Vases and Candle Holders

When you’re having friends and family over for the holidays, having an arrangement of Christmas decor on your dining table will give your holiday meal a festive and warm appeal.  Creating a unique holiday arrangement is quite simple.  Your materials can be taken from whatever decor you have available.  You might consider candleholders, candy canes, figurines, ornaments, or festive fabrics.  Once you have your materials together, display them individually, or use them to compliment each other.  Candlelight will help to make your table feel more traditional and inviting.  If possible, a bit of fresh holly or mistletoe will provide a holiday scent. 

Well thought out decor is sure to please your guests, and also provide warm memories of Christmas dinners for years to come.

Making your own beautiful flower arrangements is not as difficult as florists want you to believe.  Flower arrangement, just like any art, is all about creativity and attention to detail.  If you can paint a picture, make a sculpture, or take a stunning photograph, you can make a breathtaking flower arrangement at home. 

First you will need a glass vase, several fresh flowers with long stems, a few greens (ferns, plant leaves, etc), a knife, and a bit of plant preservative.  First take your fresh flowers and cut their stems about a quarter inch from the bottom, this will help the flowers to last longer.  Fill the bottom three inches of the vase with water, and sprinkle in the plant preservative. 

Now take your greens and lay them against the back of the vase, their stems should be long enough to reach the bottom of the vase.  If the stems don’t reach the bottom, don’t worry about it for now and just ensure they stay in place.  Next, start putting in your flowers; feel free to arrange them in whatever manner strikes you as fitting. 

If your arrangement is looking dull, try staggering flowers at various heights, or let some hang outside the vase.  You might also want to consider a softening flower like baby’s breath or lavender to place in the front of the arrangement.  When done, you should have a beautiful looking arrangement.  If it’s not looking great, practice makes perfect!