July 20th, 2010
Another way to include the colorful packaging of a beautiful bouquet in your floral design is to cut circles or squares from the wrapping and place them under your arrangement. The packaging can act as a coaster and as an added element of color in your display like this small circle of lime green plastic wrapping.
To make the arrangement shown here:
- Three alstromeria lilies were banded together to form a grid in the bowl.
- Foliages were cut short and filled in around the bowl between the alstromeria stems.
- Then the rest of the blooms were cut and placed between the initial insertions of alstromeria.
- One carnation was placed at the top of the flowers to add a little height.
It is a simple little arrangement – easily made with just 1/3 of a big beautiful bouquet. And, when it gets moved to a table it will have its own colorful coaster (thanks to its packaging) to sit on.
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July 16th, 2010
Tosin’s next three designs were made from portions of one bouquet. Any good sized bouquet can be split up, used in multiple mini arrangements, and distributed around your house – or shared with others.
We covered a tumbler with bands of color cut from the bouquet sleeves (another way to keep the color from the pretty packaging) and put pebbles in the bottom of the glass to hold the flowers in place.
Pussy willow branches were gathered from the garden, placed in the tumbler, and tied off with a ribbon to create a backdrop for the little design.
Foliages from the bouquet were cut short and placed vertically in the glass to cover the view of the opening.
The pink gerbera daisies were cut and put in place and the white daisies were placed around and in-between them – all with as vertical an insertion as Tosin could master.
This is a nice accent piece for a small space and will last a long time because the stems are cut so short.
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July 15th, 2010
During our private lesson “Just for Fun” design session last month Tosin worked with three of the same mixed bouquet. One of the advantages to using the same bouquet is that once you have played with one you are familiar with its contents so day-dreaming your next arrangement comes easily.
For her second design we cut the largest circle of color we could get from the bouquet sleeve, placed it in a clear bowl, and held it in place with some polished stones. It’s just another way to use the bouquet sleeve to add color to your design. If you were using a big colorful salad bowl or tureen you could skip the liner and stones.
Then we created a mesh armature from a 14” square of chicken wire by turning the raw edges towards the middle and molding it into a flattened ball shape structure.
Tosin was instructed to weave her foliages through the mesh keeping them low and making sure the ends were submerged in water so they could drink. Once she finished placing her greens around the bowl and through the center you could hardly see the mechanics of the design – just the lime green color of the sleeve showing through the clear bowl.
Tosin was then instructed to handle the flowers starting from the largest to the smallest blooms – cutting them short, placing them between the foliages, around the bowl, and throughout her design – keeping a balance of size, color, and texture with each insertion.
She decided to use the tiniest button mum blooms all together as a unit in the center of the design rather than dispersing them throughout the design. Not bad for a first run at this styling technique.
Because these flowers are being held loosely by the chicken wire armature adjustments can be made easily as the flowers open up, stretch, turn, and grow toward the sunlight.
I am reminded of a favorite quote from Anne Morrow Lindbergh: “Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day – like writing a poem or saying a prayer”.
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June 15th, 2010
Another advantage to sorting your flowers into a Styling Vase before you arrange them is that you’ll see the balance of color left once the decorative packaging is removed from the bouquet. Lots of times the packaging is as attractive as the flowers. In those cases you’ll want to use packaging if you can.
Bouquet Packaging Decorates Vase
For Tosin’s private lesson class we used bouquets that had fiber and cellophane wrappings (see the previous entry). So for her first arrangement we covered a ginger jar shaped vase with the square piece of hot pink fiber and tied it off at the lip with a piece of lime green ribbon so she wouldn’t loose the colors from her bouquet. The vase was then filled with preservative water.
I instructed my student to cut her three alstromeria lilies to the same length and place them into the vase crisscrossing them into position. From there she was to place the rest of her flowers into the vase, in compartments of three, using the initial three insertions as a guide, and working from the largest blooms to the smallest blooms – until all her flowers were used. She was told to keep a balance of color, texture, and weight in mind as she styled.
The hardest thing for her to remember was to spin the vase with each insertion so the arrangement would look nice from all directions. People have the tendency to keep adding flowers into one spot until they are happy with the way that area looks. And then they wonder how to complete the rest of the arrangement. They don’t know what to do with the rest of the area or with the rest of the flowers once they have a section done.
Student's First Arrangement
By working largest to smallest bloom, using all of each type of flower, and by spinning the arrangement in the same direction with each insertion its easy to balance the whole design and use all the flowers and you’ll have a formula that will guide you through almost every project.
This is Tosin’s finished first piece. What do you think?
Posted in Arranging Flowers, Busy Moms, Summer, Using Flowers | 2 Comments »
June 12th, 2010
Even though they’ve been designed with all their pretty faces showing, it’s hard to tell what is actually IN any mixed bouquet you buy. So, I always recommend getting two of the same mixed bouquets – they are pretty cost effective. And, one usually leaves me just wishing for more anyway … one more focal flower, one more of “that” color, or one more little arrangement to accent a larger one – or give away to a friend.
There's More Than Meets the Eye
When you are ready to design carefully remove the wrappings from the bouquets and put them aside. Then separate all the flowers and foliages from the bouquets, sorting them into groups of the same, and take inventory of what you have. Re-cut the ends of the not-to-be-used-at-this–time flowers and foliage and put them back into your Holding Station.
Having a Styling Vase handy allows you to keep the flowers and foliage that you are going to use organized, separated into their groups, and drinking while you prepare to style. And, it shows you a lot about the flowers you’ve just purchased.
Styling Vase - work vase, utility vase
Snip the ends of your flowers and place them into the vase. You’ll be able to see which are the tallest, largest, most vibrant, heaviest, lightest … in other words, you’ll get a feel for how they will lay in a design and interact with one another before you begin to arrange them.
And, now that you know what you have to work with you can begin to dream your design into being and gather the containers, tools, equipment, or enhancements you need to style your flowers to perfection.
Posted in Arranging Flowers, Busy Moms, Buying Flowers, Living with Flowers, Making Flowers Last, Uncategorized, Using Flowers | 1 Comment »
June 9th, 2010
I had a “Private Lesson -Just for Fun” student in the studio this weekend and the first thing we talked about was having a Flower Holding Station in her home so she can spontaneously purchase flowers that catch her eye whenever and wherever she finds them.
Tosin's Flower Holding Station
This is an easy Flower Holding Station for anyone to keep on hand. It’s simple plastic trash can that can be put aside for the fresh cut flowers purchased while you are out and about. Just rinse it out before each use and fill it with a few inches of water. Then “chop & drop” the flowers into water – keeping them safe and happy – until you decide how you will style and arrange them into perfection.
Any large plastic, glass, or ceramic container that can be tucked out of your way while you are not using it will do. More decorative containers can be left empty in the room awaiting the fresh cut blooms that will enhance the decor in their raw (un-arranged) state.
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June 4th, 2010
Summer is already here in Maryland – 90 degrees yesterday. While I was out and about I noticed the farmers are already offering flowers at the market – local peonies, iris, and flowering herbs. There’s something special about local floral produce, it’s a little more innocent looking, a little more pure than commercially grown crops.
And the scarcity (small window of time available) makes enjoying local flowers feel a little more luxurious. But, you never know what local floral produce you’ll find at the farmers market or the flower shop so prepare a “Holding Station” in your home or office (see picture above) so you can grab what you see when you see it.
A holding station is a designated bucket or big vase placed in the coolest, darkest, most out of the way place – that can be filled with water so your floral purchases can be “chopped and dropped” (cut and placed) for safe keeping until you are ready to style, design, and play with them. You’ll find examples, pictures, and descriptions of “Holding Stations” in the Flower Godmother’s FREE Tip-Sheets accessed by joining the Flowerhandlers Community (www.FlowerArrangingTips.com or upper right hand corner of this page).
Whether you are a busy mom, a stressed out professional, or a hectic home maker, a simple flower holding station will allow you to spontaneously purchase and then bask in few moments of innocence and purity while you style and gaze upon the beautiful blooms that your local farmers have to offer this summer season. Enjoy!
Posted in Busy Moms, Buying Flowers, Flower Resources, LOVING FLOWERS, Living with Flowers, SEASONS & CYCLES, Summer | 1 Comment »
June 2nd, 2010
OMG – Where’d May Go?
I knew I had a busy month lining up but I had no idea it would go by so fast. You now what they say about time flying by when you’re having fun? That was my May 2010.
To start the month I had a private lesson scheduled on the 1st, a 50th birthday party to style for the following week, and a wedding to design on the 15th. Throw in some floral meetings (MAFA on the 16 and IFDA on the 18th), a couple of trips to the wholesalers, and a few family outings – and the whole month was gone – in the blink of an eye!
The good news is I’ve got flower pictures to share with you from the May 2010 events I attended or designed which should inspire your floral projects throughout the summer. I’ll get them sorted and posted asap.
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April 28th, 2010
I’m not a fan of those rules about flowers that say “if mom is alive you give her one color and if she is deceased you give her another color”, nor do I like people being told they have to “understand the language of flowers” (THIS flower means “Love” and THAT flowers means “Happiness”) before they can buy, order, or send flowers to Mom (or anyone else for that matter).
With all due respect to my friends and colleagues who have long lists of guidelines and regulations posted on their websites to help you to make the “right” selection for whatever reason you’re giving flowers I say – “Phooey on the Rules”!
Flowers are unconditional interpreters of emotion.
Any and Every Flower Will Say Whatever You Want with 100 Times the Emotion of Words.
Want to say “I Love You”? Give something beautiful.
Want to say “Thank You”? Offer something bright and happy.
Don’t limit yourself to old customs that were created eons ago, within cultures that don’t exist anymore, in regard to flowers that have come and gone – only to be replaced by more spectacular blooms.
Bask in the freedom of the 21st century, follow your heart, and have fun sharing your love and its full range of emotions through the beauty and wonder of flowers – in all shapes, sizes, colors, textures, and breeds!
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April 26th, 2010
Mother’s Day (May 9th) provides the perfect opportunity for you to let Mom “Discover the Joy of Styling & Arranging Flowers” Herself!
This Mother’s Day you could:
• Give Mom the perfect vase to suit her home along with a selection of fresh cut flowers from her favorite floral retailer.
• Offer the vase and a flower coupon from her favorite floral retailer so she can choose the blooms herself.
• Pre-order bundles, bunches, or bouquets of fresh cut flowers from your favorite floral retailer and have them sent to Mom on a regular basis so she can keep her vase filled throughout the year.
• Sign Mom up for a flower arranging class at your local florist, community college, recreation center, or private design school so she can perfect her skills.
• Bring the flowers to Mom yourself and spend some time styling and arranging them together! Designing flowers is a great way to spend time with Mom.
Just remember to access all the free Do-It-Yourself tips at www.FlowerArrangingTips.com before you begin your projects so you can get organized and enjoy the process that much more!
You can even print and include the pictures, tips, instructions, and care & handling information as part of your floral gift to Mom.
Posted in Living with Flowers, Mothers' Day Flowers | No Comments »
