Loving Welcome
A little wild, a little whimsical, and totally wonderful! This heart-shaped wreath mixes airy twigs, sculptural tillandsia, plump succulents, and a bright red cardinal for a burst of festive cheer. Simple mechanics, natural textures, and a touch of playfulness—perfect for welcoming guests or brightening your winter days. Enjoy!
Video Transcription
The holidays are over. The house can start looking drab. You need to brighten it. And what better than a Valentine's greeting? Let me show you how it's done.
The base, a pre-made wreath done in the heart form. You can see how it's been woven together. And then the top Moss just a bit so that you can add excitement. The materials, a Tillandsia, a Succulent, and then Brunia to add a bit of texture. You want to begin by pulling apart, separating out the Tllandsia so that you have several bits to work with. Then you can cut them down a bit and using hot glue, just glue directly on the back. And then insert that in, letting it wind through, giving movement through the design. Holding it until it sets. Coming back with some of the brunia to add in texture. Finding the perfect part to just tuck it in, coming in between the succulents. Go ahead and cutting it off from the plant. Then a bit of glue on the back. Tucking that in and continue until you get it filled and beautiful just the way you want it.
As you finish, stand back from it. Look to see where your emphasis is, how the line comes through, and then go ahead and add in just a bit more. Tucking it so it pulls the eye back towards the back of the reef, but also fills in towards the front, adding in a little bit more of the succulent. Fill in, and a few more brunia for extra texture.
If you like the very natural look minimal, stop here. If you want to give it a little bit of zing for the Valentine's holiday, maybe adding in a cardinal, gluing on the base, and then nestling them down in the branches. I was taught from the very beginning, if you add a bird, always put something in its mouth, like it's building its nest, just taking a tiny bit of red twine, bringing that in, nestling it across, carrying the red through the rest of the arrangement. And then for fun, just a few red feathers, tucked in to add brightness throughout.
A valentine greeting for the door. What a perfect touch after the holidays. You'll find more creative inspiration on our website, flowerschool.com. If you have questions, you can reach us there, but now it's your turn. What greeting are you going to create for your front door and your client's front doors? Be sure to take a picture, post on social media and #FloralDesignInstitute. That way we all can see what you do as you do something you love.
