What you’ll need:

1 quart takeout container

1 pint plastic deli container

Floral foam

Knife

Flowers

Chopsticks

1. Get a takeout container

The foundation for this arrangement is a 1-quart, or 32-ounce, takeout container. You can purchase takeout containers in different colors at crafts stores like Michaels or Joann, as well as packaging retailers like the Container Store. Stores even sell themed containers for the different holidays. The red fabric-covered takeout container I’m using here is from Pier One.

2. Carve floral foam

Instead of sitting directly in the container, which would leak water, you’ll insert your flowers into floral foam inside a plastic deli container. (I recommend getting a pint of potato salad at the deli and washing out the tub afterwards.) Purchase a brick of floral foam at the crafts store, and carve it with a knife to fit in the deli container. Make sure you select floral foam that is made especially for fresh flowers rather than the kind for artificial flowers.

3. Soak the foam

Immerse the floral foam in water for about a minute, so the foam will absorb the water. Put the wet foam into the plastic deli container, and then place both into the Chinese takeout container. You’re now ready to insert flowers into the foam.

4. Select flowers

I find that the easiest way to choose flowers for this arrangement is to purchase a ready-made bouquet at Trader Joe’s (or any supermarket). This way, you can have an instant assortment of color-coordinated flowers, plus greenery, for less than $10. Cut the flowers’ stems so that they’re all about four inches long, then insert the stems into the wet floral foam.

5. Fill container with flowers

Keep adding flowers until you’ve covered the entire top of the floral foam. Add the greenery that comes with the bouquet, or grab some from your yard, to help fill out any empty spots where the foam is visible. This photo shows the arrangement partially finished, so you can see how the stems look going into the foam.

6. Finish with chopsticks

The finishing element that really makes the arrangement is a pair of chopsticks inserted amid the flowers, right into the floral foam. Go for a decorative pair of chopsticks, not the plain wooden ones you get with takeout. Gorgeous chopsticks are available at Cost Plus World Market as well as specialty stores in Chinatown or Little Tokyo. And when you’re done with the arrangement, treat yourself to a fortune cookie.

How I did it:

1) A fortune cookie starts with a circle. Using Photoshop, on an 8 1/2 x 11 page, I drew two circles. The placement of the photos is key. In each circle, I divided it into four equal sections and put a photo in each quarter. That way, each part of the fortune cookie had a photo. I also angled the photos, as you can see. (If you don’t have Photoshop, you can create a collage of photos and scan it.) After I was happy with the design in the circles, I printed it out on a sheet of Craft Attitude film.

2) Next, I applied Elmer’s Craft Bond spray adhesive to the film and waited about 3 minutes. Then I placed the film face down on a “foamie” sheet, i.e., white craft foam. I burnished it with a rubber brayer so the film would adhere to the foam, and then peeled off the protective backing. Then I burnished the film once more to make sure the film was on the foam for good, and I used scissors to cut out the circles.

3) Turn the circle upside down and fold one side over to make a taco shape. Adhere these two edges together with a hot glue gun.

4) Then fold the two ends together, using your fingers as I’ve illustrated in the photo to hold the two ends together. Put a dab of hot glue at the fold to hold the two ends in place. Squeeze the two ends together with your fingers until the glue sets.

Here is the original video of how to make the fortune cookies. But now that I have discovered Craft Attitude, I’ll be adding photos, and maybe even sayings like “Happy Birthday” on them. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m putting my pictures on them all and giving them to people.