On my online workbook this week: Drops do that!

Dear

This week's inspiration is finding my smile between splashes of raindrops on Autumn leaves.

My tip for you this week is to sit with your plant material at least for a bit. They have a story to tell and it is your design that is going to help them do this. Each design detail has a personality. Have a good look at the unique qualities of the plant material so that you can use the lines or shapes or even colours to convey your design message.

Fuchsia flowers have a great drop lantern like shape to them. No matter how you place them, no matter how well conditioned, they droop downwards. You have to be mindful when designing that such design details (like Amaranthus, wisteria, fuchsias, even accessories such as baubles and icicles) can easily give the impression that your design is wilting long before it actually is. Always make sure there is a strong upward trend in your floral design.

Drying a few of the Japanese maple leaves for this design and then adding them in a way that the leaves create a strong and optimistic line counters this drop in the flowers. Place the leaves and the stems in a way that leads your eyes back upwards whenever you follow the pretty flowers downwards.

Give your design (and the onlooker) a bit of hope. Let's think of it as sharing a smile. Just before you are done with the design give it a smile… can you identify an upturn in return? Can you adjust something somewhere so that it in some way smiles back?

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine