A handmade flower arrangement will serve as an original gift for a holiday. It is especially important to give flowers on March 8, Valentine's Day and birthdays. Basically, it is customary to present bouquets to women. But men also love flowers, although they rarely admit it. Valentine's Day is a great occasion to surprise your beloved man with an original gift decorated with flowers. A floral sponge will help to create such a present.
Flowers are an irreplaceable gift for a celebration. A stylishly decorated bouquet can be presented not only to ladies, but also to the stronger sex. A floral sponge can help you create a unique masterpiece. This unique material will allow you to make any flower arrangement that your imagination is capable of.
Forms and types of piaflore
The material for creating flower arrangements is called differently:
- sponge;
- foam;
- Styrofoam;
- piaflor.
It is often referred to simply as an oasis, after the name of the company that produces them (Smithers-Oasis). The invention of this unique material dates back to 1940. He presents a porous sponge that was used in Denmark for the construction of aircraft. But in 1954 V. L. Smithers begins to use the material in floristry. The composition and manufacturing technology of the oasis are kept secret.
Floristic foam is a synthetic material that is able to absorb and hold water for a long time, it can be impregnated with a special composition for the preservation of plants. Thanks to this property, cut flowers have a fresh appearance much longer than a bouquet set in a vase of water.
Piaflor can be used not only for cut plants, but also for making compositions from dry or artificial flowers. Therefore, there are sponges for different purposes:
- green sponge - used for freshly cut flowers that need abundant watering;
- gray and brown sponges - needed for working with artificial flowers;
- multi-colored sponges are universal.
For the desired composition, you can select the required foam configuration. Manufacturers offer a classic look that looks like a rectangular bar that resembles a brick. From such a bar, you can cut the shape yourself. The foam is easily cut with a knife. And also in florist shops they sell geometric foam blanks (ball, cone, cross, etc.). Many blanks are equipped with special fasteners and such forms can be used without a container. Flower arrangements are attached directly to walls or other surfaces.
Rules for preparing green foam for composition
Green piaflor is also considered a versatile material for making bouquets, just like multicolored. It can be used for dry and artificial flowers if desired. Green foam perfectly absorbs water. When immersed in liquid, it becomes 30 times heavier than its original weight.
To create a flower arrangement, based on green foam, you need to choose a container that will serve as a stand for the bouquet. Some florists use the foam itself as the basis for their masterpieces. In this version, multi-colored sponges are suitable.
Having picked up the container, it is necessary to cut the desired shape from the foam. Piaflor can be cut both dry and wet. Dust flies from dry material when cutting. Therefore, in case of allergies, precautions should be taken. After that, the floral sponge should be placed in the liquid. It can be ordinary water or a special solution for preserving the bouquet. Piaflor must soak on its own. It is impossible to forcibly drown it, it can fill with liquid unevenly, and the flowers will quickly wither. As soon as the floral sponge is saturated with water, it is placed in a prepared container.
If the stand for the composition allows liquid to pass through, then the foam must be wrapped with film or foil, leaving open the places where the flowers will be inserted. After use, the piaflor can be saved for the next composition. In this case, the material must not be allowed to dry. The sponge should be stored in an airtight container, for example, packed in plastic or foil.
Creation of flower arrangements
Depending on who will own the bouquet, you need to choose flowers and accessories. Children's compositions are decorated with toys, ribbons and bows. Women's versions of bouquets can be decorated with rhinestones, beads and precious jewelry. Thus, you can present a ring or pendant in an original way. Floral arrangements for men should be designed in a strict, somewhat businesslike style.
When decorating a bouquet, you should take into account what holiday the gift is intended for. Common holidays, on which it is customary to give flowers, are February 14 on Valentine's Day and March 8. If flowers are presented to ladies on International Women's Day, then on Valentine's Day it will be appropriate to present a flower arrangement to your beloved man.
Male version of the bouquet with your own hands
Thinking over the composition for making a bouquet, in order to congratulate a loved one, you need to remember his interests. If a man's activity is associated with the sea, then the composition can be decorated with shells and give the bouquet the shape of a sailboat. For men of creative professions, an imitation of the tools that a man uses in the nature of his work can become a decoration of a bouquet. Men's accessories (cufflinks, chains, tie clips) can be used as universal jewelry.
Materials for a bouquet for Valentine's Day:
- heart-shaped container;
- rectangular green floral sponge;
- adhesive tape for attaching the sponge to the container;
- container for soaking piaflore;
- sharp knife;
- water;
- freshly cut flowers for composition;
- thin wooden sticks;
- decoration accessories and gift (tie clip).
Manufacturing technology:
- Cut the dry sponge so that it fills the container. It should be remembered that it is impossible to force the foam into the mold; when compressed, it loses its properties.
- If the plants are supposed to cover the edges of the mold, then the sponge should be placed above the sides.
- Saturate the sponge with liquid.
- For greater moisture retention, wrap the pyaflor with cling film and put in a mold. Secure the foam with tape.
- Before placing the flowers in the sponge with your hands, you should consider where which flower or accessory will be located so as not to injure the foam once again.
- The stems of the plants must be cut along an oblique line. Then it will be easier to install them, and the sponge will be able to better preserve its properties.
- Using your imagination, insert the plants into the sponge so that the foam is not visible. Piaflor allows you to set flowers at any angle.
- Decorate the composition with hearts and attach a gift accessory. To do this, you can use wooden sticks. The accessory can be fixed with a decorative tape on a stick, and then stick it into the center of the composition.
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If necessary, pack the composition in gift paper or a box.
Floral arrangement for romantic dinner
Such an original gift can serve as a decoration for a romantic dinner.
What can replace the Oasis floral sponge
Unfortunately, there is no complete replacement for foam. But if necessary, you can use polyurethane foam or polystyrene. These attachments are ideal for artificial or dry plants. Freshly cut flowers will not last long in such a design and will wither.
To use polyurethane foam, you need to select a container and pour the amount of material into it. It should be remembered that the foam can stick to it tightly. Therefore, if you plan to reuse the form, then you need to lay it out with film or foil. After the polyurethane foam has solidified in the form, you can start creating the composition.
To collect a bouquet based on foam, you need to give it the necessary configuration and fix it in the form. You can use adhesive tape for fastening. After that, assemble the composition so that the foam is not visible. You can use decorative paper or cloth as needed.
When you want to make a bouquet of fresh flowers, but you don't have a floral sponge, you can use sand and small pebbles. The disadvantage of sand is that when it dries, it quickly loses its shape and the composition risks falling apart. Stones will help to strengthen, and at the same time to decorate your masterpiece. In addition, you can use the grid to fix the composition.
The selected form should be covered with wet sand and tamped properly. Gently insert freshly cut plants into the sand and fix each flower. Using stones, you can create an original composition in the Japanese style. At the same time, it is not necessary to hide the sand base; it can be used as a decorative element.
The advantage of a sand-based flower arrangement is that it can be watered as needed. It is not recommended to water a floral sponge with fresh flowers, water will not be distributed evenly over it. But since piaflor perfectly retains moisture, additional watering is not needed.
