Behind the Scene - # 1 - Styling Flower Photography

I'm starting a new series of blog posts where I'll be showing a little bit of what is going on behind the scene when I'm creating my flower images. A few tips, tricks and pictures of behind the scene - maybe not always what you expected.....! 

Pink and white stock flowers from the flower stall all wrapped up in one layer of clear cellophane and a layer of thin wrapping paper.

I plonk the flowers straight into water as soon as I get them home. I use quite big containers that are always washed with hot soapy water after each use. Some are plastic buckets, others are stainless steel buckets or florists zinc buckets. Nothing glamorous just very simple and down to earth - and easy to keep clean. 

The next thing is to condition the flowers as soon as possible. Unwrap the flowers - remove any damaged leaves as well as any leaves that will end up below the waterline in the vase. Also trim the ends of the stems at an angle to expose as much surface as possible to absorb the maximum amount of water.

This is the messy bit - torn leaves, cut bits of flower stems, accidently broken off flowers, crumpled wrapping paper and cellophane.  

At this stage, if not before I start thinking about where I'm are going to take the pictures. What table or other surface I'm are going to use. 

Also what am I going to use as a background - already existing walls or other background surfaces - or do you have specially created wooden or vinyl backgrounds ready for use.

I also start thinking about what props to use - vases and containers, tabletops, chairs, larger pieces of fabrics or smaller pieces like napkins, 

In the last three images - I have tidied up the messy bits and I'm about to start arranging the flowers into containers. I'm also trying out a few props - looking for colours that I'm happy with and that will go with the flowers. 

This is the first in a series of blog posts showing what goes on behind the scene when I'm styling my flower shoots.

More to follow soon......... 

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

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

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: Pink and White stock flowers - bought from my favourite street flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: Plastic bucket, two stainless steel buckets and zinc florist buckets - bought and collected over the years.]

[Other props: Natural linen fabric, flower basket, natural twine, mini flower cutting tool, twine and creamware jars - from stylists own prop collection.]

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

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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.

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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 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/

Tiny Blooms - # 40 - Pink Limonium in Mini Bud Vase

This week on 'Tiny Blooms' I'm featuring pink Limonium in a pink mini bud vase.

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

"This series of blog posts - called 'Tiny Blooms' - are about small flower arrangements. Small - might be the size of the flower or the amount of stems I'm using; or it could be the size of the 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!"

While making larger arrangements you often make little off cuts that are perfectly fine but they are too short or in the wrong place. 

I always keep these little stems and make up small side arrangements. I often use something called bud vases. They can be tall and slender or you can also find short ones. They almost always have a narrow neck to hold just one flower stem. 

I'm using a short and dainty one here and I have cut the stems very short and then filled the vase with as many stems as I could fit in.

The colourful abalone shell is an interesting contrast to the arrangement and so is the wire basket filled with twine and balls of torn rags. 

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

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

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.

*****

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/

Creative with Flowers - # 32 - In the Pink Zone!

The beautiful tulips just keep coming - and this time it's all about being in the pink zone. It's a very gentle and soft pink - the tulip petals look like they have been stroked with a brush of pink paint.

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!

I had bought the cherry blossoms the day before - but was still thinking about what to combine them with. I thought some pink tulips would be perfect - so the next day I went out to find some. 

I went to my usual flower stall - that is about 5 minutes from my house and asked if they had any pink tulips - as I could not see any. The guy went off for a while and this is what he came back with and I knew I had to have some.

Cherry blossoms can be a bit tricky - the buds and petals can easily fall off if you knock the branches. There is no guarantee that the buds will even open up especially if they are too tight. They are not long lived. They should have two cuts - one at an angle and a second lengthwise up the stem - with a pair of secateurs. Some people also say it's a good idea to put the branches in warm water. That is suppose to help the flowers to open up.

The large main arrangement is in a white vintage jar from Sweden. It's bought at a 'loppis' - the equivalent to the American flea market or the UK car boot sale. 

The very small rag rug in pink and white is also found at a Swedish loppis.

As I probably have said many times - I love jars with writing on them and here are two more with partially worn labels - that I think just adds charm and patina.

The large tailor's scissors was passed on to me by my mother. An old pair that she used while I was growing up.

It's still cold, dark and wet here in London - but combinations like these pink tulips and cherry blossoms gives us hope that spring will soon be here. Let's stay in the pink zone until then!  

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Wednesday!

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

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/

Take 3 Flowers! - # 8 - Tulips, Freesia and Eucalyptus

I'm back with another blog post in the series 'Take 3 Flowers!'

In this blog series I will show you how to make easy but beautiful and stylish flower arrangements - just using three different flowers. Often one of the three will be some kind of foliage.

Using just three flowers will sometimes be a challenge - but it will also keep the cost down. Cut flowers can be expensive but foliage on the other hand tends to be cheep - or at times you might even be able to get it from your own garden. You can use lots of it to help fill out the arrangement and to provide support and structure for the other flowers.

After all the yellow of Easter - I needed to work with a different colour - and when I found these deep dark pink tulips and pink Freesia - I knew I had the material for a colourful spring bouquet.

You'll need:

- 15 stems of colourful tulips

- 15 stems of Freesia in similar colour

- 7 stems of Eucalyptus parvifolia - a small leaved Eucalyptus

- a medium sized vase/container with a wide opening - in a neutral colour - in this case I have used a white vintage jar from Sweden

- small vase in same colour as the flowers

- a small white saucer 

- baker's twine and beads in matching colours

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 cool water and leave in a cool, dark place over night or at least for a few hours. This is 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.

Start off by putting the Eucalyptus foliage in the vase - evenly spread. Next put in the tulips - you can spread them evenly or group a few together to make several little focal points. Last the Freesias - use them to fill in any gaps. Cut the flowers at different heights so the bouquet has some movement - it's also nice to see the grey green foliage peek through here and there.

Make another arrangement in a small vase with the leftover foliage from the Eucalyptus - using a little vase in a matching colour to the flowers.

Also have some fun with baker's twine, a few beads and place it with the small arrangement on a little saucer - to make it feel a bit more 'special'.

Try to place the arrangement in a cool place during the nights and it will last a lot longer. Also remember that tulips continue to grow in the vase - so they will pop their heads above the other flowers over the next few days. 

I think it's always so lovely to see how an arrangement changes over time - new buds open, older flowers change colour and then fade - the life and beauty of flowers.

  

Have a Lovely Floral Monday!

See you later in the week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 45 - Little Pretty Spring Tulips

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring an unusual little tulips. I think they are Tulipa 'Carnaval de Nice' - but I'm not absolutely sure. These are quite small and usually 'Carnaval de Nice' look the same but are twice the size. So it is an educated guess! 

You'll need:

- 10 stems of tulips

- 10 small twigs of Pittosporum foliage

- two clear glass containers - I have used a recycled jar and a small low glass bowl

- a small amount of raffia

- green and white baker's twine, three light green vintage jugs and some black beads

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.

I made a very small spiralled handtied bouquet and tied some natural raffia around the stems to hold the bouquet together.

Here is a link to a video where florists Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks show you how to do a handtied bunch.

Then there is always Sarah Raven's way of doing things a little bit different - here is a link to a post where I featured her video.

It does take a little bit of practice to do a spiralled handtied - but flowers looks just as good just simply arranged in a vase - so whatever way you do it the end-result will be good.

  

Bright spring double tulips and fresh green variegated spring foliage - maybe not your most traditional or expected combination. 

The two tulips in the little bowl are two flowers that broke while making the bouquet and I didn't have the heart to just throw them away - so I made a separate little arrangement on the side. 

On the side is a roll of bakers' green and white twine and in the back are three pastel green vintage jugs - colours that are picked up in the foliage and the black beads echoes the black stamens in the tulips.

I chose to use clear glass for containers as the flowers and the foliage had enough wild variegated colours and I liked seeing the spiralled stems through the glass.

This is very much a spring bouquet and I would love to hear what you think. Love it or maybe not?   

Have a Happy Floral Saturday and Enjoy Your Weekend!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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

Tiny Blooms - # 11 - Spring Snowflakes - Leucojum

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 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'm allowing myself a lot of creative freedom!

Today I'm featuring a little white flower called Spring Snowflake. The Latin or botanical name for it is Leucojum.

It's often mistaken for a snowdrop but this one has stems that are much taller and all the petals are the same size. 

It grows quite happily in my garden and every spring around this time I cut some to take into the house. They don't last very long - each individual flower only lasts for a few days. 

But the flowers are so charming that it doesn't matter that they last for such a short time.

I didn't use any of the long green sword like leaves so all I had to do was to cut them down to suit the vase.  I chose an almost translucent light green little vase - the flowers are so delicate I just wanted a vase that would blend in.

Put the vase on a mantelpiece or similar - somewhere a little bit higher than a coffee table - so you can enjoy this gorgeous little flower close-up.

   

Have a Lovely Floral Day!

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

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid 

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

Take 3 Flowers! - # 5 - Tulips and Hypericum

I'm back with another blog post in the series 'Take 3 Flowers!'

Where I will show you how to make easy but beautiful and stylish flower arrangements - just using three different flowers. Often one of the three will be some kind of foliage.

Using just three flowers will sometimes be a challenge - but it will also keep the cost down. Cut flowers can be expensive but foliage on the other hand tends to be cheep. You can use lots of it to help fill out the arrangement and to provide support and structure for the other flowers.

I'm using three different red tulips - all within the red colour spectrum - and to that I have added Hypericum - that will supply both foliage and berries.

I know - I'm breaking the rules a little bit - it's 4 rather than just 3 flowers.  

To tell you the truth it was a special deal on the tulips - three bunches for the price of two and who can resist a special deal? I just thought: "The more the merrier...."

You'll need: 

- 10 stems of dark red tulips

- 10 stems of red and orange tulips

- 10 stems of dark red parrot tulips

- 5 stems of Hypericum

- a vase or container in a contrasting or matching colour - in my case I have used a brown vintage pickling jar from the company Höganäs in Sweden

For conditioning the flowers - you'll also need:

- florists snippers or scissors

- a florist bucket

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.

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

Put in a clean container with tepid water and leave in a cool, dark place over night or at least for a few hours before making the final arrangement.

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

Start by arranging the Hypericum around the edge of the container - they will kind of embrace the tulips and make a nice edging. Then mix the three different tulips evenly in the middle - keep as many leaves as you possibly can on the tulips to make the arrangement look fuller.

The container I have used is a vintage pickling jar from my grandmother in Sweden. The dark shiny brown is a great contrast to all the red. I have surrounded the arrangement with some hessian fabric, some raffia, natural twine, pieces of wrinkly brown paper and a vintage wooden measuring stick. The red is picked up in some toy spades and a small garden fork. 

Most tulips don't have very long stems - so if you want some height don't cut too much off the bottom. Keep them pretty even in height and make a nice slightly domed shape. 

Tulips do continue to grow in the vase - some more than others - so if you want the arrangement to continue looking the same you will have to trim the stems at the same time as you change the water in the vase. Or you can leave the tulips to do their own thing - both ways works - tulips are always beautiful whatever you do.

Tulips are looking really fresh right now and they are also very cheep - if it's the same where you live - just grab the opportunity to get some fabulous looking tulips and start making your own arrangements.

Have a Lovely Floral Monday!

See you later in the week!

~ xoxo ~

Ingrid

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