Floral illustrations and floral moodboard for wedding
Read More4 reasons to choose carnations
Today I would like to write about carnation, a flower that is very often underestimated without being able to stand up for itself. These opinions come from the past when the floral arrangements were very basic or because here in Italy the custom is to use them on sad occasions. But I think the time has arrived to open up the doors to this special flower which has a lot to offer. Let me give you at least 4 reasons to change your mind about carnations
Read MoreYOUR ITALIAN COUNTRY CHIC PICNIC WEDDING
A unique picnic wedding with an unforgettable magical atmosphere in a stylish setting in Northern Italy near Lake Garda and Verona. Natural and loose mood for the floral table decorations. The main flower was the peony and rustic flower
Read MoreA peak behind the scenes of a country chic picnic
Preparations and backstage during the floral creations for a unique country chic wedding picnic in Italy
Read More4 pink combinations for your Christmas table
Inspirational shoot for Christmas, the setting and design of a table in pink palette with vintage pieces. Flowers and winter green
Read MoreIntensive floral workshop with an autumn twist
Intensive two day floral workshop in the countryside in Northern Italy. Two days with teorical lessons about design, palette, seasonal flowers. Pratice with the spiral, arranging flowers in a flower garden and a romantic and natural bouquet.A utumn flowers
Read MoreAn autumn wedding with an essential flower
An autumn wedding in the countryside amidst vinyeard. The swedish-english couple had a very clear idea of the style, the hues and the atmosphere that she wanted for their wedding. For the bride being passionate about flowers herself it was important that they played an important role on their special day. Going back to Paula’s wedding she chose a palette made up of different shades of bordeaux, burgundy, green and cream. A touch of light peach was added to give light and to create and edgy contrast. The chocolate hue of her moodboard conveyed elegance, smoothness and consistency.
Read MoreA JOURNAL OF THE INTENSIVE TWO-DAY WORKSHOP
An intensive two day floral workshop for beginner and people who are passionate about flowers. The course is structurated with theory and practice. Focus on flowers, style, season, design, conditioning, Practice with the spiral technique for a round bouquet, technique for a natural and romantic bouquet. Spring flowers
Read MoreA romantic shoot in the vineyards
A romantic inspirational wedding shoot in the vineyards, in Italy. Colours: the choice of the colour is the first thing to decide when planning floral decorations. I pinpointed two main colours: pink and green in different tones. Then I added a touch of burgundy and blue/violet to add intensity and give an edgy contrast to the decorations. Flowers: the texture of the petals and the shape of the buds are very important. It’s like with fabrics: there are different weights, weaves and materials. I’m always trying to create unusual combinations.
Read Morefestive flowers for your Christmas table
To create an elegant Christmas table I was inspired by this blue tableware from the designer store Froh & Sinn in Zurich. I suggest a welcome floral arrangement in a light blue vase if possible, 3 bouquets of white roses for your centrepiece and a small bouquet for each guest placed on a blue napkin. Add a cozy atmosphere lots of snow and candlelight for some true festive spirit.
For the welcome floral arrangement, you will need:
- 1 medium branch of Norway pine
- 1 medium branch of silver pine
- 2 small branches of cypress with pine cones
- 2 berries of silver brunia
- 2 berries of white St. John’s Wort
- 1 stem of blue Sea Holly
Start with 2 slightly overlapping big branches, add some silver cypress at different heights and finish with a bunch of berries on the front. To add some sparkle thread a string of led lights among the branches.
For the rose bouquets, you will need:
- 6 stems of fully blossomed white roses
- spruce (as much as you may need)
First remove all the leaves from each stem and create your bouquet using the criss-cross technique (have a look at the video in the link). Finally cover all the stems with small branches of spruce that you prepared earlier and tie with a ribbon.
If you need some more tips for decorating your Christmas table please send me an e-mail, I’ll be happy to answer you. I look forward to seeing your creations!
If you want to brush up on your flower arranging skills or even give a workshop as a gift, don’t hesitate to contact me. Remember my workshops are open to everyone no matter what your level, just the only essential ingredient is passion!
Don’t forget my next workshop will be just before St. Valentine to help you create a special bouquet (see link for details).
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and see you in January 2017!
inspiring home decorations
Last Saturday I found inspiration in the beautiful greenhouse of Villa la Valverde. I started choosing the flowers and vases to use in the decorations the day before.
I combined a range of different berries with Norway pine, moss and hyacinth bulbs. Berries are an absolute must for any Christmas decoration for their amazing colours and textures. I decided to resume a Swedish Christmas tradition. In December in Sweden all homes have bulbs and when the flowers blossom, the scent spreads through every room. Bulbs are very easy to take care of. You need to water the bulb and the flower every 3 to 4 days. When kept indoors they blossom after 10 days. When the flowers wither, cut the leaves and the flower and store them in a paper bag in a dark, dry place. You’ll be able to plant them either inside or out next year.
As you can see from the photos, I used different types of bottles, small vases and other things that I found in the greenhouse to create interest. Always try to use at least 3 elements and dare to be different by making unusual combinations. For examples I put a succulent in a simple pottery pot together with an old wooden tool box which gave an unusual twist.
Don’t miss my next post about Christmas table decorations!
Have you put your decorations up yet? Send me your photos!
Notebooks and gift wraps from Lino’s & Co.
ideas for decorating your home at Christmas
In the last few days I’ve been checking out the latest Christmas decorations. Out of the many Christmas images I was always attracted to a natural and cozy atmosphere.
Let’s start with some useful tips:
- As I wrote in my last post, do start by choosing your colour palette (maximum 3) and the style you desire to have in your home. These two tips will make it easier for you to focus on what you like best and how to make it. (Do take a look at what you have at your disposal)
- Do use a lot of candles, they help a lot to create a warm atmosphere.
- Do try to decorate all your home so each room will look festive
By the way the official date to start all Christmas decorations is the 8th of December, but we can start them a little bit earlier to make the magic last longer!
I love to use what nature offers in this season, so I’ll give you a list of foliage that you can buy at the local florist or find in the woods
Pine
Pine is the king of this season. In the shops, you may find two different varieties that don’t lose needles and last for all the period: Norway pine (bottle green colour) and silver pine (silver green). Not forgetting the very perfumed strobus pine.
Cypress
Silver and green cypress branches always remind me of vintage lace and will add an unusual twist.
Eucalyptus
When dried, eucalyptus silver green leaves change to an ash grey colour. I personally love the silver berried eucalyptus as they look like little fireworks when blossoming.
Berries
You’ll be spoiled for choice with berries: from pillar box red right down to a wide range of browns and burgundies.
Moss
Moss is an absolute must for any festive occasion. Its softness will add a fairy magic to your home!
Here are some photos of easy and interesting things to make.
In a nutshell try to use different kinds of foliage to add texture to your creations. And don’t forget a splash of colour!
Do you find this post helpful? Send me your feedback and photos about your creations.
Some pics are mine, other from Pinterest!