Preparing Containers for floral arrangements.
Just about anything can be used
as a vase for either fresh, silk or dried flowers. Start collecting containers of
all shapes and sizes: Shallow bowls, cylinders, compotes, goblets, trough
shapes, oval containers, baskets ... look for the unusual. Choices can range
from a tiny shell for a miniature arrangement to a large stone urn for an
expansive room or office. Flea markets and garage sales have a variety of
bizarre and interesting vase possibilities. Clay pots are a natural for casual,
all-purpose containers.
If you are working with clear glass vases get creative. Add fruit, natural linear forms, crystal fibers, stones or gems.
If the arrangement will be viewed at dusk or in the evening -light it! Use vase lights that you can set under the vase (battery operated) or drop some submersible LED lights in the water to light it. You can even use glow necklaces. If you place them under clear vase gems or colorfill they will not be seen in the daytime but as the lights lower each bowl will have color. Don't forget to crack the necklace before you put them in the vase and add the arrangement. Good glow necklaces last for 6-8 hours.
For an evening event put neon el wires in the vase. The battery pack stays out or the water and the plastic wire goes in. Looks great!
Containers need to complement the setting and be consistent with the atmosphere
of the room. Baskets provide an informal, country feeling. Brass, copper,
silver, wrought iron and pewter add a distinctive flavor. Goblets, wineglasses,
glass bricks and crystal add to the formality of an arrangement. Be creative.
Look in the plumbing department of your local hardware store. PVC pipes come in
a variety of interesting shapes. They can be glued to a wooden base and used for
silk and dried arrangements.
If the vessel isn’t waterproof set a glass or a paper cup inside. Clear vinyl liners come
in a range of sizes and can easily be trimmed to fit a variety of shapes.
Valuable pots and vases should be lined with more permanent liners made out of
Mylar to protect them and to avoid the need for regular cleaning.
Unglazed pottery and ceramic vases can either be treated with waterproof
sealant, or they can be fitted with a plastic liner. To waterproof your
container, brush on five coats of sealant, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly
before applying the next one.
Lining Baskets
Waterproof baskets by lining
them with heavy plastic.
1. Line the basket to the edge of the lip with heavy plastic. Cut off excess
plastic around top edge of basket.
2. Cut foam to fit and place in basket.
3. Loop a 24-gauge wire through the weave at the lip of the basket, and pull the
wire over the foam. Secure it to the opposite side of the basket.
Note: Saturate foam before placing in basket.
Lining Glass Containers When making an arrangement using foam in a clear glass vase, you can hide the
foam by lining the inside of the vase with silver Mylar, a lightweight,
polyester material. The glass becomes opaque when the lining is added
.
1. Cut a piece of Mylar slightly larger than the container. If the Mylar is
large enough to cover the outside, it will fit the inside.
2. Place a soaked piece of floral foam into the Mylar-lined vase.
3. Fill the container with water. Pull up gently on the excess Mylar around the
edge of the vase. Leave it as a ruffle or trim the Mylar even with the edge of
the container.
Bowls
Shape some foam to fit the bowl. Using waterproof clay, secure a plastic frog on
the bottom of the bowl. Impale the
Dishes
Mound the top of the foam using extra pieces taped together if necessary. Using
waterproof clay, secure a plastic frog on the bottom of the dish. Impale the
foam on the frog.
Tall vases
Using Floral foam, stuff the entire vase with pieces of foam until the foam
extends about an inch above the top of the vase.
Spherical vases
Insert a loose ball of chicken wire inside, and stretch it until it pushes
against the interior surfaces.
Glass containers
Adhere plastic frogs to the bottom of the glass container with waterproof clay.
Cut the foam about 3/4" smaller on all four sides of the vase. Secure the
foam on the frogs. If you are making a silk or dried arrangement, fill the edges
of the vase with potpourri, Spanish moss or sphagnum moss. Fill the edges of the
vase with pebbles, marbles or sand to hide the foam for a fresh arrangement.
Bottles
Secure a plastic frog in a saucer with waterproof clay. Push floral foam on the
frog. Secure the saucer to the top of the bottle with clay or glue.
