Farmhouse Christmas Arrangement

Video Transcription

At Floral Design Institute, we are all about the holidays and candlelight. Today, battery-operated candles for a fabulous design.

The vessel, ceramic, one of my favorites, filled with midnight floral foam. It's wedged in tightly, so I don't need to tape it. Then we foraged at Teacher Michelle's yard for evergreens. We've got cypress, juniper, and fir to give it a real natural look. Pinecones already wired with a dog leg, 18-gauge. Flowers, going classic, roses and carnations in the vivid red, then adding permanent botanical holly to give it a beautiful look. It's gilded with just a touch of gold, which makes it look a little more rustic. Then, for the perfect touch, battery-operated candles that will light up, and to secure them in place, using candle stakes. Let's get started.

I start by breaking the line and establishing the form by placing the foliage, putting them around the edges, making sure they go into the water well, covering any cut ends so that those aren't going to show. Using a variety of different foliage to keep it very interesting, so the fir and the cypress, and then even a little bit of the juniper to add texture.

Next, the candle stakes. This makes it easy to elevate the candle, but then to pull it back out so you can turn it on later. Placing that down in, thinking about where I want it, it's going to be right about there. Then I'm going to take the candles out because I don't want to damage them while I'm working. Just placing the stakes and then going back, placing the cones, getting the texture in, making sure they're on both sides, and then carrying them through the center.

Now, placing the flowers. The roses, it's a Freedom rose, they're so long-lasting, they open beautifully, and they go well with this container. Making sure that it's down deeply into the water so that it will live well. Then carnations, adding a glow of red clear underneath, so tucked low. Placing things at various levels to create more interest and following through with a central binding point.

The final detail, the permanent botanical holly, just pulling it apart and then using a wire cutter to clip it to length. Then adjusting the placement and letting it come in, spreading it around, adjusting. You can turn it, because it's all sided, so it has to look great from both angles. Bring it to the opposite side, adjusting, bringing back a little more. We've been using it to break the line of the container out towards the front and the back. Then the last step, adding in the candles.

The recipe, a variety of the evergreens, cypress, juniper, and fir, then the one stem of the permanent botanical holly, then nine Freedom roses and nine red carnations makes a perfect farmhouse centerpiece.

'Tis the season for evergreen sap and glitter, and of course, the warmth of candlelight. You'll find more creative inspiration on our website, Flower School .com. If you have questions, you can reach us through there. Now it is your turn. What are you going to create? Hunt up some battery candles, they're so grand. Be sure to take a picture, photograph your work and post it on social media, hash tag Floral Design Institute. That way we all can see what you do as you do something you love.