• Monday, February 01st, 2010
Nadine Visscher asked:
Do it yourself wedding flowers don’t magically fall into place and look wonderful. There are so many things to remember and balance is one of them. The elements of your wedding bouquet or arrangement (your container, flowers, foliage, and accessories) need to “fit” or work well together.
We as people have a natural pull toward balance and order. Imbalance is naturally avoided – it’s in our subconscious. We naturally avoid things that are dangerously imbalanced such as a tottering ladder or a crooked shelf. Even though an imbalanced floral bouquet or arrangement isn’t a threat to us, we have a natural tendency to balance and order. A bouquet or arrangement needs both physical and visual balance.
Physical Balance
Physical balance can also be called mechanical balance. To have this type of balance, the arrangement simply needs to be able to stand up on its own without falling over. The container you use needs to be the right size, weight and shape for the flowers you put in them. You also need to have your flowers and foliage arranged so they are evenly distributed. If you have them placed so your design is either top heavy or so that the flowers are mostly on one side, your arrangment will fall over.
Visual Balance
This is when a floral design looks balanced. If it is mechanically balanced yet looks like it’s about to topple over, your instinct is to reach out your hand to catch it from falling over. You want it to look stable. You can have 4 different types of visual balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and open balance.
Symmetrical - This is created when you have exactly the same flowers and foliage on both sides of an imaginary line. Bouquets with symmetrical balance are formal and are often seen at graduations, funerals, and weddings. You need to be careful that this type of design doesn’t look stiff or forced. You can avoid this by using near-symmetry where you use very similar (but not exactly the same) flowers and foliage on both sides of your imaginary line. Asymmetrical - You achieve this by placing more weight on one side of your imaginary line than the other. You don’t place too much weight on one side so it looks imbalanced. You need to have something on each side of your “line” to balance out the other side. This is harder to create than symmetrical balance, but it’s more pleasing to look at and remains interesting much longer than perfect symmetry. You can have some large, light colored flowers on one side and off-set them with either darker or bright small flowers on the other side. Darker flowers look “heavy” so they have enough weight to balance a greater number of larger, light colored flowers. Radial - You create radial symmetry by having your flowers and foliage radiating out from a central point just like the spokes of a wheel, the rays of the sun, the petals of a daisy, the lines of a hand-held fan or the pattern of a shell. The central point can be in different positions. The spokes of a wheel and the petals of a daisy radiate out from the center whereas the lines of a hand-held fan radiate from the center of the bottom and the pattern of a shell radiates from one side. Radial balance is most often in bridal bouquets. Open - Open balance isn’t symmetrical or asymmetrical. It is open, relaxed and unstructured. You will find this in contemporary design where there are no formal rules, yet the overall design looks balanced.
If you are a beginner, symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial balance are easier to achieve because you have some “rules” to follow. Open balance comes with practice and experience. Your do it yourself wedding flowers need to be balanced. Choose which type of balance is most appealing to you and work with it.
• Monday, February 01st, 2010
Jon Kelly asked:
Orchids produce some of the most spectacular and intriguing flowers in the world, but they can also be among the most difficult plants to care for. Despite the challenge of maintaining them, orchids have a continuing popularity among plant enthusiasts, and there are a variety of orchids available for both the expert botanist and the novice orchid hobbyist.
You can probably find an orchid or two for sale at your local garden center at an affordable price, while specialty shops will carry orchids that are extremely rare and expensive. Whatever your level of commitment to nurturing an orchid, there are a few things that you can do to help your plant produce beautiful flowers.
Orchids are accustomed to warm, humid climates and usually require plenty of light. Whether you are raising your orchid in a greenhouse or keeping it in your office, be sure to choose a spot for your orchid where it will be warm without drying out. Above all, make sure that your orchid receives enough sunlight to enable it to bloom.
Most orchids require a lot of exposure to sunlight, and failure to provide enough light will result in an otherwise healthy plant that simply does not bloom. However, the leaves of an orchid can become very sensitive to sunlight if they have been in low-light conditions for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, if you decide that your orchid is not getting enough light, move it little by little to an area with greater sun in order to avoid injuring the leaves with sudden overexposure.
When you water your orchid, make sure to thoroughly saturate the soil. Orchids like a moist environment, and allowing the plant to dry out could endanger its health. An orchid’s soil should also not be too heavy, and there should be good air circulation around the base of the plant.
A certain mixture of orchid-specific nutrients is also essential for a healthy orchid, and you can purchase a substance called orchid bark to mix into the soil for potting your orchid. While supplying vital nourishment to your orchid, the addition of orchid bark will also improve air circulation through the soil, keeping your orchid beautiful.
If you truly want to appreciate your orchid, you will also have to understand that orchids do not flower all the time. After your orchid has flowered, you will need to care for the plant until it is ready to flower again. Once the blooms have faded, you should cut off most of the stem, leaving at least an inch intact. As long as you give your orchid adequate nourishment, water and light throughout its growing cycle, it will eventually flower again.
Over time, you may find that you want to expand your collection of orchids to include more exotic and challenging varieties. Orchid nurseries and specialty shops will have products specifically designed for the care of orchids, and you will be able to find a lot of advice to help you care for these amazing flowers.
• Monday, February 01st, 2010
Eric Allen asked:
Bach flower remedies are becoming more and more popular in natural healing because of their profound yet exceptionally gentle healing effects. There are many books and websites describing the action of each flower essence, along with sources for buying essences already prepared. These sources are very valuable for both natural health professionals and the ‘home’ users. However, EVERY flower essence has some vibrational effect when properly prepared. If a flower really catches your eye, you may consider whether the flower speaks to you on another level – the vibration of that flower may have the potential to deeply affect your own healing process. Whether you can find information about that flower remedy’s healing effects shouldn’t stop you from giving it’s essence a try. Flower essences are simple to prepare, and you and your loved ones may really benefit from their use.
To make a flower essence, you’ll need the following equipment: A clear glass bowl; fresh spring water; sharp scissors; a journal or notebook and pens or pencils; a glass funnel; strainer or muslin/cheesecloth; tweezers; a glass bottle; a preservative – apple cider vinegar, vegetable glycerin, or brandy; a wildflower guide can be useful, along with a camera.
It is wonderful to also bring a gift to offer in gratitude to the plants that you intend to harvest. Some lovely gift suggestions might include Lobelia or other herbs including: Sage, Sweetgrass, or Cornmeal; a prayer; a song or poem; or a personal offering of your choice. This offering of the gift is an opportunity to cultivate a relationship with the flowers so as long as the offering is genuine and from your heart it will be blessed and well received.
After gathering your equipment, you’ll want to clearly identify the flowers that you would like to make into an essence. In order to make the highest vibration essence possible the following guidelines are helpful: the plants should be growing in a natural setting or cultivated organically; away from traffic; and should be growing abundantly.
Prior to harvesting it is wonderful to enjoy spending some time meditating with mediation with the plants. Getting clear and grounding yourself before making the essences is helpful in developing the relationship with the plants. Before you harvest it is proper to ask permission of the plants to harvest the flowers. When harvesting, please do not take the elder plants. These can be identified by noticing the largest and oldest flowers. After asking permission to harvest, wait for an ‘answer’ from the plants. Stay open to recognizing when your answer appears. After sitting with the plant in meditation and when you feel the timing is appropriate begin by making your offering. This is a precious opportunity to commune with the plant.
The process of making the flower essence blend is beautiful and sacred. Begin by preparing yourself through meditation or prayer. Open to the peaceful present moment in order to make a blend that is clear and full potency. It is not helpful to make the flowers when your thoughts or emotions are in turmoil or hectic. The best point in time to harvest the flowers is when the plant is at its peak power, which generally occurs sometime between 11:00 in the morning and 3:00 in the afternoon. It is a wonderful choice to use the pure flowing water that is found near the flowers that you intend a harvest.
The next step is to take your glass bowl and fill it with water. Using the new scissors cut the most auspicious of the plants blooms. Remember to never touch the flowers themselves. Allow the flower blooms to drop gently into the top of water. Cover the entire surface of the water in the glass with the flower blossoms. Then allow the flowers to sit in the water for several hours to allow the flowers to transfer their vibrational energy to the water. While waiting for the remedy to infuse the water it is wonderful to meditate or journal as well as to take pictures of the plants and vistas.
As you sit with the plant you may become dear friends. Allow your intution to open and learn everything from the flowers that they are willing to share. Enjoy this time to become fully acquainted with the plant. Learn about the plant by drawing or photographing it. You might enjoy noting any physical aspects of the plant that you suspect are related to its healing properties. Some ideas include noting the colors; textures; energies; aroma; shape; arrangement and number of petals.
After the water has been infused you will remove the flowers from the glass bowl with your tweezers. Release the flowers back to the earth and the surrounding environment. Then place the funnel in the large glass bottle. Pour the flower water through the strainer and into the bottle. If there is any remaining water you can either drink it or offer it back to the plants or both.
Once you arrive home you’ll want to label the ‘mother tincture’ with the name of the plant, the location, date, and any other pertinent information. The next step is to preserve your hand-made flower essence in an equal amount of brandy or other tincture preservative. The preserved flowers will last for two years if stored amber or cobalt blue glass bottles kept in a cool dry place. You may also want to place a crystal or other beautiful object near your flowers.
Instructions on making a flower essence dosage bottle: Fill a one ounce clean dark glass or cobalt blue glass dropper bottle with water. Add in seven drops of your ‘mother tincture’ flower essence to the bottle. Add a small amount of brandy or other preservative. Spiral the bottle in your hands while holding an intention of love and peace or other personal intention. Personal doses of four to six drops of this bottle can be taken as needed. Remember, more drops are not necessarily better – trust your instinct when deciding how many drops to take at one time.
In order to most effectively use your personal flower essence, you’ll want to Use your flowers on a regular basis. Remember that being consistent in using the flowers is the key to receiving the beautiful benefits. It is lovely to always set an intention or prayer before using your flowers.
The flowers can be taken in the mouth (neat); added to one’s drinking water; added to a bath; applied to the crown of the head of feet (this works great for children and animals); any variety of ways that feels appropriate to you.
It is safe to take flower essences when taking homeopathic or personal prescription medications. You can also use flowers when taking herbs or other nourishing foods. Flowers can also be used when fasting, when pregnant and with children and animals. The flowers will not conflict with other methods of healing. Flower essences are vibrational medicines that support healing from within and without. Trust the healing process. You are whole. You are divine.
• Monday, February 01st, 2010
Tess Tackett asked:
Some people have a knack when it comes to home decor. They can throw just about anything up on the walls, and it looks great! With so many home decor styles to choose from, there must be something all of us can do to make our homes unique and beautiful.
Let’s take shabby chic decor. It’s so charming and relaxing, the perfect decor for the home of a true southern belle. The romantic style of shabby chic lends itself to the relaxed, unpretentious personality. Can you paint? If so, this may be the perfect home decor for you.
In shabby chic decor, most furniture and accents are worn looking, with a distressed finish. Put a light coat of white paint on a few picture frames, an end table, or a rocking chair. Sand lightly, until the finish looks a little worn. You’ve just added a personal touch to your unique style of home decor!
Love country decor? This is one of the most loved styles, especially in the south. People are absolutely crazy about roosters, sunflowers – anything with lots of warm colors. Country decor is so warm and welcoming, especially in the kitchen. This is actually my favorite style of home decor (and I am from the south, I’ll admit).
When decorating with country decor, lots of wood really adds to the look. Pine wood floors are especially gorgeous, with the glowing reflection of everything in the room. Want to add your own personal touch to country decor? Crochet a few doilles, build a country style wall shelf to hold some of your knick knacks. Add your personal touch to your own home decor!
If western decor is your favorite, this one’s easy. You love horses, cowboy decor, horseshoes, everything western. A big Texas star hanging on the wall, metal wall decor and candleholders in western shapes such as horses or horseshoes. A campfire cowboy figurine setting on the coffee table, along with some old western book favorites.
Western decor is a popular home decor style in many states like Texas, Wyoming and Montana. Big open spaces is what western is all about. To add your own personal touch to western decor, go outside! Find an old wagon wheel, some old horseshoes, some rope – and make something unique to add to your home decor! Use your imagination.
There are many other styles of home decor, too many to mention. But you get the point. Everyones style is unique and different, and each person likes their own thing. Whatever you love – country decor, shabby chic decor, western decor or something altogether different, make it your own! Add your own distinct touch to your style of home decor.
