Category Archives: Artificial Flower

Ideas For Doing Your Own Weddings Flowers, Artificial Or Fresh – When to Use a Florist

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Submitted by Michelle O’Connor
Doing Your Own Flowers Can be Complicated. Make Sure You Know What You Are Getting Into!

There are many reasons you may want to go with do-it-yourself wedding flowers… the number one reason is that they typically can save you a chunk of cash.  With that in mind, florists are professionals at their trade, and, while that gorgeous cascade bouquet might look simple to you, it was quite complex to create! Before you attempt this on your own, be sure you have some talent in this area, a good amount of time and a lot of patience in order for you to successfully do your own wedding flowers. 

Before you begin, decide which wedding flowers you will make on your own and which you will hire help for. While you can make them all, you may want to consider having some help with some of the larger or more complicated pieces. During your planning phase, be sure you really do have the time to devote to this, weddings take a lot of planning! 

Some of the places you’ll need flowers:
The Ceremony- In many cases, you’ll want to provide wedding flowers for the altar of the church or the area in which you will be married. You may also want to decorate the pews of the church or the area near the entry. Make sure your flower girls has her petals. Be sure that your location will allow you to provide you own flowers, some will want you to purchase theirs.  Remember, the number one rule is that YOU like any wedding decoration supplies you use. Your Bridesmaids- Decide if you want their bouquets to match yours, be smaller versions of yours, or be completely different. Will they have fresh flowers or artificial ones? Your Groomsmen- Don’t leave out the guys! They will need lapel flowers. We suggest you hire a florist for these, they are NOT as easy as they look. The Wedding Reception- Check with your reception location to make sure you can provide your own, then, put up some large displays around the cake table, at the entrances and on the tables. It is helpful to look up some photos of receptions, then, decide which areas you think MUST have flowers
If you do opt for artificial flowers, be sure to check for sales at your local crafts stores. If you go with fresh cut flowers, you will save money if you select varieties that are in season at the time of your wedding.
Michelle O’Connor has been in the wedding industry for over 8 years and has coordinated hundreds of weddings. See her link for more tips on ideas for theme wedding decorations.

Storing Silk Flower Stems For Your Silk Flower Crafts

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Submitted by Max McCarty
For you crafters that like to work with silk flowers for all your many hobbies, if you are like me, it is hard to find a method of storage for all your silk flower supplies. I like making silk flower arrangements, artificial floral candle rings and wreaths; you usually like to keep supplies around since you find great deals when you’re shopping. You probably have found that storing them by laying them down does nothing but ruin its posture. Or storing them in vases takes up a lot of floor or shelf space, and you also have to compensate for the size of each container. Today I wanted provide a quick how to article stepping you through the process of creating a platform that allows you to store your many different silk flower supplies with a small foot print.

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.

Silk Flowers Last Forever

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Submitted by Frasier Johnson
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

Real Cut Flowers Or Artificial Ones At Your Business Venue? Take Your Pick

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Submitted by Jasnav
Real cut flowers or artificial are the first question that is likely to come to your mind when planning for that all important business summit. Decorating the venue is most important, as it will add to the ambience of the meeting, creating the right atmosphere for important decisions.

The first thing to consider is the size of the event being planned. If you are looking at a purely company level affair with limited functionaries taking part, you would do best to go in for top quality fresh cut flower bouquets. Go in for exotic flower varieties like colorful orchids for that special look befitting the occasion, as the level of the executives attending would demand top quality only. For getting best fresh cut flowers at wholesale rates, order online from reputed stores like www.americanfloraldistributors.com, who will help you stay within your budget.

If you are looking at a much larger arrangement such as a shareholders meeting, then you can go for a combination of fresh cut flowers and artificial ones. The top management tables can be decorated with fresh cut flowers as fresh flowers are definitely a cut above artificial ones in class. The balance of the décor can be done with artificial flowers, and they can then be used for subsequent meetings as well.

You can invest in full scale artificial flowers if you are into decorating the venue on a regular basis, and feel the need to reduce recurring labor costs. If, however, quality of arrangements is of utmost importance, fresh cut flowers are any day preferable.

Artificial flowers cost much more than their fresh counterparts, but have the advantage of having a much longer life. Fresh cut flowers, on the other hand, have a beauty and charm all of their own, and are preferred by all who place class above long term costs.

Decide which one works better for you, fresh cut flowers or artificial, or a combination of both. Here’s wishing you a successful meeting!

Fake Flower Arrangements

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Submitted by Ian Pennington
Fake flowers and fake flower arrangements go back in history as far as the ancient Chinese, who fashioned them from silk and other cloth. The Egyptians used stained horns and the Italians created them using dyed silkworm cocoons. By the 14th century the French seem to have perfected the creation of fake flowers. But the French Revolution caused those artisans to flee to England. By the early 1800′s immigrants from England brought the trade to America.

The Victorian era fake flowers were fashioned from velvet, calico, muslin, cambric, crepe and gauze. These flowers were used to adorn clothing, whether it be gowns, hats or other accessories. Wood, porcelain and metal was also used. Wax flowers and those fashioned from human hair became popular. Celluloid flowers were introduced in the 1940′s but because of their flammable properties were banned from import from Japan. Plastic soon became the material of choice, then polyester because of its low cost and durability. The higher end, more realistic fake flowers were make from silk, rayon and cotton. Some creators of fake flowers were known to dissect real flowers petal by petal, so to replicate one as accurately and perfectly as possible.

The more creative crafter would fashion fake flowers from shells, feathers, pods, seeds, paper or even ribbon. No matter what is used to create fake flowers they are were and are used to decorate clothing, accessories for the home. In May of 1960 Gimbles in New York City were selling fake flower arrangements for a mere $3.95, as well as, an expert to demonstrate how to create such arrangements.

There is no doubt that flowers, fake or the real thing bring a nice touch to any room. They don’t need to be used in just vases, but in wreaths, swags, tree and much, much more. Any container will do for an arrangement. They will never replace a fresh arrangement but a fake flower arrangements without a doubt a much more affordable and practical alternative. This kind of flowers doesn’t need to be kept to the season but fake flowers such as sunflowers or tulips can brighten a winter’s day.

The size, color and style of the flowers chosen can enhance any decor from contemporary to French country. With manufacturers perfecting flowers in every variety and hue that even a bride on a tight budget is able to have beautiful fake arrangements that add that special touch to any wedding.

More and more we are seeing the use of fake flowers arrangements outside the home. Gardeners, green or brown thumbed, are taking advantage of this alternative. With all the craft, hobby and discount stores around there is a wide variety to chose from as well to fit any budget. With fake flowers it is easy to spruce up the porch and patios. There is no longer the excuse of allergies to use flowers to decorate your home.
Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Fake Flower Arrangements, please visit The Craft Center for current articles and discussions.

Fresh Flowers vs Dry vs Artificial

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Submitted by Judith Babb
What will it be fresh flowers, dry, or artificial ones? Now here is a dilemma many people have when it comes to choosing the best flower arrangement for a special occasion or just for a home decoration. The decision is easier to make if you consider a few factors such as budgeting or personal taste. But from past experience, you should definitely go with fresh flower arrangements especially if you want to use them as a symbol of your personality and style.

1. Artificial flower arrangements

The majority of people who choose artificial flowers do it because they require no maintenance. All you have to do is put the floral arrangement it in a corner, forget about it and go about your business, because you won’t have to worry about any water spills or having to change the soil or even prune the leaves. So you can simply consider it a part of the static decor of your office or home. Artificial flowers might require a little cleaning every once in a while, but don’t worry too much about it: all you have to do is wipe them with a damp cloth.

Another advantage of purchasing artificial flowers would be the price. Most of the times the cost of artificial flowers is lower than the price of natural flowers, however, remember that the quality often matches the price of the artificial flower product.

Now if you are thinking about giving a gift of artificial flowers to someone dear, think twice before you go shopping. Sure, artificial flowers might last longer, but fresh flower arrangements are truly an expression of love and respect. Would you really want to give a plastic flower arrangement to your wife, mother, or sweetheart? It might last for years, but the memory of that wonderful, fresh flower arrangement will last forever, just as love stays in a person’s soul rather than in objects.

Why would people want to use artificial flower arrangements instead of using natural, fresh, flowers? Well, I can tell you a couple of good reasons. By all means, buy artificial flowers if you are allergic to real ones or if the person to whom you want to give a gift of flowers to is.

Another good reason to choose artificial flowers instead of fresh ones would be location. Yes, the location because if, let’s say, you want fresh roses as an example for your wedding and you live in a remote area, it could be pretty expensive to import them for the ceremony. Just stick with some quality silk roses instead and use the budget for something else. On the other side, think about a wedding on a hot summer day; fresh flowers may wilt because of the summer heat, but artificial ones won’t, but if you are planning everything carefully, you can easily adapt in order to find the best natural flowers for your ceremony. (Find local types of flowers in remote areas and make sure you have refrigeration for the flowers in summer.) It’s up to you to decide whether you want artificial flowers or fresh ones for any occasion.

2. Dried flower arrangements

If you are looking for durability when purchasing a floral arrangement, dried flowers are the closest choice to the natural flowers. This is because dried flowers are still the real thing preserved in a manner that partially maintains the qualities of natural flowers. A variety of natural flowers are dried through several methods, such as: freeze-drying, air-drying, using the microwave or by placing them in silica gel. What’s great about dried flowers is that you can make them yourself, rather that purchasing them.

In most cases, people decide on the type of flowers they want by considering the preservation factor. Want to keep them forever? You have two options:

Buy artificial flowers, as their look will never change; Depending on the type of fresh flowers you choose, you can dry them or preserve them either way,they might not look the same in few years.

From my point of view, trying to preserve flowers forever is like trying to stay young forever. They are wonderful and unique while they are fresh, but no matter how much we try to keep them alive, there comes a time when we have to let them go and accept that flowers were meant to bring us beauty and wonderful memories, even if for a short period of time. Why should we go for the artificial flowers when we can enjoy the true thing of beauty, with living colors, stunning fragrances and the miracle of nature?

3. The best choice – fresh flower arrangements

Choosing fresh flowers for your home or for special occasions is always a choice of style and personality. Nature has provided us with so many wonderful flowers, and fortunately, finding the flowers that highlight your personality and taste has become an easy task. Whether you decide to shop for them from the local florist, order them online, or grow your own, you will find that fresh flowers are always the best choice.

Natural flowers have so many things to share, from smells, shapes and colors, they all have something to say – ‘This is a special occasion’. If you love fresh flowers but you don’t want to spend a fortune on them, just buy flowers that are in season locally. This way, you will be able to enjoy the freshness and the wonderful smells anytime you want.

The bottom line when it comes to flower arrangements is that you need to choose what makes you happy. What is the impression you want to create when giving a gift of flowers? What do you want to remember twenty years from now about your wedding? Do you want a house full of life and nature or do you like a more static decor? A fresh arrangement of flowers can make the difference between a dull room and a fresh, stylish room. Think about your preferences when it comes to color, flower smells and types. Check out a few magazines or even talk with your local florist for suggestions, then you will be ready to turn your visions into reality.
Judith A. Babb is a self-taught floral design expert and author of Flower Arrangements Made Simple, loves to see everyone enjoy the beauty of flower arrangements has created an easy step by step guide available at http://www.artisticflowerarrangements.com
Sign up for the free monthly newsletter “Flower Talk” and receive numerous tips and techniques for making your own flower arrangements. To read my full article and view my flower comparison chart click the following link Fresh Flowers vs. Dry vs. Artificial

Using Silk Flowers as an Adaptation to the Surroundings

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Submitted by Muna wa Wanjiru
Interior decorations make great use of artificial, though nature-like silk flowers that are a lot more resistant than their organic counterparts. From silk plants to silk trees, such design items are pretty expensive if quality materials are used in the project arrangement. When ordered online, silk flowers come ready-made with the only observation that you have to do the adaptation to the surroundings where you want to use them.

Equally used in small and large spaces, silk flowers are generally appreciated for the splash of color they add to a certain corner, making it more appealing or inviting as it be the case. Manufacturers offer great collections that include not only centerpieces, but accents and detail arrangements as well, and they can be used in an incredibly varied range of places: offices, bedrooms, meeting halls, nuptial sweets and so on. For attention-getting or atmosphere enhancement, silk flowers could very often make the perfect decoration choice!

Modern manufacturing techniques rely on the absolute fidelity of artificial silk flowers that are completely different from the synthetic fibers that were used for the creation of the first models of imitative decorations. Among the fabrication secrets we could mention the use of melting processes that enable the fabric fibers to get a distinct individual shape according to the mold that is used during the procedure.

For great color and model accuracy, most silk flowers are hand-made for the perfect imitation of hues and shade intensity. The next step after the flower processing stage is over involves the creation of the arrangements as such; the picture catalogs you get to leaf through online are actually the result of strenuous design work realized by professionals.

Silk flowers are considered by some people a very nice and rewarding gift, yet, before you get to actually order them as a present for a close friend or an aquaintance, be sure that he or she appreciates it. There are people who’d rather have natural, though perishable flower arrangements as they are the real thing, not an imitation.

In case you intend to use silk flowers for wedding ceremonies or other very official receptions it is good to consult the designer you have hired to take care of the whole reception, and see what he or she thinks about the way to integrate such special decorations. The colors of the silk flowers used for such events need to match the theme of the wedding and the perfectly fit in the background. Good luck!

Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Flowers for Years. For More Information on Silk Flowers, Visit His Site at SILK FLOWERS