Flower arrangements are easy to make, and they can be done anywhere. I’ve made them in my car, at the office, my house, her house, etc… With flowers, there are two ways to go. Basically, if you want to spend over $50, you might as well let a pro do it. I use The French Bouquet exclusively. I call and tell them my budget and as many details as possible, i.e. cool colors, orchids if possible, birthday gift for a girl, modern looking if possible. Her arrangements speak for themselves. But do your best not to wait til the last minute. This company is in demand!!

I’ve found that sometimes time spent is equal or greater to money spent. I also know everyone loves flowers. They like to get them at their office, early in the day so they can sport them to their associates. Not just for the rest of that day, but until the flowers desperately need to be thrown out. Learn how to make a few arrangements and watch doors open. You can use them for ANYTHING. The major contenders are Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, birthdays and getting out of the dog house. But watch what happens when you make and give them for no reason at all. Read below and see how easy it is. You won’t believe it.

Here’s what you need.

1. Water. It doesn’t have to be in a pitcher. You don’t even need a faucet. Feel free to put some in a water bottle and take it to wherever your “work station” will be. Filtered water supposedly will make your flowers last longer, but it’s not that big of a deal.

2. Scissors. Sharper the better. You’ll find out the hard way- not all scissors are equal. Not all stems are soft. But if you’re in the dog house, you’ll find a way to tear stems with your teeth. So again, it doesn’t really matter.

3. Vase. Square and rectangle vases ones are the easiest if you’re a beginner. They’re also uber inexpensive. In a hurry? Look in your girlfriend’s, mom’s or sister’s cabinet. I promise there’s one in there.

4. $25 – $40.

5. A flat surface for your work station.

Next , head to a grocery store. If in Tulsa, make a beeline for Whole Foods. All you really need is three kinds of flowers. Choose colors they like. If you don’t know, then just pick colors you think go together. Trust your gut.

You’re going to need a main flower like a rose or tulip, a full flower like a hydrangea that takes up space, and a third flower to give some added texture.

One thing to keep in mind- you want to choose flowers that are closed. After you buy and cut them, they will open up. If they’re already open, they’re not going to last as long. With roses you need to gently squeeze them at the base. If they’re soft don’t buy them. You want them to feel firm in the center.

Here are the three I chose. Obviously you can choose more than three. But having a plan before you go in is a good idea. Flowers are like anything. It’s easy to get carried away and sometimes simple is better. This is one of those times.

yellow orange roses ($12.99 dozen) x 1

hydrangea (mini green. $1.99 per stem) x 2

leucadendron / safari sunset ($8.99 per bunch) x 1

Go to your flat surface (dash of your car, office desk, counter by the sink). Take the water and fill your vase 3/4 of the way full. Start putting flowers in the vase. You’ll have to cut them immediately because they’re going to be way too long. When you cut the stems, try to cut them at a 45 degree angle. This helps them absorb water. Also, you’ll want to strip the stems of their foliage. Foliage left in the water will rot and make flowers go bad quick.

I chose a mini hydrangea because it’s great for taking up space. It will help balance the other flowers so they don’t just fall over.

Next, I cut and measured five roses to a height where their tops would just be sticking out above the rim when standing vertically without leaning. (I decided to use five because that’s all that would fit side by side.) I eyeballed the first one and then went back and forth ’til I got it right. Once I did, I measured four more against it so all five would be the same. Lastly, I eyeballed, and stripped six or seven safari sunset stems. Then I fanned them out behind the roses. It took a couple tries to keep everything even.

Sometimes symmetry matters. Sometimes it doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Remember, this is your arrangement. If you get frustrated, pull them all out and start over. I had to do that on this one, but it didn’t slow me down. It won’t take you long to figure it out either. Just be sure the card says that you made it. Trust me, it’s a game changer.

Money spent before tax – $28

Time spent – 35 minutes