Vases and containers - part 2

Vases & Containers - Part 2

For open-necked containers like bowls and big planters, chicken wire gives structure.

One of My favourite open-necked containers is a Wedgwood two handle vase, which can be picked up on eBay.

I would also recommend compote vases, which give height and can be made to work with chicken wire. They can bring real elegance to your arrangements. At Christmas, a lined flat basket is a good container with grape hyacinths, then covered with moss. The large star lidded jar can be found at India Jane, here.

Here is a hyacinth vase. Lesson 25 is the lesson in which I show you how to arrange in a large glass compote vase. Here are the glasses I have shown you at the close of the lesson.

Cleaning Glasses

Vinegar solution is an effective way to clean glass vases. Vinegar can be used to clean cloudy or white-streaked glasses. Fill a medium bowl with warm water and white vinegar. For every cup of water, add two tablespoons of vinegar.

Decorating Glass Containers

The possibilities are endless when it comes to decorating glass containers. You can decorate with PVA glue or any kind of tacky, clear drying glue.

One technique is to tape the jar with washi tape, a type of paper tape with different patterns. You can often find packs with matching tape, but you can also match tapes yourself.

You can also decorate a glass container with an assortment of small, opaque buttons. Make colourful accent pieces from jars painted in bright colours. Tie yarn or twine around jars or containers.

If you are decorating for at Christmas, spray paint jars silver or gold to enhance their appearance. You can decoupage a glass jar with paper cutouts to decorate it.