Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts

Monday, July 7, 2014

DIY Flower Arrangements and Gold Glitter Vases


I love flower arrangements. Fresh flowers during the summer is something I wish I could have all the time! They can be really expensive to buy at the store so I make my own as often as I can!

Another thing I also love is glitter. I just don't love it all over my hands, face, and home. So when I heard about Krylon's Glitter Blast I had to try it. It is glitter in a spray can. The can is filled with adhesive and glitter - all you have to do is point and spray! I like that!

For this handmade vase, I just grabbed a mason jar and got to work! Scroll down to find out how to make your own vase and then how to create your own flower arrangement for less!

DIY Flower Arrangments and Gold Glitter Vases @craftsavvy @createoften #craftwarehouse #diy #vases #flowers #glamping

Supplies:

Mason Jar
Krylon Gold Spray Paint
Krylon Gold Glitter Blast
American Crafts Twine
Flowers

Vase Directions:

1. Spray the outside of the jar with gold spray paint. Do a couple of coats for a good application.

2. When dry, spray the outside of the jar with gold Glitter Blast. Make sure the jar is completely covered. Let dry.

3. Tie a piece of twine around the lip of the jar.


One of my favorite DIY projects is creating my own flower arrangements! I got several bouquets of flowers from my local Trader Joe's for only $20!  Here is how you can create your own flower arrangements using your own handmade vases!

Flower Arrangement Directions:

1. Open up all the bouquets and remove the flowers from the rubber bands and packaging.

2. If your flowers come with flower food, disperse the food out evenly to all your vases. Fill your vases up half way with water.

3. Sort your flowers on the counter so you can see what you have.

      1 - Foliage
      2 - Place smaller groupings of flowers together (like smaller Daisies, Asters, etc).
      3 - Large flowers will be used last, so place them on their own.

DIY Flower Arrangments and Gold Glitter Vases @craftsavvy @createoften #craftwarehouse #diy #vases #flowers #glamping


4. Using the foliage (branches of leaves) first, cut to desired length (for a mason jar I cut between 9"-10"). Putting one branch into the jar at a time criss-cross the stems into the vase. You are going to be creating a homemade frog this way. You should have about four or more pieces crossed into the vase.

5. Use smaller flower stems next (labeled 2 in the picture above) and make sure all the leaves are removed before adding them to the vase. Cut to the same length as before. Add one stem at a time twisting the stem into the jar so that it will slide into your homemade frog. Place the stems evenly around the vase.

6. For stems that have a lot of flowers attached (like a bunch of Daisies), remove them from the main stem so that you get more bang for your buck! Tuck these into your arrangement by twisting the stem again into the homemade frog.

7. Lastly, pick a favorite large flower (labeled 3 in the picture above) and cut to the same length as your other flowers. Find the front of your vase and twist the stem into the vase at the focal point of your arrangement. Make sure if you are using any Roses that all the leaves are removed before adding them to the vase.

*Note: For mason jar arrangements 1 large flower is enough. For large arrangements, you can add several large flowers to draw attention to the front of the arrangement. Have fun with it! This is a great way to make beautiful floral displays around your home for less!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Tillandsia Floating Garden


Tillandsia (“air plants”) are members of the bromeliad family, numbering over 500 species. Most are epiphytes, using their root structures to attach themselves to tree branches and rocks. They are found in rain forests and deserts, in elevations from sea level to mountain peaks in Central, South and the warmer climates of North America. They absorb all moisture and nutrients through suction scales (trichomes) on their foliage. They can be displayed mounted on driftwood, or in glass terrariums as a contemporary easy care terrarium.


Caring for your Air Plants:

Light:  Tillandsia prefer medium to bright filtered light.  As a rule, the silver/grey varieties can tolerate full sun, while the green varieties prefer some shade.  Ideally, Tillandsia should be placed within 3 feet from a window.


Watering:  Thoroughly soak Tillandsia by heavy misting till the water runs off the foliage 2-3 times per week in hot climates, once a week in cooler ones.  Submerging Tillandsia underwater for 30-60 minutes is also acceptable, although care must be exercised to keep the bloom as dry as possible.  Place in a location with good air circulation to ensure they dry within 4 hours after watering.  Water in the morning to ensure the plants are dry before nightfall.  If the leaves begin to curl or roll, the plant is dehydrated.  Its health can be restored by submerging in water for 6-8 hours, then resuming the regular watering schedule.

Fertilizer:  Feed once a month with a water soluble fertilizer at 1/4 strength.  Nitrogen should be in the form of ammonium or nitrate (urea requires bacteria from soil to break down, which is absent in air plants).  A good mix is 10-15-20.  Phostrogen works well.

Flowering:  Tillandsia normally flowers once a year, with blooms lasting a few days to more than one year.  They are very slow goring, but the mother plants produce up to 4 “pups” or “offsets” from their base when they are finished flowering.  These pups grow slowly , with each producing 4 offspring that will all eventually flower.  The large clumps or colonies that are produced in time are quite spectacular.

Temperature:  50 to 90 degrees F, with good circulation.

Pests:  Use a mild insecticidal soap to remove the occasional mealy bug.  Never use white oil or any sprays containing copper.

These are now available in Craft Warehouse stores!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Blogging tips