Basic Steps for Making Artificial Floral Arrangements

Different Kinds of Artificial Flowers

• Broadly speaking, there are three kinds of artificial flowers---silk, dried, and latex and rubber.

  Silk flowers are the most beautiful and expensive, and they're available in dazzling colors. Most stores carry polyester blends, even though they might look like silk. In fact, silk flowers are quite hard to find.

  Dried flowers have an antique look, with more subdued and muted colors. They feel crisp when you touch them. You can clean them easily by shaking them thoroughly once in a while or using a hair dryer.

  Latex and rubber flowers are available in rich colors and look very attractive. Since they're known to last longer, they are an excellent choice for floating or submerging in water.

Basic Steps for an Artificial-Flower Arrangement

• Artificial flowers can be arranged in eight basic designs: horizontal, vertical, triangular, crescent, oval, minimal, free-standing and the lazy "S" arrangement. Any arrangement you create will be one or a combination of these styles.

Choosing Foam for Your Arrangement

• Most arrangements call for the use of floral foam. If so, you need to examine the container you are using to gauge how many pieces of foam you'll need. Use foams that are softer, as the stems of the flowers, both thick and thin, can easily penetrate it. If your container is made of clear glass, use colorful stones, moss, vase gems and raffia to camouflage the foam.

  Anchor the foam securely to the bottom of the vase with the help of floral clay. Secure the foam so your arrangement will stay in place.

  Once the foam is secured, cover it with moss using U-shaped metal pins. However, if you are making a large arrangement with a lot of stems and leaves, add the moss after you've inserted the stems into the foam. Once the arrangement is complete, you can easily stuff the moss between the stems.

Finishing Touches

• When making artificial-flower arrangements, don't use too many flowers. Otherwise, they will look crushed, and the whole arrangement will appear crowded. Bend these flowers gently to give the impression of natural curves.

  Don't just use full blooms for your decoration. Have a combination of full blooms and buds, with the latter placed at the top, a little distance away from the full blooms. This will give the arrangement a more natural look.

  If you're using a basket, line it first with newspaper before you place the foam, flowers, leaves and moss. This is done so you don't have foam and moss debris falling all over your carpet.