Tuesday, June 8, 2010

A True Blank Canvas

Recently I came upon an issue while designing a wedding - I needed a small blue flower that would hold up in the heat, be small enough for a boutonniere, and be big enough for a hair accessory. The client really wanted alstroemerias (also known as tiger lilies) and in blue. One small problem - alstroemerias do not come in blue. As I do not possess a magic wand I needed a real world solution. And it came in the form of food dye.

As we all know while flowers sit in a vase they drink water - this water is not only absorbed by the stem and leaves but it also is absorbed by the petals. This is why a white flower is a perfect blank canvas to create your own bloom. Here are a few easy steps to achieve a colorful result:

Take any white flower, trim the bottom of the stems (as you would before placing any fresh flower into a vase), add water, plant food, and a few drops of food dye and watch the flower transform.

As the water evaporates from the petals the food dye stays behind, creating a new sahde of color. It might take a few days for the flower to fully transform into its new shade but the result will be worth it!

(Although plant food is not 100% necessary it will prolong the life of the flower)

This is a very inexpensive way to wow your guests (whether at home or at an event) with flower "types" they haven't seen before!

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