Flower arranging basics

I’ve already told you how much Hannah and Daniel love flowers. Unfortunately, their idea of a nice flower arrangement is a couple of half torn flowers shoved in a little hot pink plastic Barbie tea cup.

Maybe with some of these tips, brought to you by Interflora, they can help me make a nice arrangement

Custom flower arrangements can be quite expensive, however, a little practice will help anyone who wants to do it on their own and save money instead. Before doing so, you should understand the basics of flower arranging. It is important to know how to choose the flower arrangement style that can either be formal or informal.

Choosing the Arrangement Style

• Formal

A few contrasting colors or monotones are classified as formal arrangement styles. They often come with an ornament container.

• Informal

Informal flower arrangements involve more colors and flowers with looser symmetry. They need more whimsical containers.

Selecting the Floral Color Scheme

Both the flowers and the container must have a well-defined color scheme. The following are basic guidelines used to achieve this.

• If a monotone flower arrangement is desired, it is best to pick plant materials in single shades. Common choices are roses with colors that can be light pink or medium to dark pink. As long as the colors come from the same shade, they will work out fine. Let the color wheel help you.

• Contrasting colors are also among the favourites of many. This is because they create a more exciting outcome. This is also referred to as a complimentary color scheme. A great example would be orange and blue with a little purplish or greenish twist. These colors are extremely fun and can match multiple shades.

• Opting for a related color scheme is also great. This means combining colors that are near each other on the color wheel. This may include purple with blue or red and orange. It may be challenging to achieve this kind of style as there are many shades involved. With a color wheel on hand, no one can ever go wrong.

Balance, Shape and Symmetry

Balance and symmetry are essential in creating a formal or informal flower arrangement. The most common arrangement is oval shaped. They are usually done with roses, and they appear to be more formal. On the other hand, those that are arranged loosely where there are long and short-stemmed flowers or unevenly fixed imply an informal style. They appear to be more casual. The flower’s shape is the basis of symmetry and balance. People who are just starting out with flower arrangements should understand how the shape affects the other factors.

Matching the Container

Generally, a clear crystal container works best with a formal arrangement while the more whimsical ones are for informal styles. It is important to take into account that different containers can create a big change in the project’s outcome. One of the most common mistakes is to use a very nice container that end up being hidden by the flowers.

Flower Selection

The most important thing above all is the choice of flowers. There are a number of flowers to choose from. However, there are only four components that a potential hobbyist should bear in mind. This includes the focal flowers that are generally unique, tall and large. Intermediate flowers are usually one-third shorter than the focal flowers. Meanwhile, filler flowers solidify the color scheme and the filler plant material that can be bark pieces or grass. Flowers with thick stems are easier to work, but not all growers supply thick stemmed cut flowers. Australian flower shop; Interflora generally has thicker stemmed, beautifully cut flowers ready to work with. Remember to remove any thorns before you begin, and you’ll surely create something wonderful and fun.

Flower arrangement by Interflora

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Home decorating with flowers

Both of my kids love flowers. Every time Daniel sees a flower, he gets all excited and says “FLOWER!” Then he toddles off to go and pick one before bringing it straight back to me. I think he’s going to be a little heartbreaker when he gets older.

Hannah’s always picking flowers too. She picks a couple flowers and then wants to bring them inside and put them in water. Right now we have a punnet of seedlings siting outside our front door waiting to be transplanted into Hannah’s little Minnie Mouse flower pots, since she likes flowers so much.

Today’s sponsored post is about flowers:

Home decorating with flowers

The most beautifully appointed and decorated rooms often feel as if they’re missing something. Have you ever walked in to a room that looked like something out of a home decorating magazine, but felt that it lacked that welcoming, warm feeling you associate with home? If you take a look around these rooms, you’ll often find the decorators have placed so much focus on furniture and

furnishings that they’ve forgotten one of the most effective extra touches: flowers. Whether they appear as a bouquet, in a single bud vase or a spray hanging over the mantle, flowers bring life and a multi-sensory component to your decor. Use these tips for selecting the right flowers and floral arrangements to complement your decor.

Let Your Style Be Your Guide
Is your home decorated in a distinct style, or does it change from room to room? Let a particular room’s style guide you in your selection of flowers or flowering plants to continue the theme and flow of the room. A flowering cactus would look great in a room with south-western decor, while a Victorian style room would call for a bouquet of cabbage roses, peonies or carnations.

Allow Your Personality to Shine Through
The personality of your room doesn’t have to be the only determining factor to guide you through decorating with flowers. Let your own personality shine through so the room feels like it’s yours. If you like to stand out from the crowd, let your flowers do the same by mixing different colors, heights and textures.

Add a Holiday Touch
No matter what the holiday, flowers add a beautiful touch that celebrates the festivities. Go with traditional holiday flowers, such as an Easter lily at Easter or a poinsettia at Christmas. Or use a color theme to choose your flowers.

Keep Your Arrangements Alive Longer
Nothing is worse than spending time to put together a lovely floral arrangement only to have it wilt the next day. Take care of your flowers as you arrange them to keep your arrangement alive longer. Trim 1/2 inch off the bottom of the stems and place them in a vase of cool water. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the water to keep the stems from getting mouldy. Change the water daily to keep your flowers fresher longer.

Grow Your Own Flowers
One of the most rewarding aspects of making your own flower arrangements is using flowers you grew. You don’t have to have an expansive garden to grow flowers. A few pots or window boxes can provide sufficient room to grow a few varieties. If you’re new to gardening, start with easy-to-grow flowers, such as zinnias, marigolds, geraniums or Bachelor Buttons. If you can’t grow your own beautiful flowers, consider getting your fresh flowers locally. Australian readers can get a great deal on fresh cut flowers from Interflora.

One of the many Interflora flower arrangements

Decorating your home with flowers should be fun, and allow you to indulge in your crafty, creative side. Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if they’re unconventional. There’s no rule that says you have to display a conservative-looking arrangement in a conservative style room. Let your creativity, personality and style shine through. Although floral arrangement, or even the task of selecting flowers for a simple bouquet, isn’t always easy as it looks, it gets easier as you experiment and create floral decorations for your home.

*This post was written and sponsored by Interflora.

If you enjoyed reading this, please vote for my blog. All you have to do is click the link below. That’s it… Clicking the link brings you to the Top Mommy Blogs home page. You don’t have to do anything else. Any clicks from my site to theirs is a vote.  THANKS!

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Copyright 2012 Sheri Thomson

The one where The Jess gets married

“I think Hannah is going to steal the spotlight at the wedding.”  I said to anyone who would listen.  We were at The Jess’ wedding rehearsal and Hannah was running anywhere and everywhere in the church, squealing, laughing, and getting the oldies to look at her.  Then she climbed over the little ledge, under the railing, and onto the stage.

The next day:

Waaaa!!!!!  I looked at the clock.  4:20-something am.  Hannah was crying.  Hang on, Hannah wasn’t there.  I was staying at Silvermere (where the wedding reception was) with The Jess.  Hannah was at home with Aaron.  Figures I’d dream about Hannah crying and actually wake up the one time I could have a non-interrupted sleep.  Stupid brain, stop being annoying….  No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get back to sleep.  The Jess was getting married!  Not to mention, the night before, when we were eating fish and chips and Heaven ice cream in bed while watching “Grease,” I saw an ad on tv letting me know that the Amazing Race was coming to Australia.  For the first time, Australians could apply!  I couldn’t stop thinking about what to put on the audition video.  Of course we have to apply, we’ve always wanted to go on the Amazing Race, but Aussies were never allowed (and I wasn’t allowed to apply as an American because I don’t live there).   My tossing and turning woke The Jess up.  Oops.  Sorry The Jess.

We were up, it was early, we were hungry.  Why not go to the supermarket in our pajamas (ok, that doesn’t sound so out there to you Americans, but Aussies just don’t EVER do that!)?  Pancakes and eggs sounded pretty good.  Unfortunately when we got back (after some funny looks.  It’s not every day Aussies see someone in bright pink pajamas with white stars on them at the supermarket) we couldn’t work out how to use the industrial gas stove at the house.  Humph, no pancakes and eggs.  Back up plan, to the bakery we went (still in pj’s).  We loaded up on chocolate croissants and some cheese and bacon rolls for later.  So hungry….

Our hair and make up was taking ages (well, mostly mine, hmmm…what does that say about me?).  And what to do with those short little spiky bits of annoying hair that sit in the very front of my head on each side?  I can see your screwed up what-the-heck-do-you-have-those-for faces from here.  Well, a couple of months after Hannah was born, a lot of my hair decided to take a vacation.  It’s been growing back for some time now, but is still annoyingly short and sticks out funny mostly at the very front.  Awesome.

I walked past the front window of the house and nearly jumped out of my top.  Oh wait, I wasn’t wearing one.  I looked outside to find Lozza and Marianne laughing at me.  It’s not everyday you see someone frantically running around a house with no shirt on.  Don’t get too excited, I was wearing a bra.  I had to take my shirt off because I only had tight non-buttoning shirts which would mess up my newly curled hair when taking them off if I left them on.  Oh well, everyone’s seen my boobs anyway.  That’s what happens when you breast feed for a year.  Lozza brought the bouquets (and did an amazing job putting them together by the way) for us.  Lucky she was there as we needed extra hands to help The Jess get into her dress.  It was no easy feat.  There was no way we could get the dress over her butt if she were to step in it (we know because we tried), so we had to get it over her head without a) messing up her hair and b) ruining her makeup.  Let’s just say we got a little friendlier than any of us intended (but she did end up with the dress on, makeup intact, and hair not very messed up).  By that stage we were 30 minutes behind when we intended to depart for the church.  Oh well, the bride is always supposed to be fashionably late right?  I quickly slipped into my hollywood fat sucker (body stocking from bottom of boobs down to just above knees, designed to, well, keep it all in), stuck on my “revolutionary” boob sticker bra (which turned out to be see-through as well.  Hmmm… the whole point in my wearing said stickers was to hide nipples.  Oh well) to my poor deflated I’ve-fed-a-baby-for-a-whole-year boobies, followed by my slinky see through (lucky I wore the fat sucker or everyone would see my goodies) bridesmaid dress.  Step b: shove my duck feet into thin nice looking heels (and hope I don’t trip as I tend to not wear heels due to duck feet, and probable falling over).

We must have looked an interesting sight on the way to the church.  Bride and bridesmaid in the back seat with flower girl in the baby seat (Violet, not Hannah), Chief Bridesmaid (aka me) driving, sans shoes (I can’t drive in heels, I can hardly walk on them!).  Not that anyone outside could see my feet….  When we got there (faster than expected luckily), some people were milling about outside.  I know The Jess is no bridezilla, she didn’t seem to mind, but I was rather annoyed.  These people were going to see The Jess before she walked down the aisle!  I wanted to run out of the car and cover all of their eyes.  I couldn’t of course because I probably would have tripped, broken my ankle, and made everyone think I’m a nutbag.

I was getting nervous and I wasn’t even the one getting married!!  My nervousness was more about having to stand up the front ignoring my daughter as she would probably try to get to me, while wearing heels that I was not allowed to take off for the entire ceremony.

We decided to carry the babies (Romana, the other bridesmaid’s daughter was also a flower girl) instead of letting them walk up the aisle with their too-cute flower girl baskets, mainly because they probably wouldn’t walk up the aisle (they never perform when you want them to),  and would quite possibly take off running in some other direction, sending us in a frenzy with high heels, probably falling over, breaking a bone, and showing the whole crowd our unsexy fat sucking undergarments and/or tried-to-cover-them-up nipples.

The wedding went off without a hitch (the babies had to be taken outside when they started getting loud so they didn’t interrupt), The Jess managed not to cry during the ceremony (as far as I could see, but then again, her back was towards me most of the time), and no one forgot the rings (although The Jess almost forgot hers).

I know I wasn’t the photographer, but I couldn’t help myself, I took lots of photos at the reception.  I also decorated the pavlovas, decorated the newlyweds’ car and posed for bridal party photos, so I was a busy woman.  I actually ate less at The Jess wedding then at my own!  It was a beautiful day, a beautiful ceremony, and a great reception.  I hope The Jess and Jimmy had a great day and a wonderful honeymoon.

Here are some photos for your enjoyment (some are mine, some are the photographers.  None of the ceremony shots are mine, FYI).  Most of the getting ready photos have been eaten by my stupid memory card so I’ll have to post those later, after Aaron works his computer nerd file recovery skills :

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