Making flower arrangements is an activity that you should enjoy at all times. Of late it has been taken far too seriously on a lot of websites that are around at the moment. In this article, we are going to discuss the most common mistakes people make and how to avoid them. We will keep it light hearted and try to avoid getting too serious about this really enjoyable, relaxing artistic craft.

Flower Selection

The health of the flowers that you select for your arrangement is an important factor. If you start with flowers that are not healthy, you will end up with a droopy and unattractive arrangement. Key factors of healthy flowers are healthy foliage, unbroken stems and looking generally attractive.

Believe it or not, different flowers (and even different colors of the same flower) have different meanings. It is probably not appropriate to send your grandmother a flower arrangement made up of red roses and pink lilies; unless of course you want to let her know that you have a passionate, romantic love for her.

More is not always better! You should keep your selection of color combinations to a maximum of three. Any more just looks cluttered and unappealing.

Flower Preparation

Arranging flowers is an artistic expression of one's self, so don't just throw your flowers into a vase, even if they are pre-arranged. If making a fresh flower arrangement, never include "organic mulch" type items like dried foliage or twigs. Unless of course you are trying to make your water go stagnant as they quickly decompose.

For success, when preparing your flower arrangement:

* Before adding the flowers to water, cut the stems at an angle, under running water
* Use floral foam to avoid the growth of bacteria and maintain the freshness of your flowers
* Before you begin arranging, remove any foliage that is not required

The Arrangement Process

Some people think that florists simply add some colored wrapping to a few random flowers that they throw together at a moments notice. This is obviously not the case (otherwise we'd all be florists!) It can still be a very simple process if you avoid the common mistakes outlined below.

As a rule of thumb, do not:

* Squeeze in dozens of varieties of flowers, too many variations will result in decoration as opposed to an emotional expression. If you want a decoration, buy a balloon.
* Make flowers arrange themselves the way that you want, let the natural arrangement of the flowers guide you.
* Have all of your flowers in full bloom, or just buds, you want to avoid the cluttered effect that occurs when they are all in bloom at once.
* Starve your flowers, if their stems can't reach the water, they cannot drink. Think about it!
* Start with the 'Taj Mahal' flower arrangement. Start small and basic, as you improve your knowledge and skill, attempt bigger arrangements.
* Ignore the surroundings that the arrangement is being made for, a bouquet for a wedding will look entirely different to a bouquet to lay on top of a coffin.
* Leave it to the last minute when making a flower arrangement for a special occasion, flowers need time to settle and develop before they will look comfortable.
* Use more flowers than you need. The mother of a new born baby, fresh out of hospital, would probably not appreciate an enormous bouquet of roses.
* Make it harder than it needs to be! Enjoy yourself and your new found past-time

Have Fun!

The most important thing that people do not consider when they are making a flower arrangement is that you inadvertently project your mood into your arrangement. If you are happy and really enjoying yourself, this will shine through in the way your arrangement comes together. By the same token, if you are getting frustrated and looking at your project as a chore, this will shine through in your arrangement.

No matter how hard you try to convey the "WOW I'm so happy" feel in your arrangement, if your partner just left you, your pet parakeet has just flown away and your car was just stolen while you were on your way to have a coffee and relax at the local cafe, your arrangement will reflect a feeling of disappointment and sorrow.

So before you begin making your next flower arrangement, take some time to consider the emotions that you would like to project and get yourself into that mindset and that emotional mood. Without ensuring that you are enjoying yourself and you are in the right mood, you will soon give up on flower arranging, which is one of the most rewarding, relaxing and pleasurable activities you could become involved in.

Judith A. Babb is a self-taught floral design expert and author of Flower Arrangements Made Simple loves to see everyone enjoy the beauty of flower arrangements has created an easy step by step guide available at http://www.artisticflowerarrangements.com Sign up for the free monthly newsletter "Flower Talk" and receive numerous tips and techniques for making your own flower arrangements.