Festive floral arrangements

I looking for some inspiration for a floral design I am working on. As usual I went to Pinterest and guess what I found some of my own floral arrangements pinned by others as floral arrangement ideas and inspiration!! So I thought I should share with you all some of the many festive flower decoration for festive occasion or a party!! I like these the best!!These  are the ones which I would like recreate !! 

This was done in the beginning of summer in Zurich. I used recycled mason jars in a row 

and tied to thick ribbon around all of them together. I got these from a 

Farmers Market on Tuesday and Friday at Bürkliplatz. There are many farmers markets around Zurich, Switzerland but this one was closest to my house and work. We could find fresh vegetables, cheese, fish and baked goods as well.

This one done in Singapore during Diwali. I was pregnant then and felt most creative ever. I carved a watermelon and put a candle in it. The Festive floral centerpiece had candles, diyas, flowers floating as well in a vase along with watermelon. Singapore has lovely flowers market on Upper Thompson Road. This flower market consists of many shops selling huge selection of cut flowers from all over the world. Plants and potted trees, vases and garden decoration accessories. 

This is how the watermelon looked at night. Earlier I had carved a watermelon in a peacock and ship. I have not carved a watermelon after this one .. Maybe time to do it again!!

This one I did in Singapore as well when I was carrying my sunny boy. I went to the flower market almost every weekend and bought so many flowers. There was a shop in the flower market in Singapore which exclusively sold foliage..beautiful,big ,small, wide, narrow leaves.. never seen and heard of such a shop ever... I loved going there to pick up leaves and to just look at extraordinary variety of leaves !! 

This one also while I was in Singapore. I did a course in floral arrangement while I was there. This one I had made in the class. When I was doing this course , our house had floral arrangement in almost all rooms:)

This was a festive Indian decoration done in Hong Kong. Hongkong has a large flower market- Mongkok Flower Market on the Kawloon island.  It has a long road with stalls and shops brimming with fresh cut flowers and exotic plants. The fragrance and color of the blooms was truly a treat to the senses. It was far away from my place- on another island - but I would drag my husband we would go there almost every next weekend!! 

 These are India themed floral decorations - festive flower arrangements done in a copper vessel and individual ones in clay diyas. These flowers look just like soft pompoms or cotton balls ..don't they:)

The above one is done this year in Dubai. Dubai being a desert does not have any flower market..Sigh:( It has one big garden shop which sells a variety of plants. In Dubai one can buy a limited variety of cut flowers at grocery shops at a reasonable price. 

I miss all the flower markets I have mentioned above especially on a festive occasion. 

I will share with you what come up with the lilies and gerberas I got just now!!

Joining Tablescape Thusday, Inspire me tuesday!!

Floral arrangement for summer

It is getting nice and warm day by day. The sun roof in the dining room brings bright sun shine all day long. Makes the room so lively. The desire to decorate and make the dining table increases by all the sun shine. So now the dining table does not have the 'ready to eat' look but ' ready to party'  look. What better way to add colors to any room other than flowers. For the love for floral arrangements I did a certificate course in floral design. Although I admit that most of my designs come up impromptu without much attention to the traditional setups. Here is what I did recently. 

Curled up the leaves on the sides all around. Blues, purples and pink with hints of white giving it a wavy symmetry with few leaves springing out to add a little drama.  

Some more pictures. Wooden jars giving them company. 

A glimpse of my living room in the background. 

Have a lovely weekend!!

Joining party @ BNOP!!

Floating flowers centerpiece

Flowers can add pizzazz to any room instantly with ease. Although I make and believe in proper floral arrangements with perfect shape using florist foam and suitable vase. You can see the several floral arrangements I have done till date here. There are times when I just want to take it easy plus I have some flowers fallen from the stems( How we hate seeing that). It is those times when floating flowers seems to be the easiest way out.  Floating flowers in a bowl or uruli are one of the easiest way to instantly perk up decor.

One can use different combinations of store bought or home grown flowers and make a striking floral designs. It goes well with traditional Indian decor for a India themed or Bollywood themed party.  These metal bowl called uruli are traditionally used for cooking of which I have no connection left ( just kidding) This arrangement looks good outdoors and indoors as well. Many resorts and restaurants even spas incorporate these to create a traditional welcoming effect.

I have some orchids and roses in the uruli with two of my candle holders doing a part time job of single flower vase:)

Image taken by me@home.

Spring/summer table decor

Spring/ early summer is the time which brings not only happiness, flowers, colors along but also it is also for socializing, meeting friends, parties. We had first guests of this season.  We had guests this weekend so I decked up the dining table. 

I made a flower arrangement in a milk jug, Nothing much!! The flowers looked pretty as it is. We had a cheese platter to go with the drinks. I brought out the small sized cheese cutting board. It usually does the job of looking pretty in the glass cabinet;)

I took the pictures in a hurry as I was running late. We were odd numbered adults so I placed 3 on one side and 2 on other.  Guess where my 2 year old sits - always on the narrow side where usually the head of family sits:) now you know who calls the shots here..Haha!!

For the first time, I made the main & dessert recipes with wonderful recipes I found on internet. I am so glad it all turned out amazingly good.  We had spiced tofu and mozzarella cheese skewers for starter, barbecued Salmon with couscous and arugula salad. For dessert we had delicious and sumptuous fruit salad ( perfect after a hearty meal) 

Spring Hibiscus centerpiece

Styling a centerpiece for a table gets so much easier and lovable when you have fresh cut flowers from your garden, isn't it? Having blooms to my plants makes me happy because that means they are happy.. I am taking good care of them.. Doing something right !! I am sure you would agree with me more if you are as emotional as me:)

Hibiscus is found in variety of colors - I have 3 plants- orange, red and pink. When we have sunshine and fresh blooms from our garden I believe there is no need to over decorate them. With hibiscus you have to enjoy them when are in full bloom since they stay open only for a day in a vase and 2 days on the plant. 
 Just putting them in a pretty vase or jar will add loads of  beauty. Just let the flowers talk. 

I used a small silver jar. It's main purpose of for sugar cubes, mouth fresheners like peppermint or other Indian ones , candies or dry foods. A Ikea candle holder plate and 

some of my wooden blocks. The bird is ceramic and looks very much real. I choose a ivory table runner. All of these things are from different countries where we lived before and have lovely memories attached to it. I don't know if it is the attached memories or just the flowers  that makes it special to me. 

Pink floral romantic summer centerpiece

Just in time for summer sharing with you all lovely people is a stunning grand centerpiece and table arrangement I had seen in Conrad, Hong Kong.  A summer-y , romantic display!!!

This was in the center of the reception near the main entrance. It was a circular table under a beautiful intricately designed Victorian style chandelier. The arrangement was made in harmony with the chandelier design - in layers. 

From a distance the arrangement looks like a pink floral cloud has burst and it is raining delicate pink flowers which have fallen around in a circular manner underneath. The color of the flowers and the warm dim lights give a cool, calming, dreamy effect..  Somewhat like summer rain - when the mind feels like dancing, standing and getting wet in the rain..

 Superb craftsmanship and design didn't let even a slight glimpse of how the top part was made..as the stems of the flowers very clearly visible from below without any visible support  Although my guess is that they have used a thin mesh of plastic wires were used. The translucent plastic wires were holding the flowers which were' falling from the floral arrangement. Two strands of flowers were in a transparent glass test tube filled with water. I used the similar trick for my oriental centerpiece. 

The bunch of flowers fallen to the ground effect was with flowers kept in transparent glasses. 

Mesmerizing is the word comes to my mind when I see this arragemten. I wish my IPhone could take better quality pictures at night.