Flower Arrangement: The First Attempt

      Flowers. Don't they just make you happy? One of my personal favorites happens to be peonies. They are just fluffy and beautiful, and they look rather happy too. I mean look at that. They are quite stunning. Alright, I'm letting my love of peonies take over this post. Refocus, Taylor. (And also, please excuse the old family pictures at the end of the table, my mom and I were sorting and picking ones to be framed. That's a process).
     This arrangement came about because my family was picked to hold the Father's Day gathering. If there is anything you need to know about me, it would be that I love big family gatherings. I love the cooking, the table setting, the centerpieces. I just live for that kind of thing. Yes, I realize the Father's Day flowers were pink, but I couldn't find blue hydrangeas and peonies were in season. I mean, what can you expect me to do? It was that pink, or it was magenta. Now that I think about it, the magenta would be stunning with the blue vase. Once again, I digress.

      So, here are some key points on making a nice, long lasting, and visually interesting center piece.
1) Pick a vase that isn't a vase. Mason jars, wine bottles, or even a cool colored pitcher (my weapon of choice) makes a great start. If you would like to use wine bottles, there are tons of tutorials around the internet on how to break them properly. If you're at a loss, just look at Pinterest. Matter-of-fact, I should like my Pinterest to my blog.
2) Add a little vinegar and sugar to your flower water in addition to the plant food they give you. It helps the flowers last longer.
3) Fill that vase with lukewarm water! Flowers absorb it better.
4) Cut your stems on the diagonal. This also helps them absorb water better by giving more surface area.
5) Play with texture as well as height. Daisies have a different texture than peonies, and snapdragons add some height and greenery to the arrangement, which leads me to my next point.
6) Use green in your arrangement! Even if you use it sparingly, use a little.
7) Just be creative! Play around! Find things you like for inspiration.
8) Also remember your arrangement doesn't have to be expensive. This whole thing was about $17 because I went to the grocery store and got flowers that were in season!

(We don't have cloth napkins. My mom really wants some, but we haven't found the right ones yet) Here it is in action!