On my online workbook this week: All is Calm, All is Bright

Dear

This week's inspiration is adding lightness.

... and it's also my tip for you this week. Add some lightness to your designs.

You have probably heard me say that when you add any kind of critter to your design to make sure it has something to interact with. Why is it there? Nothing in a design should ever look like it is desperately trying to escape. Give it something to talk to or talk about.

Using this logic is also a great opportunity to level up just by being mindful of the placement of your design details. Add a story. I feel we often underestimate the onlooker by simplifying our designs. Yes, it’s beautiful and that really is all you need to know about a flower arrangement… but you can do so much more. You can invite your viewer to linger a bit. To relax a bit. To take a breath. To notice a bit. And possibly to discover and (goal!) connect.

Do this by being mindful of all the elements you use in the design. Create a floral story. Conjure up an illusion.

In this design I wanted you to feel a light sense of calm. You know the sound of freshly fallen snow? That. A suspended moment of soft snow falling to the forest floor, with what is on the forest floor being all important. I wanted your eyes to dip down to the beautiful soft green poinsettias in the forest floor base. But I wanted them to also be light and airy. Our flowers always tell our story. To lift the poinsettias slightly from the base of the low container I placed them in a water tube rather than nestled low in the display container. The stems are cut short so that they are secure. Longer stems are top heavy and will topple out of the container.

Next I placed all the other accessories so that they are suspended in the moment creating a downward movement (like falling snow) as if it will eventually come to softly settle on the flowers. This is the reason why I did not “ground” the reindeer. I wanted them to tread softly so I secured them to the candles just above the flowers rather than standing below in the display container. Same with the way the snow is on the branches- sprayed from high above to spill softly to the floral floor. Everything is suspended in the moment... before it settles creating a feeling of lightness even if you can’t put your finger on exactly why.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine