How-To Make a Silk Floral Swag

Raffia Bows Accent a Simple Swag

You can make a swag as simple as eucalyptus with a raffia bow....

Natural Raffia 8 Ounces

...or Sparkle and Shine With Some Glittering Fruit!

Brighten up your kitchen or dining area with some beautifully sparkling fruit!
There's no limit to the ways you can dress up a simple eucalyptus swag!

Choose a Pair of Wire Cutters That Fit Comfortably In Your Hand

...AND Inexpensive!

This is Called a "Paddle" of Wire

It's a simple way to keep your floral wire tangle free!

Time Management and Shopping

Now, Let's Get Started on Your Swag

Begin With Fresh Eucalyptus from Your Favorite Craft Store

Eucalyptus smells wonderful, is easy to work with and comes in a variety of colors...

Be sure to choose carefully! If it's been sitting in the store too long, it will be dry and crumbly...fresh eucalyptus is pliable, has deep color and the leaves don't fall off when you pick up the package.

On the other end of the spectrum, if it's too wet; it will leave stains on the wall when you hang your design. Who knew there were so many details to consider when working with silk flowers?

As you can see, floral designing is much like life. There are innumerable nuggets of wisdom that are gained through experience, so mishaps can be avoided with just a little help from someone who has already been there; done that!

Preparing the Eucalyptus "Frame"

Eucalyptus is your foundation....build it strong!

Divide the bundle of eucalyptus into two equal parts, and wire it together using 24 guage floral wire...

The Eucalyptus Foundation

Here's what it looks like once it's all wired together...

Pull the Wire Tight

You want to pull the bundle together as tightly as you can, without breaking the wire!

Use Your Pliers....

Use the pliers to tighten the wire....pull the wire tight as you turn it...

Tuck the ends of the wire into the eucalyptus so they won't be poking you in the fingers while you continue with the arrangement!

Oops... I Forgot to Add the Hanger

This is the time to add your hanger to the back of the piece....

I forgot to add it to mine before I completed the arrangement, but it will be much easier if you put it on NOW...instead of when you're finished!

Add Floral Foam

This is a matter of my personal preference...some designers simply add their flowers to the euc (prounounced "uke") frame...

I prefer to add a piece of foam...I find that I can achieve better balance in my piece by having a little more foundation to build on...

Hot Glue...Then Wire for Stability

Spread some hot glue on the bottom of the foam and lay it on the eucalptus frame...

Once it's cool...you can secure the foam with more floral wire...

Tuck the ends of the wire into the foam...

Now Comes the Fun!

It's time to begin adding your flowers.
Begin with a foundation of filler; you can see I have inserted the stems into the foam...

Place your stems like the hours on a clock face to achieve balance.
1:00, 3:00, 5:00
7:00, 9:00, 11:00

A Note For Beginners:
When I first began working with flowers, I arranged the flowers until they looked "right"... then I would go back and glue them in place. That really is a pain in the neck because you basically have to disassemble and re-assemble your design!

Since I now have some experience under my belt, I recommend you spend some time practicing designing before you begin to actually create your arrangements. My earliest arrangements lacked balance and proper scale.

Since I've learned to use the clock process, I spend more time actually designing and less time doing re-work!

It's Time to Add the Flowers

Again, thinking in terms of the clock face; begin to add your flowers...

Simply insert the stems into the foam until the head of the flower is in position...

This is a Good Example of "Filler"

Lots of petals....plenty of "fluff"...it's like ground cover for your arrangement!

Accent Pieces

Here's a piece that I would use as an accent piece...it's spiky and elongated...great texture...

Use it in odd numbers...1, 3 or 5 of this piece gives your arrangement a more natural feeling.

Bend the Head of the Flower ....

The flowers will be laying flat when you insert them into the foam...

Bend the head of the flower toward you so you will be able to see the face of the flower...

Like This....

So You See That Flower's Sweet Little Face!

Work Toward the Center

I've left the stems long for the first layers...now you begin to cut the stems shorter, as you move toward the center of the arrangment....

Now you can begin to add another color of flowers...(using a different type of flower)

You're Almost There!

Now, it's getting really exciting because your arrangement is really taking shape!

Now that you are at the center of the arrangement, it's time to change the size of the flowers you are adding...

I'm now adding a large, tawny color rose that has a red blush...a contrasting color that still coordinates with the burgundy flowers...I ended up using three of them in this particular arrangement...

Waste Not, Want Not

Yes, you can even use those leftover stems! The extra leaves help fill in those little spaces between your flowers...

The Flowers Are All In Place....

You can keep adding flowers until your arrangement is as "full" as you like it to be...

Now, wasn't that easy?

As you can see, the possiblities are endless...you can create a new swag for every season, gifts for special people...or even sell them for a little extra spending money!

I Hope You Had Fun!

Thanks for crafting with me again today... I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I did!

As you can see, there's no limit to the design possibilities.

So, go...gather supplies...and get set for an afternoon of floral designing that will give your home the style, personality and charm that is a reflection of the unique person that YOU are.

Enjoy... and let me know how your arrangements turn out!