When Life Gives You Cellophane, You Make Vases With It

This may look like any other arrangement with cellophane wrapped around it. But the cellophane is serving another purpose then covering up the stems. It's also a vase for the flowers. I saw a florist do this in Vancouver long time ago and never really master the technique. It seems like an easy concept but getting the flowers to twist and turn is another thing. I think the key is to have a small bouquet. I tried it once with a regular size bouquet and now when I think about, I am so embarrassed to have given it away. I think this one is okay. Hope my friend thinks so too.

What's For Dinner?

How about a serving of purple alstromerias, a side of light pink mini carnations and hot pink spray roses?


Yum......

A Rare Sighting

Before:



After:



I always love to watch those cake decorating shows on Food Network and want to attempt decorating one myself. Found an opportunity tonight as a friend is coming over for lunch tomorrow. I made a 4 layer chocolate cake only cause I don't have a bigger plate to fit a 2 layer cake. And on top is suppose to be "crumb topping" cause there was so much leftover that I felt it was better to use it then to put it in my stomach. Since I didn't know how much whipping cream to buy, I bought the smallest amount and spread it as thin as possible. You can't tell in the picture but the cake is actually leaning a bit to one side. It is probably because I was too impatient to wait till it was cooled completely. So as I was covering it with whipping cream, I was pushing the layers back to place. We will see how the cream between the layers hold up tomorrow. With all the leaning and pushing, there is probably is only a micro layer left. Until tomorrow.

Guess the Type of Flower

Do you know what type of flower this is?



Is it a peony?
Nope.
Is it a rose?
Nope.
Any more guesses?


It's actually a gladiolus. Multiple gladiolus to be precise. Each petal of a gladiolus bloom was glued together to make a composite flower. This composite flower is approximately 15 cm across. It's only a sample that was quickly put together with the left over flowers I had. So please don't mind the leaves on the outside as they were only used to create a backing for the flower itself. I think this would make a lovely and interesting should corsage for someone special, be the mothers at a wedding or a guest of honour at a party.

It's Decided

If I ever get married, I will have to have blue/purple delphiniums in my bouquet. I can't get over how delicate and pretty they are. There are so little natural "true blue" flowers in this world and how many flowers have multiple shades of color in them. *SIGH* This batch was also a better quality as they have much bigger blooms.

Last Bit of the Lefftovers

That is it for this round of left over flowers. I just did the same style but used other flowers. The dendrobiums are not in the best state but still just as nice to look at. There is something so pure and delicate about the little dendrobiums.




I wish gladiolus would last longer when I used each flower individually. Interestingly, the gladiolus would be the first to go before the roses. And you know how fast roses can go. One week and you are lucky if they last longer.





I think I am going to try this style again. I am really happy with how it came out. But I might just venture out on a limb and try my least favorite flowers next time. Yup, carnations and daisies. They might look so pretty in a flower band on a little girl's head but maybe they have been over used and just needs to be used in a different way to make them more appealing (to me at least).

Some Leftovers

I was trying something different today. Just some experimenting. To be technical, I think it's called pave. On top of the different style, I was also using flowers that is not normally used this way. Green gladiolus and delphiniums. Both are normally used to create height or increase size of an arrangement but when you have left overs, you just can't throw them out. There is something so feminine and elegant about the petals of a gladiolus flower. I put them in a bride's bouquet once and was it ever heavy! The stem is so much thicker and full of water. As for delphiniums, they are up there as a favorite. Mostly because of the colors but there is also something about the shape of the flower. Unfortunately, delphiniums has the least staying power in cut flower world. They are very sensitive and petals will fall off before the flowers open at the top of the stem. They also don't like to be bunched up tightly. They need room to breath. Oh, by the way, I am referring to the hybrid delphiniums. The regular ones don't have as nice of petals and don't come in as pretty colors. If you are lucky, you can get them in blueish/violet/lavender colors, all on one stem. See how there are different shades of blue in the arrangement? Yes, they all came from the same stem of delphinium.



Top view





I can't stop staring at the arrangement. I think it might just follow me back to the bedroom to wake me up in the morning. *Sigh* So pretty.

Happy Birthday!

A late post as this was back in January, but enjoy nonetheless. This was for another co-worker and good friend. All I could think about was how this was to look in you newish renovated kitchen. And who would of guess that I choose the same pitcher you also bought for your kitchen?





Yup, you guessed right, those are tulips again. But what can I say, they are in season and such a nice change to plain daisies and carnations. Not that there is anything wrong with daisies and carnations. But do you notice something different about the tulips. Right again. They are double petal tulip variety. I noticed them sitting at the bottom bucket and I just could not resist. The white genistras and green hanging amaranthus put the final touches on this arrangement. The amaranthus seem to mimic the flow of water out of the pitcher. I would of loved to see this arrangement after a few days as the "circus" roses and double tulips would have burst with color and shape.

Hello and Goodbye

This was for a wonderful co-worker who I will dearly miss. You make work bearable at times and your support for others will not go unnoticed. But I wish you the best on your future down under and your new baby at the end of this month! Please come back and visit or at least some pictures once in awhile.





I wanted to make this arrangement tall but almost exploding, like how you feel when winter is not over and spring is so close yet so far. Though the colors of the flowers in the picture are not the same in real like, there is something so promising with orange, yellow and green. Those orange ornithogalum seem so delicate but they are one of the longest lasting cut flowers. So spring please come soon. I have all these plans when this white stuff is gone and green covers the ground. Oh please, oh please, oh please.