Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Indoor trees





Kate (the visual merchandising student) and I decorated a Christmas tree for the foyer of an apartment block, where I do the flowers every week. The theme colours were red and copper, and we had baubles and birds, with beautiful beaded pears, also in red and gold. Many of the residents have grandchildren who would visit them over the holiday period, and this was the first time that they had asked for a tree. We did have a bit of extra help (she said, tactfully) from 3 little girls who live in an apartment there, as well as their Mum ... and the caretaker...I don't know how we all fitted in !

I have several photos from magazines with indoor trees, I love this one with a candle attached to a silver birch tree, it was in a house near Uzes in the south (?) of France. I have to confess that I'm very partial to silver birches, and use the flexible twigs as often as I can in arrangements.

The other photo is in the apartment of Singaporean architect Colin Seah. He chose the branches for their sculptural qualities.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Advent Wreath


Today I was asked to make an Advent Wreath. I have done some research on wreaths, and am inspired by the tradition and symbolism. The circular form denotes the circle of life, or, in Scandinavia, the 'wheel of the earth'. A German Master florist taught me that when you are working with a circle, you should always work in a clockwise direction, the natural flowing movement of life, and it's bad luck to do otherwise !

The Advent wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life, and even the evergreens each have a special and traditional significance, this generally being strength, immortality and victory. The 4 candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and they are progressively lit during this pre-Christmas season.

I love the simplicity of the form, the traditional meaning, the fragrance of the leaves ( cypress, rosemary, bay, larch, yew, pine), and they're fun to make !

I also read that, according to legend, wreaths were also used to identify homes. Not all houses had house numbers, so the specific items used on the wreath helped identify the homes and the families living within. What would you have on your door ?

Friday, November 20, 2009

Indian Wedding



I'm getting very excited at the prospect of an Indian wedding for which I am doing the flowers. There will be 2 ceremonies, a Hindu one and a civil one, and at this stage I am more involved with the civil one, as the Hindu one involves traditional arrangements. I would, however, love to learn about making the hair decorations, and the garlands that are exchanged as part of the ceremony.

What is exciting me is the prospect of using colour !!. I'm rather hoping that the groom will be wearing something like the man in the photo is wearing (but I'm not getting my hopes up too much about that !). The bride's mum saw a beautifully coloured carnation in my shop, and she said that she would look out for a sari in that colour to be the wedding dress. It was a deep rose-pink, but with a tinge of tangerine around the edges.

The bride-to-be has chosen table centres like the one in the photo, with different coloured Singapore orchids. It should look fabulous. It's not until next year, so I've plenty of time to research.
(photo of gorgeous man is from Asiana International Wedding magazine)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

First and last days



This is our first day with the swans that shared our breakfast, and the last morning at Lutzelberg, before we started the return journey.

Field of Flowers



It was a perfect summer's day ! We rode to Xouaxange about 20 minutes away from the canal, and found this Elvira Madiganesque files of wild flowers - Queen Anne's Lace, cornflowers, erigynon... heaven couldn't be better !

A great part of the pleasure was being totally unaware of any Dangerous Critters that might lurk in the long grass. I would never have done this at home in Australia - far too many snakes.

I was really intrigued by the strange (read: very un-French) names of some of the towns in this area: Gonrexange, Xouaxange etc. Haven't been able to find out their provenance as yet.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Holiday Snaps: The Canal Boat


We're just putting the photos from our holiday into an album, and enjoying the memories...

In France, we hired a DIY boat on the Marne to Rhine Canal for 4 days. We (the two of us) started our voyage at Lavarde, in the Lorraine, went east to Lutzelburg, then returned.

We could cook, sleep and shower on board, and we could moor anywhere that took our fancy. We also hired bikes so that we could ride inland to forage for food. The bikes proved to be vital, because it was August, and most of the shops in the little villages were closed for the summer holidays. We discovered this on our first morning, when we walked 2km to find a 'boulangerie'. It was closed ! Went back to the boat to pick up the bikes and ride 2 km in the other direction to the next village. This boulangerie was also closed !

Fortunately, we spotted a travelling food sales van and virtually threw ourselves under the wheels to stop her driving off. We had worked up quite an appetite at this stage, and bought up big ! We took our croissants, 'dejeunette' and cheese to a lake that we had passed en route and sat in the glorious sunshine, counting our lucky stars, and the lucky swans who insisted on sharing our breakfast. And that was the first morning !

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Apple Orchard



I pass this house on my way to work in the mornings. I've always been intrigued by the little mounds in the 'lawn', and by the fact that they have planted a veritable apple orchard, and not much else, in the front garden in a very residential area.

This week, it looks absolutely gorgeous because all the trees are in full blossom, and there were some bright tangerine coloured flags - I think they're called 'Balinese flags' - flapping in the wind.

Completing the scene is a small flock of wooden ducks. Such an eclectic mix ! I wonder who lives there ?

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Kate's Window




Last week, I was approached by a woman studying Visual Merchandising, who asked if she could design and install a window display, which would then form part of her assessment, in the shop. I was wildly excited at this prospect, as it is hard to find inspiration - or rather, hard to find the time to MAKE the inspirations - week after week.

She came up with 4 designs, but we both preferred the one that had been inspired by a huge basket that I have.

She covered 4 polystyrene balls with silvery soft Cineraria "Dusty Miller ' leaves (would have taken her all day !), climbed death-defyingly up ladder to hang them, and then together we filled the basket with yellow iris, concealing the container within with moss and with olive branches which I had trimmed from my tree last weekend.

Looks pretty good ! I was most pleased that it was in keeping with the Calypso Flowers style, yet it was something that I would never have had the time to do. Thanks, Kate !!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Weekend at Daylesford


Journal entry - June 6
We arrived at the house in Daylesford in time to have a cup of tea before heading off to Hepburn Spa, for a spa and massage. I chose a ginger, lime and geranium blend, hoping it would help my sore throat. I lay in the bath listening to the soothing sound of rain on the tin roof.

Ann had made a tart from the 5 Crown apples growing on the tree outside the bedroom window, and Yves had made an entree from the mushrooms growing in the front garden. I made a mental note to start work on a vegetable garden during the coming weeks, so that it would be ready for a spring planting. The table was decorated with candelabra wound round with some ornamental grape vine, with just a few crimson-coloured leaves tightly holding on.

I just loved those fragile little nerines growing on the side of the garden path. I must get some for the shop when I return.

How wonderful to be able to enjoy the fruits of nature so simply, and in so many ways.