Hi there to all my flower loving friends. You know how much I love my flowers, they are an important part of my life and I cannot imagine not having them in some shape or form. Whether its s small bunch of tulips from my local grocer or the motherload from the NY flower market….they just make me happy and honestly let’s be real, sometimes easier to get along with than people lol:)

So I went in the other day before meeting someone for lunch and found such beautiful flowers (no surprise). One of my favorites is G Page, in the floral district (a few others are Associated Cut Floral and Dutch Flower Line).  I know I will be able to walk away with a beautiful bounty when I visit G Page. I went in just for tulips but of course once there you cannot help but be seduced by so many incredible florals…it is intoxicating in more ways than one!

So today a look at my trip there and some of my flower arranging, took so many pictures that this warrants two posts. There is a lot of information and even more pictures so this is a “sit down and take five” kind of a post:) So onwards we go with part one-

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Can you get over these rannuculus!!

And how about these orchids and tulips!

My loot below waiting to get wrapped up-

First thing I did was open my tulips and let them breath in one of my beautiful footed hurricanes (which makes a perfect floral vase)

Then I got to work first with the “plate” arrangement-

1. Get a block of oasis and submerge it in a bucket of water
2. Secure it with some kind of tape, I did not have floral tape so plain old tape had to do
3.  Trim it if necessary to the size of the plate (I used a dessert plate)
4. Start arranging! I use larger flowers first (the hydrangeas in this case) and just “fill in” with the others

Good shears are VERY important

Gather your shears, your oasis on the plate and start working with the flowers, I start with the largest blooms first and place evenly around the oasis

This is what I call the storm before the calm-

My first plate arrangement was placed in one of my favorite mid sized blue/white planters-

Then placed it on top of the large lotus ginger jar-

Then in a silver container, it is so elegant and a bit more formal feeling-

Used cut stems in a few smaller vases as these always make such pretty arrangements to place in smaller areas, like an end table, nightstand or a powder room-

Mad this pretty smaller arrangement for a dear friend who we were having dinner with that night-

I loved putting the hyacinth and hydrangeas in my large etched mint julep cup as a beauitful bud vase for my nightstand and played around with it as an optin for a bridal shower look which I am going to be helping someone with…suffice to say I love it!

And then I tried them in one of my favorite wicker hurricanes and love it in this too-

And even created a litlte springy vignette, yes it’s only February, but to me bunnies work year round!

And then the next day I got busy playing around with larger scaled arrangements and there as no stopping me:) That will be part 2!

MY TWO MOST IMPORTANT FLOWER TIPS EVER-

Wilty hydrangeas that seem to be to the point of no return? Have no fear, my little “ICU” trick will work like a charm! So take your wilted, soggy, sad little hydrangea stems and give them a fresh cut. Get a container of very very hot water (almost boiling). Dip the head into the water for a few seconds then put them stem side down into the water for a good 30 minutes (sometimes takes a little longer) Step away and come back to see a nearly fully resurrected hydrangea. Here is a picture tutorial to show you what I mean!

And the second one is there is a reason all florists have their florals in a refrigerator, because they like it cold!! So while its wonderful to have our beloved flowers in the house during the day to enjoy, at night mine go outside where its cool, if its below 40 degrees they go in the garage.

Obviously summertime they stay indoors (in the coolest part of the house)  and if at all possibly can fit in a refrigerator that’s where they go. Bottom line is the longer they are in colder weather, the longer they will last!

So many people ask me about my favorite containers for my flowers, I have many. Here are my thoughts (all from my shop, click here)

• Porcelains are a no brainier, there is literally no color  flower that does not look sensational with blue and white. Ginger jars, planters, fishbowls, bowls…they all work. Period.
• I am really loving using  my wicker hurricanes of all sizes for cut florals, they are such an effortless yet really beautiful look, slightly more casual but uber elegant too
• Silver containers make exquisite more formal looking arrangements
• And definitely loving my etched hurricanes (both sizes) as the ultimate elegant floral vase. They really make exquisite containers
• A silver mint julep (either med or large) is the perfect bud vase, all you need are a few stems and in a minute, you have a perfect little arrangement, perfect for nightstands, end tables and a pretty touch for a powder room or guest room when you have guests

Here are some of my favorites, all from my shop-

 

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Hope this gave you your “floral fix” for the day, talking about flowers never gets old. Maybe gave you some ideas of your own….definitely makes me want to have some kind of gathering just to do the flowers:)  I am so happy when I get to play with flowers…..ended up using them for a photo shoot which worked out well.

They are still going (keeping them outside at night) and hope to wrap up the last of my photos today/tomorrow. I always enjoy giving them away too, gave a few small arrangements to a few friends, nothing better than receiving flowers. I will be back with part 2 next week sometime with even more arrangements, they are like the gift that keeps on giving. I am counting down the days until it’s cherry blossom time!

Hope you enjoyed, thanks for stopping in, wishing everyone a wonderful day. Until next time…..