Copper Warmth Centerpiece

Welcome to the Flower School.com video library. I'm Leanne Kesler, Director of the Floral Design Institute, and today I'm here to share with you a fabulous centerpiece on trend with the metallics. We've had silver, we've tried gold, rose gold, and now copper is coming into play. And what better way than with a container and then fabulous roses. This one's called toffee, that almost glows with a copper hue. 

I pre-soaked floral foam with flower food, and then anchored it into place. Then I'll start with a bit of foliage. Now if you've studied with me in the learning center or online, you know Leanne's rule is three different types of foliage. It just makes it so much more interesting. 

So today, I've got Salal, and then I've got some Pieris that's seeded before it started to bloom. Once it does come out and bloom, it will be a white flower, Lily of the Valley bush. Setting that in place. And Fatsia. With their long finger-shaped leaves. Three different foliages to fill in the bouquet and add interest even before I flower. 

The toffee rose is a very long-lasting rose. It opens slowly so the customer can enjoy it for days. Cutting it down, making sure that it'll go deeply into the water reservoir because if it dries out, just because it's long-lasting doesn't mean it's going to last. It does have to have water. Placing some outward and then shadowing back behind drawing the eye inward and then radiating outward from a central binding point equally on all sides coming out, some down towards the bottom, some in the mid-section and some towards the top. 

Next, bringing in the hypericum. Mimicking that copper hue, it comes in a little bit lighter and darker. You can see variation. Mixing them for interest. Again, just radiating. Filling in. Bring it all the way to the bottom and back up to the top. 

I'm a huge fan of cymbidium orchids. They're so long-lasting. They look so elegant. You can pull them apart using individual blooms and then using a water pick filled with water, cut the lid so it's not too tight, and then just slide it down in and then adding those into the arrangement. It adds so much value and elegance so quickly. Taking multiple tubes and a full stem of orchids and adding them in. 

The classic round form is lovely with the contrast of colors and textures and form but adding dynamic movement will add just that more beauty. Taking Lily Grass, feeding it in, somewhat random placement but still going into that central binding point. 

You may be looking at this going: What is she thinking? That is just too strange. All those little blades of grass wigging out all over. And that is true. It is sort of strange, isn't it? Does add dynamic line. Doesn't necessarily mean it is good dynamic line, but it is adding dynamic line. But once I get a few more sprigs in here ... and you're correct, it does look like it's just wigged out. But once you have those in, you can bring them back and lash them together creating depth in the design. Just tying them in knots bring it up, tie it together. You could use bear grass. You could use curly willow. So many different materials. But taking the time to lash it, all of a sudden, creates movement around the design. Definitely adds dynamic line. Quite a bit of interest and a sweet surprise to the viewer. 

For a final touch, I want to add some more copper accent. Now, if you watched a recent Facebook live stream, you may have seen me use a hog ringer in an arrangement very similar to this. If you've missed our live streams, join us Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time because we do grand design there as well and it's all live, so you can ask questions. Now, hog ringer if you've been in my advanced floral studies, you've used this. You know how it works. It is a tool that comes with a little copper piece, so again, that copper. You place that right in, so it's a ring and a ringer and then you can lash things together adding that little copper color at the top so it's picking up the hue from the container in the flowers and elevating it into the design. 

You may be laughing. A hog ringer! How crazy is that? And yes, it is crazy. "Where do I get one?" On the website we have them. For more creative inspiration, check us out. Find your hog ringer at Flower School.com. The website contains hundreds of floral design how-to videos, floral design classes, online floral classes and DIY Flowers. 

If you've got questions, you can reach us through there or pick up the telephone and give me a call. Happy to chat about all things flowers. 

Then I'd love to see what you create. What interesting tools do you work with? What fabulous flowers? What unique mechanics? Take a picture. Send it to my personal email, or better yet, post it on social media so we all can see. #FloralDesignInstitute, don't forget! Because now it's your turn to share with us. Have fun and do something you love.