Saved by the Bud

“It’s the buds, not the bucks” is the message carried by

Saved by the Bud (http://www.savedbythebud.com).

A gift of flowers not only makes women smile, it makes them happy for days afterward.

One suggestion from the site is to stay small but go big when it comes to floral arrangements. Put together a dozen small arrangements and hide them in unexpected places like the bedroom, by the tub, on the stairs, next to the towels, in a coffee mug, on windowsills, in closets or the refrigerator.

The gift isn’t about pricey floral arrangements. You’re generating surprise and excitement starring your hand-made floral vignettes. For a few tricky last-find zingers that make the treasure hunt last longer hide bouquets inside the microwave, or bathroom cabinet.

To put further spin on things, consider using unusual, inexpensive containers.

The best finds can be discovered cruising the aisles of hardware stores, vintage shops, junk shops, thrift stores, flea markets and import shops. Again, great-looking but cheap vases are perfect, of course.

To convert non-water-tight items into vases, slip a vial, jar, can, or thick plastic bag inside. Consider small glittery evening purses, silver tea sets, old-fashioned creamers, cloth or leather satchels, any funky glass or glazed art pot, old glasses, flour or tea bins, anything enameled (buckets, pitchers, teapots).

Painted wooden boxes and baskets are intriguing, as are old boots and high-heeled shoes (check out Frenchys). Choose your container and fill it with flowers – how many is up to you: one, two, four, 15 or 40 stems.

And for a racier application - consider the fact that bondage is your friend when it comes to simple flower arrangements. A strip of leather, twine, ribbon or a fat rubber band can be wrapped and tied around stems of your flowers so the whole thing holds together. Bound bunches travel better and make prettier presents. Floral designers often lean tied bouquets at an angle inside wide vases for an arty look. With clear glass vases, they sometimes tuck the flowers completely inside the vase so none are sticking out from the top.

For a colorful party variation: tie tulips upside down by the stems to ribbons or plastic streamers that can be draped at ceiling height across a room or doorway. Now you can tiptoe under the tulips instead of through them.

Even when the budget numbers are gloomy, you can still pull a tulip, if only one single, incredible tulip, out of the hat and brighten up that special night, just for him or her.