DIY Floral Arrangements {Tools of the Trade}
To get started, you’ll need some sort of cutting tool. The best thing for tougher stems (ie: roses) is a nice, sharp Swiss-Army floral knife. Don’t get anything too fancy. One blade is plenty. Please remember, until you’ve had some practice with the knife you must be quite careful. Working with the floral knife can prove to be a little dangerous if you’re not paying full attention! The floral knife is not only good for taking the thorns off of roses, but also great for cutting woody stems on a sharp angle.
Be certain you only use your floral tools for cutting stems. Once you start cutting paper, tape and ribbons with them they are no longer any good for the purpose of cutting flower stems. I have a separate drawer in our kitchen dedicated to flower design tools.
Any time I see the Mister reaching for that drawer he hears me say “Oh, are you going to make me a floral arrangement? Isn’t that lovely!” I know, I realize that I am a complete bear – but a girl must protect her flower arranging tools! winkwink
While you’re setting up your “floral design” drawer, I would like to suggest that you purchase either a set of Long Handle Floral Scissors or a pair of Pocket Shears. Oh, and a set of wire cutters will come in handy if you ever get into making flower garland or wreaths – but that is an entirely different tutorial!
For the “lesson” I plan to give later: You’ll need a Glass Container. As you’ll see, they are available in a multitude of shapes and sizes. You can shop the entire line of cube and rectangular shaped glass containers by clicking here or you can find round glass containers here. Keep in mind you are not married to a specific shape container. Any of the pointers I give you can be translated into either shape glass container you select.
Who is Monique? If you want a reminder of the impromptu wedding flowers I designed last year, just click here. Below is an image of a project I had yesterday. I styled an apartment for a TV show! I know. Cool, right? Don’t you worry, I will keep you posted when it finally airs next Spring.
Some people are complete purists when it comes to making an arrangement in a glass container. By simply weaving together the stems within the container as you arrange them you will create a structure for the flowers to stay in place.
I will happily arrange flowers without floral tape for my own living room -BUT- if I am planning on making an arrangement and then moving it to a different location via a car (or by anyone’s hands other than my own) I will use the tape. My theory is that it is better to be safe than sorry.
Anything can happen when transporting a flower arrangement and it’s always nice to have a structure there so you don’t have to re-arrange them a second time when they reach their final destination.
Posted by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo / Design and Nesting and Uncategorized
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stacystyle on 03 Nov 2010 at 8:34 am
Twitter: @stacystyle
You’re so inspiring me to post the arrangement I did with coco roses and ribbon plant this weekend. My dahlia arrangements have already started to bite the dust, dropping petals like prepositions.
Tonia on 03 Nov 2010 at 8:36 am
Twitter: @chicmodern
I use to keep a couple of fresh arrangements all the time. The tools that I do have I inherited from my grandmother who always always had fresh flowers on the the kitchen table and on her entry table.
Design Blahg on 03 Nov 2010 at 8:37 am
Twitter: @http://www.twitter.com/designblahg
Loved this! Can’t believe we never talked flowers before…I used to want to be a floral designer!
Ok, so I have the shears AND the scissors (though in truth I mostly just use the shears! They are so sharp!), but what would I use the swiss army knife for that I wouldn’t use the other two for?
This is also reminding me that I need to get my “Bodega Flower” series going again!
ABCD on 03 Nov 2010 at 8:46 am
Twitter: @abcddesigns
Erica, The great thing about flowers – they’re always pretty, no matter how you arrange them! I’ll have to check out your bodega series – I didn’t know you did one!
Did you know that you can go to the wholesale flower market, (in the back of the shops they put the old flowers in water) and those ones are half off of wholesale price? Better than bodega. They’re fresher and cheaper! All the flowers I purchased for yesterday’s shoot were bought from the buckets.
Thanks for commenting, and do check back tomorrow. I’ll be doing a tutorial of sorts.
xoxABCD
ABCD on 03 Nov 2010 at 8:47 am
Twitter: @abcddesigns
Gotta love a grandma for showing us the way Tonia.
I make an effort to have fresh flowers in the house all the time too – it makes a huge difference in the vibrancy of the room!
Thanks for commenting today!
xoABCD
ABCD on 03 Nov 2010 at 8:50 am
Twitter: @abcddesigns
Stacy,
All I can say is “Oh those darn dahlias!” They are light naughty little two year olds with their necks going every which way. I love those flowers, but unless you’re arranging in oasis, they are such a pain to get them to “behave.”
You absolutely should post your images ~ it’s fun to see all the aspects of what you’re working on!
xoABCD
sandy@oohlafroufrou on 03 Nov 2010 at 12:23 pm
Twitter: @oohlafroufrou
I love fresh flowers and always have a bouquet of something on my desk in the studio. Just makes me feel good when I walk in each morning. Loved your tool tips! And that yellow bouquet was a dazzler … is that a real bouquet of yours? So pretty!
Kristin Berit on 03 Nov 2010 at 3:46 pm
Twitter: @LaVeuve
Amy, how refreshing and just what the decorating Doctor ordered. After last weekend I will have to perform a major Halloween~Decor~dectomy for a much needed home face lift. Some fresh flowers will be the first phase of recovery.
Let the spider webs come down
KBB
Azure Elizabeth on 03 Nov 2010 at 11:27 pm
Twitter: @ALovelyDesigner
Love this! As always so inspiring!
I used to have a large cutting & rose garden in my last home…I had arrangements every week from late spring through early fall…I truly miss it.
Keep being wonderful!