Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 1

In this article series, we'll discuss the elements of shopping to select the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment the area you have in mind. Outdoor wreaths are a very effective way to bring color and texture to a front door, a back patio, a porch, or just about any area. We'll also discuss how to be sure that your online transaction is safe and secure when purchasing over the internet.

To start, determine the area which you are seeking to add enhancement. Ask some basic questions - What size wreath am I looking for? What sort of durability will I need to handle the outdoor elements? Is there a theme or particular color in the rest of my outdoor decor that my wreath will need to flow with? Will a live wreath, a dried wreath, or a silk outdoor wreath suit my purposes best?

Now that you've determined answers to your first question, next, let's talk a bit about lighting. What is the temperature of your room? Because your wreath is outdoors, it is true that the lighting will technically be "natural" but does it have direct sunlight or does it bear the blue tones of sun shadow because direct natural light never shines in that room? Keep in mind that natural light will greatly enhance the beauty and vibrancy of your wreath. Is your current lighting adequate? Will the lighting of the space determine the hues of greenery or flowers in your outdoor wreath?

Also be sure that your outdoor wreath is appropriately sized for the space you would like to hang it. Oversized wreaths look very nice as house ornaments while small dainty wreaths look very inviting on individual doors.

Next determine the season that your wreath will express. Use warm and bright colors of flowers, bright fresh greenery, and seasonal berries for spring and summer. Use rust colors, deep browns, grasses, or earthen accessorized wreaths for fall. Individual holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and July Fourth can be accentuated by a simple red bow, set of Easter bulbs, or decorative flag added to your current in-season outdoor wreath. You will want the blossoms and blooms of your outdoor wreaths to correspond with the blossoms and blooms of nature for that season. For example, in early summer, flower blooms will be bursting with vibrant color, but by early autumn, those blooms will have withered up and fallen off. Don't display a wreath overflowing with spring bulb plants as fall is setting in.

Having determined the season, context, and lighting, you can now shop for the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment your area of need.

In our next installment, we'll look closely at how to find the widest selection of wreaths with the least amount of effort and how to ensure a safe and secure online transaction when purchasing over the internet. Stay tuned!

Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 2

The previous installment of this article dealt with the keys to successfully using outdoor wreaths and what questions you need to ask yourself about things like lighting, colors, and season before making your purchase. In part two we will focus on hanging your outdoor wreath, wreath storage, and accessorizing your outdoor wreath for holidays or special occasions. We will also cover credit card fraud and how to ensure that your online transactions are safe and secure.

Now that you've purchased your outdoor wreath, you're left to simply hang it in the desired location. Wreath hangers are available at most craft stores and where wreaths are sold for under $15. The most common wreath hanger is an over the door holder. One part of the wreath hanger fits snugly over the top of the door while the hook part hangs down for the wreath to be hung from. Another popular display method is a wreath stand. While obviously not a good choice for a front door, it can work nicely in a corner of the porch arranged next to a wicker rocker. There are also various weighted ledge hangers that work by placing the weighted base on a ledge and fixing the wreath into place on the hanger that comes down from the base.

Wreath storage boxes are available in cardboard and in durable, air-tight plastic. Their circular-shape will help maintain your outdoor wreath's shape while stored, far better than plastic wrap and tape. Stacking wreath-storage boxes helps when organizing your home. They make for quick access and great space utilization. Just pull out the storage box, open them to see 'like- new' sets of wreaths.

Accessorizing your outdoor wreath for different holidays is a great way to get maximum enjoyment out of your investment. Carefully wrap your outdoor wreath in a red velvet ribbon and add a sprig of holly berries and perhaps a string of white Christmas lights to bring an evergreen wreath to life for the Christmas holiday. Attach a tied cluster of variegated grass and straw stalks with a rust colored bow for autumn flair. In spring and summer, add in-season silk flowers to a simple grapevine wreath. If this method isn't preferred, many people have several different outdoor wreaths that they rotate each season.

Finally, be kind to yourself and be spared some time, aggravation, and gasoline by facilitating the use of the internet to shop for those perfect outdoor wreaths. Cyberspace offers a huge selection to choose from, but exercise some caution before entering your personal information and be sure that the site offers excellent guarantees and security policies.

The sites you will most want to shop from will offer money-back guarantees, satisfaction guarantees, excellent return and exchange policies, and free shipping. Be sure to shop on sites that use secure encryption for every credit card transaction and display one or more of the major trust icons like Hacker Safe, Geo Trust, Authorize.net or others. These services ensure that the websites they protect are 100% safe and secure and that there are no loopholes by which fraud can occur and credit card information can be stolen. It is truly shocking how many retail sites offer no such protection at all to their consumers.

Calla Lilies - Perfect For Decorating and As Gifts

Calla Lilies are beautiful flowers that are always in demand. For centuries, these flowers have been truly enjoyed and cherished. Created from the rhizome bulb, they consist of eye-catching leaves. The leaves are green in color, and are covered with light spots. The blossoms from a pretty thick stem. Several enthusiasts compare the shape of the flower to a trumpet. The texture is wet, and its fleshy feel is similar to autumn leaves. These miracles of nature are perfect for any garden of bouquet. They also work great as a houseplant, and are amazingly easy to grow. There are about 28 different species of this plant, all emanating from the southern region of Africa. The plants are accustomed to a warm or tropical climate. Many homes in the American South also consist of this fascinating flower. They are highly used at weddings, and even at some funerals. Their popularity ranges from North America to Western Europe. With its vibrant colors and unique patters, calla lilies are exciting to look at and care for.

Calla Lilies are very strong and durable. They can be planted, or even replanted, in several soils. They simply need a warm and moist climate to survive in. Like many plants, cold temperatures of frost can really damage their bulbs. Even though it is a tough plant, temperature changes can truly affect is longevity. This beautiful plant, unfortunately, can sometimes me mistaken as a weed. Landscapers, to make way for other agriculture consistently remove them. This might be a mistake, since the plant tends to have a strong foundation. As long as there is warm weather, growers can dig up the bulbs and replant them. This might take a little effort, but will achieve your desired results. Taking care of this plant is pretty easy. Since this flower can practically grow on any soil, all it needs to do is remain damp. Water is essential, however, too much water can kill the roots and ruin its beauty. You should take proper care when assisting this lovely plant.

Calla Lilies are used to liven up any bouquet or floral arrangement. With their lovely scent and dazzling color, the bride can also wear them as a corsage. They are part of many weddings, and truly capture the allure and essence of the ceremony. From entrance wreaths to table flowers, these flowers are in-season throughout the spring and summer. They are available in a number of colors; however, white and red seem to be the favorites. Many couples save money on these plants, since most weddings take place in nicer and warmer climates. Calla Lilies can also be grown indoors. They will require abundant water, since the plant needs to remain damp. A good amount of sunshine is also needed for plant growth. They work well in greenhouses, since there are good levels of humidity within them. Whether you grow them in the garden or inside, these flowers are sure to be an attractive addition. They are widely recognized and always available year round.

The Perfect Holiday Cards

It is indeed a task to find the exact card which the recipient will enjoy and cherish. We have to select the appropriate holiday card which would take care of the recipients' happiness and sentiments.

There are varieties of different colors, designs and symbols that make a card look traditional. With respect to colors a sender can look at ones with clarity on what would compliment a traditional themed card. For example, a Christmas theme one would use the color scheme of red and green, a Thanksgiving theme could use the color of autumn, that is orange and similarly an Easter card could be depicted by brighter hues. Therefore each occasion could be celebrated with a specific color.

Also it is best to use a lot of symbols which are in sync with the occasion. Like for example, wreaths are used for both fall and winter related events. Similarly people who do not have a religious bend of mind could use the symbols of hollies, bells or just trees.

Pictures like the family having dinner together, or the dining table decorated with different types of food conjure up the images of Thanksgiving. Just like the images these also carry religious verses or phrases or the theme of the picture is religious. Such fancy kinds and contemporary models are very easily available in stores and online.

A person desiring to get cards with classical themes is relatively easier to find rather than those without religious themes during this part of the year. You would also see a lot of images of local customs and folklores. I advise, that to be on a safer side, it is always better to send cards with classical themes.

The Perfect Wedding Flower Decoration

Orange blossoms, sunflowers, roses and dahlias; violets and lilies; orchids and tulips: all flowers are beautiful. They are also a symbol of love. And an inevitable part of all wedding ceremonies. So inevitable, that many couples go crazy when having to choose the flower decoration for their wedding party. Wedding flower decoration is vital for this red-letter day in everyone's life. Flower designs can be different and can translate various meanings to the guests of the wedding party. Many things can be concluded about the bride and bridegroom's future marriage, depending on the choice of their wedding flower decorations. If your wedding ceremony is getting closer, perhaps it is time to choose your flower decoration that will make the celebration unforgettable.

Wedding flower decoration can be of various kinds. You can choose a large arch of flowers or a centre-piece, or both- everything is suitable depending on your taste. Use your own creative imagination and choose the best flower decoration for the great event. It is important that you decide on flower arrangement that suits your wedding settings. Choose a color combination that appeals to you and is in harmony with the entire setting. The flower decoration can consist of seasonal and local flowers. You should as specifically as possible decide on the size, shape and color for the different flower arrangements. You may easily get some piece of advice from a magazine: there are large varieties of all kinds of flowers. Silk flowers and dried flowers can be an opportunity, too. Remember: your wedding flower decoration is meant to express you and your personal style, but comply also with your loved one's taste. Additional factors should influence your choice: the season, the time of day for the party, the location atmosphere and so on. These weather conditions make a difference and you should have them in mind before deciding strongly on something. A cunning way to make wedding flower decoration suitable is color blocking. Color blocking is called the procedure of choosing a specific color or combination of several colors and using it as the leading nuance when you create all your wedding settings. For example, you may choose the classical white, and put white orchids on the white tablecloths, and prepare your wedding bouquet with white being the predominant color.

There are several types of flower arrangements that are used during the ceremony.

BOUQUETS. They are flower decorations for the bride. A wedding bouquet must be carefully chosen depending on the personal characteristics of the woman. Its color must stress on her individuality, and its shape must emphasize on her body silhouette, giving her the best possible looks. There are many different wedding bouquets, and their design depends on the bride's skin tone, body proportion, facial appearance and attire.

BOUTONNIERES. These flower decorations are worn by the groom and his attendance, also by the ushers, and the bride's and groom's fathers. They are made of small flower buds attached on the left lapel of the jacket.

CORSAGES. They can be worn in pin-on, wrists and hand-held styles. As a flower decoration they combine a small bloom or several blooms tied together.

WREATHS. This is a splendid flower decoration that has a round shape. The rings of flowers are used as centerpieces, headpieces or door hangers.

CANDELABRA. They are made of flowing greens in the shape of ribbons. They are put at the base, neck or top of multi-armed candelabra.