How to Add Earthy Embellishments to your Bouquet
Bouquets of flowers are used on so many different occasions - from weddings and special anniversaries, to farewell presentations and award ceremonies. There can be just as many variations in the "theme" of each event as there are occasions. There can be even more variation in the type of flowers used and, of course, the bouquet embellishments.
One of the most interesting themes that one might come across is the "earthy" theme. Whether celebrating a particular individual's love for nature, or making a bigger statement about environmentalism, bouquets with "earthy" embellishments call for the imagination to be turned back to nature - and the rocks, soil, plants, animals and insects that make up the earth.
Decorating bouquet ribbons
Suitable earthy embellishments to bouquets will be expressed in the strings and ribbons that hold the flowers together. Ribbons can still be silky, smooth and luxurious but be earthly coloured with deep browns or khaki hinting at the soil. Plain ribbons can be made more interesting by sewing on per-fabricated decorations - like miniature roses. Alternatively make your own decorations - like flowerpots cut from brown felt with yellow flowers sew in - and use these to decorate the plain ribbon holding the bouquet.
Bindings for the bouquet
For a rustic effect consider using some old-fashioned string or garden twine, binding the bouquet up the stems and even adding in some straw or dried grasses to produce the effect of a simple rustic vase holding the bouquet. Add a touch of sparkle on the final layer of binding with a thin golden ribbon threaded through the outer layers
Additions to the bouquet flowers
Bouquets can be augmented with decorations placed on thin pieces of wire, intertwined with the actual flower stems. For a humorous effect sew or knit some bumble bees and attach these to the end of wires of different length. Some bees can nestle with the heads of the flowers, while others can flop around above the flowers, supported by the wire. Add small open coil springs to create a live "buzzing" effect.
Vases
Many flower bouquets are held in vases on office desks, or home dining tables. The bouquet can be given an "earthy" embellishment by using a decoration to conceal the water-tight vase. Try a flower pot to hold small bouquets standing the real vase inside the pot and filling the gaps outside the vase with potting mix. Or use a wooden vegetable box filled with straw to hold larger bouquets in their vases. Alternatively ordinary vases can be transformed into a more earthy theme by knitting brown covers, perhaps dangled with a crocheted creeper, or knitted leaves that will embellish the bouquet's holder.
