My toolbox: Tools for creating a flower arrangement, part 2

a couple of weeks ago i talked about the basic tools i keep in my toolbox and today i wanted to show you a few more. they are not necessarily tools but they are great in helping you arrange your flowers. it doesn't matter if you are buying your flowers from a high end floral shop or your local grocery store these things will help you do things a little better.

of everything pictured here I would say that the covered wire is the most versatile and useful. it can be functional, decorative or both. you may be able to find some in color as well. the stem wrap to the right of the covered wire is perfect for strengthening delicate stems that might otherwise break or bend in your arrangement. continuing clockwise, the clear Oasis tape is one thing that a beginner floral designer should definitely consider using. It allows you to create a grid on any vase or container that helps so much in creating the base foundation for your arrangement. the green Oasis tape is typically used for larger arrangements that may have branches or heavier flowers to create the same type of grid but most often it is used to secure floral foam to a container. you can find most of these at Michaels or here at one of my go to sources for supplies here in nyc.

Wedding Wednesday: Candlelight options

candles, candles and more candles. if you are looking to create a romantic and warm atmosphere for your wedding then you'll want candles and lots of them! there are so many different options and we'll just scratch the surface here but i wanted to share some of my favorites. be creative and use them in all areas, ceremony, cocktail hour & reception.
and the best part is...everyone looks good in candlelight so even your guests will thank you.

Floating candles

Votive candles






Pillar candles

Flower Market Finds: Peonies

peonies are in full swing in the flower market and i never get tired of seeing them. there are so many beautiful varieties with colors range from white and soft blush pinks to deep hot pinks and rich burgundy tones - it's impossible to choose a favorite. the petals seem to be never ending and they are one of the most romantic and feminine flowers. they are perfect for lush and full centerpieces but a single stem can easily be used to create a striking look. however you choose to use them be sure to enjoy a few at home at least once during their rather short season!

Vase Roundup

i love finding beautiful, affordable vases. here are a few i've seen lately that i think are great. i love using vases at home that have different colors, shapes and textures that look great even when empty...although who would ever let that happen!

glass bubble collection from West Elm

clear and opal collection from West Elm

salong collection from Ikea

laboratory flower vases from Urban Outfitters

rose of sharon vase from Anthropologie

Wedding Wedensday: Choosing a bouquet

i'll be starting a new series called Wedding Wednesday for all things wedding related. we'll discuss how to choose flowers for your wedding, decor options ranging from candlelight to escort card table designs and discussions of all the other do's and don'ts when it comes to creating the perfect look for your wedding. i'm not sure i believe that there are any "don'ts"... it's more about doing what you want rather than what you think you should do.

today the focus is bouquets. there are so many options and i've talked about them before here, here and here.

but how do you choose??? is it by season, color, budget? do you match your bouquet to the rest of the design of the wedding? should you and your attendants carry the same thing or different colors?

here's my answer...you can do anything you want. helpful right? seriously, you should choose your bouquet with the same intentions that you chose everything else that you will be "wearing". your bouquet (maybe more than any of the other flowers) will be in most of the pictures from the day so you should love it...you should work with your designer to choose a design, color and feeling that will truly represent your wedding style.

sometimes a client will come to me with a picture of exactly what they want or at least what they think they want. some may end up with that bouquet while for others its a process of discovering that often what they thought was perfect is in reality perfect for someone else.

this goes back to choosing a designer who can understand you and your style.

here are a few things to keep in mind when designing your bouquet:

• consider the dresses, suits, the shapes, style, fabric and the embellishments. do you want to enhance these things or carry something that will be simple and subtle in comparison?
• do you want something feminine & romantic or sleek & modern?
• think about what size you want the bouquet to be, over sized full & lush or something smaller like a petite nosegay.
  
• is there any flower that you MUST have included in the bouquet? then you need to think about season...i can't tell you how many dreams i've crushed when i had to tell them that peonies are not available in the fall.
• you do not need to match your decor or the attendants. everything can coordinate but certainly doesn't need to be the same. this is especially true if the ceremony and reception are at separate venues.

keep these things in mind and you are sure to design a bouquet that you love and while you're at it enjoy the process, choosing the flowers should be fun!!

How-To Tuesday: Flower care, keeping cut flowers fresh

before i began working with flowers i was just as confused as anyone on how to make my flowers last the longest and how i could possibly avoid that stinky smell that often comes with emptying a week (or two) old vase of flowers...there is nothing quite like it. well there are a few things that come close but i'm won't go there.

you've probably heard of all of the "tricks", an aspirin, a penny, vinegar and of course the packet of white powder that comes with some fresh cut flowers. ever wonder why these work? the goal of all of these things is to reduce the bacteria growth in the water, here's how:

• copper is a natural fungicide and therefore helps prevent the growth of too many yeasts or funghi.
• aspirin is also an acid which will kill bacteria overgrowth.
• lemon juice or vinegar also work as a natural bacteria killer (you only need one or two tablespoons).

the truth is while all of these things work, the best thing to do is completely change the water and give the stems a fresh cut. even better you would wash the vase too. sometimes it can be difficult to change the water in a more complicated arrangement so in this case simply let the water overflow and flush out the old water, this is still better than not changing the water at all.

a note on water temperature, keep it lukewarm to cool. this is best for most stem types but i will get more specific about this soon.

if you do any one or a combination of this tricks you will be able to enjoy your flowers for a few more "stink-free" days.

Brooklyn Bride: Modern Tablescape Challenge

i knew i wanted to enter the tablescape challenge over at brooklyn bride the minute i saw the post. i worked with sara wasilausky who photographed the table and helped me with the design. we had a great time since there were no requirements other than it needed to be modern. it's such a great feeling to have the freedom to design something with only one prerequisite. of course we kept it within reason in terms of budget and realistic so that someone else could actually recreate something similar themselves. in the end we tried a few different ideas and this was the one that worked for submission.





i'll share some of our other ideas in the coming days along with a behind the scenes look at the process.