On my online workbook this week: And there you glow

Dear

This week's inspiration is to renew... but like autumn.

In a nutshell: Reusable materials are the most eco-friendly as they eliminate waste. Quality that is versatile and then use it with care so that it last.

The irony is that sometimes using the most not eco-friendly product can assist us in our zero or no waste design journey simply because it is slow to break down. Plastic is of course the last thing you will hear when mentioning “green solutions”! Although slow... it will break down after a few years and must then be recycled or repurposed - I use it for permanent stuffing for floral objects.

But in my own sustainably floral design journey plastic is one of the tools that I use for attaining my no (or low) waste, high quality design room goals. I would rather line and clean the liner to reuse to protect than create single use design details or damage the surfaces or containers that then become trash.

Delicate glass and metal should be lined when you use wire as a mechanic to protect it from scratches and rust. And of course metal containers should also be lined when adding flower food to encourage the flowers to open naturally because metal neutralises flower food.

A good quality Ziplock bag is… (dare I say…) ideal. For one thing it can be used and reused in multiple ways in your design room even as it gets a bit damaged after a whole lot of uses. For another it can be washed, air dried and reused for years before you need to be creative with the way you use the bag.

My tip for you this week is about rolling the bag to create a slip proof “ledge” for the wire mesh so that you can easily remove the plastic liner to use again and again… and keep your vases (and wire mesh) in as good as new shape for as long as possible.

The trick is to fold it over so that the slider of the storage bag sits exactly there where when you slip the bag into the container it creates a ledge for the wire. Now you do not need to tape the bag or the wire in place, meaning you can reuse the bag without it getting damaged when you remove the tape. And with the added bulk of the slider in the rolled up area the bag remains perfectly open even if it gets weighed down with water and stems to not collapse.

When you press the wire bauble flat to create the mesh measure it to see where in the glass it will fit snugly. Then fold the bag over so that the slider is exactly at that point. Make sure all sharp points of the wire bauble are facing inwards so that the plastic sheet will not be damaged.

Then you can simply slip the bag into the delicate vase and place the wire mesh in. Your glass will remain scratch free and protected. Simply wash the bags, let it dry and reuse.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine