Dividing Stems

Do-It-Yourself Decorating

Stem, Stick, and Wire

Well, white it is—some beautiful lilies of the valley. I loved these delicate little flowers! There were lots of blossoms attached to each stem, but I was able to cut them apart like the peonies. The only issue was, their stems were then much too short to stick in the basket. So, I took these green wooden sticks and attached them to the flower stems with a little wire.

Stem, Stick, and Tape

After that, I wound green florists’ tape around the stick and wire to strengthen it and cover up the wire. I repeated the process with each bunch of flowers, and it worked out great. This is the technique to lengthen, or even strengthen, any flower stem that needs it. Again, you can find the wire sticks and tape in the flower section at a craft store (or even Wal-Mart).

Trimming Stems

Do-It-Yourself Decorating

Cutting a Stem

I haven’t told you yet, but all my peonies were actually on the same stem when I bought them. To cut them apart, I used special florist’s wire cutters (found near silk flowers in the store). These stems proved very hard to cut, but most flowers are easier! Stems also need to be trimmed if they’re too long to stand at the height you want. Measure them in front of the basket first, cut them, and then stick them in. Try not to remove and reposition them too many times, as it chews up and softens the foam (we’re talking about cheap styrofoam here!).

Secondary Flowers

Now I’ve filled out the basket with several smaller peonies, placed at a shorter height than the first ones. Next the arrangement is going to need some filler flowers—small, nondescript, neutral blossoms—which I did not have. So I was very happy to be doing this bouquet at my flower arranging class, since the instructor offered a whole bag of old flowers for us to choose from! What color do you think the filler flowers should be—yellow, tan, white, light blue, lavendar, or . . . ?

Focal Flowers

Do-It-Yourself Decorating

Peony Triangle

My main flowers included a range of pink, peach, and primrose silk peonies. I chose these three similar blossoms, the largest of the flowers, to be the focal points. Because the basket will be viewed from all sides, I stuck them in a triangular arrangement, at sort of the corners of the bouquet. The tall handle was a bit in the way, but it came out alright. I simply loved the color of these peonies, and they also matched the curtains and table covers in my sister’s and my bedroom. We couldn’t wait to see the bouquet finished!

Foam and Moss

Do-It-Yourself Decorating

Ready for Flowers

Next I put in some moss to cover up the foam. Besides concealing the foam from view, the moss also gives a nice backdrop for the flowers. A bag can be purchased for only a few dollars at craft stores, and a little goes a long way. Cut and tease it apart til you have the look you want. Oh, but before that I put two smaller pieces of foam in the sides to fill out the basket and give more support for the flowers. (See below) In fact, we’re ready for the flowers now!

Extra Pieces of Foam

Beginning a Bouquet

Do-It-Yourself Decorating

Basket and Foam

Now, are you ready to help me arrange another flower bouquet? I had my bedroom in mind when I picked out some silk flowers to fill this basket. I wanted a bright, cheerful spring look, but delicate and graceful too. So let’s get started! The gold-streaked basket I chose (at the Dollar Store for $1) was about 6” or 8” across, with a tall handle. Inside I placed a piece of florist’s foam, held in place by a thin wire woven across into the sides of the basket.