Silk Flowers

Artificial plant material, of all kinds, has become more and more realistic over the last few years. And the supply of all types of everlasting flowers has become more easy to resource. Normally, as in most things, the higher the cost... the better the product... you get what you pay for. So if you are looking for top class, realistic flowers for a special occasion... go for the best you can afford... there are some truly beautiful flowers and arrangements available!

We aim to cover all the items on the following list, and so be of help to all those who are looking for assistance with searches which are covered by the following web-search terms:-

Silk wedding flower arrangements
Fake flower arrangements
Artificial flower arrangements
Wholesale silk flower arrangements
Silk flower arrangements
Silk flowers
Dry flower arrangements
Dried flower arrangements
Everlasting flowers
Handmade Glass Flowers

The above search terms could easily apply to all the following searches... the 'how to' of either creating the actual arrangements, or the growing and preserving of plant materials for the arrangements. Alternatively, they could easily apply to the 'where to' of buying/obtaining, either the raw materials, or the actual completed arrangements!

If you click over to the Pictures-Flower page, you will find some books which give up-to-date instructions on drying flowers [in particular drying in the microwave] and the old Jean Taylor book 'Creative Flower Arrangement' is an ideal starting point for glycerining.

There are two new links at the bottom of this page.....

One to the new 'flower tools' page, where you can find a microwave flowerpress - amongst other new items! The other to our 'Pictures-Flower' page [mentioned above]... at the bottom of the page you will find a link to my NEW favourite, a star booksearch facility... not to be missed!

I personally love the round leaved Eucalyptus leaves, in artificial arrangements, when they have been glycerined. But, please note, they do not take as long as books say to take up the glycerine, and if plant material is left too long in glycerine it will leak and make a first class mess!

My tip would be to do a small amount for less than half the recommended time... and see how it pans out.

So, if you are interested in drying, preserving or glycerining your own plant material... the Jean Taylor book is the ideal place to start!

Personally, unless you particularly want to dry plant material in a microwave, I would just obtain a copy of the old Jean Taylor book. If you click over to the 'Books - Choosing Books' page you can try our Biblio...buy used & out of print books or Alibris links as a starting place to obtain your copy... they normally have one, or more, available.

Hints for navigating the sites are on the 'Books - Choosing Books' page and one or the other will normally manage to find any hard-to-find or out-of-print book you may be looking for.

[The following link will take you to a site which could prove helpful if you want to dry flowers in sand...
Sand Flowers
Flowers that can grow in sand and deserts without a lot of water, how to preserve flowers in sand.]

The title of the book is 'Everlasting Flowers'... [such an uninspiring title for a book which is a total inspiration]. The book is by Patricia Crosher, published by Batsford, and the ISBN is 0-7134-7533-1.

If you only get ONE book specifically for your silk flowers, dried flowers, glycerined plant material, artificial plant material and seed heads, cones, etcetera, hobby... this MUST be it!

'Everlasting Flowers' covers inspirational actual arrangements, the choosing, obtaining and drying, conditioning and preparation of materials... also mechanics.

Mechanics can, to put it mildly, present a problem with many of the conventional dried flower arrangements... they show! The lack of foliage to hide them can be a major stumbling block... and needs to be addressed early on in your silk flowers career.

IDEAS FOR WEDDING FLOWERS

Should you be looking for inspiration for Wedding Flowers, page 59 [of 'Everlasting Flowers'] has a delightful basket arrangement, which, if you use a small basket with a handle, would make a perfect flower girl/bridesmaid 'bouquet'.

Look at pages 22,118 and 114... combine the ideas, change the colours to suit your theme [the arrangement on page 110 has some delightful components which might appeal]... and then you could have the right inspiration for your ideal bridal bouquet.

In short, if you are looking to create some silk or dried flower arrangements or bouquets for a wedding, then 'Everlasting Flowers' is THE book for you... it aids thinking outside the box!

Add to this the book mentioned on the 'Flower Arranging' page by Fiona Barnett... it has some wonderful inspirational dried arrangements, with a full list of required components and illustrated instructions... you can't go wrong... and there are quite a number of different bridal arrangements, for head-dresses, bouquets, posies, buttonholes and corsages, etcetera. You now have all the ideas and instructions you could ever need!

For the stems of some of the delicate dried flowers sometimes the beige/brown oasis, which is made specifically for silk flowers can be too harsh and can break them very easily.

The tip is, if you have old used green oasis from your fresh flower arranging, trim and keep it. Let it dry out completely... then you can use it for your dried flowers. Saves money too!

Another tip for hiding the mechanics... buy some dried moss and use that, set it in place first if using delicate, brittle dried flowers.

If using the more robust silk flowers, then if the mechanics show through once the design is completed, just add a little of the moss to hide them.

Searching out the right Material and/or Completed Arrangements to buy can be a time consuming process.

Whether you are looking for silk flowers, dried flowers, cones, seed heads or containers and accessories... what you picture in your minds eye, will, without fail, be difficult to find!

You may have to change your picture because something you find just takes your fancy and you decide to build your design round this new component instead. Or the exact colour is not what you imagined it to be... whatever new direction your design takes, just keep to the elements and principles of design... and the result should delight you.

Enjoy the journey... and marvel at your destination! As long as you are happy with your creation, that is all that matters.

There are various places, both locally and on the internet, where you can look for both completed arrangements and raw materials.

A list of off-line places to try is followed by a suggestion for on-line suppliers...

So... you can try your local florists and/or garden centre [many of the larger garden centres have a section of both dried and silk flowers... with ribbons and accessories too].

Local street, or out-of-town, markets are quite often another source of reasonably priced silk flowers.

And, lastly, we have Wholesalers and/or Wholesale Markets as a source of both pre-arranged flowers, and all the required component parts... containers, oasis, moss, flowers, seed heads, cones, artificial fruit and ribbons by the roomful!

[Here, in the UK, it is usually quite easy to satisfy the entry requirements to be able to visit a Wholesaler. Be wise, telephone first, find out the entry requirements... don't make a fruitless journey... satisfy the requirements, and you will be let into an Alladin's Cave. Please note, in virtually all cases, the dreaded VAT will be added to the price of goods at the till... so there goes another just under a fifth onto the bill!]

Silk Flower Suppliers... Internet Based

Click the link below [and add this page to your favourites so that you don't lose them!] to visit this amazing supplier... you will see products which will have even those who hate silk flowers admitting that they are truly beautiful!

Add to this... extremely reasonably priced product, very helpful people... nothing is too much trouble, and international shipping... and I reckon the IDEAL suppliers have been sourced!

Visit the Silk Flowers Specialties Store... prepare to be delighted! They stock Bridal Collections, Complete Bridal Packages, Bouquets, Boutonnieres, Corsages, Arrangements & Decorations, Make It Yourself, High Quality Silks, Wedding Books & Information, Single Stem and By the Box Flowers, Palmetto Sunrise Promotion, and Closeout Specials & Bargain Bin.

Just as a 'by the way'... did you know that Silk Flowers can now be "Scented"? The link will take you to some lovely examples of what is available now. Soooo very pretty!   Silk Specialties

Please don't miss our new..... 'Handmade Glass Flowers' page
'Flower Tools' page
and 'Pictures-Flower' page