Posted by Laxmi Lobo on November 7th, 2007
Traditionally Diwali is the festival of lights but it is also a vibrant festival full of colour and cheer.
Over the years Diwali has turned into a Pan India festival, and is celebrated across the nation.
Traditional flowers play a large roles in Diwai celebrations.
Bright orange “marigold” ; white “shewanti” ; green “pala” leaves ; red “gulab” petals are the flowers used for making “rangoli” of flowers.
This is made in pleasing combination of colours and geometric patterns at the entrance to homes.
A Diwali diya, or a tall “samay” a brass lamp of varying height is generally placed in the center of the “rangoli”
As design and non-traditional floral trends have evolved we can use many traditional inputs to create a completely unusual look.
The same “floral rangoli” can be made floating on a water body like an urli or a large “dekchi”; one can also use floating candles to complete the diwali lights look.
Another idea is to add a bit of “silver shimmer” to the transparent glass vase filled with whatever flowers you like. This surely adds a festive touch.
The diwali gifts can also be packed imaginatively with flowers. A spring of orchids taped on the mithai
box can change the look and feel of the gift.Â
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on November 3rd, 2007
- A simple hand painted terracota pot
- A few roses to add a floral touch
- The eternal “diwali diya” lighted
Light the foyer, or entrance path perhaps the four corners of the diwali table, or a circle of lights with flowers, instead of rangoli and diyas.
This is a nice change and looks different.
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on October 11th, 2007
A simple change to your kitchen table…..the bowl of fruit…..its passe!!
- Take a small glass bowl, add a block of “floral sponge” soaked with water. ( you can get floral sponge from your local Florist)
- I have added green orchids, but you can add any flowers to the sponge, even lovely greens from your garden or herbs from your kitchen window; anything that suits your colour scheme.
- Take wooden toothpicks and thrust them into Lime (green) and Lemons (yellow) at the base.
- Push the other end of the toothpick into the floral sponge exactly where you want to place the lemon or lime.
- Work the glass container all around with flowers // foliage // lime // lemon.
THIS ARRANGEMENT LOOKS GOOD AND HAS THE ADDED FRAGRANCE OF THE SUBTLE AROMA OF LIME AND LEMON.
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on October 6th, 2007
I suggest you get the season’s freshest flowers from your florist.
Ask them to just tie you a bundle, that doesn’t cost much.
Wrap them beautifully like I have done, in any coordinating colours of lush tulle or net.
Carry this with you, when you visit a friend for dinner.
The impact is enough to remember your flowers forever !!!!
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on September 19th, 2007
Its truly simple
All you do is fill a “dekchi” or a cooper vessel with water
Float garden greens in it, like springeri, or any others on your window sill
Maybe add fresh herbs for an added fragrance
Two large square or round stout candles.
Any other colourful embellishements
Isn’t that another? simple yet artistic masterpiece.
With Flowers all you have to do is think out of the box.
A Floral Designer looks at the background and colours when a Theme is made.
You can see what goes in what corner , of your room, or the kitchen and accordingly blend the colours and back ground with flowers and foliages.
Thats why I call it a “FLORAL RECIPIE”
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on August 27th, 2007
There are special occasions and holidays which give you the excuse to send a relative or close friend flowers just to let them know that you are thinking of them.
This is especially appropriate if you haven’t written to them or spoken to them on the phone for some time.
In most cases, a surprise gift of flowers will invariably result in a joyous telephone call from the receiver of the gift.
A telephone call is the only way to thank someone for a gift of flowers. Its one of the nice ways of embarking on a long friendship, or a good business contact.
An E-mail response is not personal enough.
From the responses we have received, a gift of flowers and the resulting telephone call more than compensates for being separated by distances or for not writing for too long a time or for building that new contact.
SENDING FLOWERS…. It is the one act that brings people closer together — and almost immediately upon receipt of the flowers.
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on August 21st, 2007
A simple Wild Flower can be so dramatically enhanced simply by changing the background!!
- Take a piece of thermocol about 2feet by 2feet.
- Place sticky tape on the thermocol in a cross shape as shown in the picture to create the dividing “white line”
- Cut out carboard squares of four varying sizes as shown in the picture.
- Remove one cardboard at a time and paint the thermocol to get perfect shapes as shown
- When you have finished painting all the squares, place the wild flower ( you may choose any flower and any long foliage or grass) in dramatically opposit line of the “white line”
- YOU HAVE JUST CREATED DRAMA WITH A SPRIG!!
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on August 2nd, 2007
Can you imagine the impact this would have on that special person in your life?
Leave the candles alone, have a DAYTIME treat or make it an INDULGENCE DESSERT!
Its very easy to do this, if you are a good cook, then the chocolate icing is simple ‘royal icing’ recipie….
I’ll tell you how to make the flowers…
Take a small side plate, slice an “oasis floral sponge” into a square of 4inches by 4inches.
Start with the centre, 3 roses will make the cetre, then build slowly around giving the arrangement a round shape.
Do not use wispy greens to cover the floral sponge as little bits of green will drop onto the chocolate icing.
Use solid green leaves, small ones, that might be sitting on your window ledge or garden.
The contrast of the dark pink and the dark choclate is enough to mesmerize…..don’t forget the fragrance of pink roses mingling with aphrodaisc chocolate is simply mindblowing!!
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on May 13th, 2007
It is simplistic to think that the floral designer is just sticking a few flowers in a vase.
Floral art is very much a matter of finding solutions for any corner of the home and creating an AMBIENCE WITH FLOWERS..
This involves what kind of Floral Design choices we suggest for the customer, and involves a large number of variables such as style, look, color, and various elements of design.
This simple set up by the bedside literally uses a single spray of white Crysanthemums.
I have used little pieces of marble rock to hold the small plastci bottles down and added a sprig of flowers.
Finish with a fragrant candle in the center and add a dramatic touch with the RED runner below.
Its your imagination… CREATE A LOOK… A DESIGNER LOOK!!!
Posted by Laxmi Lobo on April 19th, 2007
Buy a bunch of white orchids and simply fan them out in a glass of water!
Just looking at them will cool you in this hot summer heat!
White orchids last long, at least 2 weeks, keep changing the water daily.
When you buy orchids make sure there are lots of orchid buds at the tips. This means they are fresh and will keep blooming so you will see those flowers in your home for 2 weeks!
