Creative with Flowers - # 40 - Pink Ranunculus with Black Props

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' I'm featuring a mixed bunch of Ranunculus in two different pink 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!"

I've used a quite large vintage, straight sided, white apothecary container. It once had a lid, now lost or broken. It comes from my uncle's pharmacy back in Sweden. 

Now a perfect vase for flowers...... and part of my collection of props.  

The props that I have used this time are all black - well almost. The fabric is mostly white but it has this funny little pattern of black parallel lines and in between swirls. It's a piece of fabric that I often use as a tablecloth and bought many years ago back in Sweden. 

The black metal plate, I use this one a lot, very good to use as a contrast to bright colours and for layering while styling. The very small black pottery vase is from Turkey. Both the plate and the vase are gifts from my mother-in-law.      

The black props are great contrast to the bright pink flower heads.

Here is a close-up of the little vase - an example of perfection in shape and proportions.

I love mixing old with new, matching colours or like here using contrasts in colour. Adding interesting textures and using different materials - fabrics, metal, pottery, china and having a painted wood panel as a background.

It all becomes part of working with flowers and styling images before taking my photographs.    

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 - new flowers - bright and early first thing in the morning.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: Two bunches of mixed pink Ranunculus. All flowers from my favourite local flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: A vintage white china apothecary jar from Sweden - it has always been missing it's lid - still a great container for flowers. 

[Other props: Black and white fabric with an interesting pattern, a black mini vase and a black metal plate - all from stylists 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/

Creative with Flowers - # 39 - Lilac Double Tulips

Tulips are still available to buy at flower stalls and the florist and what is really exciting is that now they are also flowering in the garden.

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' I'm featuring some very pretty lilac double tulips. 

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!"

I bought two bunches of this beautiful lilac tulip from the flower stall. It's the kind of double tulip that is stunning both when the flowers are tightly closed as well as when they open up and become almost double the size.

This is all happening while the flower stems are growing, so you are presented with a different view of floral beauty every day.

To make the flowers last as long as possible - put them in a cool place during the night. 

The fabric used as a tablecloth picks up the colour in the flowers. It has an interesting circular pattern that is repeated in the shell necklace. The straw hat makes you wish for those long hot summer days that hopefully will soon be here...... 

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 - new flowers - bright and early first thing in the morning.

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Flowers: A big bunch of lilac double tulips. All flowers from my favourite local flower stall in North West London.]

[Vase/Container: White vase with an interesting textured surface. Found at one of my local charity stores.]

[Other props: Fabric, hat and necklace are  all from stylists 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/

Creative with Flowers - # 34 - Pink Ranunculus

The Ranunculus is one of the loveliest and is also an extremely popular spring flowers. It has layers and layers of delicate petals and comes in many different colours and varieties.

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!"

Ranunculus are available from about October to April or May. When you buy them avoid buying flowers in tight bud - they usually never open up. Instead select flowers where the buds show colour.

Make sure to give them enough time to fully open up. They take a few days - so plan ahead if you are going to use them for a special occasion. 

The container I have used as a vase is a French vintage enamelled milk churn. It's decorated with hand painted lines and dots in two different blue colours.

I picked out three little vintage bottles in the same matching blue colour as on the milk churn. These bottles has such a lovely colour when the light shines through them. Worth keeping an eye out for similar at car boot sales or flea markets.

For this arrangement I have removed all the foliage - it tends to not be very nice anyway. The hollow and delicate stems tend to be prone to rot - so handle with care and put in shallow water.

The black ikat fabric is from Mexico - an interesting contrast to the vintage props and the deep pink 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' all about how to make a lovely bunch of flowers to enjoy over the weekend. 

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

Ingrid 

~ xoxo ~

[Styling, photography and text © Ingrid Henningsson/Of Spring and Summer.]
[Flowers: From my local flower stall in North London.]
[Vase/Container: French vintage enamelled milk churn.]

*****

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 - # 138 - by Hans Blomquist

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.  

"It is sometimes hard to know why we like certain things more than others, why some things make us feel happy or sad. Or why we prefer one colour to another. Blue is my colour, but if you were to ask me why, the only explanation I would be able to give is that my two favourite flowers are grape hyacinths (Muscari) and forget-me-nots, and I love their rich saturated blue tones. 

Although my favorite flowers, grape hyacinths appear in spring, together with wonderfully scented hyacinths, I always associate the colour blue with summer - for the hot, sunny days with blue sky overhead."

[Hans Blomquist: Swedish, Paris based art director, interior stylist, photographer and author of three books.]

[Quote from: In the Mood for Colour 2016.]

[Flowers: Blue Hyacinths.]
[Container: Lightblue vintage jug.]

[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/

Creative with Flowers - # 30 - Pale Blue Hyacinths and Pittosporum

This week on 'Creative with Flowers' - I'm featuring some gorgeous pale blue Hyacinths mixed with variegated Pittosporum foliage. 

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!

Usually most hyacinths that you buy in garden centres and street market have quite strong bright colours.

The flowers are from my usual street flower stall and the foliage is from my own garden.  

I love how these pale blue flowers both contrasts and harmonise with the green variegated Pittosporum foliage.

Adding a few paper honeycomb pompoms adds both colour and fun to any celebration. 

Vintage jugs in different colours and sizes are perfect for informal flower arrangements. I have found many of my jugs in charity stores or antique markets for very little money and I still pick them up if I come across one in an unusual colour - just to add to my collection.

Isn't this combination of blue and green colours just stunning?

Enjoy your flower arranging and have a fabulous floral Wednesday!

Thanks 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.

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/

A Bunch for the Weekend - # 95 - Blue Hyacinths

In this week's 'A Bunch for the Weekend' I'm featuring yet another winter arrangement. This time it's bright blue Hyacinths with a little side arrangement surrounded by turquoise props.

 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.

I bought two bunches of blue Hyacinths and I wanted to use them in contrast with a colourful vase. I chose a turquoise blue oval vase that allowed the flowers to sit in the vase at an angle, to flare out and not sit straight up and it gave the whole arrangement some volume. 

As usual I kept the short mini flowers, that are often well hidden among all the leaves. I like to make little side arrangements, this time in a round clear glass vase and I love seeing the almost white coloured stems through the glass. 

I like to gather together similar coloured props and trying them out. Sometimes it works and sometimes I keep changing and try different things before I'm happy with what I see through the camera.

I often like to try different colours for the Holiday Season - here it ended up being turquoise but the only actual Christmas holiday prop are three Christmas tree baubles.

How you condition the Hyacinths depends on how you are going to use the flowers. If the neck of your vase is big enough you should keep the small bit of bulb left at the bottom of the stem. If the bottom has gone brown I tend to trim of the brown bits with a sharp knife. 

If your vase has a narrow opening then you need to cut off the bulb bit. Also remove any damaged foliage. How much of the foliage you leave on depends on how you want the finished arrangement to look. I like to see as much of the flowers as possible so I often remove all the foliage. 

Give the flowers a few days to fully open up and then you can enjoy their beauty and the wonderful scent. 

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 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/

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