A Bunch for the Weekend - # 105 - Two Different Carnations

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring two very different carnations - they are long lasting and good value for money. 

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 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 combination of the two words 'carnations' and 'supermarket' doesn't sound too good - does it?

I'm of the opinion that most flowers are beautiful and I also question the belief that all flowers from a supermarket are 'bad' flowers.   

Well, how bad can they be? I have to admit that not all mixed bunches have good combinations of flowers in them. But flowers are only really bad if they have been neglected and are ready for the compost heap.

Supermarket flowers are often quite fresh and have 'best before' dates on the packaging. Yes, they often come from far away - Africa or South America and a lot of people question that fact and are keen on buying locally grown flowers instead.   

Carnations or Dianthus as they are also called and the smaller type of carnations are called spray carnations with several flowers on each stem.

They are very long lasting - can last for up to three weeks if well looked after.

I bought two different coloured carnations - two bunches of each. One deep red and one off-white with speckles and coloured edgings in the same colour as the solid coloured one. 

I used an off-white charity store vase, a few simple tealight holders and some fun baker's twine in different colours. 

I have chosen to just simply mix the two colours in quite a big neutral vase and I have kept the stems as long as possible to achieve a little bit of height.

I wanted these simple flowers to be centre stage - so I have kept everything around them very simple apart from the black and red baker's twine.

Always look out for simple flowers weather they are from the supermarket or from a farmers' market.

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 ~

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

[Flowers: Carnations/Dianthus in two different colours. Flowers from a local supermarket in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: A vintage off-white vase with interesting geometric pattern on the sides. Found it in a local charity store and bought for very little money.]

[Other props: From stylist's own prop collection.]

*****

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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 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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 71 - Scented Stock and Spray Carnations

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring some scented stock flowers and spray carnations.

The stock is a mix of three pink and purple colours and when you buy it it has the charming name of Rainbow Stock on the label.

The spray carnations also come as a mixed bunch of three different pink colours. I only used two in this instance - I thought the third pink clashed with the other pink as it had too much orange in it - so I left it out. 

I made the bunch to bring to a dinner party - so I wanted to make a hand-tied and wrapped bouquet.

I bought the flowers the day before  and after conditioning I left them outside during the day. I brought them inside at night as I didn't want to risk any frost damage.

A hand-tied bunch is a way of assembling the flowers into a bunch by holding the flowers in one hand and adding flowers with the other hand - one by one. When adding you add each flower at an angle crossing the other stems - so that the stem create a spiral and the stems at the bottom will splay out. You also need to turn the bunch every so often to make a varied and harmonious bouquet. 

Once you have added all the flowers you need to tie the bunch at the binding point - the point where you crossed the stems. I like to use raffia - it's a natural product and it always looks nice.

Did that sound difficult and complicated? Well, it takes a bit of practice and like riding a bike - once you know how to do it - that's it - you are off!

As I was giving the bouquet away I wanted to wrap the flowers. I used two different coloured tissue paper - close to the colours of the flowers - and some clear cellophane with little white dots. I folded the paper at an angle so that two corners of each piece of paper created two points at the top. Place all the different layers of paper - with the tissue paper inside the cellophane on a table and place the bouquet in the middle. From the binding-point start wrapping all the layers of paper around the bouquet - a bit of scrunching is necessary and secure with adhesive tape. 

As a finishing touch add a pretty ribbon and you are ready to go!

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

I will be back on Sunday with another Florets - a floral quote by someone who has a passion for flowers.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Ribbon from Jane Means' Ribbon Collection.]

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

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Flowers of the Month - May 2015

2 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Tulipa 'Orca' - Orange Double Tulip

It's the end of May and I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm featuring all the different flowers and floral arrangements I have posted during May.

The title of the post under the image - is also a link to the post - if you would like to see it again or you missed it.

4 May - Floral Media - Houseplant of the Month - Hibiscus

6 May - DIY Tips and Inspiration - Pink Peony

9 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Colourful Tulips

11 May - Floral Media - Flower Agenda - Peony

13 May - FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Floral Tea Party

16 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Pink Spray Carnations

18 May - DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - Stock Flowers




23 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - More Scented Pink Stock Flowers




25 May - Tiny Blooms - Sweet Peas




27 May - DIY Flower Tips and Inspiration - Freesia




29 May - A Bunch for the Weekend - Peonies and Alchemilla mollis

I hope you have enjoyed all the flower arrangements from the last month as much as I have enjoyed created them. 

Have a Wonderful Floral Sunday!

See you next week. 

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and photography © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Images of Hibiscus and peonies in white bottles provided by The Flower Council of Holland.]

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 52 - Pink Spray Carnations

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring some bright pink spray carnations in two different pink colours.

I bought them at the big supermarket chain Tesco. I wanted to show what you can do with the type of flowers that you find at the supermarket.

You'll need:

- 20 stems of spray carnations in two different bright pink

- a medium sized jug in a contrasting colour - here I have used a light blue jug as a colour contrast to the pink

- a blue ribbon to tie around the handle of the jug

- a vintage basket full of ribbons, a blue vintage glass bottle, three blue bud vases, a blue vintage tobacco tin, a small stepping stool, a pink and white piece of fabric and a pink honeycomb pompom.  

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- a pair of florists scissors

- a florist bucket filled with fresh water

Condition the flowers by removing any leaves that would end up below the water line in the vase. This is to reduce any growth of bacteria from deteriorating leaves. Also remove any broken or bruised leaves.

Cut the stems at an angle - this is to increase water absorption.  

Put in a clean container with fresh water and leave in a cool, dark place over night or at least for a few hours, to let the flowers absorb the maximum of water, before making the final arrangement.

You might have to re-cut the stems while making the final arrangement to suit the size of the vase or container and to get the right proportions.

The bunches of flowers you see at the supermarket or petrol station often don't look very inspiring. But for very little money and not a lot of time you can make even the most mundane bunch look a whole lot better.

I bought two bunches of mixed spray carnation - in two different pink colours. As usual I conditioned them, cut them down in size and put them in a blue jug. By surrounding the jug with some pretty objects in both matching and contrasting colours you can make the flowers look that extra special.   

A basket full of beautiful ribbons and I have chosen ribbons in different blue colours from Jane Means collection of ribbons. It has always been such a pleasure to work with Jane and to be able to use her fabulous ribbons.

I have also tied a bow on the jug using one of Jane's blue ribbons. By tying a simple bow on the handle as a decoration -  you can make the arrangement look that little bit more special. 

A vintage blue glass apothecary bottle and a pink honeycomb pompom - combining old and new - both with interesting textures.

Supermarket flowers are not always a bad thing. Sometimes they are Fairtrade or even grown in your country, they are also almost always very cheep and has a 'best before date' - so you know they are fairly fresh.

Choose wisely, condition them well and with a little bit of imagination you'll end up with a beautiful flower arrangement.

Have a Great Floral Saturday and a Happy Weekend!

I will see you next week with more DIY flowers from 

'Of Spring and Summer'.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

[Styling and Photography © Ingrid Henningsson for Of Spring and Summer]
[Ribbons designed by Jane Means.]


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FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - All on a Plate

The theme for FLOWERS this week is 'All on a Plate' and I have created four colour coordinated plates using the flowers and berries as a starting point.

On four different plates I have assembled a napkin, cutlery, beads and buttons, flowers and berries, tags or labels decorated with washi tape and some different twines.

Next to each place setting is a little vase with flowers - from the top - blue grey Eryngium or Sea holly - next down are some gorgeous pink spray Dianthus or mini carnations. 

With the purple plate I also used mini carnations but in a different colour and the last plate has red berries from a shrub in my garden called Nandina domestica.

On the side of each plate under the napkin I have tucked the same flower as in the vase.

The napkin is tied with either baker's or garden twine in matching colour.  

All the little tags are decorated with colour matching washi tape. Remember the Japanese paper tape that was so popular a couple of years ago. I still have a shoebox full of them and I often use them when wrapping presents.

Just a few strips of the tape makes all the difference - turning something plain and ordinary into a little bit more special.

Sticking to one colour gives the whole table cohesion and forms a united whole - but you could also try using contrasting colours.

Hopefully you will have found some ideas and inspiration for next time you are having a dinner party.

Titti Malmberg - my Swedish based collaborator - who I work alongside on FLOWERS - has also created a new post on her blog HWIT BLOGG - so please follow the link and go over and see how she has interpreted the theme. 

Have a Very Happy Floral Wednesday!

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

~ xoxo ~ 

Ingrid

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

Flowers of the Month - March 2015

6 March - A Bunch for the Weekend - Blue and White Hyacinths

It's the end of March and I'm back with 'Flowers of the Month' - where I'm featuring all the different flowers and floral arrangements I have posted during March.

The title of the post under the image - is also a link to the post - if you would like to see it again or you missed it.

9 March - Tiny Blooms - Pink Roses in Green Glass Bottles

11 March - FLOWERS by ingrid and titti - Floating Flower Wreaths

14 March - A Bunch for the Weekend - Freesia with a Dark Purple Bow

17 March - Tiny Blooms - Spring Snowflakes - Leucojum

21 March - A Bunch for the Weekend - Hot Pink Spray Carnations

23 March - Tiny Blooms - Pink Roses and Eucalyptus

28 March - A Bunch for the Weekend - Little Pretty Spring Tulips

I hope you have enjoyed all the flowers from the last month. 

Here are links to the last two 'Flowers of the Month' to enjoy: 

• January 2015 
• February 2015

Have a wonderful Floral Monday! 

I will be back next month with another 'Flowers of the Month' - but before that I will see you later in the week with another FLOWERS from me and Titti Malmberg on HWIT BLOGG.

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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