Red on Red

What's better than red? Red on red.

These arrangements remind me of golden bird's nest with berries and roses. I'll post some more pictures tomorrow.





Tutorial
Makes 4 complete floral arrangements

Equipment
Scissors
Knife
Large vase to hold flowers while they wait to be trimmed -- filled with plain water

Supplies
dozen dark red roses
dozen bright red roses
bag of fresh cranberries
4 glass vases($0.79 @ Building 19)
gold holiday mesh (bought on sale after the holidays last year)
4 pieces of gold wire/tinsel
flower food

Fresh roses

Here are the steps . . .

Cut mesh and clean vase

1. Keep roses in plain water until you are ready to trim them.
2. Select vases with straight sides or use drinking glasses. I used vases with extra thick bottoms so I don't have to worry about them tipping over.
3. Mix up a quart of water with flower food. Follow the package directions. Set aside.
4. Cut mesh so it's 2 to 3 inches taller than the vase after you "wrap" it.
5. Place clean vase in center of mesh.
6. Wrap vase in mesh using wire or gold tinsel to secure the mesh. Spread open the mesh at the neck of the vase.
7. Pour 2 to 3 inches of fresh cranberries into the vase.
8. Add the flower-food water from Step 3.
9. Prepare roses: cut stems, snap off thorns and leaves, pluck off guard petals (outer petals with white line up center) and any damaged outer petals. 
10. Stand 6 roses around the sides of each vase leaving the centers open so the berries show. Alternate the two shades of red roses.
11. Sprinkle with glitter (optional). I don't usually do this but I had glitter and sequins all over my kitchen counters so I used them.

Guard petals and damaged outer petals