Floral Class #2: Wiring and Taping

I have a confession to make. It's shameful but please try not to judge. My mom and I have been making boutonnieres without wiring and taping them! Gasp. I know. I know what you're thinking--"what amateurs! Who do these broads think they are trying to pass themselves off as 'freelance florists'?"--but in our defense, the boutonnieres always looked pretty profesh.

Thank god I took this floral arranging class before I showed up to my first day of work (assuming I land a job) fumbling around with the roses and lemon leaf like an f-ing kindergartener. I guess I just have problems with lapel flowers for men in general. First I can't spell the damn word and then I go around securing the little buggers straight up with floral tape* and no wire. Oy.

In last night's class we made corsages with orchids, filler flower and leaves, and boutonnieres with yellow roses. Another blah project, but remember, you gotta crawl before you can run (a bourgeois flower shop). Plus, it was so much fun!

The wristlets really took me back to high school, specifically homecoming junior year when Adam Anderson gave me the BIGGEST corsage that was ever wired and taped. I wish I had that awkward dance-photo to post up in here. It was no lie, seven gigantic roses and a sizable bow strapped to my arm. That might not sound like a lot--but it was. That thing not only looked crazy because it went almost all the way up to my elbow, but it seriously weighed me down and hindered my dancing. Poor Adam was so embarrassed, "umm, my dad picked it out."

But enough of memory lane. I digress. You came to see the goods and I won't let you down.

Prepping my Miniature Cymbidium orchids

Corsage #1, w/ orchids and heather as the filler.

Simple boutonniere. On second look the leaf seems a bit wonky. Must do better next time.

The wristlet a-la-Adam Anderson.

Corsage #2. 

A shitty little arrangement in a crappy little vase. But I made the vase on a pottery wheel, so that's pretty badass.

* I learned yesterday that floral tape can refer to any number of tapes florists use, so the correct term to use in this situation is stem wrap. Who knew?