Cymbidium orchid corsage

I'm still practising corsages and boutonnieres for my assessed project at college next week. Here's one with cymbidium orchids that I made at the shop where I'm doing my work experience.

Wedding invitations

You may remember that a few weeks ago I mentioned how much I loved these invitations by Storeyshop. Well, whilst it has been all cold and snowy here this week I've been busy designing and making our wedding invitations, and here they are. I'm going to head off to the post office later today to send them out. The illustration which you may just be able to make out in the top of the picture is a drawing of our wedding venue by my very lovely soon to be husband, Mr H.

Centrepieces

How gorgeous are these centrepieces by Farmer Julie, featured this week on Style Me Pretty? There are step by step instructions on how to make them over on her blog if you fancy having a go at making your own. The purple Queen of the Night tulips are stunning, I can't wait for the ones in my garden to come up.

Friday round up

Here is a round up of some of my favourite links from around the web found over the past couple of weeks.

Poladroids at Pia Jane Bijerk,

Parisian street style at Garance Dore,

fabulous paper graphics by Yulia Brodskaya

and gorgeous photographs from Bloom by Iris Velghe found via Kris's colour stripes.

Enjoy!

Silk corsage

Here is this week's college piece, made with silk flowers. These weren't the best quality silks I've seen but I'm quite pleased with the shape and neatness of this piece of work. I think I'd prefer to use fresh flowers for buttonholes and corsages for the bridal party at my own wedding, but this type of design could also be used for pew ends, cake toppers or hair decorations, all of which I think would look great in silks.

As January draws to a close lots is starting to happen in my garden. The first snowdrops are out and crocus and tulip shoots are tunnelling their way up out of the cold damp soil in search of daylight. Today I noticed that one of my Hellebore buds had finally opened. I couldn't resist picking it and making this boutonniere.

Rose Corsage

We're working on corsages at college at the moment and have to make up our own corsage design for an assessed project in a few weeks. Here is my first attempt. Next week we'll be using silk flowers.

Boutonnieres

It was back to college after the Christmas break last week. We're doing wedding work from now until Easter and started off with wiring techniques. Here are my first couple of attempts at a boutonniere. These are pretty traditional. Over the next few weeks I'm going to experiment with some less conventional flowers and foliages.

Dutch demonstration

A couple of images from the demonstration by Dutch florists Bert Kuiper and Dini Holtrop that I attended yesterday.

Why I love..... amaryllis

There is something rather deliciously rebellious about the idea of wearing yellow tights. This picture reminds me of the Jenny Joseph poem 'Warning' which begins with the line 'When I am an old woman I shall wear purple...'. Except that, whilst I may very well wear purple, I'm sure I won't be wearing yellow tights when I am an old lady because to get away with such a look you really do need to be blessed with youth, a fine turn of ankle and fabulous legs.

Earlier today I went to a demonstration by two young Dutch floral designers, Bert Kuiper and Dini Holtrop, which included loads of great ideas for using Amaryllis.

Like wearing yellow tights, incorporating Amaryllis into a floral arrangement is a surefire way to make a big statement. It will bring a welcome burst of exuberance into your home during the long dark winter months, and if you decide to don a pair of yellow tights as well you really will feel as if spring is just around the corner.