Pearl and gem pins for stephanotis

[marie g bushnell]

Do you have to cut the pins to push in the center of the stephanotis for weddings? I have done both, but if you cut the pin, the point at the end is blunt! After I cut them all, I had to push these cut crystal pins up the side of the stems that were rose stems wrapped around a bouquet cascade holder stem. This is definitely labor intensive, so when you think you have a simple wedding, it isn't simple anymore.
Is there a wholesaler out there that sells these pins with pearl or gem stome heads, that have shorter length with a point at the end?

 

[RWK]

No, You don't have to cut the pin any shorter....in fact.....I like it when the pin tip comes through the bottom of the stephanotis bloom. Adds just a little bit more stability to the wired stem.

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

yes they sell shorty gems, not sure about pearls. Bouquetjewels.com - nice stuff. The ends are still blunt though .... try cutting on an angle with a good pair of wire cutters & they should stay just fine in the steph swabs.

Or you could search online for very inexpensive earrings, wholesale, which works also.

 

[Sprout]

I have no problem cutting the pearl pins shorter at an angle and getting them into the white tip of the steph stem. The only problem is keeping those cut ends from flying and landing in the trash barrel.

On a related note, a florist friend was working late one night this week and she let me in to chat while she wired and taped steph - she does "custom" colored pearls in the steph by buying old fashioned common sewing pins with the small flat silver head and putting them through beads of any color requested. Her bride didn't like the color pink the premade ones come in (nuts!).

Yes, she does charge a premium for the "custom" pearls/beads!

 

[Erlene]

The only problem is keeping those cut ends from flying and landing in the trash barrel.

A little tip J shared with me is to stick the pin into a piece of styrofoam before you cut it, the end stays in the styro.

 

[boots12313]

I'm with Ricky...I like the extra support...so I use the longer pins..
Becky

 

[marie g bushnell]

RWK, Thanks for that tip on the stephanotis. I'm definitely Not going to cut those gem/pearl pins anymore.

 

[marie g bushnell]

Sprout,

Thanks for the info on the stephanotis gem/pearl pins. I love that idea of the vintage/sewing flat pins for the centers of the stephanotis. I use vintage jewelry on a Williamsburg boxwood holiday tree that we have done for classes and holiday orders.
Love that old/vintage anything to compliment a special something.
Just found a vintage cameo pin for my bride to pin on the handle of her bouquet.
Thanks again.

 

[Sprout]

Now that you mention vintage, I can totally see taking apart an old bead necklace and having some fun with that, and not just in steph - what about some cool vintage beads or even buttons in gerbera?!

 

[marie g bushnell]

Adding vintage gems or beads to Gerbers sounds like something unusual. Personally,
I just love a well designed arrangement with just flowers and different greenery. I know well, as a designer you have to up on the latest and greatest trends, especially for wedding work. I usually order Canadian gerbs, their stems are really strong and they seem to last longer than California gerbs. So if I decide to stab the center of a gerb with a gem or button, it's definitely going to be a Canadian gerb.
Once tried to slip the gerb stem through a colored cork screw wire, for a different effect, but the Calif gerb stems were thin at that time and labor wise took too long.

 

[RWK]

Then you are going to loooooove this tip. If you want to decorate your gerbera stem with the colored aluminum wire.......try this method.

Take a length of wire......begin to wrap it around a peice of 1/2 PVC pipe.....Make sure it is a tight wrap in that the wires do not overlap each other, but the wire is next to the previous wire.

Do that until you have about an inch of the pipe covered. Cut the wire......slip your gerbera stem in the hole and them pull on both ends of the wire stretching it until the curls tighten up against the stem.