Friday, February 13, 2009

Earn Money Valentines Day With Flower Arranging

By Art Barron

Need to make some extra money? If there's a demand that's as consistent as clockwork, it's for exquisitely arranged blooms every February. Valentines Day is that time of the year when lovers express affection to their special someone, and giving flowers remain one of the most romantic gestures to this day. Indeed, a year can go by without a lover giving flowers, but on February 14th it's a definite must!

Learn tips on flower arrangement. Be a pro and use these skills to earn that extra income, or just show your loved one the special effort you put on her gift. Either way, you'll get appreciation or get paid - or both! Check out these basic points to remember, and soon, you'll be setting up beautiful arrangements:

Pick the right petals. What's Valentine's Day without that ever-present bouquet of red roses? It's the universal symbol for passion and love, and it's every girl's dream to wake up on Valentine's Day with a huge floral arrangement of red roses on their doorstep.

But mixing and matching flora is a great idea as well. When choosing which flowers to buy, there are two things that are worth considering: continuity and contrast.

Continuity means that the different flowers you choose all go well together e.g. they are of the same type or of the same color family. For instance, a vase of yellow daisies mixed with day lilies can be really pretty. The same can be said of a collection of red, white and yellow mums.

Difference, on the other hand, means that the beauty of the arrangement is highlighted by the complete opposites of the flowers. Small and large flowers or buds alongside blooms can be very beautiful if done wisely.

Decide on the focal point of your arrangement. For beginners, a good rule of thumb to follow is to pick a center of attraction among the bunch and design around it. Your focal point can be your tallest rose, your biggest and bulkiest flower or the one with the most appealing look. The key is to have everything else in the arrangement highlight your star. They can be shorter or placed more in the periphery of your arrangement. Use garden shears if you need to trim anything.

As you arrange the flowers that make your background, try to alternate complimentary pieces. Arrange your blooms in such a way that there are equal blues and reds or equal reds and whites. Insert your foliage in between the spaces. And make sure you know if your arrangement is supposed be appreciated from just one side or from all angles; this can help you spread your flowers out.

Embellish. For bouquets, thin wires covered in fancy ribbons can hold the arrangement in place. If you want yours in a vase, either pick a container that can hold all your flowers snugly, or buy floral foam to stick your stems to so that they remain in position. The foam can be covered with ferns.

Give as much thought to your vase as you do your flowers; they can certainly add accent to the whole look. Make sure that they are proportioned to the size of your display. Long-stemmed flowers need taller vases, about half of the height of your blooms. Short and bulky arrangement can do with wide-rimmed short bowls. - 15784

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