You don’t need to be a professional floral designer to create simple and elegant displays that also offer a practical purpose. From discarded baby-food jars to seasonal flower and candle presentations, these designs are a quick and fool-proof way to add style to holiday happenings.
It’s all about ease and function — what might have been tossed in the recycling bin becomes a vessel for flowers. Or, what traditionally holds small votive candles now becomes home to a rose bud.
The arrangements require only minutes to make, minimal effort and are very affordable. Plus, the flower varieties, and the way we use them, allow the festivity to last and last.
Whimsical Wreath
Find the beauty in baby-food jars by filling them with fresh-cut flowers. Surround a flame with the floral-filled jars and a seasonal centerpiece is created.Materials:
Approximately 8 small baby-food jars
3 stems of white daisy chrysanthemums
Large pillar candle
Large round charger or plate
Floral clippers and preservative
Directions:
Fill the baby food jars with water that has been treated with floral preservative.
Cut the stems of the daisy mums at varying heights (some tall and others very short). Now insert them inside the water-filled jars.
Set the candle in the middle of the round plate. Now set some of the flower-filled jars on the plate around the candle, with other jars off the plate but complementing the display.
Votive Voila
Turn a sculptural votive holder into a simple centerpiece. These multi-tasking containers are available at large retail stores where furniture and accessories are sold.Materials:
Decorative/sculptural votive candelabra holder
Green roses, enough for each glass votive holder
Optional: Tall white hurricane candle and tray to set candelabra on
Floral clippers and preservative
Directions:
Fill each glass votive holder with about 1/8-inch of water that has been treated with floral preservative.
Cut the stems off of the roses and insert the roses inside the glass votive holders.
Optional: Set the sculptural votive candelabra on a large tray and place a hurricane candle in the center of the holder.
