Thank you, thank you,thank you!!

I knew DG would come thru and it did!!

I was browsing the posts looking for ideas for centerpieces for my nephew's rehearsal dinner. (I am a total neophyte at this and have never done an arrangement for anyone except my mother!) I knew my sister wanted to use the hydrangeas from my garden but most of what I had seen in my googling was too tall for a table centerpiece.

Then I found the "underwater" arrangements thread here. I tried a few small ones and fell in love with them! I made up several arrangements for my sister to see and she liked them but I could tell they weren't *exactly* the look she had in mind.

The problem was that the tables are so big. She wanted something big enough not to get "lost" on the table yet the guests need to be able to see the person across from them.

Finally, I found a huge brandy-snifter-shaped container for $10 at Walmart. I filled it about 2/3 full with the hydrangeas including some leaves on top and took it to her office today. She absolutely loves it!! And I was thrilled to have made something she liked so much!

We're going to use magnolia leaves around the bottom and maybe a bow if needed.

DG saves the day again! Thanks guys!!

Sounds stunning, hope to see a pic of it. Glad you solved your table arrangement dilemma.

Well, it's so simple and basic that I'm almost embarrassed to post the pics! But maybe it will encourage another beginner.

These were quickies I took for emailing to my sister.Hope to get better ones at the event.

Here's the top. Don't know what happened to that missing leaf!

Unfortunately, you don't get a sense of scale from these pics and the size is a big factor. The pics from the dinner will show that, I think.

Oh, that is beautiful, from the top it is perfect!

Hi Firstyard and Welcome to cut flowers!
It's lovely to see your arrangement, I like the leaf missing...... It's got a natural look that gives it personality!
Nice to meet you, I like experimenting with flowers here and unconventional arrangements are always interesting and exciting to me!!!!!

Thanks for the welcome. I will be here often as I am trying to teach myself flower arranging - both traditional and non-traditional.

Today was very frustrating. I was trying to make a calla lily arrangement for a teacher. My biggest problem is getting the stalks to stay where I put them. I must have worked on it for an hour. Tried 2 different vases and finally gave up and just did 1 calla bloom and 3 leaves in a bud vase. Even that was hard bcs the neck isn't really big enough for 4 of those thick stems!

I'm sure there are tricks that I will eventually learn. But it's kinda painful right now - except for the simple underwater ones. Being able to do a basic underwater arrangement is saving my sanity right now!

Here's a couple more pics. Thanks to whoever's arrangement I plaigarized!

Look in the back of the pic at the champagne glass. This one took all of 30 seconds to do and it was one of my sister's favorites. She thinks it would be perfect to have one at each place at the bridesmaid luncheon. That would be pretty even if I do say so myself.

You go at it fy, those are fabulous. I just love the one with the lily it looks like it is actually trying to call me right through the glass outstretching its arms to give a big welcome hug! You got these down to a fine art already, no wonder your sister loves them.

Oh those are lovely firstyard!
Some plant material works better if you use floral foam, you can position them exactly where you want them. Especially heavy stems.

First yard, I see you've resolved your issues with the hydrangeas. Great idea, I love them all, but my fave is the brandi glass of hydrangeas.