the Flowers (6/14)

I love flowers!  I have mentioned this before.  Flowers have always inspired my art, stood as metaphors in my work, been the focus of papers I have written and was even the theme of the bridal shower my friend Andrea threw me.

Flower Scape Installation

There was no way I was paying someone tons of money to arrange flowers for me.  I knew this. I also knew as I perused those wedding blogs, I was drawn to the arrangements in simple mason jars.  And anyone who knows me or has seen my art work, knows I love love love color!

One day I sent an email to my family, friends and co-workers asking them for interesting jars..just as an experiment to see what I would get.  That week I had an incredible amount of jars finding their way to my desk.  Large and small mason jars, jam and jelly jars, sauce jars, even some interesting bottles.  Light bulb moment!

That's when I came up with the idea to use a variety of recycled jars and bottles to create a Flower Scape.  This flower scape would serve as a changing installation, your table card, a take away and the centerpiece created by the people at your table. Phew! (I would also have one larger jar of flowers on the table with the table number, and some throughout the resort.) 

 Jar Organization and Storage

I spent a lot of time washing and sorting jars that summer.  Once I had my sets complete I created labels using old cereal boxes and yarn.  The cereal box was a great component because my man and I heart cereal, it was again a recycled element and it added another bit of color to the mix. To attach the names and numbers I used the leftover mailing labels from the invitations and the fancy invitation font. All of this was done in advance and stored in sturdy boxes I had gotten from work.

I bought the flowers whole sale, (planned in advance, picked up the day before) and because I wanted so much color, I chose a lovely variety of flowers including: Red Hypericum Berries, Red Alstromeria, Red Spray Carnations, Orange Montbrethia, Orange Spray Roses, Yellow Solidago, Small Sunflowers, Yellow Button Mums, Green Hypericum, Green Buttons, Bells of Ireland, Purple Buttons, Purple Veronica and Limonium.

 I decided on a rainbow hand-tied bouquet, using the same flowers that would make up the flower scape. Doesn't a rainbow bouquet sound so beautiful?  Oh it was!  Different from all sides, bursting with color! The beautiful mothers and a few other important ladies wore a sunflower corsage, and the gentleman wore herb boutonnieres made of sage, rosemary, thyme and lavender. The groom had dried blueberries too!

The day before the wedding my two closest friends came with me to pick up the flowers and we went to town filling those jars!  It was so fun to play with so many colorful and beautiful flowers!  When all was said and done, we packed them in boxes and were ready for sleep!

Making the arrangements!

The next morning when we arrived at Full Moon,  Mary Jo set up the flower scape.

Lovely.