Upside down stopper-topper

Only I am turning it upside down to look like a finial inside the (slightly smaller than it's partner) vase.

Pour a bit of artificial snow over the lights to give it a Christmassy glow.

Fill the apothecary container lid with water.

Twirl the fairly lights around and over the ornamental kale.

Slip a Phalaenopsis orchid behind the kale to make sure it stands firmly upright, dangling over the kale to the other side of the design.

Glue a dried winter twig to the outside of your container.

Every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time), I send out a design note as an early glimpse at the newest Design and a few notes that I picked up creating the Tutorial that might be useful to you. This week, I tell you a bit about how to make sure the twigs remain secured to the outside of the container... and how it is great that it is not permanent, from a design perspective. If you’re new here, you can sign up below this post. And if you’ve been receiving these notes for some time, I hope they feel like a welcome break in your busy week.

Paint the twigs with wood glue and sprinkle on a light dusting of snow. See the Tutorial below for detailed instructions.

Design note: I place my design on a plastic sheet when I add the snow. This way I can catch all the flakes and reposition it as needed. I do find it easier to pick the snow up from the drop sheet rather than the packet so it saves me time. When I am done with the design and no longer need snow I roll the sheet up and pour it back into the container.

Book readers turn to page 19 where I show you my tools for some suggestions on what to get as a create a drop sheet so that you can use it again and again... and a tip for what else you can use your drop sheet when you design.

For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman

Make sure it is still easy to operate the fairy lights now that everything is in the design...