Secret Santa 2009

This was Secret Santa week. (Click here to see what I made last year.) Once again, I created a bouquet, this time, from white chrysanthemums encircled with red roses. I added the cranberries after I got all the flowers into the vase, because the berries just wanted to float. [For a closer look, click on the photos.]

I wanted to use the candy-cane garland from the beginning but could not figure out how. I first tried putting it around the neck of the vase. That did not work. The candy canes were mostly hidden and the whole thing was out of scale (too small) for the arrangement. That was the night before. I woke up the next morning and realized that the best way to use the garland was to make it into multiple "orbits" around the vase and flowers.

I forgot to photograph the arrangement until I had it all wrapped, so I took my camera to work, unwrapped the arrangement, photoed it, and rewrapped it. I was not going for a dramatic look -- this is just what happens when the lighting is not ideal. The flash went off when I took the overhead shots so at least the color is accurate for those pictures.

I kept the arrangement in the fridge the night before, and when I got to work the next day (hidden inside two plastic grocery bags). The cold kept the roses tight. I would love to see how the arrangement looks as the roses bloom.

This was so much fun! I wish I could make a flower arrangement every day!