Glamourous Gladiolus in Red

A bunch of gladiolus flowers is a sight to behold. The most easiest flower arrangement option is to pop these lovely flowers into the crystal and enjoy them each day. Gladiolus blooms every day as many of the buds open up slowly. There are always fresh blooms midst the wilting ones.

And it is no less when it comes to being a stunner for they are also known as sword lilies. Claude Monet was inspired enough by his gladioli to paint them in oils (circa 1876).

Since Gladioli are the cheapest flowers for floral arrangements in the Indian market, they do not enjoy the status of roses, lilies or orchids. But I’d say it is one of the most beautiful flowers that is found everywhere. Each little flower on the bunch is a beauty by itself. They are beautiful even when dry.

When the gladioli flowers start to dry, hang the bunch upside down and let them dry in a shade. They don’t lose too much color and still look beautiful. These flowers are here to stay.

For those who think it is a flower of last resort for floral arrangement, see how chic it can be with a little bit of embellishment. Here is a the most quickest way to enlivening your dinner table with nothing but a bunch of gladioli and a string of fairy lights. I made this arrangement in few minutes without a plan. Party table arrangement cannot get any simpler than this.

Simple floral decoration idea for your next party

Flower Arrangement with Gladioli and Fairy Lights
I have worked with many colors of gladioli before but something about this deep red color caught my eye. I never worked with red so I picked it to see what I’d end up doing with it. It is always nice to pick up something at random, follow your instinct, and create something new.

Trim the flowers stems with a sharp blade/ knife. Searing of stem ends is not necessary for gladioli if they are freshly picked. Remove any old wilting flowers from the base. Remove excess leaves from the stalks as they make the water muddy/ slimy faster.

Take care to keep the electrical connection safe and away from flowers and water.

I created a circle of twinkling fairy lights strand and placed the vase in the middle. I did not place the lights in the flowers as I did not want whatever minuscule heat of the LEDs to touch the blooming petals.

The best option was to place the soft fairy light below and up light the arrangement. And of all the colors, I chose red lights to go with the red flowers just so as to surprise myself with the outcome… though it was the combination I would never have otherwise tried.

Switch on the lights. And lo behold!

Wedding and Parties Table Centerpiece Idea with Fresh Cut Flowers and Fairy Lights

This floral decoration works great for weddings, birthdays or any special occasions where there are many tables that need to be embellished. What a sight it would be with tables full of flowers up-lit in soft lights.

They are a lovely serene sight during the day; scorching red stunners by night.

Please do try!

This holiday season calls for doing your dreams, taking those risks and trying things that have been in the back of your mind. Keep the ‘quirky’ mantra alive and have fun decorating this holiday season with somewhat strange yet beautiful arrangements. Here are some unusual table centerpiece ideas that use the traditional decorating items with a new twist.

Overturned Wine Glasses with Tealights
Turn your glasses upside down for a different toast. Place holly leaves, nosegay or any decorative piece inside the overturned glass and light a tea light or candle on the overturned base. It looks beautiful in daytime and enchanting at night.

Great Conversation Starter with Overturned Wine Glass with Tealights

LED Fairy String Lights with Floral Accents as Table Centerpiece
If fireflies made your forests magical, little fairy lights can bring in the same sparkle, warmth and glow to your holiday decorating.  Get creative with Fairy Lights String to kick start some twinkling decoration ideas for this holiday season. Here is a quirky table decoration idea that inturn becomes a conversation starter. Invert your large glass bowls with fairy lights bundled up inside. Light them up. Accentuate these glowing bowls with twigs, branches or flowers for more striking drama.

Overturned Glass Bowls with LED String Lights Table Centerpiece

Table Centerpiece with Plain Crystal Glass Votives and Candles
Just grouping pillar candles of different heights can make any dull corner come alive. Similarly, wine glasses, glass motives and tea lights of different heights can be grouped together to create a warm table centerpiece that needs no embellishment. Its warm fuzzy candle light reflected on your crystal cannot be missed.

Club Candles, Votives & Wine Glasses of Different Heights for Festive Warmth and Glow

Table Centerpiece with Limonium Dried Flowers, Glass Votives and Candles
If plain vanilla table arrangement is not your type; accentuate. Add some dried flowers such as limonium, dried baby’s breath, or plain twigs for a simple and elegant table centerpiece. Use Limonium sparingly so that the delicate dried flowers are seen instead of clubbing them too much. Let the tea lights play with the shadows.

Tealights in Glass Votives for Festive Warmth and Glow

Dried Flowers such as Limonium and Baby's Breath are Perfect for these Evening Table Centerpieces

Take a no holds barred approach when it comes to decorating. Feel free to depart from traditional centerpieces, yet retain the festivity and charm of holiday decor. Create ideas instead of following them. What was the quirky thing you did last? Did you do anything different at all? Come on…

Holiday Season Table Arrangements with No-Flower Centerpiece

Christmas in recession time does not mean that festivities, decoration and cheer take a backseat. Its in times such as these that creativity takes a front seat, makes magic out of nothing and gives us all a glimpse of wholesome living.

Here is a quick photo guide on making a simple yet elegant dinner table centerpiece that costs nothing. If you have a spare string of fairy lights and few twigs with leaves… you are ready to go. You dont even need fresh cut flowers for this.

DIY Festive Centerpiece - Step by Step Tutorial on Table Arrangement with Branches and Fairy Lights String

Spread some twigs or branches which have fresh leaves, on your dinner table. If you want the arrangement to last for a few days, use soaked florists foam and arrange the branches according to the shape and size of the dinner table or as you like it. Wind the fairy lights in a random fashion in and around your branches. There need not be any precision or pattern for nature is perfect with its imperfect design. Light up your fairy lights.

This by itself looks very beautiful giving out subtle warmth and glow from in-between and beneath the leaves. To add more festive spirit or fragrance, light fragrant candles and let the aroma waft around.

Simple Festival Table Arrangement with Leaf Branches, Glass Votives, Wine Glasses and Tealights

Have a happy and heart warming dinner time, everytime. Light candles together, cook together, bake together, and more. But dont forget to put your legs up to relax every evening to enjoy the little things you have made.

How are your evenings these days? What magic have you created in your home?

Organic and Ecofriendly Christmas Wreath as Dinner Table Centerpiece

Check out this eco-friendly and lovely wreath for a green Christmas. Here is the link to my tutorial on making this simple yet elegant woodroses centerpiece for your door or your Christmas dinner table.

Wishing you all a merry & eco-friendly Christmas.

Dried Woodroses and Limoneum Flowers - Detail of the Christmas Wreath

Learn how to make this lovely and exotic dry woodroses wreath, this Christmas. TreeSouls has an eco-living section that shows us how to make this  interesting wreath using household junk and dried flowers. 

Organic wreath made of woodroses

Woodroses are beautiful yellow flowers that when left to dry on the plant, they become strong wood-accented flowers.  My mother has an amazing collection of woodroses as she plants the creeper whereever possible. The bright yellow flowers are indeed a sight to behold. The dried flowers are as exotic and unique as antiques.

Check out this link for step-by-step instructions on creating your very own wreath for your door or your dinner table.  Wishing you all a merry & eco-friendly Christmas.