How To Make A Candy Bouquet In A Coffee Cup

Oh No! Its your Aunt Sally's 60th birthday, and she's coming over to see everyone. Normally you would think this is good news, but no-one told you, and you don't have a gift for her!

Don't Panic! There's a simple gift you can make her that she will absolutely love... It's a candy bouquet in a coffee cup, and you can make one using a coffee cup, some leaves, and some flower shaped candies!

Step 1: Find a suitable coffee cup...

Most people have lots of coffee cups in their house. Maybe you have a cup from an old coffee set that got broken?

Try and find a nice looking cup, as it will ruin the effect of the candy bouquet if you use an old tacky, chipped cup!

Step 2: Prepare the coffee cup to hold the candy...

Take some dried oasis and push it into the coffee cup. If you don't have an oasis, you can stuff the cup with cellophane, but an oasis will work much better, as it will hold the flowers up much more firmly.

Before placing the oasis into the cup, place a square of cellophane in at the bottom. This will make it easier to clean later, as any flakes that fall off the oasis will be caught by the cellophane.

Step 3: Add the leaves for the candy bouquet...

Place some leaves around the outside edge of the cup. Make sure that the leaves overlap slightly as this will give a nice fanned effect. Try and space the leaves out evenly, but don't worry too much if the aren't spaced perfectly... it will make the bouquet seem more natural.

Step 4: Insert the candy flowers...

The next step is to place the candy flowers into the cup. Start in the middle and work your way out until all the candy flowers have been used. Depending on the size cup, and candy you are using, this could be anywhere between 5 to 11 candies.

Step 5: Fill the gaps with leaves...

When you give the candy bouquet to Aunt Sally, you don't want her to see the oasis inside the cup, as this will ruin the effect. So fill in any gaps where you can see through to the oasis, with leaves.

Step 6: Add some ribbon...

Personally, I like candy bouquets that have some ribbon. Place some ribbon around the cup, and maybe even add a figure-of-eight-bow to soften the bouquet a little.

That's it, all done! Very quick and easy, I think you'll agree! This Candy Bouquet looks great, and will make an ideal present for anyone, especially Aunt Sally! Just don't be surprised if it's half eaten next time you see it!

Peta D'Silva has been making bouquets for over 14 years. Her website at www.visionsofsilk.com has lots of free information on Candy Bouquets, including more details (and pictures) on How to make a candy bouquet in a coffee cup

Nokia 7370 With A Floral Feel

Nokia 7370 is a mobile phone with a feminine look. The floral pattern on the etched metallic surface of the mobile phone gives a sensational feeling to the mobile phone. Apart from the eye catching looks, it also has tons of features that a great mobile phone should have.

It is a swivel mobile phone that has screen display prowess of 262,144 colours in its 2" display screen. One can rotate the phone to 180 degrees and has an ergonomic keyboard. Nokia 7370 is a tri-band mobile phone meaning, you can talk with your near and dear ones or co-workers even if, you are abroad. Yes, but it should be supported by your mobile network provider.

With net weight of 104 grams and dimensions of 88?43?23 mm this mobile phone is a lightweight yet powerful mobile phone. Its feature of video ringing tones is quite different from other mobile phones. The videos, images can be viewed in 262K QVGA 240?320 pixels display. Nokia 7370 also has an in-built camera of 1.3 mega pixel with 8x zoom facility. Image files of JPEG, GIF, EXIF, WBMP, BMP, MBM and PNG can be viewed with this mobile phone. Video streaming and playing of MPEG and H.263 format video files can also be done with the help of this mobile phone.

Though the outer caging of this mobile phone makes Nokia 7370 look more of a feminine phone, the features it comes bundled with make it more of masculine. This mobile phone is primarily targeted for female mobile phone buyers by Nokia. The inclusion of fashion pouch, fashion strap in addition to handset of Nokia 7370, battery, charger, headset, and user guide in the sales package is a proof of the fact that Nokia is targeting women mobile users.

The breathtaking 3D stereo speakers or FM stereo or the dedicated key for digital zoom all these features sends out a vibrant feeling in you. Nokia 7370?s audio player can play MP3, AAC, M4A, AMR or MIDI audio files. This mobile phone has 10 MB of built-in memory to store various contacts and other essential features.

If a user wishes to play mobile games of Java? technology she can do with the help of this mobile phone. Nokia 7370 also supports internet browsing with the help of xHTML/HTML browser. This mobile phone also has email support of SMTP, POP3, APOP and IMAP4 protocols. A user of Nokia 7370 also can send out, receive or edit MMS. One also can synchronise the contacts of the mobile phone with the use of PC suite.

You can order and buy Nokia 7370 from a local store or an online store. The online stores have various kinds of offers and discounts whereas local stores do not have such discounts. These offers enable a buyer to order and buy it at a lower price than what is available at the market. However, one should always do some research before buying it from an online store. While online buying of Nokia 7370 is easy and time saving it can cost you at a later stage if you have bought the product from a fake seller.

Gregory Gibson is associated with Mobile Phone Shop UK. He holds a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication from IIT,Kharagpur. To know more about Nokia 7370, Sony Ericsson, Nokia mobile, Sony Ericsson Cybershot, Buy Nokia 7370, Mobile Phone insurance please visit http://www.mobilephoneshopuk.net

Planning Wedding: Beautiful Floral Arrangements To Cast Magical Spell On The Guests

A wedding is a part of perhaps the most beautiful moments of a couple's life. And every couple strives to make this occasion as beautiful as they can. In order to enhance beauty of the occasion, what really come in handy are flowers.

Well, your guests would cherish the memory of mesmerizing floral arrangements in the wedding ambiance for long. Yes, a wedding celebration could be memorable if floral decoration is done aesthetically.

Usually, by wedding flowers we mean bridal bouquet, flower bouquets (to be placed on reception tables) and floral adornments for the wedding or reception party.

Nowadays, customized wedding ceremonies are on the block. An increasing number of couples want to enter into the wedlock in their own perceived style and fashion. Most often, they show earnest willingness for a unique theme wedding that they have dreamed for long. And flowers prove to be of great help in making their dream come true.

For unique floral arrangement, it is always preferred to seek help of a florist having expertise in wedding floral arrangements. With the help of the florist, you should try to choose the best possible flowers to suit your theme wedding. For bridal bouquet, it is always good to take a picture of bridal dress to the florist.

By making the florist acquainted with details of wedding including bridal dress, venue and ambiance, you can get best possible flower decorations in consonance with your theme wedding.

You can go for a floral arrangement that happens to be a combination of real and silk flowers. However, a complete real flower decoration is much sought after because of natural fragrance of flowers that creates an enchanting atmosphere.

Bridal bouquet must be chosen carefully as it happens to add elegance and charm to the bride. If you are going for theme wedding, you should keep your theme bridal gown in mind while choosing flowers for the bouquet that you would carry on the wedding. If bouquet doesn't go well with your bridal dress, your entire theme would be at stake. On the other hand, a bouquet that perfectly gels with the dress would give you a complete look.

While choosing flowers, you must not compromise on sobriety of the occasion. But, flower selection to great extent would depend on the kind of wedding that you are planning for yourself. If you are longing for an exuberant and informal wedding, you can suggest your florist to use flowers of vibrant colors as these colors depict fervor and vitality. For a traditional church wedding, it is recommended to do floral arrangements with white and sober color flowers.

You can make your wedding look very special with striking yet decent flower decorations. An artistically executed flower decoration would cast a magical spell on all present in your wedding.

To read more articles on wedding, wedding planning and weddings visit http://www.weddingleague.com/

The auther writes articles on different topics. To get more articles on wedding visit http://www.weddingleague.com/

Floral Photos Brighten Spring and Summer Decor

Don't you love the colors of spring and summer? Many flowers are in full bloom, delighting the senses with their beauty and fragrances. It always amazes me how quickly these seasons pass.

Just a few short weeks ago our flowering cherry trees were in full bloom. I captured them as a backdrop for a photo of our twin boys catching a ride with dad on the riding lawn mower. Only days later a strong breeze blew all the beautiful flowers away and all I have is the photo to remember them.

If you have a digital camera, you too can capture the beauty of your spring and summer flowers. I am by no means a professional photographer. I wouldn't even consider myself an amateur...maybe a novice at best! A digital camera, however, is very forgiving. It auto focuses for you and you can retake a picture until you are happy with how it turned out. In about 15 minutes I was able to photograph all of our flowers and get some great pictures to decorate our home.

We have some tall daisies that I took closeup pictures of from several different angles. The yellow walls of our dining room will make a nice background for those photos.

I never saw the weathered siding of our home as attractive until I photographed it behind some beautiful long-stemmed pink flowers. These photos will make a nice addition to our master bedroom.

Seasonal photos are great because you can change them with the seasons. Last fall I photographed our sons on the porch with some big pumpkins, and those photos will come out in the fall and replace the pictures of our summer flowers.

I love seasonal flowers, but because of hayfever we cannot fully enjoy them in the house. By displaying photos of them in the house we can enjoy them while they are in bloom as well as after their seasons have past.

Note: Photos for article here: http://www.frugal-home-decor.com/floral-photos.shtml

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For easy do-it-yourself home decorating ideas for busy moms, visit http://www.frugal-home-decor.com

Florist Faq: Answers To Basic Florist Questions

* What is an FTD florist?

In the floral business, FTD means Fresh Trusted Delivered. Many florists associated with FTD deliver fresh flower arrangements from the FTD catalog worldwide.


* Can I have flowers sent anywhere in the world?

Yes, you can. There are many flower shops that have a delivery service anywhere in the world. All you have to do is contact a shop or order online to make your loved ones overseas realize that you care.


* What kinds of gifts can I send from a florist?

Florists offer several different kinds of gifts. Most of these are excellent as gifts for any occasion. Some of them are:

- Flowers

- Balloons

- Gift Baskets

- Baby Gifts

- Wedding Gifts

- Collectibles

- Party Supplies


* Do florists have delivery limitations?

Yes, they do. These limitations are listed in their delivery information or policy. Examples of these limitations are:

- If there are orders made after the free delivery period, especially after business hours, the customer will have to pay the standard delivery charges of the florist.

- If the customer requests a rush order or a special delivery, there will be an additional charge.

- There is no cancellation of an order after delivery. However, if cancellation occurs before the delivery date, a fee of 10 percent of cost of the order will still be charged to the customer.

- Delivery on Sundays and holidays depends on the availability of the delivery area. Orders to be delivered to businesses would usually not be feasible on those days.


* What kinds of flowers should you give for an anniversary, Valentines Day, or Mothers Day?

There are lots of flowers for an anniversary that are popular today. Examples of these are roses, daisies, iris, sweet peas, violets and nasturtiums.

The flowers that are great gifts for Mother's Day include pastel roses, tulips, Gerbera daisies, lavender roses, lilies, and "the charm of your magic."

The top flowers given during Valentine's Day are: roses, carnations, tulips, lilies and orchids.


* What is the proper way to pin a corsage?

A corsage is the flower worn by women to a prom or special event. The proper place to pin on a corsage is just above the collar bone, usually on the left side, by gently curving it around the pin. The corsage should not be pinned in the area near the breast. Girls also sometimes choose to wear corsages on their wrists to avoid crushing them while dancing.

A man's corsage worn at a wedding or other formal occasion is often called a boutonniere, which means "buttonhole." It should be placed in the buttonhole on the lapel of a suit jacket or pinned near the place where such a buttonhole would be, usually on the left side.

Eric Famulary is editor of ez-Florist, the online Florist guide. He also writes Florist FAQ's for PrettyGreatAnswers.com.

Florist Tips - Making Fresh Flowers Last Longer

By following a few simple steps on how to treat cut flowers, you will have the pleasure of them lasting so much longer. Once the stems of flowers have been cut you have removed their life support system, so flowers should be placed in water as soon as possible.

Picking Your Own Flowers

If you are picking your own flowers it is best to do this in the morning or the late evening. Sugar reserves in the stems are at their highest in the mornings or evenings. Ideally the best time is early morning when flower stems are filled with water after the cool night air. You should never pick flowers in the middle of the day when the sun is at it's hottest.

The heat of the sun lowers the water content in the stems and the flowers will not last nearly as long. If it has been raining and the flowers are wet, shake them gently to remove the excess water. Too much water will often damage flowers - especially delicately petalled flowers.

When to Pick Flowers

Most flowers should be picked when they are in bud or half open. You will then have the pleasure of seeing them slowly open up. The colour of the petals should be starting to show. If picked too tightly in bud, they may never open. This is especially true of tulips and roses. The green pointed sepals around the base of the rose should be starting to turn downwards. Irises and daffodils should be half opened. Gladioli should be picked when the bottom three or four florets are open and the top florets are still in bud. Carnations, dahlias, marigolds, hydrangeas, camellias, gerberas and chrysanthemums should be picked when they are fully opened.

Fill a plastic bucket a third to half way with warm water. Warm water should be used as flowers take up warm water more readily than cold. Its preferable to add preservative to the water. (The use of preservatives is fully explained further on). Flowers only drink through the ends of the stems and not through the sides of the stems, and for this reason buckets should not be filled right up to the top with water, as foliage left on stems below the water line will rot and pollute the water. This will cause bacteria and the flowers will die more quickly. The foliage of marigolds, chrysanthemums, stock and daisies send off a particularly strong odour when left standing under water over a period of time.

Take the bucket of water into the garden with you. Use a sharp pair of secateurs and cut the flower stems on an angle - a slanted cut allows a better intake of water. Remove all foliage from the lower portion of the stems which would stand under the water line. Place the flowers immediately in the water.

Never overcrowd flowers. Allow enough air to circulate between each flower. Too many flowers crowded together in a bucket may cause the petals to become squashed and bruised. Place the bucket in a cool dark place and allow the flowers to have a long drink before being arranged. When picking short-stemmed flowers, use a smaller container.

Conditioning Flowers and Foliage

Allow flowers to have a good drink for four to five hours, preferably overnight before arranging. This step is called conditioning. It allows the stems to fill up with water and the flowers will become crisp. These flowers will last twice as long as those that have not been conditioned properly.

Bought Flowers

Bought flowers should be placed in warm water as soon as possible. Remove the wrapping paper, as paper can bruise the flowers and cellophane can cause them to sweat. When cut flowers have been left out of water for any length of time, cells start to form over the cut ends of the stems, which will prevent the stems taking up water readily. To remove this sealed portion, snip off about 2.5cm (1") from the stem ends and then place in water preferably with preservative added, and allow the flowers to have a long drink before arranging.

You may be given flowers when you are away from home. It may well be several hours before you are able to place them in water. The best way to keep flowers fresh is to place them in a strong plastic bag with some water in the bottom. Secure the bag with a rubber band. Another method is to wrap flowers in damp newspaper. If travelling by car, place the flowers in the coolest spot. As soon as you get home, recut the ends of the stems, place them in water and allow them to condition overnight before arranging.

Preservatives

A flower preservative helps destroy bacteria in the water. Flower preservatives are available in garden centres or supermarkets. Another alternative is to use a capful of household bleach in the water. If a preservative is not used, the water needs to be changed and the stems cut on an angle daily. If a preservative is used, the stems do not require recutting and water needs changing only about twice a week. Flowers like freesias, spray carnations and liliums have lots of buds. By using a preservative in the water, it helps develop the buds to open.

Special Treatment

Special treatment should be given to certain flowers to give them the longest life possible. Flowers with woody stems do not take up water readily. Woody-stemmed flowers include lilac, hydrangea, and rhododendrons. To help break down the thick fibres, you can split the ends of the stems upwards for about 5 cm. (2") After this treatment, place the stems in a container filled with warm water and give the flowers a long drink before arranging.

Flowers with Milky Stems

Poppies, poinsettias and dahlias have a milky liquid flowing through their stems. To seal this liquid in and make the flowers last, the ends of the stems should be held over a flame like a candle, gas jet or cigarette lighter. Hold the end of the stem over the flame for about thirty seconds until the end of the stem turns black. The flowers should be held on an angle to protect the delicate petals. Another method is to dip the stems in boiling water for about thirty seconds. Hold the flower heads away on an angle and protect the petals from steam by holding newspaper around the flowers. Place stems immediately in warm water and give flowers a long drink before arranging. If stems need to be recut later on when arranging flowers, you will need to repeat the above steps. To avoid this you could cut the stems to different lengths before sealing the ends of the stems.

Bulb Flowers

Certain flowers grow from a bulb. These include tulips, daffodils, jonquils, narcissus, irises and hyacinths. These flowers often have a white portion at the ends of the stems. Cut this white portion off before conditioning as only the green part of the stem can take up water. Daffodils, jonquils and narcissus have a thick sap which oozes from the end of the stems when they are cut. Wipe it off before placing the stems in water. Keep these flowers separate from other flowers when they are being conditioned as the sap can affect other flowers. The thick sap can clog the ends of stems and prevent the uptake of water. Stand the stems in about 7.5 cm. (3") of water and allow to stand at least six hours before arranging. Bulb flowers prefer shallow water. If daffodils, jonquils and narcissus are placed in deep water, the thick stems can become water logged and the stems shrivel up and the petals go papery.

Wilted Flowers

Wilted flowers can often be revived by standing the stems in fairly hot water right up to the flower heads. After the water has cooled, allow the flowers to stand in the water for a few hours before arranging. Roses can often be perked up by floating the whole stem, head and all, in warm water for half an hour.

Fay Chamoun Principal of Floral Art School of Australia and International Floral Design School http://www.floral-art-school.com.au

Choosing a Wedding Florist: A Difficult but Important Decision

As wedding season is fast approaching, many soon-to-be brides are scurrying to make last minute decisions regarding cakes, location, guest lists, and most importantly flowers. Deciding what wedding florist to use often is the most difficult floral decision a bride has to make. Many brides choose to design their own wedding flowers, but this can cause undo stress as the day approaches. A good florist will be able to provide remarkable arrangements that set the mood for the ceremony and reception.

Why choose anyone but the best for your special event? Flowers are a central piece of any wedding. They can provide beautiful focal points and add fragrant aromas in the air. Many times florists will design bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, reception décor, centerpieces, and fresh flower cake decorations. With the abundant use of flowers throughout the ceremony and reception it is crucial to exercise caution to choose a competent, creative, and customer oriented florist.

Before beginning the interview process, brides and grooms need to decide the following:

 

1. The date and time of your wedding
2. Ceremony and reception locations
3. Wedding colors
4. Will your wedding be formal or casual?
5. How many bridesmaids/groomsmen will be involved?
6. What is the overall theme of the wedding?

After these questions have been addressed, interview at least three florists before making any decisions. The process can seem overwhelming and many brides aren’t sure what questions to ask. Listed below are a few simple questions that you can ask each florist to make sure that you choose the perfect person for your special day.

1. Ask for references from family and friends. If they don’t have any, ask florists to provide names and phone numbers of a few references. If they refuse, keep shopping
2. Look at pictures of previous work to see if their style matches yours. Ask to make sure it is recent work.
3. How long have they been in business and do they work full or part-time.
4. How many weddings would they provide service for on the same day or weekend as your event?
5. Will the florist deliver and set-up all floral arrangements at the ceremony and reception site? What time will they arrive to set-up?
6. After the event, do you also provide service to break down all arrangements?
7. Does the florist offer other rental equipment including candelabras, vases, plants, urns, archways, etc?
8. Can the florist preserve your bouquet after the wedding? If not, do they have any referrals for that service?
9. Is there a deposit required? If so, how much and when is the balance due?
10. What is your refund/cancellation policy?
11. Before you leave make sure the florist has addressed all concerns and questions you have.

Remember this is YOUR special day and you should not feel rushed or pressured to make a decision. Choosing the right florist is very important. Carefully review all your options before making your final decision. By taking this extra time, you will receive the most beautiful flowers and décor for your wedding day.

Camber Clenney is a technical writer with expertise in several fields. Her topics of interest include weddings, website design and development, fishing, camping, and investment. For more information visit http://www.tiptonhurst.com