FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Say it with Flowers!

The theme for this week's FLOWERS is 'Say It With Flowers'. We often associate certain flowers with a particular meaning. Roses with love, Lily-of-the-valley with return of happiness, violets with innocence and so the list goes on. This was something that was very popular in Victorian times. 

We still sometimes use flowers this way but today we choose more whether it's a happy or a sad occasion. In early spring we might buy daffodils to cheer us up because we relate daffodils with springtime, sun and a new beginning. Later in the spring we will buy tulips that we often look at as a happy flower. Lilies on the other hand a lot of people associate with sadness. 

BUT I have chosen to do something different. I picked three white but very different flowers - Gypsophila, Gladiolus and Stock. Instead of looking at flowers having a meaning - I'm looking at flowers and how you can very, very simply style them in different ways.

I have used the same flowers in two different ways by adding a selection of props. Sometimes I'm using the same vase or container other times a different vase.

In the first image of each flower it's a vintage look in the second it's more of a contemporary look.

The whole colour scheme is very simple - it's white with a few touches of black.

I have added a mix of black and white contemporary fabrics, white napkins, white vintage enamelled jars from France, vintage lace, a Finnish glass bowl and vase, old books, a vintage funnel and a bowl with vintage dice and curtain rings.

I wanted to show how you can make the same flowers look good in different environments by simply changing the styling using vintage or contemporary fabrics and other props. 

If you go over to Titti's blog you can see her interpretation of this week's theme. Here is the link to her blog. 

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a lovely floral Friday!

Titti and I will be back later in June with some more FLOWERS with a new and interesting theme.

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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Welcome to the Month of May!

It's the beginning of May, one of the prettiest months of the year here in the UK. The flower stalls are full of spring flowers in every colour imaginable. 

I could'n believe my luck when I found these beautiful stocks and sweet peas in almost the same delicate light purple or mauve colour. 

The sweet pea petals are almost translucent and together with the stocks the two flowers create this kind of frothy mass of irresistible beauty. 

In my garden I grow a perennial called Polemonium 'Lambrook Mauve' and it turned out to be a perfect match with the two other flowers. The common name for it is Jacob's ladder. Its a great ground-cover that in my garden, here in London, is evergreen and the bell-shaped little flowers is a welcome sight every year. 

For this delicately coloured bouquet I have kept the background as well as all the vintage props white or off-white. I just wanted the flowers to stand out and give them center of attention.

If you go over to Titti's blog you can see her interpretation of this weeks theme. Here is the link to her blog. 

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a lovely floral day!

Titti and I will be back later in May with another FLOWERS and a new theme.

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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Floral Sweeties

Spring is in progress and we'll see more and more colour. This weeks theme for FLOWERS is called 'Floral Sweeties'. Both Titti and I love flowers and we both love colour.

This bunch of very bright tulips is like a mixed bag of colourful sweets.  In it are red, yellow, orange and purple flowers of about 5-7 of each colour.

I used an old favourite vase from Sweden in a very neutral colour. I removed any broken or bruised leaves - but left one or two leaves on each flower as I wanted it to look full and generous.

Always cut the ends as soon as you get the flowers home and put them straight in water. They are going to need a good drink after having been out of water for a while.

I made a collage of lots of colourful fabric swatches with dots and chevron patterns. My daughter found them and gave them to me a while ago. She thought I would like them and be able to use them as props and this was the perfect opportunity. The fabrics are all in bright colours just like the flowers.

I stuck the fabrics on the background with washi tape. That Japanese paper tape that was so popular a few years ago. Using this kind of tape means I can easily take the collage apart and use the fabrics again.

Working on this post made me realize how much I love colour and that they make me happy. All kinds of colours - strong, bright colours as well as more muted pastels.

I think I will remember this post as 'My Happy Post'!  

I know spring has arrived in the south of Sweden too - were Titti lives - I can't wait to see what she's going to show us this time. Here is the link to her blog. 

Have a lovely floral day!

We'll be back next month with a new theme and another 'FLOWERS'. Before that I'll see you soon.

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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Spring is in the Air!

Yes, spring is definitely in the air here in London! Titti and I thought it would be a suitable theme for this weeks FLOWERS.

To capture the feeling of spring with flowers is not difficult at this time of year - flowers are in abundance and the colours are fabulous.

For this spring bouquet I have used white and pink tulips, some ranunculus in a couple of different pink shades and for green foliage a small leafed eucalyptus. 

I also made a second mini arrangement in a very small watering can - four ranunculus with a few little sprigs of eucalyptus and some raffia to hold it all together - just leaning to one side. A charming way to display a tiny arrangement. 

The large container is a zinc florist bucket that I have had for many years and it's still in use almost every day. Talk about good value for money!

The big arrangement is made straight in the container and I have grouped a few of the same flower together to prevent the flowers looking like dots.  

The piece of floral fabric that I'm using as a tablecloth picks up the pink and green colours in the flowers. A quick and easy way to make a base for the arrangement and to blend and tie it all together.

I think spring has arrived in the south of Sweden too - were Titti lives - I can't wait to see what spring-like flowers she has to show us. Here is the link to her blog. 

Have a lovely floral day!

We'll be back later in the month with another 'FLOWERS' -also with a spring theme. Before that I'll see you later in the week.

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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - A Floral Easter!

Daffodils is a classic spring flower and will often flower around the time of Easter. The bright yellow colour is a welcome sight in any garden or park. 

This daffodil that I have used here is one called Narcissus Tête-À-Tête and its only about 20 cm tall. Small and very sweet and perfect for using as single stems in any small vase or container.

I have a collection of clear glass bottles - from as small as 5 cm to quite tall ones. Some are new but most of them are vintage often picked up in charity stores or flea-markets for very little money. 

Some have company names embossed in the glass, others are old perfume bottles and some have worn labels on the side.

When I cut the flowers in my garden I made sure I cut the stem as long as possible. The flowers are not very tall and to get the right proportions you want to have the flexibility to pair up the right size flower with the right size bottle. 

Start by putting the flowers with the longest stems in the taller bottles. Match the other stems to shorter bottles and vary the height of the flowers so that there is variation in each container.

In this case I have put most of the bottles on a little white painted footstool with a vintage metal bird my son gave me for Mother's Day.

This kind of flower arrangement can go down the middle of your Easter table or gather the collection on a tray and place it on a side table. Small bottles like these are charming on a bedside table in the guest bedroom or on a coffee table.

Pick some daffodils from your garden and dig out some bottles and make little arrangements - what could be easier!

Titti over on HWIT BLOGG is also  doing a floral Easter theme - so go over and see what she is up to.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a wonderful floral Friday and a very Happy Easter!

I'll see you on Sunday with another Florets - a floral quote from someone passionate about flowers.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - White Flowers for the Table

The theme for this weeks FLOWERS - is 'White Flowers for the Table'. I decided to do a table setting using the two key words in the theme as inspiration - white and table. So I gathered together a whole lot of different white objects, some clear glass as well as the added touches of silver and green.

The flowers I'm using are all white - roses, parrot tulips and hyacinths - even though the flowers are white there are a lot of added green in them - buds, stalks, leaves and multi-coloured petals. 

I put everything out on a table just to see what it all looked like together - white napkins with little black touches, heirloom wine glasses and silver plated cutlery, some small vases, Marimekko tealight holders and IKEA plates. 

An interesting mix of old and new - newly bought or handed down from older generations.  

As a little finishing touch I made a very small bundle of pussy willow and tied it with some natural raffia. I placed it on the napkin next to the cutlery just as a little reminder that spring is soon here!

Below is the final table setting inspired by the theme 'White Flowers for the Table'. 

Easy, quick and simple - with the tealight and the flowers pulling it all together and bringing it to life.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Friday!

Titti over on HWIT BLOGG has also created her version of 'White Flowers for the Table'. So head over to her blog and see her interpretation. 

I will be back next week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid

~ xoxo ~

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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm celebrating Valentine's Day with three floral arrangements - a big mixed bouquet with two different tulips, ranunculus and cherry blossoms. A small arrangement with some rather special and very unusual pink tulips and a tall arrangement with just cherry blossoms on their own.

All three arrangements are just right for Valentine's Day - soft, feminine, pretty and romantic! 

The background in the photographs is a painting that I took off the wall, propped it up behind the flower arrangements and in the process I turned it sideways. I liked the contrast but also how some colours were matching - but I'm not sure the artist would be pleased with me turning her painting around!

The small arrangement with the very pretty pink and white tulips is quick and easy. The stems are cut very short and put in a small container in a contrasting colour. Cut the stems at slightly different lengths so they splay out a bit and don't end up standing straight up. 

Double tulips also called peony tulips are so stunningly beautiful - they almost take your breath away. 


One of my favorites is a pink one called Angelique others with great names are Lilac Perfection, May Wonder, Carnaval de Nice and there is a white one called Mount Tacoma.  

This spring try to find some branches with flowering blossoms. Bring them indoors - help them along by making two cuts at the bottom of the stems - one sharp diagonal and one vertical up the stem. This is to allow as much water as possible to be absorbed and help the buds to open.

If the buds are tightly closed you can help them along to open up by putting them in warm water and in a bright but not too hot place.
Cherry blossoms can be a bit tricky - the flowers are fragile and will quite easily fall apart if knocked by mistake - but once you have arranged them and they have happily started to open their flowers are just stunning. 

Oh, the delights of spring and the wonders of nature. 

Enjoy your flower arranging! 
   

My Swedish collaborator Titti Malmberg over on HWIT BLOGG is also celebrating Valentine's Day - so go over and have a look at her interpretation.

Have a fabulously Happy Valentine's Day! - and I will see you next week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid

~ xoxo ~ 

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

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