On my online workbook this week: Are you a fan?

Dear

This week’s inspiration is a twist on tradition. My fan design was inspired by calligraphy but instead of brushstrokes I gave it a dried botanical twist.

Using dried hydrangeas is one of my all time favourite Tutorials and I keep four batches (each one dried differently) in my design pantry. Of course dried botanicals are staples because we use it in so many ways. The biggest drawback of using dried botanicals is of course: the more permanent the plant material you use the more lifeless the results. My tip for you this week is to always make sure you add your dried botanicals in a way that makes them look like they are unfurling and not drooping. See the difference a quick twist can make in pictures above?

Drying hydrangeas using different techniques adds instant vibrancy to your design because they each look slightly different. I dry my hydrangeas flat (pressed in a book and I use the flat flowers as a veneer or bottom layer in my designs) naturally (dried hanging upside down and to be used as a way to add bulk or dimension to my design) and dried in the microwave (a quick solution when you need dried flowers… now! And don't mind sacrificing some of the vibrant colour to get to done) and dried in silica gel (the absolute best way to preserve the colour and shape of your beautiful flowers). But I don’t want to spoil all the fun… this week is the launch of my brand-new-custom-designed floral craftsmanship learning platform and we are celebrating with a free design inspiration feature for all.

Add your password and you are ready to give it a go.

Simply type “drying hydrangeas” to search for this week's supporting Tutorial and just like that you will also unlock a whole bunch of related Tutorials (like how to make the dried hydrangeas less brittle, how to add a longer stem to your dried flowers…) and absolutely all the Designs you can craft using your left over dried hydrangeas. And when you identify the Tutorials and Design inspirations that sparks your creativity, click on the green heart on the side of the design to start saving your favourites in your personal Favourite list so that you can come back to what you like at any time.

As easy as that. Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine