Creating Custom Swarovski Crystal Wedding Bouquets and Boutonnieres

My mission through writing this article is to broaden the horizons of your imagination while customizing Swarovski Crystal bouquets and boutonnieres. Many people may not know exactly how versatile these arrangements can be. The sky is the limit when designing in this medium. So I am going to offer several ideas that will get your mind working to create beautiful arrangements that will match not only your color scheme, but also your personality on your wedding day.

Swarovski Crystals come in endless shapes, sizes and colors. You can combine all of these in many different ways to create bouquets and boutonnieres that reflect your taste and style.

Combining Swarovski Crystals that are all the same color and the same shape but vary in size is very dramatic. You may choose to have the sizes distributed randomly throughout the arrangement or you could create a pattern with the larger crystals in the center and fading to smaller crystals on the outer edges. Or maybe try the smaller crystals in the center where they are a bit more abundant, with the larger ones on the outside. Since crystals are significantly heavier when you get to ten millimeters and above, it is nice to have them mounted on wires that are a little bit longer because this will create a lot of movement in your bouquet. Remember, the more a crystal moves, the more chances it has to catch light and sparkle incredibly bright.

Another option is to choose crystals that coordinate with your color scheme. For example, your bridesmaids and groomsmen are wearing a pale shade of blue. It is stunning to choose five or six shades of blue crystals in dark to light hues and combine them all together to create your bouquets and boutonnieres. This makes it very easy to compliment any accents that you will have on your day. Whether you are working with other fabrics, flowers, or jewelry, you don't have to worry with matching the bouquets and boutonnieres perfectly to one item since there is such a great variation in tones.

Adding Swarovski Crystals to a traditional wedding bouquet or boutonniere is a very effective way to have crystal accents and stick to a more traditional theme. You can have the arrangements dominated by crystals or you may want to have the flowers take over and have the crystals add merely a hint of glitz and glamor.

While speaking with a bride recently at a wedding show, she told me that she would like to have a theme of rubies for her Valentines Day wedding. I suggested that she create a bouquet and boutonniere that have ruby red crystals in the center in the shape of a heart and have clear crystals surrounding them. She could have the entire bouquet arranged in the shape of a heart, a butterfly, a star, or even a grapevine.

I hope that I have helped you in opening the doors to the endless possibilities that are given to you when you choose Swarovski Crystal Bouquets and boutonnieres. For more ideas on creating Swarovski Crystal bouquets and boutonnieres visit Brilliant Wedding Jewelry to see a number of samples.

Penny Olson is the owner and designer for Brilliant Wedding Jewelry
Spice up your bouquets yourself by using Swarovski Crystal Stems.

If Your Bridal Bouquet Could Speak

Your wedding is one of the most memorable of your life. A great deal of planning goes into making this day a perfect expression of your love for one another, love of family, and uniquely yours. The day is abundant with symbolism and tradition: the dress, attendants, unity candle, music, and flowers. Yes, flowers can offer their own distinctive symbolism and therefore another level to the ceremony.

Tradition holds that Persia introduced the symbolic use of flowers as an expression of emotion, or hidden message. Later, due to trade and travel, Victorian England and America embraced the seductive language of flowers. You, too, can enjoy placing secret meaning into your floral selection,

The red rose is by far the recognizable symbol of love, a hold over from Victorian times. Roses are the most popular flower for both the wedding bouquet and decoration because of their beauty and intoxicating fragrance. However, the choice in color can lend an interesting touch:

Red respect, unconscious beauty, courage, love Pink grace, admiration, thank you White purity, innocence, secrecy, silence Yellow gladness, joy, friendship

An example of utilizing rose language, before the bride and groom approach the minister, or official, they present each parent with a red rose and after the ceremony present each in-law with a yellow rose or maybe incorporating pink roses into the hairpiece of a flower girl or your attendants. You do not have to limit yourself to roses other flowers speak to us as well. For example, the tulip is quite popular in wedding bouquets and, it too is froth with meaning:

Red declaration of love Variegated beautiful eyes Yellow hopeless love

Floral arrangements are limited to blossoms, however, there are many aromatic herbs that have lovely foliage that will add another dimension to the bouquet as well as their own secret message:

Wintergreen harmony Lavender luck, devotion Fennel strength Oregano joy

Other greenery to consider:

Ivy fidelity Fern grace

Whether you choose a cascade, cluster or hand-tied garden bouquet for you, or a buttonier for your groom add more breadth to your choice with the language of flowers. Choose them not only for their visual beauty but for the secret message they will hold between you and your bridal party, family, or the one you love.

Information for this article obtained through the following sources:

The Language of Flowers: Symbols and Myths by Marina Heilmeyer

The Language Of Flowers by Sheila Pickles

AE Wise is an avid reader, and writer. Her work is featured on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.

 

Wedding Bouquet: Think Different

A simple and elegant wedding bouquet is the perfect accessory to compliment your gorgeous gown and smiling face. We say 'simple' because you want your wedding bouquet to highlight your dress, not detract from it. If your bouquet is too 'flashy,' your dress may not receive the attention it deserves.

Nevertheless, this is not to say that your bridal bouquet should be plain, white, and boring. That's not the case at all. Just keep the flashiness in check! As a matter of fact, it's become very popular for the modern bride to use pastel colors in their bridal bouquets. Soft pink's and blue's can add a magnificent touch to any wedding dress. The hue's are very uplifting and pleasant.

Believe it or not, not everyone prefers a bouquet of fresh flowers. Many women have allergies, which prevent them from enjoying the subtle scent a fresh flower can bring. To accommodate these brides, many florists make bouquets of silk flowers. Instead of frowning at this idea, consider the advantage of silk flowers: like your love, silk flowers will never wither. They're a keepsake that will last for years! In addition, silk flowers require less maintenance during the course of the evening, and they're usually less costly.

However, if you have your heart set on a bouquet of real wedding flowers, have you considered wild flowers? This is a wonderful idea if you're having a garden-style or country wedding in the outdoors. The colors and scents are spectacular and very pleasing to the senses. They will look magnificent with any dress in the spring or summer. Unfortunately, wildflowers do not really go with the 'theme' of a winter wedding.

If you haven't decided what type of flowers to use for your wedding bouquet, mull these options over. Use your resources (such as the internet) to look at different varieties of silk flowers and real wild flowers. Several wildflowers that are suggested are: Queen Anne's lace, poppies, Canada Lily, European Columbine, New England Aster, true forget-me-not, Indian blanket, and Carolina Spring Beauty.

Don't be afraid to ask your local florist for quotes on bouquets of such flowers in comparison to other fresh flowers. You might discover that you'll save a bundle going the route of wildflowers as opposed to a bouquet of roses and another variety. While you're at the florist, ask to see pictures of different wildflower bouquets and silk bouquets (which they may have arranged). They say a picture says a thousand words! You might be blown away by a bouquet arrangement that you may not have considered before

Jen Carter is owner of My Wedding Blog, a free wedding planning guide about weddings. The following article is available in our wedding flowers category.

Floral Arrangements - A Hobby That Can Make A Flourishing Business As Well

Arts and crafts are a hobby for millions of people. More and more are trying their hand on floral arrangements.

Floral arrangements have a way of making people feel more serene, and some arrangements say, "I love you". There is no manual what to use for a floral design, it depends on what you want and what occasion you want to give one. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

There are different materials that you can make your arrangement out of. If you are giving your arrangement to someone who has a hectic or busy schedule, or is forgetful, you may want to consider an arrangement made out of silk. They are beautiful, and can be refreshed for months of beauty. You can even scent them to give the appearance of real flowers.

There are different types of arrangements. If you want to give someone you love one of these arrangements, consider a Korean floral arrangement. It is made of delicate flowers and is arranged in a dainty pattern. Or you could also go for the ever popular Japanese style of Ikebana.

When you give a floral arrangement of carnations and roses, you are saying I love you to anyone you give it too.

Your creations are only limited by what you can envision. There are thousands of different types of flowers to use to create the perfect flower arrangement.

Another popular trend in flower arrangement is to work with artificial flowers. These flowers are often made of silk or other such material .The best thing about these arrangements is that they are long lasting hypoallergenic for those having allergies. Besides they look natural and beautiful as well.

Whether you use real flowers or artificial, any arrangement that you can make will be incredible.

Creating your arrangement must be done with the utmost care in order for it to last for a long time.

Floral foam will assist you in a lot of different ways. However, before using it in your arrangement, you will need to soak it in water. Put the foam in a bucket of water. It is not advisable to pour water over the foam because it could miss spot and take away from the life of your arrangement.

Flowers need food, even in an arrangement. There is special food for cut flowers. This type of food dissolves easily in water and can be fed to your flowers daily.

When you are making a flower arrangement for someone, take into consideration the type of person and use the appropriate flowers.

An important thing about this wonderful art is that you can convert it into a flourishing business. You can earn good money by starting your own florist shop. You can either choose to become a wholesale florist or a retailer. You will soon find that there is no business like flower business!

Summary:

Making a floral arrangement can tell someone that you really care. When you take the time to do it yourself it shows a personal touch that a professional cannot match.

Brooke Hayles
Check Out More Helpful Information About Floral Arrangement For FREE!
Visit {http://floralarrangementvault.com/}Floral Arrangement Vault Now!

A Florist's World

A Florist's World

How pleasant it is to enjoy the aesthetics of a vase full of colorful and aromatic flowers. Flowers are known to have positive effects on our moods, perhaps due to the fact that they are a living creation of art, and thus the bilateral relationship developed with their owner -- flowers offer their beauty in return for their owner's attention and watering. This living relationship is not the flowers' sole relationship. Don't be alarmed, your darling flowers aren't cheating on you! But your flowers have already shared a vital relationship with the florist, who decides which flowers to buy and where to buy them from, who takes care of the flowers even before they are in her possession, and who certainly leaves a personal touch on the flowers, using the talents of artistry and style to create a bouquet you won't want to take your eyes off. Thus, it is the florist who prepares your flowers for you -- not only in the beauty of a bouquet, but also in the care that the flowers will expect us to continue giving them.

Thanks to today's leaps in technology, specifically communication and transportation, a flower growing in Mexico, for example, can be transported to France within the span of twenty-four hours. Of course, this seemingly simple statement involves a lot of work. A good florist will scan the world market for quality and prices. Naturally, flowers that can be bought locally will be, as they will have less distance to travel, and arrive at the florist's shop quickly and safely. Since, however, freesias don't often bloom near London in January, a large quantity of cut-flowers do use their frequent flyer cards as they make the trip from this to that country, or this to that continent. Needless to say, extreme care goes into preparing these travelers for their voyage. When flowers are coming right from the grower to the florist, they are usually cut right before leaving for the airport (talk about last minute preparations!) and prepared in the trucks on the way to the airport. Flowers that retain water well are laid flat in boxes, while more perishable and exotic flowers are guarded by individual water holders on the stem. In this manner, the well-prepared flowers make their trip. Most flights for these delicate passengers will be extra cool to provide for a most enjoyable flight. Upon arriving, the flowers are transported to cooled trucks which take them to the florist. This exchange -- directly from the grower to the florist -- is ideal, as the flowers spend less time traveling from here to there, and the costs won't be increasing as the flower quality is decreasing.

The florist keeps track of the above-mentioned process to ensure the fresh and happy arrival of her materials. Upon receiving the packaged-up bundles of joy, the florist is like a new parent for a few minutes, unwrapping the flowers with utmost care, in order to get the flowers the nutrition and safety they need. However, during the caring and feeding, the florist will consider the new arrivals with much more scrutiny than would the parent of a newborn (or so we hope), checking for imperfections and making sure quality is first-rate. Once the flowers are cut to appropriate lengths and safely refrigerated in water, the florist communicates to the grower that all is well, and ideas are exchanged for future interactions. Communication is a large part of the florist's job, and this conversation with the grower was certainly not the first, and will not be the last.

A good florist, while being a client of the grower, is also a seller, and knows the importance of communicating with people like you -- her clients. And communication with a florist is important. In a job that requires such care for living flowers, as well as artistic talent in arranging, the busy florist is never too busy to hear your input, and in fact needs this important information: if the client is to be happy with the result, communication must be strong between the florist and client. Flowers truly can convey what words cannot say, so the specifics of what type of event, who they're for, preferences in colors, flowers, textures, even the types of leaves used to give the bouquet body, is important information. Specific holidays, such as Valentine's Day or Mother's Day will also influence the client's choices. The florist needs your feedback to create the right bouquet. Watching a florist at work certainly gives the impression of an eccentric or a mad genius at work. Suddenly, a flower that was placed with such care is pulled out of the bouquet with a displeased look, then placed almost identically back in its place. But something is different, and the florist continues working with an appeased mind. Florists are artists, and take care to create the perfect picture, whether it is one conveying carefree joy or somber mourning.

When admiring your bouquet sitting on your dining room table, keep in mind that the florist who arranged it has done much more than arrange. The florist ensures that the quality of the flowers is top notch even before laying eyes on them. The quest for the freshest flowers is now an international search, and the florist makes sure her flowers are treated like first-class passengers during their trip to her store. Once at her door, the florist continues the care she started, dexterously cutting and submerging the stems in water. Happily seeing that the flowers are finally safe and ready for the chef d'oeuvre, the florist will create the masterpiece based on what her client is looking for. The florist, a person of many talents, is, at the end of the day, a businessman, a caretaker, an empathetic listener, and an artist.

This article was sponsored by http://www.serenataflowers.com, an independent florist. Serenata provides flower delivery within the UK and removes the costly middleman by buying directly from the grower. Fresher than any bouquet you'll find in traditional flower shops, shop Serenata Flowers for exclusive, well cared for bouquets at reasonable prices.

The Mystery Of Yoga And Bouquet Of Divine Powers Called Sidhis

Yoga means the union of the individual soul with the cosmic soul who is otherwise called God. When numbers are added up, their value increases manifold. Man is a descendent of apes. In the Adam Age he was like this only. In New Guinea even today there are some Adivasis (Aborigines) who have the culture of Adam’s era. The males/females are stark naked. For food they depend on animal flesh, roots, fruits etc. They run miles away from so called civilized men and hence their language too is not evolved. They can utter only a few words and they mainly communicate by sign language and gestures. But from the bodily viewpoint they are more powerful because they can tolerate intense heat, cold rain etc. In a certain manner even man follows the culture of Adam’s era. He is well versed in eating, procreating and manifesting greed, attachment etc. He detests imbibing human values that augment the glory of all mankind.

The glories of greatness and ethics are always conjoined to God. When man unites with God via faith he definitely rises above the culture of Adam’s era. Just as when husband-wife cooperate with one another so as to make their home heavenly in the same way when man unites with God he becomes divine. Hence greatness of Yogic practice is eulogized and those understanding the importance of soul advancement walk on this path.

Yoga is classified in 2 ways. The first is external Yoga and the second internal Yoga. External Yoga is that in which bodily exercises are given importance. This external Yoga encompasses posture, breathing exercises, Bandha, Mudras, chanting of Mantras, Yajna, worship of God, pilgrimages, singing God’s name etc. Another name for this external Yoga is Kriya Yoga. One of its branches is called Hatha Yoga. Here external bodily activities are emphasized upon. Emphasis is laid on its mode and rules. Its results depend on how aptly it was made use of. Kriya Yoga influences our health, radiance, intellectual sharpness etc. Some control of the mind also takes place.

The second class is internal Yoga. Here the scattered mind and vital force are concentrated and focused. Vile psychic imprints have to be purified and our thinking has to be made high. There are many types of meditations. All of them come under the flagship of internal Yoga.

Generally in meditation one pours one’s loving devotion towards an imaginary image of God and one tries to experience it as very close to oneself. Further experiences involve Naad Yoga (sound), Soham (that I am) spiritual practise, drinking of Soma juice via Khechri Mudra etc. Internal Yoga also involves Chakravedhan (journey through the 6 Chakras), Kundalini awakening, Granthi Vedhan etc. because over here one’s thought waves are given a proper focused direction. In it there is no need of Kriya Yoga which involves bodily exercises.

Kriya Yoga is limited to the energy and ordinary extrasensory potential of the gross body. The sense organs are gross in nature. It is counted as a bodily part. Its power too is gross only. The subtleness of sensory potentials does only this much that without any other paraphernalia and with the help of any other sense organ the intellectual nerves of the brain solves certain gross problems. For example if one is blind one can utilize the sense organ of touch and with the fingers know of the presence of objects, letters etc. (i.e. in Braille). Within Supra-psycho Sciences, hearing distant sounds, seeing distant objects, telepathy are looked upon as extrasensory perception (ESP). All this is a play of the intellect. The difference only is this that in comparison to direct mediums one attains the potential of identifying and catching waves of heat, sound and light. This can come under material benefit and success. Although this is looked upon as spiritual yet it is not true. The activities of God are very extraordinary and mysterious. God cannot be understood by our material apparatus. According to the great scientist Albert Einstein, Particle Physics is yet very crippled and lame. It cannot give us information of the cosmic divine power i.e. God. There is a cosmic consciousness that rules over our entire cosmos. This consciousness can be called God, Brahman, all pervasive cosmic soul etc. The entire family of Ridhi-Sidhi (divine powers) is a mere glimpse of God.

According to the material science scholar and philosopher Sir James Jeans all materialistic events in the world are apt. That which we call an accident is actually the above mentioned. Its creator is definitely a great calculator, very powerful and an invisible power. It should be called God. This world cannot be an inert machine because every object, creature, living being etc. of the world has consciousness inherent in them and that they are always active. When the individual consciousness works in tandem with the cosmic consciousness (God) it is called Yoga.

There is a description in the Ashwamedha Parva of Mahabharat that there are divine saints (Sidhas) who with their divine eye can see the giving up of the body, its taking up a fresh new body and entering the body of another species. People with strong will power are capable of establishing goodwill and cooperation of subtle bodied souls with human beings. One of the characteristics of realized-seer saints is that they can contact the subtle world.

It is a divine power to “tie up” time which is a result of Kundalini awakening. Yogi Changdev during the times of Saint Jnaneshwar was 400 years old due to the power of Yogic penance. Later as per the advice of Saint Jnaneshwar he gave up his mortal coil. Our subtle bodied revered preceptor who lives in the tough terrain of the lofty Himalayas is beyond the limits of time and space.

The great saint Tailang Swami at the age of 280 years had given up his mortal coil in Varanasi according to the Indian calendar on Paush Shukla Ekadashi Vikram Samvat 1944. He was born in Vikram Samvat 1644 in the household of a Brahmin landlord. In the Pushkar region he had taken Sanyas initiation from Bhagirath Swami. His preceptor had named him Ganapati Swami but he was well known as Tailang Swami. He was a great spiritual aspirant, Yogi and server of all beings. Many miraculous events are associated with him. Even Swami Vivekanand had mentioned his name and he was alive during Swami Dayanandji’s life too. By attaining the highest spiritual goal of Yoga he attained many divine powers too. Once, Tailang Swami performed austerities in the jungles of Nepal. The King of Nepal had come hunting there along with his army. A tiger saved its life when attacked by the King. But the army chief followed the tiger. The tiger entered the hermitage of Tailang Swami. It placed its head at the feet of the Swamiji and sat down quietly. Swamiji started fondling the tiger. When the army chief and the King saw this scene they were wonderstruck.

This incidence is related not for idle curiosity but for the fact that via spiritual powers generated from austerities one can actually change the direction of the flow of the subtle world. Also one can to a great extent ward off one’s ill fate and become a medium for letting those events occur which were otherwise not destined to take place. It is said that the demigods have the power to bless and cure. But in fact a Yogi, saint etc. of high spiritual stature too can accomplish this. If you connect an inactive wire to another wire in which electric current flows the former too will become active. Hence if one conjoins to the divine power of demigods then that person too attains those powers and thus enters the storehouse of divine powers that belongs to God. This entrance into the region of divine powers is not superficial but is a kind of partnership. If there is a shop with many business partners each one can take goods from it. Definitely partnership gives you this right but if you are just a lay devotee and have not merged deeply into God, he only has the right to beg for things from God.

External Yoga or Kriya Yoga involves only the external world that is visible. It can grow, shift, raise or decrease things. It can also sometimes hide or manifest things but does not have the power to enter the recesses of another’s psyche. It is easy to lead anyone to his downfall. This is easily accomplished by criminals, gamblers, looters etc. But it is a totally different story when it involves materially and spiritually uplifting others. It is the word arrows that reach the target on dot. If you throw a pile of mud it can go anywhere and that too at a long distance. There is no control over it. Only apt hands can measure true control of things. It is entirely their decision as to in what direction and how high someone is to be uplifted. Such a person knows exactly how to dive deep into an oil well and measure it according to their capability. A small jump can be executed by anybody but it is possible only for gigantic rockets to rise higher up in the sky and even cross over the atmospheric covering of the earth so as to enter interstellar space. The relationship of the individual soul uniting with God via Yoga is proof of all the divine powers that manifest (like Ridhi-Sidhi). Great Sidhas are no doubt divine men. Their grace full of discrimination (Viveka) can either spiritually uplift someone or even bestow the blessing of material well being. Only such divine saints can reach great heights of divine powers.

Like the visible world there is a hidden subtle world and we sometimes get a glimpse of it in the dream state or in Nirvikalpa Samadhi (thought free trance). Scriptural scholars call it the other world. They are subtle in nature. They are invisible. There is no world of this sort in our stars and galaxies. That means that there is no Shiv Loka, heaven, hell, Brhama Loka over there as described in our scriptures. This is because all the 7 worlds are invisible in the cosmos. They cannot be seen by our gross eyes. In these subtle invisible worlds one finds demi-gods, Pitrus, Sidhas, spiritually liberated ones etc. These worlds are not materialistic but are at the divine emotional level. Those living in these worlds are full of bliss, enthusiasm, peace, vigor etc. Those divine aides (Parshads) of God dwell in these subtle worlds. At an appropriate time these aides manifest on earth when God himself incarnates as a great saint, prophet, incarnation etc. Their invisible body remains only as long as their specific task is to be executed and they later become invisible and subtle as before. This group of aides is not small. In comparison to the number of creatures living in this gross material world, the number of beings residing in these subtle, invisible worlds is not less. Just as amongst worldly men there are very capable and radiant people so too in the subtle, invisible world there are classes of souls with divine glories. These divine glories are not just stored by these great souls but that they generously donate it to other souls who are imbued with apt credentials.

Narsinh Mehta wanted wealth for spiritual purposes. Some mendicants approached him and said that some village folks had asked them (mendicants) to approach Narsinh. We are going to Dwarka. Please keep Rs. 700/00 with you and give us a bill of exchange so that we do not face danger of getting looted on the way and that in the city of Dwarka we can get back our cash. Narsinh thinking that this was some sort of help from God accepted the cash. He wrote the bill of exchange in the name of his beloved friend Lord Shri Krishna. In Dwarka Lord Krishna disguised as a businessman accepted the bill of exchange and gave the mendicants Rs. 700/00. In reality it is God who propels great spiritual aspirants via their pure hearts to overcome the sorrow of those in need.

The great Theosophist C.W. Leadbeater always researched into the movements of the invisible world. He said that ancestral souls protected innocent children and pious souls and bestows many beneficial blessings on them. Once there was a great inferno in a room. Hence the room got totally burnt. But one particular child continually slept in it and yet was saved. A divine power kept protecting him and thus the fire could not burn the child. In 1959 a well known journalist and writer called Bernard Hutton wrote about a particular incident in his book called “Holding Hands”. He had lost his eyesight and the doctors could not help him. Hutton had heard that Dr. Lang’s departing soul making Mr. Chapman an instrument, performed eye operations and thus many blind people had regained their eyesight. So Hutton went there. Dr. Lang by entering the psyche of Chapman operated Hutton and thus Hutton regained his eyesight.

The above description shows us that a spiritual aspirant of internal Yoga makes his soul so light, clean and penetrative that he easily enters the invisible world. Despite having a gross body a master of internal Yoga can keep in touch with the invisible world via his subtle and casual bodies. As per their needs they contact divine powers. They make this contact very deep and easily imbibe those divine blessings. The first leg of Yoga practice is purification of the soul. As a result very easily such a person gets the blessings of Sidhas which further helps him to uplift himself and work for cosmic welfare. When water becomes steam it can move freely in the atmosphere. Later it can condense as clouds and pour down as rain in any area of earth. Similarly Yogis never stray away from God. They walk in the footsteps of great saints who have experienced Yoga (union with God). Thus it is not that they themselves only become self fulfilled but that they can bestow this extraordinary experience to others too. The fruits of Kundalini awakening have their basis in this. Instead of divine powers (Ridhi-Sidhi) just activating our idle curiosity it should inspire us to fulfill the supreme goal of human life.

Shriram Sharma was a great seer, Yogi and Avatar who founded the International Gayatri Family in India. He wrote volumes of priceless literature for world welfare.

Our URL: http://www.shriramsharma.com/

DESCRIPTION: Three free e-books on Indian Gayatri Science, Kundalini Yoga & Biography correlated to Neurosciences-ESP, Endocrinology, Anatomy, Physiology, Psychology & Sociology for 1) material & spiritual prosperity & 2) uniting the world peacefully as one family.

Ours is a strictly non-commercial website which aims at realizing the age old dream of great leaders and thinkers of the world viz. “A beautiful borderless world.”

The Elegant Calla Lily Wedding Bouquet

Few fresh cut flowers offer the elegance and versatility of the calla lily. If you are designing your own wedding bouquet, centerpieces or arrangements, the calla lily will provide all of the style, color and beauty you require.

The white calla lily is recognized immediately as the traditional wedding flower. For a simple bridal bouquet, tie ten to twelve calla lily stems with floral tape approximately six inches below the flower. Next, using ribbon that matches your wedding theme's color, cover the tape and tie a simple bow. Your walk down the aisle will exude class and understated sophistication with this beautiful, and simple to make, calla lily wedding bouquet.

If you prefer more color variety in your wedding flower arrangement, consider using the mini calla. A slightly shorter cousin to the standard calla lily, the mini calla offers tremendous color selection and versatility, often available in shades of white, pink, yellow and red, depending on the season.

Open the palm of your hand and place five standard length, white calla lilies flat in your hand. Arrange the flowers so that the middle flower is the tallest and the others slightly lower, roughly forming an arrow shape. Next, add eight mini calla lilies of pink, yellow or red and continue to fill out the arrowhead shape. Gently close the palm of your hand to solidify the wedding bouquet's shape and tie with floral tape. Finish once again with the ribbon of your choice.

Calla lilies work wonderfully with other fresh cut flowers as well. Roses are a great compliment to a calla lily wedding bouquet or arrangement.

Alternate roses and calla lilies while designing your next wedding bouquet, posie or nosegay. The differences between the flowers' shapes and contours will fill out your bridal bouquet, and add depth, dimension, shape and color.

Once again, don't be afraid to experiment with color. Pink roses and white calla lilies create the soft, pastel atmosphere of fairytales. Green roses and white calla lilies will announce your modern and stylish approach to life, while dark red roses and white calla lilies create a dramatic presentation that will catch the eye of every guest.

Be sure to incorporate calla lilies into your table centerpieces as well. Mini callas are great for table arrangements that don't force your guests to stretch their necks over towering designs that block everyone's view. Plus, with the wide color selection available, you are sure to find the perfect combination for your event's style and theme.

Calla lilies have much to offer and deserve their place in your next wedding bouquet or fresh cut flower arrangement. With style, elegance and a variety of colors and sizes, you can't go wrong.

Christopher Yow is the CEO of Sun King Wholesale, a provider of fresh cut, wholesale flowers to florists, event planners, business owners and the general public.

In addition to overseeing the daily operations and marketing efforts of Sun King Wholesale, Mr. Yow also travels to Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador to inspect fresh cut flower quality, as well as strengthen relationships with the international business community.

Christopher Yow lives in Miami, Florida with his beautiful wife Diana Ochoa.

http://www.sunkingwholesale.com

How To Make A Candy Topiary Bouquet

Candy bouquets make great centerpieces or gifts for just about any occasion. Here are some instructions for creating your own candy topiary bouquet in either a flower pot or mug.

1. Either buy/find a flowerpot or mug to match your theme. For instance, for Mother's Day, you might want to use a flowerpot or mug with a Spring floral theme.

2. If you are using a mug, you will want to buy a piece of floral foam (to cut to size and put inside the mug base), a dowel rod (to stick in the base and form the topiary) and a Styrofoam ball (to stick at the end of the dowel rod and form the upper end of the topiary). If you are using a flower pot, you can buy the supplies described for the mug or you can buy one of the pre-made topiary forms that set directly in the flowerpot. I've seen these forms with a Styrofoam pot-shaped base and Styrofoam ball top at Michael's and Joanne Fabrics. If you go with the pre-made form, you can hot glue it directly into the flower pot.

3. Once you have your form in either your mug or pot, you should hot glue Spanish moss or other decorative items such as shells, dried flowers, etc to the to the top of the base foam to basically hide the foam that makes up the base.

4. Buy some floral pins and hard candies. I recommend getting hard candies that color-coordinate with your theme such as fruit bon-bons in pastel wrappers for Mother's Day or Easter and red/white hard peppermint candies for Christmas. Take a metal floral pin and stick it through the end of the candy wrapper (just outside the twisted end) and then stick the floral pin with the attached candy on to the round Styrofoam topiary ball. Keep repeating this process until the entire ball is covered with hard candies and you can't see any Styrofoam peeking through.

5. To dress up the candy bouquet, you can floral pin ribbons or small silk flowers between some of the hard candies. Also, tie pieces of ribbon around the dowel right below the Styrofoam ball. It looks great if you leave the ribbon tails long enough to hang down and disguise the wood dowel. I recommend either using curling ribbon or 1/2" wide organza ribbon for this task.

You've successfully completed your candy topiary bouquet!

Be sure to visit our Chocolate and Candy Gifts page to get more great candy bouquet and candy gift-giving ideas. We have edible candy bases and other unique candy gift ideas for birthdays, get well, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and more. Make your next candy bouquet gift memorable by buying it online at Cookie Gift Baskets.com

Your Guide To A Beautiful Wedding Bouquet

As your wedding day quickly approaches, you will want to begin thinking about your wedding bouquet. The right wedding bouquet will compliment your dress, but at the same time, should not detract. Flowers are a very important part of your wedding ceremony and when you choose your bouquet, you want to make sure it reflects your personal style, personality, and the overall look of your wedding.

Artificial Or Real

One of the first things that you will think about when you choose a wedding bouquet is whether you will use artificial flowers or real flowers. Most brides choose to use real flowers because they look spectacular. However, you can often find artificial flowers that look so real that only you will know the difference. In addition, an artificial bouquet will last you for years, while a real bouquet will soon wilt and die if you don't have it preserved.

If you are worried about the amount of money, you will spend on your wedding bouquet and you still want to use real flowers, you can find a way to do it. The best way to get the lowest prices on your wedding bouquet is to shop around, and to use flowers that are in season. If you choose to use flowers that are out of season, it will certainly cost you more money. In addition, flowers such as carnations are usually cheaper than roses. You can dress up simple flowers using ribbon, baby’s breathvy and other greenery.

Go Simple

As mentioned before, your wedding bouquet should compliment your dress and your face. It should not be so elaborate that that is the only thing your guests will notice. For this reason, many brides consider a wedding bouquet that is simple. How do you feel using a few colorful tulips tied together with a beautiful ribbon? Unbelievably, wild flowers gathered right before your wedding ceremony and tied together with a beautiful ribbon can also look stunning. You do not need to spend a lot of money or have an elaborate wedding bouquet to impress. These simple or bouquets are also perfect for outdoor weddings or affairs that are more casual.

When you begin planning your wedding bouquet and the other flowers that will be used during your wedding ceremony, remember that you do not have to go with traditional flowers or arrangements. Your wedding is your day, and it should reflect your unique style and personality.

You can also find more information at Wedding Invitations and Wedding Photographer. Dreamweddingplanning.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about dream wedding planning.

If You Have a Favorite Bouquet

If you have a favorite artificial bouquet that is looking kind of weathered and worn it can be brought back to its former beauty with a little effort on your part, especially if it is a silk bouquet. These can last longer than any other artificial bouquet. All it takes is a little attention from you for 5 minutes every three to six months. As with anything in your house, silk bouquets get droopy and dusty and do need some attention now and then.

To clean your bouquet you can rice clean it. This can be done by placing your bouquet in a shopping bag along with a half cup of rice, twist it closed and shake it for about sixty seconds. What happens inside is the rice becomes loaded with static electricity and the dust will attach itself to the rice. In the past some people used to use salt, but it was found to be too harsh and would sometimes scratch the flowers, whereas white rice is softer and not damage your flowers at all.

After you have cleaned your flowers then you have to fluff them. This just involves turning your bouquet upside down and giving them three or four good shakes. This not only loosens the rice that's left on the flowers, but also fluffs up your bouquet to look like new again. After fluffing you have to arrange the flowers to their original position. Just use your hand go to the back of the plant and start pushing the stems toward the front. This is called plumping the bouquet. Once you have gotten all of them back to the right position you can do some teasing with the flowers to help them take their original shape this may involve some pulling and pushing.

The things you don't do to clean your bouquet is spray them with water. You may have heard somewhere you can do this but if you use this method the water mixed with the dust can stain your beautiful bouquet so that it will never look the same again so stay away from the water! Stay with the rice to have a long lasting bouquet.

For lots of information on bouquets and other related topics, visit The Flowers Guide at www.theflowersguide.com

Get Your Fresh Cut Flowers From Your Local Florist

Many people by the fresh cut flowers at florists, but there others that cut them from their own garden. Flowers come in many shapes and colors, this way you have many choices to choose from to make the arrangement you want. Once the flower is cut the life expectancy is not very long, you can use tricks like aspirin in the water to keep them living as long as possible. A cut flower is one that has been cut at the stem and placed in a vase of water. Cut flowers are grown from both annual and perennial plants. Do not place your fresh cut flowers in front of heaters, electrical devices such as TVs or computers. Cut flowers will stay fresher and look vibrant if you keep them out of drafts and direct sunlight.

Dropping a penny in a vase will increase the lifespan of flowers. Cut flowers in a vase are the perfect decoration for your home; they bring a waft of fresh air in the room and make people happier. Bacteria are the main cause of deterioration of flowers. Make sure that your water and vase are clean before use. Adding the proper plant food to your arrangement will keep your bouquet healthy. If you add warm water to your bouquet the flowers will open faster.

An air bubble in the stem would prevent the flower from getting water and nutrients. Also make sure that only the flowers stem is under water. Always replace your water after 2-3 days. When you place the flowers in water and the leaves are submerged in the water, bacteria might form on the leaves that are under the water so cut them off. You want to cut them at an angle to give them more surface area to absorb nutrients through. Cutting them under water is important because it prevents air from getting into the veins in the stem of your flower.

Certain flowers need special care. Flowers last longer when you trim the stem on an angle; this allows the water to flow up thru the stem. Flowers that have a woody stems will last longer if you crush the stem and split it to all the water to flow easily thru the stem. If you are making an arrangement and you do not want the stems to show, place them in a criss cross pattern so the end of the stems are in the middle. Placing flowers that are fresh around the house will help perspective buyers look at your home as well kept. A few extra stems will allow you to add special touches.

The colors of tulips typically follow the color trends that are generally popular. Decide what kinds of flower go with the kind of party you're going to throw. Roses are one of the romantic flowers, tulips are known as elegant flowers, sunflowers and daisies are known as free and whimsical while carnations are especially known as being the casual flower. One of the more popular flowers are tulips, they are easy to grow and they don't need much care, and when you cut them and put them in water they look great, this is what makes them so popular.

David Marc Fishman is the owner of Tipsquad. Ask an expert about fitness. Get discounts on make up at Priceriot

Are You Hiring The Wrong Florist?

Many people agree that flowers are one of the most important elements in your design. From big parties to small get-togethers, flowers can bring that added touch to any setting. If you are planning to appoint a florist for your event, discuss what you want to achieve with your flowers. Many people do not know what they require and will be left with disappointing flowers. Lots of hosts or organizers hire florists that can turn out to be a disappointing investment. If you follow the 5 rules laid out below, you will invest in a good florist that knows exactly what you like and can use flowers to reinforce the mood you must create.

1. Research

This step is very important before you talk to your florist. Discuss what type of flowers you prefer for your special occasion. To get more ideas, look around in local flower shops or even online. Get a taste of florists' outlines and flower arrangements in your area. Knowing what color, size or type of flower you want will let your florist tailor to you. Also, researching different flowers trends can give you more creativity with flowers. If you are aware of what flowers are in season, your purchased flowers will stay strong and stay healthier, longer.

2. Budget

When discussing your budget with a florist, be very firm. Only you know how much you are willing to spend on your flowers. If the quote that a florist gives you is unreasonable, search around your neighborhood. It is always better to find a great deal and a florist that will take your flowers seriously. A knowledgeable florist should be able to suggest new flower ideas within your price range.

3. Communication

Communication is key when dealing with your florist. Your florist must know what you like or dislike. If your florist suggests a theme that you are not comfortable with, be honest. It could save stress and grief later. Get to know your florist better. If you are friendly, you are more likely to solve and negotiate problems. A good florist will build on your ideas and create them into beautiful flowers for your special day.

4. Style

This one is crucial for your flowers to be perfect. Know your florist's style. Florists and flower shops usually have distinct details that are seen in their arrangements and bouquets. Many professional florists stick to one prominent style or topic. If you are unsure about his/her style, ask to look at photos of other weddings, events, etc. that they have planned. Make sure your florist has some experience in this area. If you are still not keen, shop around for another florist who has flowers that you can pour your heart into.

5. Planning

To make an event fabulous, you must organize and plan. Always know where you are going to be placing your flowers and how many arrangements you will need. Florists are great at helping you categorize and outline your feelings and personalities into flowers. This creates mood when you are entertaining your guests. Florists can also point out things that you may have overlooked. All of the little details, like planning and being in control, contribute to the making of a wonderful day!

Florists can be a tremendous asset in helping you in designing and creating magical flowers for your special occasion. Whether a birthday party, wedding, or anniversary many florists are willing to plan any event for you. They can also help you create the appropriate mood for business functions or a more somber statement such as a funeral. After reading these tips, you can be confident that you will save money and time on a good and reliable florist.

If you put these 5 tips for hiring a florist into action, you will be rewarded with exceptional results.

Janna Hagan is the owner of Flower Delivery Service Online, where it is easy to find the right florist online for you! Visit the site to hire or search a florist now; http://www.flower-delivery-service-online.com