When I want to brighten up my home with flowers I love buying grocery store carnations to make a simple arrangement. I just made one to display on the console table in my guest room and I thought I would share how easy it is to do it.
Depending on the size of arrangement I want to make I use two to three bunches of carnations. I like to try to find bunches that have slightly different shades of flowers to give the arrangement a little more depth. 
After opening up the bunches, I start to gather up stems in my hand, arranging them as I go to form a tight puff of flowers. Once I have built up the bouquet to the size that I would like I secure them close to the flowers with a rubber band and then trim the stems to fit in my vase. I always use an opaque pot or vase, but if you wanted to use a clear vase you could disguise the rubber band by tying a pretty ribbon over it.
I like this arrangement for two reasons. First, I can make it in about five minutes and I don't need any special flower arranging items, like frogs. Second, the carnations can last several weeks if taken care of which means pretty flowers in my house for a long time with little effort and little money. You can't beat that!
A few years ago when my friends, Pam and Pete, got married I hosted a small reception for them at my house. For the flowers I did a variation on this arrangement, just adding in a couple of white roses and the carnation buds into the mix. It made for a pretty table without breaking the bank.
