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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 102 - Rustic Country

This week on 'A Bunch for the Weekend' - I'm featuring pink waxflowers, purple Limonium with some good old parrot tulips that you might recognise.  

Here is a little "statement" that I add - to briefly explaining 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 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."

After conditioning the flowers let them rest for a few hours or overnight just to give them time to absorb as much water as possible. If you are able to keep them in a cool place even better.

I have covered the table with a length of hessian fabric - leaving the cut edges 'raw' to give that overall feel of rustic country.

The two rustic terracotta jars are from Turkey. I bought them from a shop selling terracotta pots in all shapes and sizes right around the corner from my house. The shop was closing down and selling everything very cheap.

One has handles and the other one is a bit shorter and rounder and they are both perfect for flower arrangements. 

I bought the little green watering can at Chelsea Flower Show last year - but had not tried to use it for flowers yet. I put it under the tap to fill it with water and instead of filling up it started within seconds to leaking like a sieve. It just made me laugh as it was totally unexpected.  

The Limonium and the waxflowers are usually used as fillers for mixed flower arrangements. I thought they looked lovely together and mixed two bunches of each in the tall terracotta jar.

Filler flowers are usually sold for a lower price so perfect if you are on a budget. Lots of flowers and lots of colour for very little money. A perfect combination and a win, win situation!

Here is another image of the notorious watering can!

The deep pink parrot tulips I had used before in a previous blog post. They lasted for ages and I decided to use them again for this post. 

Here I simply swapped the container and put them instead in a matching terracotta jar. They looked perfect sitting in the background  of my 'Rustic Country' scene.

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 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: Rich pink parrot tulips, purple Limonium and pink waxflowers.]
[Vase/Container: Vintage rustic terracotta jars.]

*****

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/

Florets - Floral Quote - # 139 - by Paula Pryke

'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 for everybody who is arranging and styling flowers.

"Bright yellow is the happiest colour of the spectrum and it is no coincidence that yellow daffodils are the most popular cut flower. Some of my favourite bright yellows include ranunculus, mimosa and forsythia. I prefer to use yellow flowers monochromatically - mixed with other shades of yellow - as its brightness and lightness can dominate other flowers in mixed coloured arrangements. Also I like to team up yellow flowers that have dark brown centres (like sunflowers) with deep brown foliage and flowers. On the colour wheel, the opposite of yellow is violet and mixing yellow with purple or blue works well."

~ Paula Pryke ~ 

[Paula Pryke OBE: British, London based florist, founder of Paula Pryke Flower Shop and School; and author of sixteen books.]

[Quote from: Living Colour  (2001).]

[Flowers: Daffodils.]
[Container: Vintage basket.]

[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 next week with more floral delights from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling and photography © 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 almost 12 000 followers and 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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 98 - Golden Acacia

It's rare that I feature yellow flowers on the blog - apart from maybe yellow daffodils at springtime. A time when we are all craving a boost of bright colour.

This time it's a bunch of very bright Golden Acacia or Mimosa as it's also called.

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.

What you see here - this bunch of unmistakably yellow flowers - just appeared in my kitchen one morning. Our daughter had just had a birthday and a very good friend had given this bunch to her. 

I became the lucky carer and handler and was determined to do a little photo shoot using the Acacia.  

I liked the idea of a rustic Mediterranean feel to the whole thing and thought it would be appropriate to use old terracotta, hessian sacks, a small vintage watering can, an old tile and a vintage basket. 

All the natural colours of the props worked well in contrast with the sharp yellow of the Mimosa.

And our daughter was very happy with the arrangement!

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.

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

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

Tiny Blooms - # 29 - White Double Daffodils

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. 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!

I know I'm showing daffodils again! 

I just wanted to show you another double daffodils - this time it's a gorgeous white double daffodil or Narcissus 'Erlicheer' as it's also called. 

It's creamy white in colour and is excellent as a cut flower. It doesn't look like a traditional daffodil, with it's usual yellow trumpet, but is fully double so the flower looks ruffled. Some people say it resembles a carnation. As an added bonus it's also strongly scented.

The container I have used is a vintage blue jar. It's from France and was used by French polishers and contained their furniture-polish.

I have just put a few stems in the jar and didn't feel anything else was needed. Of course I have added a few vintage props - a blue painted basket and a blue-green giant glass bottle. As a rule I don't trust old ceramics or pottery - so I put a small dish under the jar just to be on the safe side and avoid any damage to wooden surfaces. The little tealight holder is contemporary.  

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

I'll be be back on Wednesday with more floral delight from Of Spring and Summer.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

For more floral inspiration follow me on:

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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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