Oh, how sweet it is! I’m not a sugar person, but those little candy hearts with sayings on them carry fond memories from my childhood. With this double vase flower arrangement, the hearts are used to turn an ordinary centerpiece into something that says “I love you” — just like one of the little candy hearts.
Start with two clear glass vases. They need to be different enough in size that one can easily fit down inside the other with room all around for the little candies.
You don’t have to confine this to Valentines Day and use little hearts. This technique works for all kinds of occasions. You could use jelly beans, gum balls, colorful little candy-coated chocolate pieces, candy corn — let your imagination run wild!
Make sure your inner vase is not too tall, and, if possible, use flowers that will have a bit of a droop, rather than being totally erect. Arrange your flowers in the small vase first — separate from the big container. Once you have your arrangement as you want it, dry off the outside of the vase so no moisture remains, then place the small vase inside the big one and start loading candies in between the two.
It helps to use one hand to cover the opening of the smaller vase. You don’t want to get any candy into the water. Carefully steer the candy pieces to the space between the two vases and keep going until you’ve stuffed in all that will fit.
Whether it’s for a special event, romantic dinner, or a party for kids, this technique is one you’ll be glad to add to your repertoire!
Note that in the first arrangement, I used a vase that was a little more upscale, with a hammered gold embellishment at the bottom. Your inner vase could even be colored. Your outer one needs to be transparent — or else what is the point, ya know, but that doesn’t mean it must be perfectly plain. As always, experiment!
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