintage cars, a yellow happy face icon, even a Grateful Dead logo)

Dressing the Part Retro Bridal Ware

Theres no need to wear a bandana or headband or go barefoot on your big day, but a lace dress (mini in length if you dare!) will evoke the hippie era nicely, as will a floral headpiece and bridesmaid dresses in pastels or bright floral prints. If you want an early 60s look, consider a cocktail dress or Jackie Kennedy-style sheath with a white pillbox hat and a netted veil. For a Deco glamour wedding idea, sleek and satiny 1930s-era dresses can be found in vintage dress shops or even at flea markets or thrift shops (there are vintage clothes and used clothing boutiques all over!) They can also be custom made using new or vintage fabric and old patterns these are often reissued by pattern manufacturers or easily found on eBay.

Hint: When planning your retro wedding, eBay and other shopping websites are terrific resources for all sorts of period bridal ware, decorations and inspirational wedding ideas.

Flour Power Wedding Day Cup Cakes

Nothing says retro like a tasty, frosting-topped cupcake. You loved them as a kid, and now theyre back in vogue as the height of food fashion. Delicious, colorful cupcakes can be served as the main wedding dessert attraction, substituted for the traditional wedding cake or in addition to a conventional wedding cake. Stack them like a skyscraper or arrange them in a circle to make a peace sign. Cupcakes can easily be decorated in day-glo icing colors for your 1960s look or with silvery accents for a Deco finish.

Hint: Make sure there are enough cupcakes so that your guests can take one home to enjoy later!

A Few of my Favor-ite Things Retro Wedding Favors

Since your wedding is the start of your own personal love-in, treat your guests to some retro style wedding favors like love beads or peace sign jewelry. Or how about putting together a custom-made CD of classic rock tunes? For the 1930s wedding theme idea, linen handkerchiefs for both men and women will add a nice vintage touch. Or DVD copies of your favorite old comedy movie are sure to delight your guests and the cover can feature you and your groom in place of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn for a fun reminder of your own classic romance!

Hint: If youre making custom CDs as favors, take a picture with you and your husband-to-be in some vintage clothes to use as cover art to remember the days unique wedding idea old is new!

By: Lesley Mattos

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Silk Flower Arrangements Care and Maintenance

One of the many benefits of investing in silk plants vs. real is their low maintenance. An increasing number of quality silk flower arrangements, silk trees, and silk plants are now being made with a dust-resistant coating applied to their leaves and petals to make sure the job of keeping them clean is as quick and efficient as possible. Just a quick spritz of silk flower cleaner once a month or so will keep them looking vibrant and beautiful.

However, if your current plants and silk flower arrangements are not treated, here are some time-saving tips for keeping your investment in tip-top shape.

Spray a feather duster or swiffer duster with endust or a similar dusting spray and gently wipe each branch, petal, and leaf. Doing this often will likely eliminate heavy buildup altogether.

For silk flower arrangements and plants that accumulate heavy soil,

such as plants kept near or in the kitchen, once a season, take the plant outdoor (weather permitting) or to the household shower and run water over it. Apply Simple Green or Windex to the leaves and petals before rinsing to restore your silk flower arrangement or plant to its original vibrancy. For a quicker drying method, wrap the pot in plastic and keep the bottom from resting in water.

If your silk flower arrangement is small, you can easily place the flower part of the arrangement inside a paper bag with a cup of household table salt. Give it a good solid shake for up to 60 seconds and then open the bag and continue to shake in order to return as much salt as possible to the paper bag. When finished, use a dry rag and some glass cleaner to wipe off the salt residue from the vase.

It is not suggested that you blow your silk flower arrangements with a compressor blower, a hairdryer, or even an aerosol can as that will only send the dust and dirt in a hundred other directions, and it can also disrupt the shape and arrangement of your plant.

For easier cleaning, dust lightly and quickly once a month. This will help to avoid the need for a deep cleaning altogether. For your next purchase of silk flower arrangements, be sure to select an item pre-treated for dust-resistance.

Johnny B. is a freelance writer and online commerce expert covering the latest trends and emerging product segments in e-commerce. He is also the owner of several e-commerce businesses including the popular site Designer Silk Plants and Flowers.com where they feature Silk Flower Arrangements, Outdoor Wreaths and much more.

By Johnny B.

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Learn To Make Crochet Flower Beginner Crochet Tutorial On Flower Crocheting

What come to your mind when you hear the word flowers, yes splendid colors mixed in one and refreshing to say the least. Be it real flowers that grow in your garden on the the neighborhood park or even artificial ones that are available in multiple colors and also prints.

With all the different colors and aura they come with can help lighten the mood of the most distressed too. Flowers lighten my mood too. And the fact that I know crocheting it allows me to make stupendous craft things with flower theme like fashion accessories for my beautiful daughter, which she can wear outdoors, and hat pins as well. Such designer flowers are rather easy to craft provided you have knowledge of Crochet.

If you can find time to surf the net you will be able to find website that provide online tutorial for easy crochet flower. There are many websites or blogs out there on the internet which should provide you great content and tips on this subject alone.

Here I shall teach you how you can make a simple yet attractive crochet flower.

You can start with a plain crochet hook and 2-3 colors of yarn. Why yarn? This thing can be made with threads too but I simply prefer yarn. Ensure that the dimension of the yarn is fitting well with hook size. Take your first color and use chain six.

Revert to chain number one and do a dc and next go to chain two. Do this time and again and put all these into chain number one. You have eight spokes in hand. Attach the circle with sl st in chain number 3 at your left (this is chain 3 from first spoke) Now build (sc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, sc) and then attach all arches you have made. In this way you learnt to make a petal.

Do this in all eight arches and this will give you your 1st flower. Attach a sl st with 1st sc on the 1st petal. Rotate the flower. Pick another color of your choice, and then create a slipknot and place a crochet hook beneath the color spoke and then draw the 2nd color yarn through.

You are left with two stitches on the hook, draw the hook besides to create one. Chain number six & work a dc through subsequent spoke, chains number three. Redo this dc, chain number three on every spoke. Now create a sl st through 3rd chain of the 1st row that you have already done.

Now turn it to its flip side on right hand side. Place the 1st color petals a little ahead and then do (sc, chain 1, 3 dc, chain 1, sc) above every arch. Put together sl st through 1st sc. Cast off.

With this your flower is prepared. Applying similar steps you can create 2,3,4 or even 5 with have different or similar colors. With every new whirls the flower size will grow bigger. So make one the way that you really want to do.

By: Jennifer Walter
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Projects For Dried Pressed Flowers

Its great to carry on the memories of places you have been with dried flowers. As you stroll along the trails, beaches or streets, remember to pluck flowers as you go. Ferns and leaves are great items also. They will help accent the flowers later. Most importantly, carry along with you that small book, with rubber bands around it, to lay your pickings in to dry.

Once the flowers are dry, about two months later, you are ready to start your creations. Here are a few ideas to start with:

Dried Flower Picture Frame

Purchase a double glass, free standing picture frame.

You will also need a glue stick to hold your flowers in place. Take the picture frame apart and clean the interior sides of the two pieces of glass. Place one piece of glass back into the frame and gently arrange your flowers, making sure you have the front/right side of all the flowers facing up. Be careful not to breathe too hard or sneeze, your flowers will go all over the place! To secure the flowers to the glass, lift the flowers and with your finger, put a small amount of the glue stick on the glass where the flower came from. Now gently place the flower over the small amount of glue. Repeat with each flower. You want to work quickly when putting the flower over the glue; the glue on the glass dries quickly and if too dry, the flower wont stick. Once all your flowers are secured remove this piece of glass from the frame. Take the other piece of glass and put it in the frame; this will be the front. Now, take the piece of glass with the flowers on the down side, and place it over the other piece of glass and secure the two pieces of glass in the frame. Complete!!!

These frames look especially wonderful when placed in a spot where natural light will come through them. In a window or on a table in front of a window are perfect places.

Framed Wedding Invitation

This is a great anniversary present. Purchase a nice frame with a mat that the wedding invitation or announcement fits in. Apply the dried flowers on the mat as described above. Dried flowers from the bouquets or table arrangements at the wedding would work perfect for this as long as they are not too big.

Place Mats

Purchase a box of lamination sheets. Place your flowers on a sheet to see how you will be arranging them on the finished product. Peal off the backing of another sheet and move your flowers onto the sticky surface. Remember, once you apply the flowers, they wont move! Now, take a second lamination sheet, peal off the backing and put it on top of the flowers. Now you have that place mat with the flowers from your travels!

By: Larry Loughborough

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Flower Arrangements

Flower arrangement is an art that first originated centuries ago and traveled all over the world, taking different forms in different countries is now a part of our lives. Flower arrangements first appeared in Classical Greek and Roman times and went on to be defined as an art in Europe from the 14th 17th centuries before turning east to America, China, and Japan.

The principles of traditional flower arrangements are balance, harmony, proportion, and color.

All flower arrangements, if done in the traditional style, must embody these principles. These designs are inherited from an earlier time and are said to be decorative and appealing to our senses of touch, smell, and color in their form, texture, and fragrance.

If you have a garden that you would like to use for arranging flowers, find a vase you would like to use and support it with a base to stick flowers into. Cut flowers from your garden early in the morning, as the stems contain more water in them than later in the day and wont wilt as quickly, then synchronize the color of your flowers with your environment. Of course, with practice, you can do much more inventing as you go along.

Since flower arranging is an art, how your arrangement looks finally depends on its creator. You can custom design your flower arrangements to suit a variety of occasions such as a wedding, corporate event, anniversary, or birthday. You can also make flower arrangements from all kinds of materials such as fresh flowers, dried flowers, silk flowers, and paper flowers. You can dress up your life with well designed flower arrangements. Choose, innovate, and create the magic of flower arrangements for fun and style.

By Ken Marlborough

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Wedding Favors Inexpensive And Elegant

Wedding favors have become a must for most weddings. Brides cannot imagine having no wedding favors. As they launch preparations for the wedding, they begin looking at possibilities: candy, chocolate, candles, seeds, coasters, cookies, tea the list seems endless. Unfortunately, for some, the list may seem to offer nothing that is both inexpensive and elegant. They may feel that they are forced to choose between the two.

Inexpensive, elegant wedding favors must exist, they reason, but where can you find them?

A Humane Society donation wedding favor may be the answer. These inexpensive, elegant wedding favors are a tasteful way of showing that you care for animals, and believe your guests care also.

Humane Society Donation Wedding Favors

Humane Society donation wedding favors are easy on the bride, and at such a busy time of her life, that alone makes these wedding favors a great choice. There is no shopping to be done. No boxes arrive, needing to be unpacked. Nothing must be assembled. No tags wait to be added.

To get Humane Society donation wedding favors, all you need to do is contact the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) through their website. A search engine will find it for you quickly.

Tell the ASPCA what amount of money you would like to donate to help care for animals. Then tell them how many guests you expect at your wedding. After that, just sit back and let the ASPCA do the rest.

The ASPCA will send you enough place cards for your entire guest list. The small white cards are quite elegant, each one bearing the ASPCA symbol on the front in silver. Beneath the silver symbol are the letters, ASPCA.

Humane Society donation wedding favors tell your guests that you have made a donation in their names in lieu of a wedding favor. There will be no indication of the amount you have given, so whether it is large or small, only you and the ASPCA representative will know.

Inexpensive, Elegant Wedding Favors

These inexpensive, elegant wedding favors offer you a number of advantages.

* Inexpensive: This is, of course, a relative term. A donation of $1,000 might be termed inexpensive if you are inviting 1,000 guests. You are getting wedding favors for a mere $1 per guest. If you are on a smaller budget, your wedding favor donation could be much less than $1,000. Perhaps you really have little to spend on any kind of wedding favors. A small flute-shaped bottle filled with bubbles, its white top said to look like champagne foam, might cost only $0.20 per guest, and that may be all you can afford. But suppose you donated the same amount to the Humane Society. You would still get inexpensive wedding favors, but they would not appear to be inexpensive. The ASPCA has no minimal donation amount. Nor do they limit donations at the upper end. Whatever you can give for your wedding favors is appreciated.

* Elegant: Those little champagne bubble bottles would not seem the least bit elegant. Most inexpensive wedding favors do not. The same amount of money, however, donated to the Humane Society, will give you elegant wedding favors that look as though your donation was much, much more. You will have gone from acky to chic with one small action.

* Respect: Your friends are likely to respect your decision to make a donation in place of giving wedding favors. Many will probably compliment you on your gracious deed. You may even find that a few, looking forward to their own weddings, will ask how you made the donation.

* Satisfaction: You begin your married life knowing that you did something meaningful showed compassion to animals in need. You will gain a sense of satisfaction from the knowledge that your wedding favors had real value.

How Much to Give

Humane Society donation wedding favors can be purchased for any amount, as noted above. The ASPCA will send as many wedding favor cards as you need. But how much do you want to give? Would you be willing to feed a cat for a year? Would you be able to donate enough to feed one medium-sized dog from now until your first wedding anniversary? Perhaps you could feed two, three, or four animals. Which ones would you choose?

Let these figures guide you as you choose a wedding favor donation amount. They show how much it would cost to feed different animals for one year. (Figures taken from the ASPCA website.)

* 1 gold fish - $20
* 1 small rat - $50
* 1 small bird - $75
* 1 guinea pig - $75
* 1 rabbit - $156
* 1 cat - $170
* 1 small dog - $160
* 1 medium dog - $310
* 1 large dog - $350

Perhaps the bridal couple was intending to get their own pet as soon as they returned from the honeymoon. If you put that money into Humane Society donation wedding favors, what difference could you make?

If you waited, and got your pet as a first wedding anniversary gift instead, how much could you donate for your wedding favors? Look at the annual cost (after purchase or adoption) of pet ownership for one year. Again, these figures are from the ASPCA website.

* 1 gold fish - $235
* 1 small rat - $340
* 1 small bird - $195
* 1 guinea pig - $645
* 1 rabbit - $911
* 1 cat - $715
* 1 small dog - $810
* 1 medium dog - $1,190
* 1 large dog - $1,580

Inexpensive, elegant wedding favors, in the form of a Humane Society donation, can cost as little or as much as you decide to give.

Helpful Tip

Years from now, when you look back at your wedding, you will be glad that you gave these wedding favors. When you make your donation, and order your wedding favors, don't forget to order one for your wedding scrapbook.

By: Anna Hart

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Silk Flower Arrangements Hypoallergenic

As spring approaches, allergy sufferers often miss out on the warmth of new plant life and gardens in bloom. A season meant to be invigorating and uplifting is spent with a box of tissues and a good seasonal prescription. Even the safety of the home becomes a hostile environment when potted plants are brought indoors to bloom to be enjoyed as a centerpiece or side table decoration. This year, consider silk flower arrangements as a means of enjoying spring with the rest of us without the watering eyes and headaches.

One of the great advantages of owning silk flower arrangements is the fact that they are hypoallergenic. They contain no allergens such as pollen, and are disease free and nontoxic. Unlike many common household plants, their blooms are completely safe for small children and household pets.


There are hundreds of varieties of silk flower arrangements that are available year-round, and you never have to worry about watering them or pruning dead leaves or branches.

Enjoy all of the natural beauty of the real flower but without the highly allergen producing smells and pollens when you purchase silk flower arrangements. Appearing exquisitely realistic and life like, a garden of artificial freesia, hyacinth, daffodil, paper whites, tulips, lilies, crocus, and many more will satisfy your love of all things spring. Enjoy your summer garden of artificial hydrangea, roses, daisies, cymbidium, and magnolia. And when fall finally arrives, pass on the double portion of allergy misery with a selection of gorgeous, peonies, orchids, and an array of autumn colored grasses.

Don't let allergies keep you from enjoying the beauty of the seasons. Select silk flower arrangements and artificial plants that appeal to your inner artist while sparing yourself a seasonal migraine.

Johnny B. is a freelance writer and online commerce expert covering the latest trends and emerging product segments in e-commerce. He is also the owner of several e-commerce businesses including the popular site Designer Silk Plants and Flowers.com where they feature Silk Flower Arrangements, Outdoor Wreaths and much more.

By Johnny B.

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Unique Wedding Favors For A Unique Couple

A wedding favor can be unique if the theme or style of your wedding is different from the run off the mill ceremonies. Another way wedding favors are unique is if they are not intended to be used as favors in the first place.

Unique Wedding Favors by Theme

A theme for a wedding is not necessary only when you have a destination wedding; regular local weddings can have themes too. Some popular themes could be to replicate an era in time such as the 70s or the Victorian Age. Or you could take a flower or shape to be the wedding theme;

roses everywhere from the cake toppers to the centerpieces to the bridal bouquets will make everything look coordinated. An object like a butterfly or a flip flop can also be a great idea for unique wedding favors.

Dual Purpose Favors

By initially using the favors as place card holders, you can tell the guest that they can take them home and use them for notes or photos of their own. For a Vegas themed wedding you could give decks of cards or dice as favors and for a fairy tale theme, you could hand out horse drawn carriage photo frames.

An Asian wedding theme could have chopsticks or oriental soup spoons as favors; something people might not got out and buy for themselves but would like to use or display if they get them as gifts.

Practical yet Unique Wedding Favors

Luggage tags, tea infusers, wine glass charms and book marks are just some examples of unique wedding favors that are easy to utilize as opposed to be chucked away in some drawer. Everyone could use another bookmark and luggage tags get worn out quickly too. So, remember to give your guests something they can use.

Wedding favors, whether unique or typical do have one limitation most of the time; they have to be pretty small. This is because they are usually placed on tables before the guests arrive and hence should not take up much space when the food is served. If you have a unique wedding favor idea that is a little different from the usual size; then you may want to make someone in charge of handing it to guest s on their way out.

If you score a great deal on a poster print that complements your wedding theme for instance, then hand it out at the end as opposed to guests having to fumble with it during the reception and meal.
Imported Unique Wedding Favors

If you think all your friends have probably visited the same websites or read the same bridal magazines for unique wedding favor ideas; then youre probably right. If you really want to wow your guest, get something not readily available in the US. Indian handicrafts, Japanese candy or British tea are just some examples of unique wedding favor ideas that your guests can not just pick up at any store.

Avoid Monogrammed Wedding Favors

In an effort to get a really unique wedding favor, many couples opt to personalize the item with the initial of the recipient. While this is a very generous gesture on their part, it is not very practical. Some guests may not be able to make it even if they RSVPd that they could. Others might have to bring in an extra guest or two and you wont have the time to get their specific initial engraved or embossed.

Favors can get mixed up and misplaced; it is better for everyone to go home with the same favor rather than Tim leaving with a P candle and Rose with an S embroidered handkerchief.

By: Phil De Fontenay

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Lighted Artificial Christmas Trees

Lighted artificial Christmas trees are brightening up homes and businesses this holiday season. This special holiday is a festive occasion, which calls for succulent food, magical gifts, and decorative surroundings. A Christmas tree represents the centerpiece of all these celebratory events and has been a long-standing tradition for over 60 years. Lighted artificial Christmas trees are relatively new and have become a popular replacement to Mother Natures version. Many lighted artificial trees are easy to set up and offer the user a convenient way to save time and money during the Christmas season.

It was not too long ago that many people used real Christmas trees within their homes.

Although beautiful to look at, these decorations came with a package of problems. Maintenance was always a time consuming chore, in order to keep up the trees lush appearance. These lighted holiday trees would have to be watered regularly; otherwise, they would dry up and pose a serious fire hazard. Non-artificial varieties also require a good vacuum cleaner. Residents will spend plenty of time sucking up needles, which have accumulated on the floor. These trees did not come with lights either so residents would usually have to spend an entire day just to decorate.

Lighted artificial trees not only save time, they are beautiful, as well. These products are easy to set up, sometimes only taking just a few minutes! Pre-lighted styles save even more time, since homeowners will not have to dig through numerous boxes with different labels just to find a few color bulbs for decorating purposes. Moreover, these Christmas decorations eliminate the potential fire hazard associated with the real variety, since most are constructed out of durable materials, which are less likely to cause such a problem. Finally, clean up is a snap. Lighted artificial trees do not shed needles and can be taken apart just as quickly as they were set up.

There are pre-lighted products that come in a variety of styles to accommodate your needs. In addition to lighted artificial products, we also carry wreaths and garland, which will highlight your Christmas theme. We know how special December 25th is to you and your family, so check out our online venue to get exactly what your heart desires.

Many of our lighted artificial holiday products can be used both indoors and out. We have numerous styles including Aspen, Douglas Fir, Everest, and Noble Firs. People often wonder, if owning an artificial product will take away from the true beauty of the Christmas spirit. These products are not only gorgeous; they are hard to differentiate from the real thing! These decorations will add a touch of brilliance to your home this Christmas, as well as, make the perfect gift for you and your loved ones.

Homeowners, who are looking to save time and money this holiday season, should consider investing in a lighted artificial Christmas tree. These products offer the elegance of their real life counterparts and the timesaving convenience everyone requires. Just imagine being able to spend more time shopping and doing the other necessary things that makes Christmas so wonderful!

By: Kimberly Quang

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Silk Flower Arrangements Advantages

Silk flower arrangements come in about as many varieties as Mother Nature herself created, but they have several advantages that their live counterparts just don't offer. Not only are they hypoallergenic, completely non-toxic, and poison free - making them a family friendly option - they are also a great way to turn the cash spent on a live plant into a long term investment that will provide decoration and enjoyment for years to come.

Today's silk flower industry has come a long way in terms of design and realism. From delicate veins running beautifully through flower petals to the seamless meeting of stem and bloom, silk flower arrangements are often so convincing that only a smell and touch test proves them artificial.

Silk flower arrangements are also very low maintenance. With live flowers, not only do they require a healthy dose of time and skill, keeping them dust free and looking new is also quite a task. Silk flowers treated with a dust-resistant finish eliminates this problem altogether. No dusting, no watering, no trimming, and no replacing flowers every week. Just an occasional spritz with a silk flower cleaner is about all they will need.

Silk flower arrangements are now available set in high-quality glass vases that are filled with special acrylic water. This crystal clear acrylic provides stability to keep the whole arrangement looking as new as the day you purchased it for many years. And the best part is that these silk flower arrangements look just like fresh-cut flowers standing in cool water, however, they will still be being enjoyed a year from now instead of being in next week's trash can. And with an array broad enough to please any stylistic palette, finding the perfect silk flower arrangement for your home, office, or place of business is an enjoyable experience.

Johnny B. is a freelance writer and online commerce expert covering the latest trends and emerging product segments in e-commerce. He is also the owner of several e-commerce businesses including the popular site Designer Silk Plants and Flowers.com where they feature Silk Flower Arrangements, Outdoor Wreaths and much more.

By Johnny B.

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Artificial Holiday Christmas Trees

Artificial Christmas trees have become more popular over the years. Christmas is a special holiday, and on this day many family traditions are honored. One of these traditions focuses around the symbol of the Christmas tree and the special gifts of tidings and love it brings. Artificial trees are now replacing the traditional real life option, because they are safer and more convenient to set up. Constructed out of durable materials, artificial versions are less prone to fire and last much longer than the traditional style.

Homeowners always scratch their heads every year, when Christmas rolls around. Many scramble to buy last minute gifts and some dont even bother setting up a Christmas tree.

This unfortunate holiday crunch creates enough chaos and stress to last until next Christmas. Artificial trees give homeowners a time saving option by allowing them to set it up in just a matter of minutes. Moreover, artificial trees require no water to keep their bristles lush green and no heavy-duty clean up job, when Christmas is over.

There is a large selection of artificial trees for the upcoming holiday season. We have pre-lit products in a variety of styles that you will find appealing to the senses. Our inventory also includes pre-lit wreaths and garlands for your home d?cor theme. Many of our trees already have lights melded into the needles and branches. Users can still have the look and feel of real pine without all the hassles associated with the natures variety.

There are numerous unique styles in the artificial Christmas tree department. The Black Forest style will give every homeowner a beautiful artificial evergreen example and save his or her allergies for another day! The Uinta Fir series comes with a plethora of mini holiday lights attached to each branch. This category is typically slim in appearance and is seven and a half feet tall with a four-foot diameter. We also have larger styles in this category with some options towering over nine feet tall!

Everyone would love to have a Noble Fir in his or her home this holiday season. Unless you live in a region of the country where these trees grow and are willing to hop in your car to go cut one down, you will probably have to do without one of these beautiful figures. Times have now changed. The artificial Noble Firs will bring the beauty of nature directly into your living room! These pre-lit decorations are stunning and almost undetectable from the real thing!

If you have a large home or commercial site, then you are probably looking at purchasing a bigger Christmas tree to encompass the space. The gigantic Everest styles are enormous artificial versions start out at 14 feet and can be purchased all the way up to a whopping 35 feet! The angled branches and dazzling lights will bring a rush of joy into your heart this year. Homeowners can also bring a little winter magic from the mountains of Colorado into their abode this Christmas. The artificial Aspen varieties that come in 3, 4, and 5 feet for a perfect snug fit into your room.

Christmas is a special time of year, and homeowners should deck the halls in splendid fashion to celebrate this holiday. There is a large selection of pre-lit artificial trees that will bring the beauty of nature into your home. Customers can select among the many different styles and heights we offer and feel content with the choice they have made. So dress up your living headquarters this Christmas with some magical products.

By: Kimberly Quang

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All About The Artificial Christmas Tree

The very first artificial Christmas tree was nothing like the fabulous recreations of woodland beauty we see today. In fact, the first artificial Christmas tree was made by a company that manufactured brushes and of very unbecoming materials for a Christmas tree. Today's artificial Christmas trees are much more sophisticated and often include so many materials you really must read the full list of materials in order to know precisely what you are paying for.

It is important to know what your Christmas tree is made of, as it could become a matter of safety for you and your family. For instance, you would want to avoid trees that have plastic needles if you have pets or small children in the home as they could easily become choking hazards.

It is a good idea if you have little ones that are prone to pulling ornaments off of trees to invest in one of the already decorated trees that have ornaments that can't be removed. This offers a somewhat childproof version of the Christmas tree. Purchasing a pre lit Christmas tree has many benefits, first among those is the saving of hair from unrolling string after string of lights in search of the one or two that actually work this Christmas, additionally, it saves a lot of ill will towards Christmas and humanity as you are trying to put together your Christmas tree.

The first pre lit Christmas trees to hit the market did so in the late 1970's. These earlier versions came with a base that rotated a color wheel that gave the illusion of light dancing along the branches of the tree. These types of retro color wheels are still available for those of you who sincerely like this type of Christmas tree lighting. Modern pre lit Christmas trees are a far cry from the retro disco wheel type of lighting of its roots. Today's lighting is either made of fiber optics that extends to the very tips of the branches or with traditional Christmas light bulbs attached to the branches. The latter of the two lights tends to be the more affordable as well as more traditional.

Another popular Christmas tree today tends to be the white Christmas tree. These trees are a throwback to the 70's and can be found with fiber optic lighting and pre decorated with Christmas balls in one color or many colors. Fire resistant tinsel trees are also making a popular comeback for artificial xmas trees.

The best time to order an artificial Christmas tree is about 6 weeks before the Christmas season actually begins. This will increase your chances of actually getting the holiday tree you are hoping to buy without running the risk of your tree being out of stock. Also be sure to purchase your tree from a reputable company to be sure that your purchase will be protected.

By: Chucky Anderson

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Particular Varieties Of Flower Arrangement

Whenever you want to say it with flowers, the implications of the particular floral arrangement should be highly considered. Flowers express every emotion - be it love, hate, sympathy or congratulations. Fresh flower arrangement is the purest form of all expressions. Fresh flower arrangements or floral designs usually follow the following guidelines:

The largest and darkest flowers are placed close to the base of the design while the smallest and the lightest are placed at the outer edges of the arrangement.

The floral arrangement should be divided into line materials (twigs, tiny flowers), dominant materials (big flowers), secondary materials (other flowers), and filler materials (foliage) and placed harmoniously and proportionately.

The container must have elegance, class and style that fit in with the overall decor.

The basic flower arrangement methods can be roughly classified according to the shape of the floral design as-

? Mound Flower Arrangement

? Triangular Flower Arrangement

. Asymmetrical Flower Arrangement

? Crescent Flower Arrangement

? Hogarth Curve Flower Arrangement

Some individual floral arrangements:

Roses are originally cultivated in various shades of pink - from the palest pink to the deepest crimson. The implication of the pink rose floral arrangement incorporate grace and elegance, as well as cuteness and poetic romance. Based on the occasion they also entail gratitude, appreciation and even sympathy. In a perfect arrangement the roses are perfectly pointed or gracefully curved.

The peony means 'most beautiful', and is idolized by the Chinese and the Japanese. It is native to Europe, Asia and North America with a variety of shades - from white to peach to dark maroon. Being seasonal, it is available between May and July. A peony floral arrangement symbolizes luxury and indulgence. These fragrant, gigantic flowers work well alone in a bouquet or a mixed arrangement. Their thin stems require wiring and are popular in the wedding flower arrangement.

Gerbera Daisy flower happens to be the most popular cut flowers. The gerbera daisy flower arrangement is widely used in bouquets and dry flower crafts. The flowers available in different hues are hardy enough to with stand the rigors of transportation, as they are found only in the humid tropical climates. Chemical preservative solution is recommended for this floral arrangement.

Miniature flower arrangement - Here the shape of the arrangement is a circle, triangle, an L- shape or a S-curve. The taller flowers are placed at the focal point. The ends are dipped in glue for better posture. The filler leaves are then inserted.

Spring flower arrangement comprises of primarily the Classic Dutch Tulip. Other popular flowers include daffodil, iris, cyclamen and crocus.

Tropical flowers can be preserved up to three weeks. They require fresh water and need to be kept away from heat sources. For a Tropical Flower arrangement, the stems of the flowers are first arranged, and then evenly trimmed at the bottom. Dendrobium and Anthurium are the most popular varieties.

The Exotic flower arrangements lend a perfect touch of beauty to the modern day apartments. With proper attention and care this floral arrangement can stay fresh for three weeks. The most popular of the arrangements are:

* Anthurium and Stargazer Lilies arrangement - It is a magnificent assortment of colors.
* Protea and Ginger arrangement - it is a combination of Queen Protea flowers and pink Ginger flowers which provide a calming sensation.

The fruit flower arrangement came across as a fun concept quite long ago. It takes shape when fruits are made the focal point of the floral design. The assembling is done harmoniously keeping the color, form and shape of the design in mind. They generally form the center-table pieces.

By Daniel McDowell

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Wedding Bouquets That Fit Your Style

The prettiness and aroma of exotic flowers combined together with natural light, candlelight, and lighting fixtures sets the tempo for a complete wedding calibrations and beautiful bridal parties. The assortments of the flowers available for your choosing is simple unbelievable. What more, they are beautifully arranged in wedding bouquets which make perfect gift ideas for bridesmaids and flower girls on the memorable occasion.

These gift ideas are the perfect wedding accessories and gifts that will make the gathering come alive and make your wedding a lovely event, cherished by all! The bouquets embellish the aisle,

through which the bride gracefully passes, displaying her elegant wedding dress. The bouquets enhance the overall surroundings of the reception and wedding party. They give a feeling of royal elegance.

Furthermore, the bouquets comprise of flowers that have vivid colors such as brilliant splashes of gold, orange, cobalt blue, hot pink, purple, and red. They are beautifully tied with ribbons and arranged in bouquets that have a traditional beauty about them. These perfectly blend with the wedding attire of the bride and groom, besides they enliven the setting of the party and set the mood for the occasion.Wedding bouquets are handcrafted and personalized in a variety of traditional and contemporary themes to make them an ideal keepsake gift idea.

Many are also packed with artificial and synthetic flower assortments that keep memories as fresh as they look, whenever you see them.The White Aquarius Rose bundle with Satin Ribbon Tie bouquets are elegantly packed and creatively arranged such that they have and edge over all other wedding favors. The silk flowers interspersed with rose flowers are the least affected by environmental variations.

The best part is that after wedding and reception ceremony, these ideally become a part of your living room. The White Calla Lily with Pearl center & Dahlia Nosegay Bouquet is a beautiful masterpiece that is subtly designed with silk flowers and surrounded with White Satin Ribbon. The combination of satin and silk gives the just the right exotic look and offers an exhilarating appeal that will make it a remembered and cherished for a long time to come.

These can be personalized and customized as per the need. The bouquet of synthetically designed artwork of flowers looks bubbly not only in the wedding but also at your home environs.The White Peony bouquet with Natural Stems is a unique network of stems and silk flowers, creating a subtly created mesh that adds a feeling of beauty and splendor in the typical wedding environs.

The White Rose & lily of the valley Bridal Nosegay Bouquet is a handy and tenderly crafted bouquet, chiseled out of silk roses and lily of the valley flowers.The Six Shooter Charms with Brass Finish bouquet is yet another unique way of rendering a personal feel to the wedding stationery and favors including the garters, invitations, and place cards. The Pastel lily, Hydrangea, Sweet pea wedding bouquet is a bouquet designed specially for the wedding party. You will get all maximum species of synthetically designed flowers to add variety to the party.

By: Joe Palladino

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Silk Flower Arrangements Advantages

Silk flower arrangements come in about as many varieties as Mother Nature herself created, but they have several advantages that their live counterparts just don't offer. Not only are they hypoallergenic, completely non-toxic, and poison free - making them a family friendly option - they are also a great way to turn the cash spent on a live plant into a long term investment that will provide decoration and enjoyment for years to come.

Today's silk flower industry has come a long way in terms of design and realism.

From delicate veins running beautifully through flower petals to the seamless meeting of stem and bloom, silk flower arrangements are often so convincing that only a smell and touch test proves them artificial.

Silk flower arrangements are also very low maintenance. With live flowers, not only do they require a healthy dose of time and skill, keeping them dust free and looking new is also quite a task. Silk flowers treated with a dust-resistant finish eliminates this problem altogether. No dusting, no watering, no trimming, and no replacing flowers every week. Just an occasional spritz with a silk flower cleaner is about all they will need.

Silk flower arrangements are now available set in high-quality glass vases that are filled with special acrylic water. This crystal clear acrylic provides stability to keep the whole arrangement looking as new as the day you purchased it for many years. And the best part is that these silk flower arrangements look just like fresh-cut flowers standing in cool water, however, they will still be being enjoyed a year from now instead of being in next week's trash can. And with an array broad enough to please any stylistic palette, finding the perfect silk flower arrangement for your home, office, or place of business is an enjoyable experience.

Johnny B. is a freelance writer and online commerce expert covering the latest trends and emerging product segments in e-commerce. He is also the owner of several e-commerce businesses including the popular site Designer Silk Plants and Flowers.com where they feature Silk Flower Arrangements, Outdoor Wreaths and much more.

By Johnny B.

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Silk Flowers Last Forever

Nothing is better than getting a bouquet of flowers but silk flowers are the next best thing and last forever! You can find silk flowers and arrangements that have been created with the most amazing style and detail. Silk flower arrangements are the perfect solution when you want to bring some color to the rooms in your house, or add a certain degree of sophistication.

After you have selected the perfect silk flower arrangements the next thing you will need to decide is where you would like to place them. Make sure that they colors of the arrangement go with the colors in the room they are placed. Make sure that the room has an adequate amount of light. The best type of light to show off your silk flower arrangements is natural light so use that to your advantage whenever you can.

Of course size has a lot to do with your silk flowers as well. The size of your room, size of the table that they are being placed, as well as the size of the flower arrangement themselves. Artificial flowers have a huge advantage over fresh flowers because you are able to get the largest variety regardless of what season it is.

Consider bright colors for the summer and autumn hues for the fall seasons. Many of today's natural plants and flowers have a certain appearance during the different seasons. You are able to find silk flowers that look just like the real thing.

You will also need to find the right container or bowl for your silk flowers to be in. If you have a pre-made arrangement than they will generally come in their own container, but some don't. Go with a bowl or container that blends with your arrangement and room alike. Silk flowers are the perfect gift for anyone.

Written by Frasier Johnson. Find the latest information on silk flowers as well as silk flowers

By Frasier Johnson

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Spring Flower Gardening

Spring is the time when nature and your garden awakes and comes alive after the long winter. That first spring flower or that first green leave is the sign that winter in coming to an end and that a new growing season has arrived.

Spring and Flower gardening is almost synonymous. Spring is the time to interplant perennials, shrubs, roses and plant or transplant your annuals.

Its time to shape up your soil, loosen the mulch around your plants and prune your early blooming shrubs.

Rake and remove leaves and debris from your garden. Without a good planting medium your flower garden will never be at its best.

Perennials will save you a lot of work in your flower garden. So keep perennials high on your list. These hardworking beauties eliminate yearly replanting and will still give you that spring and summer color that you are longing for. Its best to choose varieties that dont need a lot of staking or frequent division. Notorious sun lovers are daylilies, sedium, and speedwell. Plants like hosta, fern, sweet woodruff and columbine feel more at easy in the shadow.

Flower Bulbs add a splash of color to your spring garden. Sprinkle some crocuses, daffodils, and of course tulips between your flower beds. Flower bulbs are almost essential in a spring flower garden. If you havent planted them last spring make sure you do so coming fall.

An important part of spring gardening is getting on top of the weeds. Most weeds are fairly easy to control when you start taking them out from early spring on. At that time they still have a shallow root system and because they havent bloomed yet they havent reproduced either. Taking care of them in spring will pay off big in summer.

Spring, its really the growing season, and for a gardener its perhaps the most beautiful and promising time of the year.

By: Linfa Jenkinson

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Silk Flower Arrangements A Brief History

People have been recreating flowers with a myriad of materials for centuries. The earliest artificial flowers were crafted in ancient China. First using cloth, silk flowers began to catch on in the United States in the 1800s, but early efforts produced silk flower arrangements and silk florals that bore little resemblance to their living counterparts. Yet today dust resistant, realistic, low maintenance silk floral arrangements can be found if a consumer is willing to look.

Artificial flower arranging took a giant leap forward in the early 1970s with the use of plastics and high-quality synthetic fibers. As technology and manufacturing techniques improved,

these materials enabled manufacturers to create silk flower arrangements with greater botanical accuracy than ever before. Though the commonly accepted term is silk flowers, it is something of a misnomer, as modern flowers are rarely made of silk.

Today's silk flower arrangements have continued to get better and more realistic. From the delicate veins running through the leaves, to the way the stem seamlessly meets blossom, today's silk flowers are often so realistic, they have to be touched to be believed. It's not uncommon to find that even the leaves feel like they have fuzz growing on them, adding that realistic finishing touch.

The creation of artificial flowers and artificial foliage is an exacting process and one that requires creativity, keen senses and a commitment to the production of quality silk floral arrangements. Today's consumers are demanding in their desire for realistic artificial flower arrangements. Dust resistance, realism, and easy to clean are just some of the required characteristics that go into creating the finest items possible.

As manufacturing processes continue to improve, you can expect the quality and consistency to continue to rise. You should also expect to find the best deals and the widest selections available online. The internet revolution continues to help to connect people with the realistic, beautiful silk flower arrangements that they seek and often at the best prices available anywhere.

Johnny Best is a freelance writer and online commerce expert covering the latest trends and emerging product segments in e-commerce. He is also the owner of several e-commerce businesses including the popular site DesignerSilkPlantsandFlowers.com where they feature Beautiful Silk Flower Arrangements, Silk Floral Arrangements and more.

By Johnny B.

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Projects For Dried Pressed Flowers

Its great to carry on the memories of places you have been with dried flowers. As you stroll along the trails, beaches or streets, remember to pluck flowers as you go. Ferns and leaves are great items also. They will help accent the flowers later. Most importantly, carry along with you that small book, with rubber bands around it, to lay your pickings in to dry.

Once the flowers are dry, about two months later, you are ready to start your creations. Here are a few ideas to start with:

Dried Flower Picture Frame

Purchase a double glass, free standing picture frame. You will also need a glue stick to hold your flowers in place. Take the picture frame apart and clean the interior sides of the two pieces of glass. Place one piece of glass back into the frame and gently arrange your flowers, making sure you have the front/right side of all the flowers facing up.

Be careful not to breathe too hard or sneeze, your flowers will go all over the place! To secure the flowers to the glass, lift the flowers and with your finger, put a small amount of the glue stick on the glass where the flower came from. Now gently place the flower over the small amount of glue. Repeat with each flower. You want to work quickly when putting the flower over the glue; the glue on the glass dries quickly and if too dry, the flower wont stick. Once all your flowers are secured remove this piece of glass from the frame. Take the other piece of glass and put it in the frame; this will be the front. Now, take the piece of glass with the flowers on the down side, and place it over the other piece of glass and secure the two pieces of glass in the frame. Complete!!!

These frames look especially wonderful when placed in a spot where natural light will come through them. In a window or on a table in front of a window are perfect places.

Framed Wedding Invitation

This is a great anniversary present. Purchase a nice frame with a mat that the wedding invitation or announcement fits in. Apply the dried flowers on the mat as described above. Dried flowers from the bouquets or table arrangements at the wedding would work perfect for this as long as they are not too big.

Place Mats

Purchase a box of lamination sheets. Place your flowers on a sheet to see how you will be arranging them on the finished product. Peal off the backing of another sheet and move your flowers onto the sticky surface. Remember, once you apply the flowers, they wont move! Now, take a second lamination sheet, peal off the backing and put it on top of the flowers. Now you have that place mat with the flowers from your travels!

By: Larry Loughborough

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Inexpensive Wedding Gifts For Anyone

wedding gift does not have to be expensive to be well received and appreciated by the couple. While the extravagance of some weddings may compel their guests to purchase pricey gifts, it is not necessary to do so. Many people are invited to a number of weddings each year and its not feasible to purchase an expensive gift for every wedding you attend. While you may want to splurge on an extravagant gift for a close friend or relative, you are not required to invest a great deal of money in a gift for a casual acquaintance. Even if you are very close with the couple you may be able to create a very inexpensive gift for their wedding. The following are just a few ideas for inexpensive wedding gifts that are sure to delight the couple without breaking your budget.

One inexpensive gift idea is to fill a mixing bowl with a variety of kitchen utensils.

This is both an inexpensive and an extremely useful gift. Many couples are starting their life together and will need a few basic utensils and kitchen gadgets to get them started. This gift is thoughtful and useful without being detrimental to your budget.

Another inexpensive gift idea is to create a basket containing elements for a romantic dinner. You could put this basket together by yourself and include items such as dry pasta and sauce as well as a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. You might also want to include a non-perishable desert such as biscotti to complete your meal. You could even include a recipe card with one of your own personally tested recipes. This inexpensive gift idea will be greatly valued by the couple because it essentially giving them the gift of a romantic night alone.

Picture frames can also be an inexpensive wedding gift idea. The couple will likely have a wide variety of photos that they will want to display in their home and providing them with a few simple frames is an inexpensive way to give them a truly useful gift. While many picture frames can be expensive, you could find simple wooden frames in a craft store and paint or decorate to suit the couples taste. You could also shop at closeout stores for these items and may find quite a few bargains available. Picture frames are an inexpensive and useful wedding gift idea that is likely to be cherished by the couple.

The couples registry could also be another source of inexpensive wedding gift ideas. Many couples will register for an assortment of items that span a large price spectrum. You may find that the couple has included many inexpensive items in their registry that may fall within your budget constraints. Choosing an inexpensive item from the couples registry ensures that you are giving them a gift that they will truly like and appreciate because they picked out the item themselves.

If you are a close friend or relative of the couple you may be able to make a very inexpensive wedding gift that will also be unique and greatly cherished by the couple. If you have many pictures of the couple, you might consider arranging these pictures in a unique way in a photo album to give to the couple as a gift. You could also use the photos to create a scrapbook or even a video presentation set to music that features the couple. These gifts will be greatly appreciated by the couple and can be created for a relatively small cost.

Candles are another inexpensive wedding gift. Newlyweds often incorporate candles in their decorating and also use candles to create ambiance during dinner or on other occasions. Just after they are married is the time when couples are most likely to enjoy candlelight dinners frequently and for no specific occasion so a wedding gift of candles is bound to be used often. Candles come in a great variety of colors, sizes and scents so it should be easy to find an assortment of candles that will be appreciated by the couple.

A wedding gift does not have to be expensive to be useful and appreciated by the couple. Many wedding guests spend a great deal of money on fancy china or glassware that is only used on special occasions while inexpensive gifts such as candles and kitchen utensils are used by the couple on a daily basis.

By: Sarah Williams

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Silk Flower Arrangements

If you are someone that keeps up with the ever changing popular decor for homes, you are probably realizing that silk flower arrangements are replacing fresh flower arrangements in many homes. This is because when you buy a silk flower arrangement, you are going to get an arrangement that will not die in 2 weeks. You do not have to keep constantly replacing the flowers, and you will not have to worry about the water lever in the vase. When you use silk flowers, you can just arrange them, and keep them free of dust, and they will last you a really long time and look nice for a while.

Many wedding decorators are using the silk flower arrangements in decoration as well for weddings. This is because you can buy silk flowers is many different colors,

and you will get the same effect as if you were using the real flowers. Arranging them to look nice is easy as well, and many of the people that decorate weddings for a living will keep a nice variety of silk flowers that they will use over and over for many weddings.

Also when you use silk flower arrangements at weddings, you can always find homes for the many silk flowers that you will have left once the wedding is over. Rather than throwing the real flowers away a week later, you will find that you will love having reminders of your wedding all over your home, and you can even send some of the flowers home with your guest if you wanted to, so that they could have the pretty flowers in theirs as well.

Because many people are choosing silk flower arrangements over the real flower arrangements, you are going to find that they can sometimes be a little hard to find. Check with your local florist and many of your craft shops if you are interested in making some for yourself or even someone else. Making a flower arrangement of silk flowers to give as a gift is a great idea, and anyone that received a gift such as that would surely love it.

By Charlena S. Stadelman

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Christmas Flower Arrangements

You can dress up your home this Christmas with a flower arrangement so spectacular youll wonder how you did it on your own. Traditional arrangements come in a happy mix of green, red, and white fresh Christmas flowerspoinsettiasand include Christmas cactus, holly with green leaves and red berries, but you can bring about the same effect with silk flowers.

Your silk flower arrangement for Christmas will add an extra touch of beauty to your decorations for the festive season, besides being economical and long lasting. They are also very easy to do and can be done much before the season begins.

To make a beautiful Christmas silk flower arrangement, you will need a container, floral adhesive, and pair of pliers to bend wires, wire cutters, flora tape, foam and tape.

You will need to choose a container for Christmas silk flower arrangement that is neither too wide nor too narrow but certainly lightweight. Make a large silk floral arrangement in an urn-shaped container.

Now, select flowers of different textures to lend variety to your flower arrangement. Their colors should also match those of your room and give it a festive look. Before you buy silk poinsettias, holly or red berries, look at their edges. If they are frayed or damaged, reject them for those that look fresh and natural.

Next, begin arranging your flowers. Open each flower carefully so that it is wide open and reveals its actual shape. Stick the stems of the flowers into the foam. Lengthen the stems by attaching a piece of floral wire at the end of the stem with floral tape.

Continue to make your Christmas silk flower arrangement with varying sizes of stems. This will lend a good shape to your arrangement and add to the beauty of the arrangement.

By Ken Marlborough

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Unique Flower Arrangements

Fresh flowers are not the only flowers that you can use to make a beautiful flower arrangement. You can make a flower arrangement out of dried flowers, too. Contrary to most people's opinion, dried flowers can still be used for so many purposes like in making flower arrangements.

There are many ways to dry fresh flowers. You can freeze-dry them, air-dry them by hanging them upside down, use silica gel, or place them in the microwave - just be sure to follow instructions on how to do these things carefully.

When arranging dried flowers, place a vase on a lazy Susan with the base of the vase stuck with floral clay and a piece of foam fixed into the vase. Using lepidium, lavender and a straw, provide an over-all shape to your arrangement. Then, fill center up with flax, foliage,

galax leaves, or maidenhair fern. Position your flowers in descending order of size where large flowers such as hydrangea are the ones placed first, then moving on to the medium-sized ones. Do not forget to space them evenly. For a better effect, add delphinium, larkspur, or dried flax.

When making a bouquet of dried flowers, it helps to imagine a triangular floral arrangement with a flat back. Make an arrangement that is 1 1/2 times bigger than the size of the vase. Begin by placing twigs, ferns, spike flowers, and long seed heads. To show depth, longer pieces such as larkspur should be used at the back of the arrangement.

To finish it up, add filling material such as statice, tansy, or hortensia, extending at least half the height of the twigs and ferns. For greater appeal, the most attractive flowers with the main colors of the arrangement should be located at the center.

Make sure that the arrangement is balanced well--not too heavy on one side. And to maintain the arrangement's basic shape, keep filling it up with flowers and heighten its effect with seed heads and grasses.

By Ken Marlborough

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Particular Varieties Of Flower Arrangement

Whenever you want to say it with flowers, the implications of the particular floral arrangement should be highly considered. Flowers express every emotion - be it love, hate, sympathy or congratulations. Fresh flower arrangement is the purest form of all expressions. Fresh flower arrangements or floral designs usually follow the following guidelines:

The largest and darkest flowers are placed close to the base of the design while the smallest and the lightest are placed at the outer edges of the arrangement.

The floral arrangement should be divided into line materials (twigs, tiny flowers), dominant materials (big flowers), secondary materials (other flowers), and filler materials (foliage) and placed harmoniously and proportionately.

The container must have elegance, class and style that fit in with the overall decor.

The basic flower arrangement methods can be roughly classified according to the shape of the floral design as-

? Mound Flower Arrangement

? Triangular Flower Arrangement

. Asymmetrical Flower Arrangement

? Crescent Flower Arrangement

? Hogarth Curve Flower Arrangement

Some individual floral arrangements:

Roses are originally cultivated in various shades of pink - from the palest pink to the deepest crimson. The implication of the pink rose floral arrangement incorporate grace and elegance, as well as cuteness and poetic romance. Based on the occasion they also entail gratitude, appreciation and even sympathy. In a perfect arrangement the roses are perfectly pointed or gracefully curved.

The peony means 'most beautiful', and is idolized by the Chinese and the Japanese. It is native to Europe, Asia and North America with a variety of shades - from white to peach to dark maroon. Being seasonal, it is available between May and July. A peony floral arrangement symbolizes luxury and indulgence. These fragrant, gigantic flowers work well alone in a bouquet or a mixed arrangement. Their thin stems require wiring and are popular in the wedding flower arrangement.

Gerbera Daisy flower happens to be the most popular cut flowers. The gerbera daisy flower arrangement is widely used in bouquets and dry flower crafts. The flowers available in different hues are hardy enough to with stand the rigors of transportation, as they are found only in the humid tropical climates. Chemical preservative solution is recommended for this floral arrangement.

Miniature flower arrangement - Here the shape of the arrangement is a circle, triangle, an L- shape or a S-curve. The taller flowers are placed at the focal point. The ends are dipped in glue for better posture. The filler leaves are then inserted.

Spring flower arrangement comprises of primarily the Classic Dutch Tulip. Other popular flowers include daffodil, iris, cyclamen and crocus.

Tropical flowers can be preserved up to three weeks. They require fresh water and need to be kept away from heat sources. For a Tropical Flower arrangement, the stems of the flowers are first arranged, and then evenly trimmed at the bottom. Dendrobium and Anthurium are the most popular varieties.

The Exotic flower arrangements lend a perfect touch of beauty to the modern day apartments. With proper attention and care this floral arrangement can stay fresh for three weeks. The most popular of the arrangements are:

* Anthurium and Stargazer Lilies arrangement - It is a magnificent assortment of colors.
* Protea and Ginger arrangement - it is a combination of Queen Protea flowers and pink Ginger flowers which provide a calming sensation.

The fruit flower arrangement came across as a fun concept quite long ago. It takes shape when fruits are made the focal point of the floral design. The assembling is done harmoniously keeping the color, form and shape of the design in mind. They generally form the center-table pieces.

By Daniel McDowell

Read More

Thanksgiving Flower Arrangements

While your own personality will ultimately determine what will go into your Thanksgiving flower arrangement, we've pulled together some ideas from getting started to applying the finishing touches.

Thanksgiving is a traditional autumn holiday with a rustic, earthy theme and your flower arrangement can easily incorporate this by the colours and materials you choose. Autumn is the season of deep, warm colours reminding us of ripe fruits and vegetables, and of the leaves turning on the trees before falling. For your main items choose flowers and accessories in a variety of reds, oranges, yellows, coppers and browns. A touch of green or blue is a great complement and will bring out the warm colours beautifully!

Great seasonal flowers are chrysanthemums, asters,

pansies and even sunflowers. Mums and asters can be used in medium to large arrangements, possibly with a handful of small roses and stalks of wheat or barley as accents. If you have a garden, take a stroll through it to see what is still thriving - it could end up being the main attraction in your arrangement!

If you want a handful of smaller arrangements, pansies in old mason jars can add a bit of freshness throughout your home, whether they are placed in washrooms to greet guests, or scattered among buffet dishes on the dining room table. To dress them up, simply tie some ribbon around the jar, preferably ribbon with wire edges that can be shaped to your liking.

Once you've determined which flowers you want to use, you can figure out what container you're going to arrange them in. Possibilities include vases of varying sizes, mason jars, water pitchers, metal watering cans, and terra cotta pots (with a smaller vase or glass inside to hold the flowers and water).

Once your arrangement is created, don't forget to tie all of your colours together with some richly coloured ribbon, raffia, or decorative stones.

Have fun creating your flower arrangement! There are no right or wrong ways as long as you let your creativity show. You'll know when the arrangement feels and looks right so follow your instinct and have a great Thanksgiving!

By Stephanie Smith

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Flower Arrangements for all Occasions

Try to order a spray at least a couple days before the occasion, as it takes time to create a large floral arrangement. You can make the vase or container being used for your flower arrangement even more decorative by using gold or bronze spray paint which is available from most good DIY shops. Traditional arrangements of flowers are sometimes accompanied with fruit and gourmet baskets to add that extra touch of comfort. Ask your florist for details and availability of specific flowers; it is important to know which flowers are available to go into your floral arrangement. Deciding on a floral arrangement for a funeral is sometimes hard; simply because most of the time people give plants like the peace lily to express their sympathy.


To make a reception flower arrangement, first do some research on what flowers are usually used those types of arrangements. Dried flowers in a floral arrangement that are in various forms; look much nicer than having a dried arrangement made up of all the same flower.

To make a bouquet for the first time will probably take a quick trip to your local florist for the supplies and maybe a little advice. Diy flower arrangements will save you a lot of money, however just because they are cheaper does not mean they do not add beauty to a room. Deciding on the flowers needed for a wedding floral arrangements should be left up to the bride and the groom. You can put the flowers for your flower arrangement in a vase or some container that is decorative and holds water.

You will need to stick the stems of the floral arrangement flowers into floral foam, and if the stems are not long enough, they can be lengthened with wire. Ask your florist about which flower varieties do well in your climate; this way you will have an idea about how long the floral arrangement will stay alive. You can cluster smaller flowers loosely by arranging them close to each other or bundle them together in your flower arrangements. You can make a homemade floral arrangement to further accent your home or even to give as a gift to someone you really care about.

By Simon Weaver

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DIY Flower Arrangements

DIY flower arrangements can be presented as gifts for weddings, Valentines Day, or any other special occasion. DIY flower arrangements are well suited for simple house decorations. These add color and elegance to any home. DIY flower arrangements save you a lot of money while at the same time offering an opportunity to have enjoyment and fun.

Some of the essential materials that are needed for DIY flower arrangements are flowers, floral tape, stem cutter, and stem stripper. The first step for creating DIY centerpieces is the preparation of flowers. Assembling of flowers comes next. Securing and measuring the centerpieces are the other steps. You can also add filler flowers and extra greenery according to your desire. Small flowers and candles will add beauty to DIY flower arrangement.

You can make DIY flower arrangements from dried flowers, paper flowers, and silk flowers as well. If you are purchasing flowers from local florists or from grocery stores, always select fresh flowers. Also check petals, stems, and leaves. For creating DIY rose bouquets, select the rose colors to coordinate with your interior d?cor.

A large selection of fresh flowers with bulk pricing for DIY flower arrangements are offered through online stores. A wide selection of exclusive designs is offered in kit form in many flower shops. Included in the kit are flowers, foliage, vases, and other accessories needed to design DIY floral arrangement.

With the advent of the Internet, it is no longer necessary to spend loads of money for flower arranging courses or floral design books. Plenty of tips and techniques are provided through websites. These websites offer all needed advice on making DIY flower arrangements. You are able to view pictures of popular bridal bouquet styles, wedding flowers, flower arrangement styles, floral design basics, and more.

By Josh Riverside

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