Thanksgiving DIY Florals

I love Thanksgiving. It has no purpose other than to gather family, friends, neighbors, enjoy great food, and of course be thankful.

Even though it's casual, I like festive touches. For me, a favorite festive touch is a fresh floral arrangement, preferably big, thank you.

I made this big festive arrangement with foliage from my garden (except for the cranberries and white pumpkins). On Tuesday before Thanksgiving I'll pick up some orange flowers from the market and add them to the mix. That way the flowers will still be fresh and colorful come Thanksgiving Day and this big arrangement will not have made a big hole in my budget.

If you're up for making your own, bear in mind: big arrangement = big vase + a big bunch of really long stems.

Assuming you have a big vase, there is a way around the long stem issue, and have some fun doing it.

First, get out your big empty vase. If it is clear glass, put an upturned drinking glass or jar in it. If it is opaque, use an unopened can of soup or such like. I used this drinking glass with a peach decal so it would show up in the picture.

If your big vase is clear, now add cranberries, dried leaves, pine cones, or whatever you like. For your first try I'd suggest cranberries. Easy to work with, small enough to nestle tightly, they look great and are readily available at this time of year. Fill with cranberries to the top of the drinking glass or jar. The cranberries will stabilize the glass/jar. 

If your big vase is opaque and you feel the need to stabilize the soup can, wedge it in place with paper towels.

Then place a vase on the upturned drinking glass/jar/soup can or such like. 

Pour more cranberries around it if your big vase is clear. 

Ideally the top of the inside vase is level with the outside vase, or maybe a little higher. The one I used here, you can see the rim (below the rim of the outside vase)  is lower than I'd like. Actually this inside vase isn't a vase at all. It is the glass pot of an old coffee press. Ta Dah! I've re-purposed! Use whatever you have.

Now, arrange at will.

I used floral foam, it helps to hold the stems in place. The stems only need to be a few inches into the foam --- so they don't have to be so long!

A sheet of plastic on the table during the design phase is always a good call.

Thanks for reading,
Linda Pakravan