The premise for the design is to take advantage of height and shape of silk flower stems to “stack” your silk flowers in an organized and easily maintainable way. You can picture a pole to hang coats, but instead of hooks were going to use rings to hold the flowers at an angle.
Items you will need:
6′ long / 4″ diameter PVC pipe 6′ long / 5″ diameter PVC pipe 1″ woods screws (approx 30) 2′ sq. piece of ¾” particle board 3 x L shaped bracket (should have at least a drilled whole in each in, two in each end would be even better. Make sure the holes are not larger than the head on the 1″ wood screws.)
Equipment you will need:
Phillips Screwdriver (the neck of the screw driver -the metal part- will need to be most likely 5-6″ long. power screwdriver if you have it) Power drill Approx 3/8 drill bit (must drill holes bigger than the head of your wood screws) Some type of power saw or hand saw to cut the PVC pipe. You can change the dimensions of this design to fit your needs easily. I am making this at 6′ high, but could be at any height, but I probably wouldn’t go below 3′. Once you get the hang of what you are accomplishing it will be a breeze to complete. The hardest part will be figuring out the layout of what you want.
All the items I mentioned above can be obtained from your local hardware store. You are also not required to have exactly those dimensions. If your retailer carries 3″ diameter PVC only, you can use that, it just won’t hold as many silk flower stems as a 4″ or 5″ diameter pipe. The “L” shaped brackets are used for securing items like two boards perpendicular to each other. In our case, were going to use it to fasten the pole
Let’s start by picturing your standard pole for hanging coats on. We’re going to recreate this concept by fastening one of the poles to the 2′ sq particle board we have. With the 2′ particle board flat on the ground we will stand the 6′ long, 4″ diameter PVC pipe on end on top of, and in the middle of the board we have flat on the ground. (This is the only part an extra pair of hands would come in handy). If you are lucky to have someone hold the pipe the following will not be a problem. We are going to take the 3 “L” shaped brackets and place them equally around the pipe, with one end flush against the side of the pipe, while the other end of the bracket is flush with board. You will then use the 1″ wooden screws to fasten one end of the bracket to the board, and the other end to the pole. As I mentioned above, if you can find brackets that have 2 holes on each end, if will be even more secure. (TIP) if don’t have someone that can support the pole, you can opt to set the brackets around the pipe the way they will end up, mark the holes on the board (only), then remove the pipe. You can then proceed to fasten the brackets to the 2′ sq particle board first. Then proceed to put the pipe back in-between all three brackets and finish off securing the top part of each bracket to the pipe – make sure the pipe is plumb (straight up and down). We will now proceed to take the second 6′ long PVC pipe and cut it in segments of 4″ long pieces. This should give you approximately 18 pieces. This might or might not be enough depending on how big you are making this or how much you want to cram in on this pole. If you need more, you’ll need another pole PVC pipe to cut more 4″ long pieces. We are now going to use our drill to drill “a” hole on one side of each of the 4″ long pieces of PVC pipe we cut. Make sure to drill the hole in the dead middle of the ring. To be clearer, I mean the middle as in between the top and bottom of the ring. We are going to use this hole, to put our long neck Phillips screwdriver through in order to turn the screw that will fasten the opposite side to the pole (more on that in a minute). Once you are done drilling the hole through all the pieces, we are going to start at the bottom of the pole and work our way up. You must stop and understand that the intentions are not to set the holder so it is holding the group of silk flower stems perpendicular to the ground. Rather at a 90 degree angle. This is important as you will want to start high enough off the ground on the pole so that at 90 degrees the bottom of the stems is not touching the ground. You will probably have to put your stems through the ring (holder) and place against the pole to find the right starting point. This is where you would hold them at a 90 degree angle to get the right height. Holding the 4″ pipe piece against the pipe, we are going to line up the side that is the very opposite side from the side you drilled the hole. It would be idea to have someone hold this piece so you can concentrate on fastening. Place the wooden screw inside the ring, using your other hand feed the screwdriver through the hole. And commence with fastening the screw through the ring into the pole. With a tight fit, you should find that you can swivel the ring around. We will want to put it at 90 degree angle to figure out where the next one will go.
Now that we have one on, we can figure out how we are going to position the rest. You can definitely experiment with this depending on the length of your silk flower stems, but in most cases I found two idea methods:
Staggering the rings around the pole as you work your way up or Picture a candy cane strip as it works its way up the pole. Once you have proceeded to fasten each of your 4″ rings to the pole, you should find that you can easily adjust their angle to accommodate the different lengths of stems and what is beneath and below each ring. Once completed, you can then fill each ring with your silk flower stems. You should now find that you have assembled a 6′ pole, aligned with holders for silk flower stems. You can group them by project, or by type. What I have found is setting them into the holder, then taking the stems and giving them a very slight tub to snug them in place helps. There are a ton of other bells and whistles that am a not exploring in this article that you can add or change about your setup. I have included a few of those ideas in the below additional tip section. Enjoy.
Below are a couple additional tips:
When placing the bunches of stems in each ring, be careful not to overcrowd Other great ideas is taking small 2″-3″ pipe and cutting into 5″ lengths In open areas where you can’t place the large 4″ pipe pieces, you can then place these small pieces perpendicular with the ground against the pole to hold additional small silk flower supplies (close against the pole) out of the way of the larger holders. You could leave an area for hanging silk flower wreaths or silk flower candle rings. Based on the diameter of your wreaths or candle rings, you would leave this much room on the pole before your holders start. Then taking a 1″ PVC pipe (length is up to you) and by drilling a slightly bigger hole through the middle of the main pole, slide your 1″ pipe through and create a place to ‘hang’ your wreaths and candle rings.
Max McCarty is the author of this article and co-owner of DaisyBlossoms.com.
Okay, lets get started. The first thing you need to do is prepare your budget for wedding flowers. Once you have your budget, take a trip to your local florist and let them know what your budget is. Be sure to let the florist know that your budget is firm. This will help you to keep your budget on track.
Try to use flowers for your wedding that are in season. This is one small trick that will help to make the overall price less costly. Try sticking with domestic flowers such as lilacs, lilies or daffodils for your wedding as they are perfect for weddings and are less expensive. Stay away from imported flowers as they usually cost an arm and a leg!
Don’t forget to inform the florist that your budget is inclusive of flower delivery and wedding setup. Be weary of additional charges for these items as they are often in the small print of wedding florist contracts. Be sure to get written receipts for all deposits and payments that you have made as this will help you to stay informed and be more in control of the situation.
Instead of your bridesmaids carrying bouquets, why not have them carry a single flower? This adds a touch of class and saves you much money too! Another tip is to take care of as many of the flower arrangements as you can yourself. Let the florist take care of the tedious work such as corsages while you handle the less demanding wedding flower decorations.
Why not plan to have your wedding inside of a beautiful flower garden? You will already have all the beautiful flowers surrounding you and you will save lots of cash in the process. If you decide on a church wedding, keep to smaller flower arrangements. Your goal should be to enhance the beauty of the church, not take away from it. Keep your flower arrangements small, sweet and in good taste. This adds an air of elegance yet can be rather inexpensive..
You may want to have the bridesmaids carrying a single flower instead of a bouquet. You will find that this is a simple yet elegant look that will save you a lot of money. You will find these to be a great look as well as fitting into any budget. You can save money as well by taking care of the flower arrangements yourself. You can have the florists take care of the corsages to save money.
Why not grow your own flowers for your wedding? Garden wildflowers are an excellent choice for your wedding. You can grow wildflowers in just about any area and they can provide a special, unique look for your wedding. If you do decide to go this route, be sure to allow them enough time to grow so they are mature in time for your wedding.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions of your florist. Be sure to confirm exactly what everything is going to cost to avoid any unexpected situations. Confirm delivery schedules and allow ample time to approve flower arrangements designs created by your florist. Be sure to set aside extra time when preparing your wedding floral arrangements. After all, its your wedding and your special day!
Visit Zebra Avenue for more great information about a wide variety of topics.
Whether you are looking for traditional or contemporary bridal bouquets, corsages, boutonnières and/or centerpieces below are some great ideas that should help calm your jitters.
Floral Arrangements
Floral arrangements for the bridal party, ceremony and wedding reception can mirror your personality and taste. Whether you are planning a small and simple to elegant and extravagant wedding a professional florist can match the unique style and color scheme of your wedding.
Always choose flowers that are fresh and adapted to the season. When picking flowers make sure the petals are firm and upright. Finally, there are three styles of arrangements in the world of floral arrangements. Drum roll please:
1) Oriental Flower Arrangements: The accent is on the lines in the floral arrangement.
2) Traditional Flower Arrangements: This arrangement focuses on the use of many flowers.
3) Modern Flower Arrangements: These floral arrangements are based on the taste of the florist. It resembles oriental more than the traditional style of arranging flowers.
Roses
For a timeless and classic wedding, roses will always maximize the scene. Roses are very popular because of the high degree of fragrance and beauty they possess. They are called the “queen of flowers”. It is often associated with love, and it is the flower of June, the wedding month. In addition, roses have more than a hundred species.
The origin of the rose dates back to pre-historic times. In fact there is a fossilized rose in the Smithsonian Museum. The rose was declared our National Floral Emblem in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.
To keep things simple on the big day just remember there are only three primary types people love for weddings:
Miniatures: These roses are beautiful and are ideal for small spaces like back yards and balconies.
Hybrid Teas: These roses have a beautiful shape and are available in a wide variety of colors and shades. And, they have huge blooms.
Floribundas: These relatively smaller flowers with smaller blooms are usually in clusters and come in many colors.
Monochromatic Bridal Bouquets
Monochromatic bridal bouquets will express your modern and bold style. Arrangements featuring only one type of flower (such as all roses, tulips, lilies or iris) are in style and may even include different colors of the same flower. So, go ahead and be bold pick a color, any color and stick with it! If your favorite color is yellow, for example, ask your florist for a fresh bouquet of different flowers in the same color range.
When it comes to choosing wedding flowers, there is a thin line between elated excitement and nervous tension that sometimes reaches the level of being called “stress.” Just remember to breath and let your professional florist handle the rest.
If anxiety over your upcoming wedding is taking a toll on your body, you are constantly having trouble sleeping, feel stressed out and can’t seem to stay calm; you need to stop right now. Don’t be shy or afraid to admit the stress is getting to you. See a doctor who can help get rid of the anxiety before the big day or try natural remedies that can help calm you down and get some rest. You will be surprised that after you calm down and rest, you will be as good as new and ready to finish planning your big day and ordering your wedding flowers with confidence and ease.
In addition, Teleflora has gifts such as flowers in a vase,
plants, and plant and flower combinations. You can choose one of
their pre-chosen flower arrangements, or you can combine flowers
for a custom arrangement of your own. When the recipient
receives the flowers, they will be in perfect, fresh condition.
If you are putting together flowers to decorate for a party, the
flowers should match the theme. The color is very important for
this. A baby shower, for example, should have blue or pink
flowers depending on the gender of the baby. Yellow also works
as a neutral color for baby showers. Flowers can be used on a
table, in the hall, or in the bedroom at a party. The scent will
be inviting and the flowers will add some natural life to the
party.
At Teleflora, the arrangement won’t be made until you order it.
You can order well ahead of time for delivery on a certain date.
Or, you can order right before you need them and they can get to
you quickly. Teleflora can help you with any of your flower
decorating or gift needs.
Flowers Across America – Another Flower Option
From your computer at home, you can preview, order, and have
flower arrangements delivered for special events or for any
reason. At Flowers Across America, you can call or fax in an
order that you place online. The flowers can be delivered on the
same day or on any day.
You can choose from flowers for everyday events, birthdays,
anniversaries, love, romance, get-well arrangements,
congratulation flowers, flowers for newborn babies, thank you
flowers, sympathy flowers, or anything else you can think of.
They can be sent any time, just to brighten someone’s day, to
show someone you care, or to decorate for a special event.
When you order from Flowers Across America, you can expect your
order to always arrive on time, in fresh, bright, and beautiful
condition. They even offer rare and exotic flowers. You can
give the gift of nature to someone. Even in a time of grief,
flowers are appreciated and can lighten the mood.
You can choose arrangements in a variety of forms, such as
centerpieces, one-sided arrangements, novelty arrangements, vase
arrangements, single flowers in a vase. You can also get
bouquets, plants, balloon, and more. You can even get a fruit
basket if you need it. Flowers may add some color to a room but
don’t forget that a flowering peace lily, care instructions and a
nice decorative pot your house plant will last much longer than
cut flowers.
However, at Flowers Across America, arrangements start under
forty dollars, then range from $60 – $100 +. The more expensive
ones are typically large, rare, and very colorful. Ordering
online ensures that you can choose exactly what you want to buy.
Learning peace lily care is simple as it is a very durable easy care house plant. Discover why the peace lily droops at http://www.plant-care.com/drooping-peace-lily-spathiphyllum.html
