Monday, February 1, 2010

Sorry...This Just Isn't Working

While my small infant child is ridiculously handsome, he cannot manage to sit still anymore and therefore cannot be kept on my Dining Room table as a centerpiece {sad for the Dining Room}.
I've known for quite some time that the current candle and holder cannot remain as the centerpiece. Look how lonely it is floating in the random space of the black table...
And while I'm constantly keeping my eyes peeled for a lovely alternative, I just haven't seen anything that I'm particularly fond of. So I've decided it's time to take things into my own handcrafting. Having never done any real flower arranging {much less dried or fake flower arranging}, I know I'll need plenty of inspiration photos as well as some good Online tutorials.

Here's a classic hydrangea arrangement:
I really like the idea of wrapping the container in foliage or placing it in a clear glass container and using foliage pressed up against the inside walls for decoration:
Lemons anyone?How about artichokes?
My light fixture is low {I had the chandelier hung lower for more functional lighting...and because I think it looks better at that height}. So the height of the centerpiece will be a challenge, but I think I want to create a low but full arrangement with thinner elements with height to create drama. Think things like fiddlehead ferns:
Or even pheasant feathers:

Or of course I could go with a florist staple, curly willow:


If anyone has DIY projects or inspiration photos they wouldn't mind sharing, I'd love to see some ideas!

3 comments:

Haley said...

I am terrible at arrangements but I did end up doing my own in the dining room and just in case you decide to use that fake water stuff that they have at Hobby Lobby (it's a gel-like substance that you mix up and pour into a clear container so that it looks like your flowers are fresh) just know that one container of it will cost about $12 and will NOT go very far. I wasn't pleased with the outcome. Hence there will be no pictures of my dining room until I see what YOU have done for your centerpiece, and then I will gladly copy. :) Let us know what you decide.

Anna said...

Well, sorry to say that I won't be much help... I like the candle! ;) Maybe I need decorating advice, too. Ha!

{Amanda} said...

Haley, thanks so much for letting me know; I've noticed that on a lot of the arrangements @ Michael's or even Home Goods, there's not much of the clear gel in the containers...now I know why!

Anna, so my mom said the same thing. She suggested putting something around the candle so that it wouldn't seem like it's floating. I can't put my finger on it, but something's just not working. Maybe I need a tablecloth...