A Bunch for the Weekend - # 96 - Cyclamen, Pittosporum and Holly

In this week's 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring Cyclamen, Pittosporum and Holly. It's still midwinter and cut flowers can be difficult to get hold of. So I'm not exactly featuring cut flowers but a version of such..... 

I just wanted to show that flower arrangement doesn't always have to be cut flowers in bright colours. 

 It's always a pleasure and lots of fun to buy a bunch of flowers for the weekend and this series of blog posts, called 'A Bunch for the Weekend, I will show you how you can make quick and easy flower arrangements for your home. 

Buy the flowers where it's convenient and easy for you whether that is from a flower stall, farmers' market, the supermarket or a florist. 

Always try to buy seasonal flowers - they will last longer and they will be a lot cheaper.

Make sure you condition the flowers as soon as you get home. Remove any foliage that will end up below the waterline in the vase. Trim the ends of the stems at an angle and put in fresh water as soon as possible.

The cyclamens I got as a Christmas present. A huge pot that has been happily flowering away; opening up several flowers every day. So I decided to cut a few and put them in water - where they are still flowering.

The second plant is an unusual Pittosporum called Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' - a small shrub with foliage flushed with bronze. The foliage changes colour as it matures. 

I planted it not that long ago in our front garden and I had no intention of pruning it yet. Well, we had a parcel delivery where the guy dropped one of the parcels right on top of the shrub and broke on of the stems. So I had to tidy it up and decided to use the cut stems in an arrangement instead of putting it on the compost heap.  

The third plant is some holly foliage that I got a week before Christmas and it has been sitting outside in the cold so it still looks nice and fresh.

For the four little arrangements I have used laboratory beakers and measuring jars - all bought at on of the many antique markets in London for very little money. 

The three colorful Iittala candle holder has quickly become my favourite candle holders. The knobbly surface reflects the light in such a beautiful way. Also a Christmas present. 

Adding a few little props for colour, texture and variation - a narrow brown satin ribbon, a 2 kg weight from my grandfather's shop back in Sweden and a few type letters the same colour as the ribbon.

I have used flowers and foliage that I already had in or around the house to make up a group of arrangements showing simplicity in colour but still with visual variation and interest.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral weekend!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Sunday with another Florets - a floral quote by someone passionate about flowers. I'll see you back here then.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

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P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I have just over 200 boards all relating to flowers, flower styling and flower arranging. There are boards on individual flowers and shows how to arrange them. Other boards show different ways of using vases and containers. Simply click on the link below and it will take you straight there.

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Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year!

Gott Nytt År!

I would like to wish everybody a creative and inspiring 2017!

I also like to thank all of you who has visited my blog and all of you who has made kind, supportive, fun and encouraging comments - I have loved reading them all - thank you so much.

Many floral hugs for the new year!

See you soon.

xoxo Ingrid

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 94 - Paperwhites

In this week's 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring another winter arrangement. This time it's a white theme - white paperwhites with some contrasting grey-green foliage and lots of very subtle textures from linen fabrics, yarn and glass.

It's always a pleasure and lots of fun to buy a bunch of flowers for the weekend and this series of blog posts, called 'A Bunch for the Weekend, I will show you how you can make quick and easy flower arrangements for your home. 

Buy the flowers where it's convenient and easy for you whether that is from a flower stall, farmers' market, the supermarket or a florist. 

Always try to buy seasonal flowers - they will last longer and they will be a lot cheaper.

Make sure you condition the flowers as soon as you get home. Remove any foliage that will end up below the waterline in the vase. Trim the ends of the stems at an angle and put in fresh water as soon as possible.

Paperwhites are such a welcome addition and works so well as a contrast to all the bright colours at this time of year. The colour is sparkling white with a yellow centre and the delicate petals form a star shaped flower. They are also heavenly scented and brings joy to a quiet month on the flower front.

The beautiful bunch of paperwhite flowers are UK grown by Cel Robertson on her organic flower farm Forever Green Flower Company in Norfolk.   

Eucalyptus foliage is another perfect Christmas plant - mix it with almost any flower, used on it's own or mixed with other foliage in garland or wreaths. 

The Iittala candle holder is an old favourite of mine and while growing up in Sweden I remembering loving all the Finnish design - so much more bold and daring than the rest of the world.

This Iittala votive holder was first designed in 1964 by the Finnish designer Oiva Toikka and he called it Kastehelmi - that translates into 'dewdrops'. It's pressed glass and the pattern of droplets makes the candle light play on the surface.

The three skeins of yarn is ecologically grown and Faitrade Pakucho cotton - sold by a company in Sweden called Alpaca Of Sweden.

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral weekend!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Sunday with another Florets - a floral quote by someone passionate about flowers. I'll see you back here then.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]

P. S. Did you know that you can subscribe to receive a notification via email whenever I have a new blog post. Just fill in your email address at the top of my blog on the right.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

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Tiny Blooms - # 16 - Pink Wild Carrot

This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems in each container. It can also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's simple, quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

The white wild carrot is also called Queen Anne's Lace and the Latin name is Daucus carota. This is a pink version called 'Dara'.

The wild carrot is a herbaceous biannual - meaning it usually takes two years for it to flower. The wild version grows on wasteland and along hedgerows. 

This one is quite easy to grow in a garden and is great as a cut flower. It has pretty flat flower heads in an unusual shade of pink that is easy to combine with other flowers. You can buy seeds from Plants of Distinction.

I got these flowers from Forever Green Flower Company - a flower farm in Norfolk. Cel Robertson grows these on her farm and mix them in with lots of other flowers in her bouquets.

There are often no or few leaves to remove, just trim the stems and put them in a clean vase or container.

Arrange with other flowers or like here on their own - showing off their special beauty.

I wanted to show off the colour and shape of the flowers and I simply put them in a small clear glass decanter - where I have echoed the round shape in both the decanter, the stopper and the Finnish glass Ittala bowl. 

Simple and elegant! 

Have a Lovely Floral Monday!

I'll be back later in the week with more floral delights from 

Of Spring and Summer.

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

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Tiny Blooms - # 4 - Big White Cyclamen

I'm back with another 'Tiny Blooms' - this series of blog posts are about small arrangements. Small - might be the size of the container or it could be the size of the flowers or the amount of stems in each container. It will also be that the arrangement is minimal both in presentation and that it's quick and easy to do. Apart from that there are no other strict rules - I will allow myself a lot of creative freedom!

This arrangement is one of a few in the month of December - all about inspiration for making a 'Black and White Christmas' - well mostly white with some black additions - and mixing contemporary elements with some vintage. 

As my 'tiny bloom' I have used a potted Cyclamen and I have simply put the plastic pot in a zinc container - to save myself the time to re-pot it.

Two vintage black wooden frames - in the background - frames the white Cyclamen flowers very nicely, some light grey twine, a Finnish Iittala candle holder filled with white, black and silver Christmas tree baubles and a little tea-light finishes off the black and white scene.

So - a super quick and easy 'Tiny Blooms'!

Have a Lovely Floral Day!

I'll see you later in the week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid 

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

Floral Media # 14 My Feature in Gatherings Magazine - black + white florals

This is my feature in the latest issue of Gatherings Magazine. The winter and Christmas issue is always called The White Issue and the theme this year is Celebrate Scandinavia.

I'm the floral stylist on the magazine and a contributing editor.

I'm also very happy to tell you that the above image was the cover of the magazine.

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black + white florals

Eucalyptus berries have a wonderful texture and colour and works brilliantly in a white setting. I have continued with more texture and used an interesting ceramic vase designed by the Swedish artist Bertil Vallien in the 1960's. 

The votive candle holder is from the Finnish company Iittala. It'is called Kastehelmi, the Finnish for 'dewdrops' and refers to the bubbles in the glass. 

The cushion in the background is made from vintage French linen and has a beautifully monogrammed 'E' on the front panel. A seasonal little parcel and bauble complete the picture.

  

The Viburnum tinus has small round almost black berries and the Symporcarpus or Snowberries has bigger plump round white berries or fruits. With the stems cut very short i have used little white vases with black drawings called Caramba, designed by the Swedish glass artist Ulrica Hydman Vallien for the glass factory Kosta Boda in the 1980's.

Snowberries are very versatile and can be used with their stems cut short and used in small vases or left long and used in large arrangements. I have also seen them used stripped of all their leaves giving them a dramatic look with pure white berries on dark stems. Combine them as here with a votive candle and a little wrapped present.
Ribbon is from Jane Means collection.

"Five Gold Rings" just like the words in the Christmas song 12 Days of Christmas - the five gold rings in this case are two kinds of Swedish brass curtain rings; I have added some extra seasonal sparkle with gold glitter twine and a vintage Christmas bauble.

Candles and candle holders are very much part of Swedish interiors adding a sense of warmth during the long, dark, cold winters. Here are four black wrought iron candle holders with tall, slim white candles. For the holiday season I have mixed them with vases of seasonal berries, vintage Christmas tree baubles and a little Christmas present wrapped with white tissue paper and bakers's twine.

Scandinavians often combine the modern with antiques in unusual and clever ways and they take pride in their heritage and traditions. Here are some antique cups with gold decorations and some vintage Christmas tree baubles on a pile of antique psalm books. Both the cups and the psalm books are heirlooms passed down through several generations.

  
A white on white theme - white Gypsophila or Baby's Breath in a white vase with ridges, five silver coloured baubles on a white fabric and a white painted wooden background - simple and effective.

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Gatherings Magazine is available in both printed and digital versions from here.

[Styling and photography: © Ingrid Henningsson for Gatherings Magazine.]

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Have a Lovely Floral Day!

Back soon!

xoxo Ingrid