• You can make hot pink carnations with neon food coloring, available at most grocery stores.Dynamic Graphics/Polka Dot/Getty Images
  
  Carnations are delicate, long-lasting flowers, which make them versatile and perfect for many occasions. From coloring your own white carnations to making a tissue paper carnation, you can use your imagination to create exciting and colorful carnation projects. A trip to your local florist and craft store is all you need to get started today.
  
  

Colored Carnations

• To make your own colored carnations, you will need several white carnations, food coloring, water, scissors and cups. Fill each cup with water and food coloring (about 20 to 30 drops for one cup). The more food coloring you use, the greater the effect will be on the flower. Take the scissors and trim the stem at an angle before putting the flowers into the cups. The flowers will "drink" the water, which will make the white flowers turn the color of the water in the cup. These flowers can be used in boutonnieres and in flower arrangements.
  
  

Holiday-Themed Wreath

• Create a holiday-themed wreath from a wire wreath base, several colored carnations, craft wire or hot glue, greenery (artificial or fresh ivies) and holiday-themed plastic items, such as plastic Easter eggs or Christmas toys. If you are making an Easter wreath, hot glue or wire light pastel-colored carnations, plastic Easter eggs and greenery to the wreath base. For a Christmas wreath, use red, white and green flowers, greenery and plastic Christmas-themed toys. Small plastic tubes that hold water for flower stems are available at many craft stores. You can attach these tubes to each carnation stem to make them last longer. Hang your wreath and enjoy.
  
  

Flower Arrangement

• Just as you can make a wreath to fit any occasion, you can do the same with an arrangement. For Christmas, place several red and green carnations in a glass vase and tie a Christmas-themed ribbon around the vase. Alternately, you can make a Valentine's Day bouquet with red, pink and white carnations in a vase. Tie red and pink ribbon around the vase as added decoration.
  
  

Tissue Paper Colored Carnations

• Make tissue paper carnations with several sheets of colored tissue paper, green pipe cleaners and scissors. Start by laying the tissue paper out flat and folding it inward like a fan. Once you have the paper completely folded, take the end of a green pipe cleaner and tie it around the tissue paper in the middle. Leave one end of the pipe cleaner hanging, as this will be the flower's stem. Use scissors to trim the ends of the tissue paper to your desired length. Pull the tissue paper toward the middle one sheet at a time, working from left to right, to form the flower. Arrange the flowers in a vase.