Share A Couple of Design Tips, Pretty Please!

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SpringCity

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Hopefully this hasn't been done already recently (didn't see a thread)
I thought it would be nice for those of us with a few years under our belts to share tips with newer designers -- and each other. Tell something cool you tried or a mistake you learned from. I know you all will come up with cool things I hadn't thought of...

Ok here is one of mine:

Just for Flowers and Design Master are your FRIENDS!

It doesn't have to be tacky, blue-tipped roses for prom. (urgh) -- a teensy well placed spritz of light pink looks awesome in the center of a white lily. Another thing we've tried is a barely-there shot of fuschia on the edges of an orange gerb or lily and it looks so cool. People have raved about how these flowers look and have no clue they are tinted.
HOWEVER don't try to completely alter/darken the color of a white hydrangea because it will keep opening and the job never looks complete. Voice of bitter experience here, tried to to it for a wedding (she had LOTS of hydrangeas and it was a nightmare for me. My own fault!!)
 
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I use purple pansy just for flowers on blue hydrangea, to make them look lavender. Seems to work fine, never had a problem.
My favorite color tool is glossy wood shine. Blends colors together, tones down previous painted colors to make them appear real.
I love it....
 
I tip by first spraying the paint on a piece of cellophane.
Then, I swirl the top of the rose in the paint on the cello.
Works as well as can be expected -YUK!!!
 
when we tip carnations, we put them into the plastic ring of floral tape (scrunches them up just right) and then spray across the top.
 
cherrie said:
I use purple pansy just for flowers on blue hydrangea, to make them look lavender. Seems to work fine, never had a problem.
My favorite color tool is glossy wood shine. Blends colors together, tones down previous painted colors to make them appear real.
I love it....
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree it looks great as an enhancer! But I tried to make white hydrangeas dark pink...:pblush: Oy. Never again.
 
If I HAVE to tip a rose I cover my hand in plastic, scrunch the rose in my hand with only the tips showing and spray from the side holding the can about 12 or so inches away. You can get a softer misting and graduation than by rubbing their little noses on a sheet.
 
hey-

any of you newbies, if you decide to use just for flowers or design master, please pay attention........

You need to shake the heck out of the can first. hold the can at least 12" away from the flower. and spray in short bursts rather than holding down the button.

the spray is VERY cold and you can almost freeze your flowers. Yep, I did it myself.
And J Schwanke confirmed my blunder.

Also, If you line up the nozzle with the little red dot, you'll get pretty much all of the paint out of the can.
 
I have a new question along the lines of this thread.......

How do you wire alstroemeria for corsages?? I have figured out the most bestest perfectest way ever!!

But first I want to hear what you all do.
 
I have just always ran a very thin wire through the throat of the alstromaria, and then taped. I would love to know a secret trick to do it better. They break so easy that way.
 
shannonlovesflowers said:
I have a new question along the lines of this thread.......

How do you wire alstroemeria for corsages?? I have figured out the most bestest perfectest way ever!!

But first I want to hear what you all do.
Click to expand...

Spray some "Flora Loc" down it's throat, let it dry, then used 26 gauge wire if you want to wire it. The Flora Loc hardens and keeps the alstro from falling apart. I learned this at a Teleflora show. Works wonders.
 
This time of year we're flooded with orders for single carnation corsages and bouts...it's a graduation thing. We like to do them ahead but the numbers are constantly changing....53 bouts & 65 cors will change twice a day up a few then down a couple. We've started offering UNISEX flowers. A single carnation, greens, filler and a tulle twist running up the side. It's not to girly to be a corsage and not too basic to be a bout...it makes everyone happy.
Then they order the number of people at the event and not be specific to gender. It's made our life easier and we can get the orders done days in advance.
 
never heard that one!

I wish I could just show you guys this.......
What I do is I run a 26ga wire through the petals about a 16th of an inch above the calyx. Then I very carefully wrap the wire around the petals. Careful not to squish them, and it can't be too loose, just as close to the petals as poss without cutting into them. I go around about 2 times and then pull the remaining part of the wire down with the other end. Once you have that wire around the alstroe, when you begin to tape it you can't squish the flower. It has worked every single time for me.

The shop I originally worked for did tons of alstroemeria corsages, So I figured out this trick when I was young. Don't know if anyone else does it that way.

I was a presenter at a very small design show several years back in Los Alamos NM and shared this trick, You would have thought I gave them each a million dollars.
 
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When adding alstromeria to a corsage, I do the basic corsage with wire and tape. (lightest grade that works). Then, so, it won't be too heavy, I glue in the extra or more alstomeria blooms into the base I have created.

this keeps the corsage lightweight and is a good way to add depth to the design.

Gluing in extra blooms makes those mixed spring corsages go a lot faster.....just make a very basic corsage grid and then add all kinds of flowers in seconds.


Carol Bice
 
To tip carnations, we use a roll of toilet paper! Drop the stem down the tube and adjust the bloom according to the amount you want to tip. Spray and pull the flower thru the bottom. Works great and doesn't spray all over your hands!
 
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