'Sealed With a Bow'

It was perhaps the single most embarrassing experience that could happen to someone who so confidently shared her recipe for tying the perfect bow not even three weeks ago.

There I was this past Sunday at a nearby nursing home – where I normally spend all my Sundays, helping the residents to tie a bow around their unfinished floral arrangements and coming… undone.

The residents had just finished a Bible study session that typically culminated with a religious arts and craft activity. They would be taking unused pots and using the green foam squares to concoct a floral arrangement out of Spanish moss and rich, autumn-colored silk flowers.

An inspirational verse from the Bible, tacked onto the end of a stick, and a decorative bow tied around the pot were to be the final touches.

With arthritis getting in the way of some essential bow-tying, the residents came to me for help. After all, I not only work as a merchandiser/stylist – I spent six years in high school and college working at a craft store that also specialized in custom floral arrangements.

Surely, I was a good person to ask for help.

Wrong.

I was too fixated on tying the bow I had so proudly talked about; not realizing that it cannot be made without the help of some kind of wire to anchor its center.

In case you should run into the same dilemma, I've included another "how to" of how to tie a simple, but symmetrical "bow knot." (There are many other variations of bows you can try, but is the most widely used.) Because everyone can tie a bow, but not everyone can achieve that perfect, "figure 8" swoop:

*You will need two pieces of ribbon:

1. Tie a bow out of the ribbon already wrapped around the pot/gift/box, etc. Make the bow whatever size you want.

2. Fold over the first side of the bow and then the other.

3. Take the second piece of ribbon – this piece will serve as the “faux bow tails.” Tie the ribbon around the ribbon knot.

4. Adjust the bow and tail length accordingly so that you have a nice, symmetrical bow.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of www.daniellesrockawayflorist.com and www.mysilkweddingflowers.com