Creative with Flowers - # 42 - Pale Purple Sweet Peas

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' - I'm featuring Sweet Peas surrounded with props in similar colours.

This is a little "statement" that I add to the post - briefly explaining my thinking behind the posts:

"This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in new and creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As always my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!"

Sweet Peas or Lathyrus odoratus as they are also called - is a favourite summer flower. They do not have a long vase life - BUT their beauty and scent makes up for that.

The botanical name comes from the Greek lathyros for pea or pulse and odoratus for fragrant. Simply - 'fragrant pea' so a perfect name for the little flower.

I painted the small vintage shelf the other day - it used to be dark brown - really too dark to work as a prop - this lighter colour is much better. 

I love the little cup made by the Swedish potter Lotta Zerrander. I always visit her studio, workshop and gallery, out in the countryside, whenever I'm in Sweden.

The lovely cake tin is also from Sweden - bought in an antique shop in the part of south-east corner of  Sweden called Österlen. 

Sweet Peas are lovely just on their own but can also be mixed with Alchemilla mollis, Nigella or Scabiosa. Or try them with other delicate summer flowers.

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back on Friday with another 'A Bunch for the Weekend'. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you here then - a new post bright and early first thing in the morning. As usual a new colourful flower arrangement made with fresh flowers.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: Pale mauve Sweet Peas - from my favourite local street flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: A vintage glass jar - from one of the many London antique markets. 

[Other props: A vintage painted wooden shelf, a white and light purple patterned fabric, a cup by the potter Lotta Zerrander based in Sweden, a vintage cake form and three vintage cream ware jars - all from stylist's own prop collection.]

[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.

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I now have just over 12 000 followers and around 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.

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 109 - Mauve Sweet Peas

It's time to do a little bit of planning for the weekend and to buy some flowers is ALWAYS a good idea! 

Hello, that is why I do this blog series called 'A Bunch for the Weekend'.......

Here is a little "statement" that I add - to briefly explain my thinking behind these particular posts:

"It's always a pleasure and lots of fun to buy a bunch of flowers for the weekend and in 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, easy and most affordable 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."

I always feel that there is something very special about sweet peas. 

The ruffled shape of the petals, the almost endless range of colours and their intense sweet scent - are some of the reasons for these flowers being so popular. 

I have simply put twenty stems of of sweet peas all the same colour in a vintage French Pernod glass bottle. I found the bottle at a car boot sale in Suffolk a couple of years ago. I love the texture and the shape of the bottle.

All I had to do before putting them in the glass container was to trim the stems - so very quick and easy!  

I borrowed three sea urchin shells from my daughter. They match the colour of the flower petals perfectly. The very thin muslin adds some interesting texture to the image.

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 morning with another 'Florets - a new floral quote by someone passionate about flowers. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you back here then.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: Pale mauve sweet peas from my favourite local street flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: A vintage French cafe Pernod glass bottle - bought at a car boot sale in Suffolk.]

[Other props: A vintage basket, a cup made by the Swedish potter Lotta Zerrander, three sea urchin shells and some muslin fabric - all from stylist's own prop collection.]

[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.

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I now have just over 12 000 followers and around 200 boards all relating to flowers, flower styling and flower arranging. There are boards on individual flowers and boards showing how to arrange flowers. Other boards show different ways of using vases and containers. Simply click on the link below and it will take you straight there.

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Florets - Floral Quote - # 147 - by Ingrid Carlozzi

'Florets - Floral Quote' is a series of blog posts where I feature quotes by authors - mostly well known - but you will also find some obscure ones.

All of them have written one or several books about flowers, gardening, interior styling or interior design. Many are experts in their field but what is the most important is that they are all passionate about flowers.

I love books and in my ever growing library I look for quotes that I hope will be both helpful and useful while arranging and styling flowers.  

"Almost anything with an opening can be used as a vase: a tin can, an eggcup, a beer bottle, a wooden crate - anything! I love objects with history and patina. Rust and verdigris add such an amazing contrast to freshly cut flowers.

As long as a vase is functional, I can make it pretty, and if an urn is leaking from the bottom, I place a plastic container inside. I try whenever I can to avoid buying the typical florist vases we often see at events. I find them uninspiring to work with and an unnecessary expense. For me, the container is almost as important as the flowers that go in it. Vintage vases have a history. They have lived and traveled, and I love to think of those journeys as I fill them with flowers."

~ Ingrid Carozzi ~ 

[Ingrid Carozzi: Canadian/Swedish, Brooklyn based florist, founder of Tin Can Studios in Brooklyn; and author of Handpicked - Simple, Sustainable, and Seasonal Flower Arrangements.]

[Quote from: Handpicked by Ingrid Carozzi, 2017.]

[Flowers: White double daffodils from my favourite local farmer's market flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: Blue French polisher's polish jar from stylist's own prop collection.]

[Other props: Vintage large glass bottle, vintage blue basket and cup by Lotta Zerrander - all from stylist's own prop collection.]

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

*******

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I will be back tomorrow - Monday morning - with another 'Tiny Blooms'. Tiny but beautiful......!

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

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.

*****

P. S. If you are looking for more floral inspiration you can go over and have a look at my Pinterest boards. I now have just over 12 000 followers and around 200 boards - all relating to flowers, floral 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.

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Happy Valentine's Day!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous and floral Valentine's Day!

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer' - I look forward to seeing you tomorrow - when I'll be back with more floral delights.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: 10 tulip stems from my local flower stall. Cut very short, leaving very little foliage then packed tightly into the cup.]

[Vase/Container: Ceramic cup by Lotta Zerrander, Swedish potter.]

[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.

*****

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, floral 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.

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Creative with Flowers - # 27 - Pink Tulips

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' - I'm featuring a bunch of bright pink double tulips. A great flower for this time of year especially if you don't keep them too warm.

This series of blog posts - called 'Creative with Flowers' - are about using flowers in new and creative ways. It could be about how the flowers are combined - maybe in a little bit of an unusual way. It might be the choice of vase - maybe not a vase at all but a container that could be anything from jugs, bottles, jars, tins or teapots - vintage or new it doesn't matter. 

As always my arrangements will be quick and easy - and there will always be lots and lots of colour!

The two main colours in the colour scheme are pink and blue with a bit of grey mixed in. There are also a mixture of vintage and new. Contemporary with just a small selection of old antiques. 

Tulips will last longer if you are able to put them somewhere cool at night and during the day in the house keep them away from radiators, fires, electronics that generate heat and out of the sun.

The small cups that I'm using as candle holders for some tea-lights are by the Swedish potter Lotta Zerrander. Whenever I'm in Sweden I always visit her workshop in the south of Sweden in an area called Österlen. In conjunction to her home and workshop she also has a shop and a beautiful gallery. It's all converted from an old Swedish farm that is lovely and very charming.

Not only can you use her little cups as candle holders but also as cups for tea or coffee or at this time of year for hot glögg. I also often use them as vases for small bunches of flowers.

Tulips continue to grow after they are cut, so to allow for the change in height you can cut the stems a bit shorter than you would normally do. Then just enjoy the growth and seeing the flowers opening up is a pleasure to watch.

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

Thank you for visiting 'Of Spring and Summer'. I will be back later in the week with more floral delights. I'll see you 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 and an email will come right into your inbox.

For more floral inspiration you can follow me on:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 90 - Pink Hydrangea II

In this week's A Bunch for the Weekend I'm using the same Hydrangea flowers as in last Wednesday's blog post.

Only this time using a different vase and I'm also using a lot of dark and moody 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, 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 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.

I'm using the same stunningly beautiful pink and light blue Hydrangea blossoms as in my last blog post. I wanted to do something different but using the same flowers so instead of using matching colours, clear glass and keeping the feeling light and fresh. 

This time I have gone dark, very dark by using a lot of black. I wanted to create a dark and moody feel to the whole arrangement.

The only things that are not black are the flowers, the foliage and the big vase. 

As a background I have used a large cushion with a textured black fabric and leaning against is is a vintage small black picture frame. 

The fabric I have used as a tablecloth is black ikat fabric from Mexico.

The big white vase is from a local charity store - a frequent source for many of my vases and containers. When I need a change I often donate them back to the charity stores in my neighbourhood.  

The black metal plate with the funny curved knife is a present from my mother-in-law. Scattered on the plate and to the side is a selection of vintage buttons, beads and belt buckles.

The black little cup/vase with white lines is by a wonderful Swedish potter called Lotta Zerrander who lives and works in an area called Österlen, a beautiful part 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. 

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:

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - # 6 - Sweet Pees

This time 'Do-It-Yourself  Flower Tips and Inspiration' is all about scented Sweet Peas.

• A lot of people grow their own sweet peas in their garden or allotments but nowadays you can also buy this pretty flower at farmers' markets or floral street sellers.
• When you buy them look for flower stems where the top flower show colour.
• The flowers at the base die first so look out for any limp or dying flowers.
• Stand in shallow water as hairs on the stem cause water to creep upwards and could encourage botrytis (grey mould).
• Sweet Peas are very sensitive to ethylene gas - so don't put them next to a bowl of fruit!
• Change water every other day, re-cut stems and place in clean, fresh shallow water.
• Sweet Peas are a favourite summer flower they come in many, many different colours - white, cream, pale blue, lilac, purple, pale pink, cerise pink, burgundy as well as multi-coloured.
• Sweet peas are glorious when mixed together en masse in all kinds of different colours.
• Weather you grow them yourself or you buy a bunch - for the next few months is the time to enjoy this irresistible beauty!    

The pretty blue cup by Swedish potter Lotta Zerrander - who lives and works in Österlen in the south of Sweden.

The adorable little acrylic teaspoons are from the French company Sabre Paris.

Have a Great Floral Day!

I'll see you later in the week with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer]
[Cup by Lotta Zerrander.]
[Spoons from Sabre Paris.]


You can also find me on:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson

Tiny Blooms - # 15 - Sweet Peas

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!

There are no leaves to remove, just trim the stems and put in a vase or container with cold water.

Sweet peas flowers are so beautiful and look absolutely gorgeous simply arranged on their own.

Mix different colours together or like here where I have just used one colour.

That is all you need to do!! What could be simpler?

Have a Lovely Floral Monday!

I'll see you later in the week with more Do-It-Yourself flowers from 'Of Spring and Summer'. 

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid 

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer.]
[Cups by Lotta Zerrander.]

You can also find me on:

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/ofspringsummer/

Instagram - https://instagram.com/ofspringandsummer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ingrid.henningsson