Filed under Wreaths and Swags by admin
These are beautiful and make a wonderful gift. I purchased a dried floral arrangement from my local craft store.
The arrangement I chose, consisted of flowers in various colors, eucalyptus, babies breath, sprigs of wheat and other grasses. These can also be made from silk flowers and foliage.
Begin by separating all the different types of flowers/foliage into piles. Make sure to make two equivalent piles. You will want each side to mimic the other. I always start by laying the longest pieces down first and layering from long to short, by piling the shorter pieces on top.
If you decide to use dried flowers, I suggest you cover your work surface with newspaper, for easy clean up. Choose a large enough area to work ( a kitchen table is ideal). I always lay my pieces out and arrange them several times, till I get the look I want, before I hot glue or wire them together. Clip any pieces that may be too long.
When working with dried flowers, I prefer to start with the eucalyptus, they tend to be longer and fuller, making them the perfect backing. Start by laying the eucalyptus stem to stem (end pieces touching) overlapping in the center. The amount that will overlap will vary, depending on the length you want your finished piece.
Once you have all the back pieces where you want them, attach them by using your hot glue gun or craft wire. Continue the same way with all your other pieces, gluing or wiring them together as you go. Once you are happy with the way your swag looks, glue a few loose flowers to the center. A wire can be twisted to the back, for hanging. Finish it off with a ribbon. I like to use raffia as ribbon with these projects.
You can also make a floral arrangement, giving the appearance of a bouquet. Once you have the flowers in the desired position, tie the stems together with raffia or bow and simply hang it on the wall by twisting a piece of wire to the back.
For a nice added touch, dab a little bit of scented oil on your flowers, your favorite perfume or room deodorizer will work also.
If you have decided to use silk flowers and foliage, the technique will stay the same. Craft wire will work best but a hot glue gun can also be used.
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