Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Nature's Inspiration

 Nature is such a great muse! I saw these glitter roses in Aaslmeer before Christmas last year and I was not sure if I liked them or not?
 Vendelle with glitter
 After a low winters evening of -15C in my area and a sunny morning the whole landscape glistened.
 The trees were thick with frost and a little snow that had fallen before and the barren winter landscape became magical.

 The exaggerated effect of the branches make leafless trees a gem

I decided that I did LIKE the glitter roses!

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

A 12th Birthday Gift - Flowers and Skittles!

 This gift was made using a selection of Tesco's single variety bunches: Roses, Hypericum, Statice, September and Tulips. Decide what sweets you are going to use and then match the flower colours to the sweets. The brighter and more multicoloured the better!
 Strip the foliage from the base of all the stems
 All the stems have to be cleaned before you can begin the arrangement
 When you have cleaned the stems of the flowers you need to place them in piles so you can pick them up easily.
 Place the flowers in your left hand if you are right handed and vice versa. This keeps your right hand free for using the scissors and other tools.

 As  you build up the  bouquet, trim the stems so that the bunch is lighter and easier to handle.
 Tie the  bunch at the point where you have been holding the flowers. This is the "binding point".
 Now the fun part. Place a layer of sweets at the base of the vase.
 The layer at the bottom of the vase means that the lining vase is then nearly flush with the top  of the outer vases.
 Continue adding the sweets until you reach the top of the vases.
 Place your flowers into the centre. This bunch was acqua-packed so that the stems of the flowers were in a flower  bubble. This allows you to deliver the flowers without spilling the water.
 Arrange the  bunch in to the centre of the vase
 Ready to deliver.
 The finished gift. Inspiration! The colours are wonderful!