The Craft Begins

Hydrangeas are a great option for a flower that takes up a lot of space and looks good doing it without being too expensive.  They also come in lots of interesting color varieties – I like the sort of dusty-colored gold and rose ones – they look great in a vintage-inspired arrangement.

They look good by themselves or complimenting other flowers in an arrangement.

What’s interesting about hydrangeas is that the color of the blossoms depends on the alkalinity of the soil – it can range from blue to pink in one bush depending on how much aluminum is in the soil!  Maybe only interesting to gardeners but I thought that was pretty cool.

I’ve seen her work all over the blogs and now that I’ve spent some time checking her out I’m officially in floral love with Amy Osaba.

Her work is so unusual, so feminine, so eclectic – it’s amazing what you can do with flowers.  And feathers and beads.  And whatever else her creative mind comes up with.

Asiatic Lillies are beautiful for their color and their smell.  They come in a vast array of colors – most common is the pink, yellow and orange, although there are many different variations.  And they do have a really strong smell (some specific varieties more than others) so you need to be careful that you don’t use too many in one arrangement, lest it become overpowering.

The other beneficial thing about lilies is the amount of space they take up.  You can get a lot of bang for your flower buck with just a few bunches of them.  And they add great color and texture to any arrangement.

This year, why not try your hand at gardening?  It need not be too big of a project – I suggest succulents.  They are really, truly, impossible to kill.

Plus they look really cool.  There’s a great tutorial over at Apartment Therapy, if you’re interested!

Amaryllis are a perfect flower for the holiday/winter season.  A bright, cheery dash of color and they are so easy to grow, even indoors.  Individual bulbs make great gifts, especially if you get them started first!  Why not plant them in an unusual container, like a teapot or a gravy boat, so your recipient gets two gifts in one?  They come in all sorts of colors – red, white, pink, and orange, but my favorite is definitely the striped variety, something you don’t see too often in flowers.

I’m a big fan of black flowers.  I think that they can be unexpected and interesting, without being depressing or goth.  They’re just so dramatic, and people really never expect to see black flowers.  They’re obviously not a true black, instead being dark burgundy or purple, but the look is unmistakable.

1.  I created this bouquet for a friend’s wedding last summer.  She wanted bright colors in all of her flowers but all of the bridesmaids were wearing black so I thought it would be a nice way to pop her flowers a bit by using black Dahlias.  Combined with bright colors, the black looks downright classy.

2.  These black Dahlias make a pretty and sophisticated arrangement for your house.  photo via Apartment Therapy.

3.  They’re very rare, but black Irises have such a lovely shape.

4.  Another rare one – the Landini Asiatic Lily.

5.  Black Baccara roses add drama and romanticism!

6.  A new twist on a wedding standard – black Calla lillies.

7.  This scabiosa is a bit strange looking but would look great paired with other flowers.

8.  Black or chocolate Cosmos look great and they smell great too – like chocolate!

If you know of a black flower I’ve missed, I’d love to hear about it!

My mom hates roses.  She hates all cut flowers, but especially roses.  It kills me to think that she hates flowers (when I love them) but I can see where she’s coming from.  They’re classic, yes, but can be at times unimaginative.  We all know that I love peonies and ranunculus for their many-folded petals look, but they can also be expensive.  I was overjoyed when I discovered garden roses.  They look a bit like a peony in their shape, and they’re a lot more scented than traditional roses.  They also come in a wide variety of interesting colors – I always like the dusky-colored sandy ones, that look tres shabby chic.

A great way to add color and festivity to your fall decorations are mums.  They come in a wide variety of seasonally appropriate colors and an arrangement like this will last for weeks if the water is changed regularly.  Look for button mums in whatever color you’d like, but make sure that the petals are firm and compact instead of limp.  That way you know they’ll be brightening your table for a long time.  Finish off with a festive ribbon and you’re ready for Fall!

I might be a little bit biased about this one since I had them at my wedding, but I’ve used them at almost every event I’ve done since so I think that it’s ok.  What I like about spider mums is their gorgeous shape.  They add a bit of organic thrill to whatever arrangement they are placed with, their wild petals striking out in all directions.  I believe that they are a member of the chrysanthemum family, and you can really tell by looking at them.

They are also fairly inexpensive, and super hardy.  That means that they are a great flower for DIYers and that arrangements can be made several days ahead of time and be no worse for wear.  They look great clustered together and also in mixed bouquets.   I find that I often gravitate towards the green ones since they are one of the rare flowers that actually look good in green, but they come in a variety of colors like white, yellow, purple and pink.

This colorful, tall and somewhat exotic flower is incredibly versatile.  Its flowers come in a range of colors, from yellow with dark red stems to green flowers with red stems and even black.  The little bells are said to be reminiscent of a certain animal – hence the name.  I find them utterly charming because the bell of the flower itself is slightly velvety and fuzzy.  They are a great flower for large arrangements, as each stem has a number of flowers and they are somewhat inexpensive, in addition to being extremely tall.  I also like the look of them in a bouquet to add a little snap.

Carnations get a bad rap.  So often the flower choice of a forgetful boyfriend at 8pm on Valentine’s day, they’re often dismissed as being cheap and ugly.  My mother abhors them.  I tend to think that they have a lot of potential!

Clustering them gives them a more sophisticated look, and since they are so cheap, you can use quite a few of them to get the density required and not feel guilty about it.  Especially if you can order them in bulk.  They also come in a really wide variety of colors, so that’s a bonus as well.

Here’s how to make your very own carnation centerpiece!

1.  Pick a piece of floral foam that will fit into your preferred container.  I’m not usually a huge fan of floral foam, but when you need the flowers to be this tightly grouped, it’s the only real solution.  Make sure to get wet foam if you plan on using real flowers.  Before you start placing flowers, soak in water until it’s good and dense.

2.  Pick your flowers.  Lots of wholesale/discount florists carry large bouquets of carnations cheaply, so they are a great place to start looking.  Make sure to pick flowers that have strong stems and dense, fresh heads.  The amount you’ll need depends on the size of your container, but you’ll need to buy more than you think.

3.  Cut the stems below the flower themselves, but above the last bulb.  You want to make sure they’ll go into the foam and stay there.  Starting at the top, insert the stem into the foam.  Made a grouping, with each flower head slightly overlapping the previously placed flowers.  Do this all around the foam, making sure there are no gaps.  You don’t want to go all of the way to the bottom – make sure there’s enough room to put the foam into your container.

4.  Place the foam into your container, fill with water, and enjoy!  I’d love to see a grouping of white carnations in all green and blue containers, lined up down someone’s table at a dinner party.  So lovely!

I’ve been in love with this flower ever since I saw it in an art gallery in Vancouver a few years ago.  I couldn’t believe that it was so weird – it looked almost exactly like brain coral!  A friend of mine bought me a plant, but of course, I killed it. :)  It was great up until then!  This flower comes in a variety of colors, (hot pink, yellow, orange, and my personal favorite, a magenta-like deep red tinged with yellow at the end) and adds a really unique punch to any floral arrangement.  I wanted to have these for my wedding, but it was just getting too out of control.  I like the way that they look in some of these unusual bouquets.

How fabulous are these felt flower bouquets?  The bride made them herself.  I’m seriously impressed.  I love the colors and the textures and all of the vintage elements that went into it.  Looks like it would have been a lot of work, but how original!  And those will definitely keep forever.  I might make some just for fun!

Found via S.HOPtalk.

If you live in the San Diego are and are looking for a florist for a wedding or event, you need to check out Modern Bouquet.

Their floral designs are always inspiring to me.  They use color really well, and design some interesting arrangements that could only come from years of experience in the field.  From clicking around a bit, they also seem like they’re really easy and professional to work with.  Me, I just look at the pictures of flowers!

Has anyone ever used this company?  If so, would you recommend them?

That’s two for this month, but I can’t help but be thinking about them.  I like the amazing range of colors that dahlias come in especially.  They’re really bright and perky.  I used some black ones for a friend’s wedding, and they were just divine – really gave the arrangements some depth and character.  I also like the density of the petals – I really think that it gives these blooms some major personality.

What’s your favorite flower, and why?