| How to Arrange a Cascade Bridal Bouquet Posted: 09 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT A cascading flower arrangement is dramatic and beautiful, making it perfect for a bridal bouquet. However, buying your bouquet can be expensive, especially if you want a lush design. Fortunately, making your own cascading bouquet is relatively easy, and it can be a great way to save a little on your wedding budget. All you'll need are a bouquet holder and an assortment of greenery and flowers. EditChoosing Your Flowers - Choose about 15-18 stems of a long-stemmed flower for your bouquet. Having one main flower repeated throughout the bouquet will look more elegant than having a random assortment of blooms. You can choose any flowers you like, but make sure the stems are at least long to ensure they'll be long enough to reach the bouquet holder.[1]
- Roses are a common option for a wedding bouquet, especially white or red roses. Other popular options include stargazer lilies, peonies, anemones, ranunculus, dahlias, and hydrangeas. It's up to you whether you want to use all the same color of your primary bloom, or if you want an assortment of shades![2]
- To narrow down your options, look at a picture of each flower and think about how each one would look against your dress. For example, if you have a very simple gown, an ornate flower like a hydrangea could provide a pretty contrast.
- On the other hand, you could choose a flower with special significance to you, like the first flower your fiance ever gave you or a bloom that reminds you of a loved one.
- Add 10-12 stems of smaller accent flowers. You'll need to tuck smaller flowers around the primary blooms in order to make your bouquet look full. You can choose 1 accent flower, or you can use more than one kind of flower if you want an even more diverse bouquet. However, just as with your primary blooms, look for flowers with stems that are at least .[3]
- Good options for accent flowers include calla lilies, lavender, spray roses, hypericum, and orchids.
- You can choose accent blooms that are the same color as your primary flower for a monochrome look, or you can choose a coordinating color to add contrast to your bouquet. You can even use multiple colors of accent blooms if you want!
- Select 8-10 long sprays of greenery. Your greenery will be used to shape the cascade bouquet, so you'll need several long pieces that will drape from the center of the bouquet as far down as you want the bouquet to reach. For an average-sized cascade bouquet, about will be long enough, but if you want a dramatically long cascade, you may want it to be even longer than that.[4]
- Myrtle, ivy, silver sage, spirea, lemon leaf, and eucalyptus are all popular options, but you can use any greenery that's in season!
- Find a delicate filler like baby's breath or ferns to close any gaps. Since you'll be creating your cascade bouquet on a form, you may need to use small, delicate sprays to fill in any gaps. After all, you want the focus to be on your bouquet, not on the holder underneath it.
- Baby's breath is a perfect filler, since it's so delicate that it won't detract from your primary blooms, but you can also use any other small flowers, ferns, or additional greenery. Other filler flowers include snapdragons, silver ragwort, poms, delphinium, and Queen Anne's lace.[5]
EditCreating the Cascade Shape - Submerge a bouquet holder in warm water. A bouquet holder looks almost like a microphone, with a long handle and a round area on top where you insert the flowers. Before you arrange your bouquet, place the top of holder upside-down in a pitcher or bowl of warm water for about a minute. The top of the bouquet holder, which is called the "oasis," typically has foam inside, which absorbs water to keep the flowers fresh.[6]
- Place the holder gently into the water and let it sink. Don't push it down into the water, or air bubbles could form inside the oasis, preventing the water from reaching the flowers.
- You can find these bouquet holders wherever craft or floral supplies are sold.
- Place the bouquet holder in a heavy ceramic vase. Once you've filled the oasis, lift the holder straight out of the water, turn it right-side-up, and transfer it to a vase to keep it secure. You'll need your hands free to work with the flowers, so make sure you use a heavy vase with a secure base that won't tip over while you're creating your bouquet.[7]
- If you have a stand for your bouquet holder, you can use that instead.
- Add rocks or marbles to the bottom of the vase if it isn't heavy enough.
- Insert the 2 longest greenery stems into the bottom of the holder. Start by putting your 2 longest pieces of greenery in the bottom front of the bouquet holder. With the tips of the greenery pointing down, push the bottom of the stems into the gaps or foam in the holder until they feel like they're securely in place. Then, add the rest of your greenery, cutting it if necessary so it's shorter at the top and longer at the bottom.[8]
- You want the effect here to look as if the greenery is spilling out all the way around your hand, but if it's too long on the top, it will be difficult for you to hold the bouquet.
- Fill in more greenery around the top and sides of the holder. To make the bouquet look symmetrical, you may need to have a few short pieces of greenery around the circumference of the holder, as well as sticking up from the top back of the bouquet holder. Imagine creating an upside-down teardrop shape that's rounded at the top and full on the sides, then comes to a narrow point at the bottom.[9]
- The length of the greenery on the top and sides will depend on the size of the bouquet you want to create and how far you want the greenery to extend, but it should be just a little shorter than your flowers, unless you have a few pieces you want to showcase.
EditAdding the Flowers - Start by arranging your primary blooms. Place your largest, prettiest flowers in the center of your arrangement as the focal point, then work the remaining flowers all the way around the bouquet holder. Arrange the top flowers so they're pointing straight up, the blooms around the circumference of the holder so they're horizontal, and the longest, cascading stems so they're pointing downward.[10]
- As you're arranging the flowers, alternate putting a few on the top, then a few on the sides, and so on. This causes the stems to interlock in a grid pattern, which will help prevent the flowers from falling out of your bouquet.[11]
- Space each type of flower evenly throughout the bouquet. If it isn't symmetrical, it won't create the effect that the flowers are cascading down.[12]
- Trim your flower stems so the shortest go on top and the longest go on bottom. As you start to arrange your bouquet, use a sharp pair of floral shears to trim each stem to the length you want it to be. The stems on the bottom of your bouquet should be the longest, with medium-length stems in the middle of the arrangement, and the shortest blooms on top.[13]
- The length of the stems will depend on the size of the bouquet you're creating, but they'll likely only need to be about at the top, whereas you may not need to trim the stems on the bottom at all.
- It's best to trim your flowers one at a time as you place them in the arrangement so you can customize your bouquet.
- When you're trimming the stems, try to cut the flowers on the top and middle so they'll extend slightly past the greenery.
- Cut thicker stems at an angle so they'll be easy to insert into the bouquet holder.
- Add your accent flowers around your primary blooms. Now that you have your greenery and primary blooms arranged, you can start filling in the body of your bouquet with the accent flowers that you chose. Continue alternating between adding flowers to the top and sides of the bouquet, criss-crossing the stems to secure them.[14]
- Don't worry about making the bouquet look perfectly full just yet; it's more important that you space your accent flowers evenly throughout the bouquet.[15]
- Fill in any remaining gaps with baby's breath or greenery. Look at the bouquet from the top, front, and sides, and use your filler to completely cover up any gaps that are left. Depending on the size of the blooms you used and how closely they're arranged, you may only need a few sprigs, or you may need to tuck small sprays throughout the entire bouquet to fill it out.
- Baby's breath is inexpensive and delicate, so buy more than you think you'll need just in case your bouquet doesn't look as full as you'd like when you're finished.
- Not only will this ensure the bouquet holder isn't visible in your wedding photographs, but it also helps secure the grid you made that's holding the larger stems in place.
- Keep your flowers in a cool place overnight or until you need them. It's best to assemble your bouquet no more than 1 day before you'll need it. If you have a floral cooler, you can keep your bouquet there, but if not, you'll need to find a cool place away from direct sunlight where your flowers won't be disturbed, like a shaded, out-of-the-way corner in a cool bedroom.[16]
- Don't place your bouquet in a regular refrigerator. The moisture will cause the flowers to wilt.
- If you need to make your bouquet more than 1 day ahead of time, either choose hearty flowers like posies, lilies, and succulents, or opt for artificial flowers.[17]
EditThings You'll Need - 15-18 long-stemmed flowers
- 10-12 accent flowers
- 8-10 sprays of greenery
- Baby's breath or another filler
- Bouquet holder
- Heavy vase or stand
- Bowl or pitcher of warm water
- Floral shears
- Floral wire and tape (optional)
- Pin (optional)
- You can even use artificial flowers to save more!
- If you'd like, you can wrap the handle of your bouquet holder in ribbon to make it look more elegant.
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| How to Make Beaded Tassels Posted: 08 Jul 2019 05:00 PM PDT Beaded tassels are attractive, versatile accessories that can be used to decorate around the home, embellish clothing, or jazz up jewelry. You can make them in any design and color you want. All you have to do to create one is join several strings of beads, called trailers, together into one tassel skirt. Then, you can top off the skirt with some decorative beads or a bead cap. EditDesigning Your Tassel - Decide how many trailers your finished tassel will have. You can make a tassel with as many trailers as you want. Just remember, the more trailers you make, the heavier the tassel will be. Keep this in mind especially if you intend to add the tassels to a piece of jewelry, like a pair of earrings.[1]
- When deciding how many trailers, also consider the size and type of beads you will be adding. The number of trailers not only affects the weight of the tassel, but also the bulk. For bookmarks, keychains, or necklaces you may want to go bold with large beads. But for earrings, smaller beads are better so they don't hurt your ears.
- A thin-tasseled earring might only have 5 or 6 trailers, while a keychain might have up to 20.
- It's helpful to sketch out your pattern on paper so you can visualize what the final piece will look like.
- Choose bead types and colors according to your design. Beads are made in many different sizes, colors, and materials. Depending on what you want to do with your tassel, you can choose any combination of beads that suits your style and purpose.[2]
- Usually larger, decorative beads are used on the bottom of the tassel trailers and on the body of the tassel. Small, simple beads called "seed beads" are great for use as fillers and spacers. Play around with different sizes and shapes until you find a design you love.
- Metal beads will be heavier than wooden or plastic beads, so keep the size and weight of the beads in the mind as you decide which to use.
- Gather all your beading supplies and place them in front of you. Once you've decided how many trailers and what types of beads you want, you need to gather all your supplies. Beading supplies can usually be found at craft and sewing stores–there may even be a specific aisle dedicated to jewelry-making materials.[3] You'll need:
- A spool of beading thread
- Beads of your choice
- A large, thin needle called a beading needle
- Scissors
- Ruler or tape measure
- Something to cap the trailers and finish the tassel: a bead cap, one or more larger beads, or a small jewelry ring called a "jump ring"
EditMaking the Trailers - Cut your beading thread into segments to form the trailers. The trailers are the individual strings on the tassel that make up the tassel's "skirt." They can be any length you want, but you need to make sure to cut the thread about longer than the length of the finished skirt. To cut your thread, lay the line out alongside a ruler or measuring tape and make equal cuts until you have made enough trailers.[4]
- The extra length will make it easier to tie the starting and ending knots and to attach the trailers together in forming the tassel skirt.
- For earrings, you probably want to cut no more than of thread, for a finished skirt that is about long. For keychains, bookmarks, or other jewelry, decide what is comfortable for you to carry or wear and measure based on that.
- Tie a stopper knot in one end of each trailer to hold the beads in place. Stopper knots are larger knots at the end of a line that will keep the beads from falling off. You can either tie a specific stopper knot, or just make a couple knots on top of each other to form a single knot big enough to keep your beads from slipping off the thread. The knot just needs to be bigger in diameter than the hole of your bottom bead.[5]
- Tie the knot as close to the end of the thread as you, leaving just about tail at the end. If you find it's difficult to tie the knot that close to the end of the line, you can leave a little longer tail and just trim it at the end.
- Thread the open end of the first trailer through a beading needle. If you have a steady hand or are using larger beads, you can skip this step. Threading the line through a beading needle is to help you work quickly and efficiently without losing the end of the line or struggling to feed the line through each bead.[6]
- If you're having a hard time threading the needle, try folding it at the end and pushing the folded loop through the needle's eye. The fold will stiffen the thread, making it easier to push through the eye of the needle.
- You can also wet the end of the thread with your tongue to make it easier to pass it through the eye of the needle.
- If your needle has a really small eye, try using a needle-threader–they're available at most craft stores.
- Slide the beads according to your pattern down the needle and onto the thread. Holding the needle upright (or the thread if you do not use the needle), slide the beads onto the thread one at a time according to your planned design.[7]
- Some people like to start with larger starter beads at the bottom and then add smaller beads, but it's not a necessary step. As long as the knot you made at the bottom is wider than the diameter of the first bead, you can add the beads in any order you want.
- Leave at least of open thread at the end of the line so that you can tie off the line and secure the beads in place.
- Seal the top of the trailer with another stopper knot to hold the beads in place. Directly after the last bead on the trailer, add another stopper knot to secure the beads onto the line. Don't forget to make sure the knot is wider than the last bead so that the beads don't slip off.[8]
- If you don't finish off each trailer with a stopper knot, your beads will fall off the line and you'll have to start over.
- Tie this stopper knot as close as you can to the beads. Ideally, it should be flush against the last bead, so that your row of beads doesn't slide on the trailer.
- Make the rest of the tassel skirt by adding and securing your beads to the trailers. For each trailer, thread the needle, slide on the beads, and secure the beads with stopper knots. When you are done, you will have several beaded strings ready to form into a tassel skirt.
- To easily keep track of how many trailers you've made, lay them out on the side of your workspace as you finish them.
- Use a piece of tape to stick the completed trailers to the table if you are worried about losing any. This is a good tip if you have a cat or small children that might get curious about your project.
- Inspect your trailers to make sure you like the way they look. Once your trailers are all made, lay them out on the table in front of you. Make sure they look how you want as individual strings and that you like the way they look together with the other trailers. If you don't like any of them, cut open the knot, remove the beads, and remake it.
- There is no specific way the trailers should look. It's completely up to you and your design preferences!
EditJoining the Trailers - Join your trailers under one or more larger beads to finish the tassel. To create a tassel with a beaded skirt at the bottom and a big bead or string of beads on top, just feed the lines of the individual trailers through one or more larger beads and secure with a large stopper knot.
- To make it easier to pull the ends of the trailers through the topper bead, either twist them together to make one bigger and stiffer line, or thread them through a large-eyed needle to easily pull them through the bead's hole.
- To secure the topper beads, you can add a dab of hot glue or super glue at the point where the thread comes out from the top bead.[9]
- Cap your trailers with a bead cap to create an ornate tassel. Bead caps are bell-shaped caps that slide over the top of your tassel skirt and give it a nice, finished look. You can choose between open or closed bead caps, depending on how you want to use the tassel after you've finished.[10]
- For an open bead cap, just thread the trailers through the hole in the cap and secure it with a stopper knot and glue as you would with a large bead topper.
- For a closed bead cap, tie the trailers together with a large knot and super glue the knot to the inside of the bead cap.
- Tie the trailers onto a jump ring to add them to a piece of jewelry. If you want to add the tassel to something else where the top won't show, you can just tie each trailer to small jewelry ring called a jump ring. This forms a tassel skirt that you can attach to a bracelet or a necklace, or even sew into a clothing project.[11]
- You could also glue the tassel to the back of a brooch.
- Doing the beadwork on a flat surface will make it easier to thread the beads in the pattern you have in mind, and also makes it easier to compare the succession of beads on the trailer you are working on with the ones you've already completed.
EditThings You'll Need - Spool of beading thread
- Beads of your choice
- Large, thin needle called a beading needle (optional)
- Scissors
- Ruler or tape measure
- Bead cap, 1 or more larger beads, or jump ring
- Hot glue or super glue (optional)
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| How to Make Herbal Soap Posted: 08 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT Adding dried herbs to homemade soap is a simple but creative way to add fragrance and beauty to an otherwise ordinary item. Start by melting down a plain glycerin soap base. Experiment with your favorite fragrances by adding essential oils. Then prepare your dried herbs, dried flower petals, and dried plant sprigs for the soap, either by grinding them into fine pieces or by arranging them decoratively within the soap molds. Be sure to use skin-safe, edible plants only, and avoid mixing any fresh plants into your soap. If you make enough bars of soap to share, you and your loved ones will feel oh so pampered! EditPreparing the Soap Base - Cut the block of glycerin soap into cubes or slivers. You'll make this soap with a plain glycerin soap base. Start with as much glycerin as you need to produce your desired quantity of soap bars. Use a blunt knife to chop the glycerin into pieces. Alternatively, you can use a cheese grater to grate the block into slivers.
- Smaller pieces will melt more quickly.
- For reference, of melted-down glycerin soap will make 3 bars of muffin-sized soap.[1]
- Glycerin soap can be found at most craft stores and online. Look in the soap making section.[2]
- Choose a suspension formula glycerin soap if you plan to add in heavier herbs and flowers.
- Melt down the glycerin soap in the microwave. Place the chopped up pieces of glycerin into a microwave-safe container with a pouring spout. Heat this in the microwave on 50% power for about 30 seconds. Stir the glycerin slowly using a disposable spoon and heat it again until it completely turns to liquid.[3]
- You could use a double-boiler instead, if you prefer.
- Be careful when moving the container in and out of the microwave. The glycerin will be very hot!
- Stir in a few drops of essential oil to add fragrance. Add about 2 to 5 drops of an essential oil per each ounce of glycerin. Stir gently and slowly to blend the oils with the glycerin. Some air bubbles will form, but try not to push a ton of air bubbles into the liquid glycerin. Choose fragrances that complement the types of herbs you plan to add.[4]
- If you're using dried lavender, add lavender essential oils. Pair other dried herbs with other aromas, like eucalyptus, bergamot, geranium, juniper, lemongrass, rosemary, ylang-ylang, or a citrus essential oil. The possibilities are endless!
- Don't go overboard when adding essential oils. If you add too much to your soap, the essential oils will cause skin irritation.
- Your soap recipe should never contain more than 3% essential oils. Certain oils shouldn't be used for more than 1% of the soap. Do you research and, when in doubt, use less than you think you need.[5]
EditAdding Dried Herbs - Grind up dried herbs to mix them into the liquid glycerin. Try using peppermint, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, or lemon balm in your handmade soap. Use a mortar and pestle to grind your dried herbs into a powder or use a small kitchen knife to mince up the herbs into very small pieces. Sprinkle the herbs into the microwavable container and use a disposable spoon to gently and slowly stir them into the glycerin.
- Small flecks of these dried herbs will give your soap an all-over speckly consistency, with little dark specs throughout.[6]
- Prepare roughly of dried herbs for each of glycerin used.[7]
- Arrange whole dried herbs in the bottom of the soap molds so they appear on top. Your soap could feature pretty sprigs of rosemary or colorful citrus peels and flower petals at the top. To make this happen, place whole dried herbs and, dried flower petals, or dried fruit peels into the bottom of your soap molds first. Lay them out in a nice arrangement before pouring the liquid glycerin on top.[8]
- If your chosen herbs or flowers have a top side, place them top-down into the molds.
- This works especially well if you start with a clear glycerin soap base.
- Try using whole sprigs of dried herbs or laying out individual leaves into a pattern.
- Avoid mixing whole herbs into the liquid glycerin. The dried leaves will rehydrate when you start using the soap, and you don't want to find yourself lathering a slimy leaf!
- Use only safe, edible flowers and plants in your soap. Do your research beforehand to make sure your chosen flowers are safe for soap making. A good rule of thumb is that if they're safe to eat, they're likely safe to put on your skin as well.
- Dried flower petals can look pretty in handmade soaps. Try hibiscus, rose, lavender, chamomile, goldenrod, and calendula.[9]
- Try using dried plants such as eucalyptus leaves or dried citrus peels to add fragrance and color to your soap.
- Steer clear from non-edible and toxic flowers like dahlias, oleanders, foxgloves, or lily of the valley.
- If you're not sure about the safety of a particular plant, research it online or refer to a botanical safety guidebook.
- Refrain from adding fresh plant elements to your soap. Fresh herbs, flowers, fruits, and leaves can lead to mold and bacteria.[10] Avoid using fresh plants to keep your soap safe, sanitary, and long-lasting.
- The only plants you should try fresh are lavender, rosemary, and thyme. The leaves of these herbs are pretty dry to begin with, and they can look attractive when used whole at the top of the soap. Avoid mixing them into the liquid glycerin, though.
EditSetting the Soap Bars - Pour the soap mixture into soap molds. Once you've either mixed the dried herbs into your liquid glycerin or arranged larger pieces in the bottom of your soap molds, you're ready to pour the liquid soap mixture into the molds. Carefully pour the liquid into a mold for each bar of soap you want to make. Fill each mold until you reach the top, and don't overfill it.
- Silicone baking cups, ice cube trays, and soap molds are the best choice since they'll easily release your finished bars of soap.
- If you're using a metal muffin tin, prepare it with a thin layer of cooking oil first.[11]
- Let the soap cool at room temperature for about 1 or 2 hours. Allow the soap to cool down and solidify at room temperature. Leave it to sit until the soap has hardened all the way through.[12]
- Make sure you leave the soap molds on a level surface so your soap bars don't set unevenly.
- Place the soap in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool it more quickly. While this isn't necessary, it can help speed up the cooling process. Once you take the soap out of the freezer it will be completely solid.[13]
- Remove the bars of soap from the soap molds. With silicone molds, you can carefully pop out the bars by turning the mold over and pushing them out. With metal molds, use a butter knife to loosen the side of each bar of soap and raise it up out of the mold.[14]
- Store your soap in a layer of plastic wrap or an airtight container while it's not in use. When you're using a bar of soap, keep it on a ventilated soap dish to prevent it from soaking in too much moisture.[15]
- Keep in mind that exposure to excess heat may cause your soap to have a shorter shelf life, since the glycerin base is designed to melt.
- If you've used whole dried herbs, keep an eye on them as you start to use your soap since they may rehydrate. Dispose of the whole sprigs once they come loose to prevent mold from growing.
- If you don't want to use glycerin soap, use any mild, unscented soap as your base.
- Handmade herbal soaps make great gifts. Just be sure to tell your recipient about the ingredients so they know what they're putting on their skin.
- Consult a Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to learn about the ingredients you purchased and plan to include in your soap.
- Always do your research before putting something into your soap. Just because it's a natural ingredient doesn't mean it can't be harmful. Be careful about using essential oils, herbs, flowers, and other plants that may cause sensitivities and allergies.
EditThings You'll Need - Plain glycerin soap
- Butter knife
- Microwave
- Microwave safe container with a pouring spout
- Essential oils (optional)
- Dried herbs, flowers, and plants
- Mortar and pestle (optional)
- Disposable spoon
- Silicone or metal soap molds
- Cooking spray (optional)
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