how to make grocery store flowers look like a million bucks.

Let me begin by saying I greatly admire the work of florists. I do. And I love my mom a lot. But when I'm buying her flowers for Mother's Day (and living on a budget), I can't fork over $50 for a pretty bouquet of something that will die in a week. Just. Can't. Do it.

I have always been a fan of buying grocery store flowers, but of course you don't get the same beautiful presentation in a Trader Joe's bouquet as you would with a professional florist's bouquet. Something about that price tag on plastic secured with a rubber band... just not doin' it for me. Fortunately, if you're resourceful, you can make grocery store flowers look like a million bucks in five minutes.

What you'll need:

1. grocery store flowers — I bought two bunches of sunflowers from Trader Joe's ($4.99 per bunch of 5)
2. brown postal wrap — I'm still working with the 75 square feet ($2.50) I got last Christmas!
3. scissors — I used pinking shears to add some character with the zigzag effect
4. ribbon or baker's twine — I used green and white baker's twine

Step one:
Remove the store packaging from your flowers and trim the stems (if necessary). Arrange flowers however you'd like and secure your arrangement in place with a piece of twine tied in a bow around the stems.

Step two:
Cut a piece of postal wrap — I cut a piece about the length of the flower stems (from the bottom of the flower buds). Any longer and you won't be able to see your flowers peeking out when they're all wrapped up! And, in case you're like me and can't cut a straight line, I fold over my paper and crease it where I want to cut it, then follow along that crease with my scissors. Works like a charm.

Step three:
Line your flowers up along one side of your postal wrap (with the cut edge at the top of your bouquet if you used pinking shears). Gently roll your postal wrap with the flowers to the opposite side to create a cone-like shape with the wrap. Make sure the bottom of the wrap is more tapered as you roll it to achieve the desired effect.

Step four:
Wrap a long piece of twine around the middle of your postal wrap a few times and tie a bow.

There you go! Now that looks way better than flowers wrapped in plastic, doesn't it?