Cowboy Boots arrangement Click image to enlarge Designer: Stacey Kingman I have always wanted to do something rustic and floral with a pair of old boots and this project turned out exactly like I wanted it to. It’s a perfect arrangement for my entry hall as the season changes and fall settles in. To put it together, I was so excited to get my hands on these new floral tools from Fiskars. Cutting through even the thickest of these wire stems was absolutely a snap with the new Professional Grade Floral Cutter. Arranging silk flowers has never been so easy!
Tips: * Do not make your arrangement completely symmetrical. It’s much easier to achieve a natural look if you aren’t trying to make the flowers “balance” on each side. * Know where you want to place your stems before you place them in the foam. Once the foam is pushed through, it doesn’t “heal” and you’ll have a hole. One or two of these is not a big problem, but several will make your foam weak and stems won’t want to stay where you put them. * Add floral picks to the bottoms of wider stems. This will allow your stems to move smoothly and effortlessly through the foam. Floral picks are also great for groups of flowers that you make into bundles before placing.
* If you don’t have a pair of old boots, check your local thrift store or call a friend. Even when they are falling apart, it’s hard to get rid of old boots, so someone you know is bound to have a pair! * Try this project with bright, polka-dotted rubber boots and some colorful flowers for a spring arrangement or old ski boots for winter. Difficulty rating
Instructions (Print version)
1. Floral Spray Foam is an ideal application for odd shaped containers like a pair of boots. It is not necessary to fill the entire boot with foam since the stems would not extend beyond the top 4-5 inches of foam. Stuff tissue paper in the bottom portion of the boots to just above the ankle. Because these boots are the foundation of the centerpiece, we want them to be standing solidly. After stuffing with tissue paper, mist the inside of the boot lightly with water, add a layer of foam and mist again lightly. Allow the foam to expand for a few minutes before adding another layer and repeat misting. Be sure to stop about 3 inches from the top of the boot to allow the foam room to expand. Finish with misting and allow to cure 12-24 hours before arranging flowers or trimming the foam. 2. Using the Portable Glue Gun, hot glue the boots together.
3. Begin arranging flowers by cutting stems with the Professional Grade Stem Cutter. Arrange the larger flowers first and build around them. Since this arrangement is tall, I recommend cutting your stems as you go rather than cutting them all and then arranging them because you will need a wide variety of heights on your stems. This way you can decide which flowers will be taller and which ones will be shorted and will fill in around closer to the bottom.
4. After arranging the flowers, fill in with some raffia. Do this by creating some picks with discarded stems and raffia, wrapping one end with floral tape, and attaching floral picks. You can pull the raffia up through the arrangement for a natural, rustic looking filler. 5. For final details, fill in near the base of the arrangement with moss or dried flowers. I had originally intended to use Spanish moss, but found that I liked the way a few dried sprigs of Baby’s Breath worked instead. Then I mixed in just a few longer pieces throughout the rest of the arrangement.
Supplies: Fiskars : 01-004726 Professional Grade Stem Cutter Fiskars : 01-004729 Floral Tape Dispenser Fiskars : 01-004988 Portable Glue Gun Fiskars : 01-004768 Floral Spray Foam |
