Make your own Memorial Day Floral Arrangements not using Styrifoam

                                 

If your one of those who do a lot of decorating on Memorial Day, here's how I do mine & once I started getting myself organized and a system figured out it became less stressful.
A couple of months before, I decide on the colors I'm going to be using. I usually buy a yard of fabric that I like and match all my flowers to the fabric.   When I'm at a discount store I buy a couple of bunches of flowers. I buy a bunch of flowers for each grave I'm going to be decorating. 
     The week before Memorial Day I cut all the bunches into individual stems of flowers and keep each color in a pile. 
      I save 15oz. tin cans. I use Plaster Of Paris to fill the cans & make my arrangements.I fill the can about 3/4 with plaster. I make all my floral  arrangements  set in Plaster of Paris.

                                                                                                     
I do make one arrangement at a time. Using the Plaster has many advantages over the Styrofoam;
the flowers don't blow away, they are in the can permanently and your flowers  don't get  stolen as easily.Often when at yard sales I buy cheap pretty flower pots and make my arrangements in them.

Here's where the fabric is used. The graves that don't have vases on, I wrap the can-arrangement with the fabric. Secured with hot glue or Elmer's Glue Dots. Then tie a pretty ribbon on .

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This year I chose a light colored burlap........it was very stiff and difficult to work with...do not recommend it .

The big sprays that fit on top of the stone can be very expensive, but buying your flowers a few at a time and making your own really saves money.