Flowers to Use for Fall Holidays and Events

10 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Daisy Hart, Guest Posts, Weddings

Tags

autumn, berries, bouquets, brown, calla lily, daisies, decorations, dried leaves, Fall Holiday Flowers, gardenias, Gloriosa lily, halloween, hydrangeas, peonies, Pumpkin, red astilbe, red roses, reds, ribbon, rye grass, seasons, sunflowers, Table Runner, traditional, twigs, vines, Wedding Flower Ideas, weddings, yellows

There are many wonderful opportunities to use and give away flowers during the fall season. It could be a wedding, pumpkin decorations or simply flower garlands and autumn-themed decorations of our homes for those with a sense of aesthetic. For that reason we are ready to give you some great ideas on how to enjoy preparing a beautiful gift for your friends, family or yourself by pointing out the best fall season flowers and their respective occasions. Thanks to Flower Delivery in the UK for these great ideas!

Wedding Flower Ideas
Although years ago summer was the preferred season for weddings because of its favorable weather and bright, sunny days it is now fall which is becoming increasingly popular due to its particular charm. The best thing about this season are the scents, the vibrant colors and clean, crisp air far removed from the heat and humidity of summer.

Photo Credit: (left) Brides.com (right) Knotforlife.com

Photo Credit: The Sweetest Occasion

The best way to go about decorating bouquets and arches of flowers is by combining them with dried leaves and twigs. They will symbolize the change of seasons and will feel more than natural in these environments. Remember yellows, reds and browns are your friends, however you can always combine this with flowers such as daisies, the gorgeous calla lily, hydrangeas, red roses and combinations of berries, rye grass and vines are a great way to combine all of these in a work of art.

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Bouquet Centerpieces
Reception tables often need something to keep them good at attracting attention. For that reason bouquet centerpieces are a great way to catch the eye. Add some autumn leaves to the arrangement of flowers since they will be easily available. On the other hand, adding a yellow or brown ribbon also works well. Use your imagination and trust your inner sense of aesthetic beauty when arranging the bouquet for the best results possible.

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Photo Credit: Western Wedding Flowers

Photo Credit: Brides.com

Pumpkin Decorations
Although these may not be extremely popular in other countries outside North America where Halloween is not celebrated they are a traditional idea and their symbolism as a representation of autumn is well-known. You can carve up pumpkins filling them with fall leaves and flowers in nice bright orange, yellow or red colors. You can use mini calla lilies in red and orange colors or hydrangeas as a nice, classic flower arrangement. These decorations will easily add color to your table and they will spark the autumn mood and lift the spirits.

Photo Credit: Eddie Ross

Photo Credit: (left) Kate’s Place (right) The New York Botanical Garden

Photo Credit: A Pretty Life

Table Runner Flower Garland
This is a great way to put some color and life on your table by placing such a flower garland running around the whole table. You can use flowers such as the Gerber daisy, orange roses and hypericum berry. You can place those on a wall or arching over a doorway, or even on the table in such a manner which will spark the attention and tease the imagination.

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Photo Credit: Love to Know Weddings

Other Flowers You Might Use
You can always use more than what we mentioned here of course, there are plenty of chances to use flowers such as Gloriosa lily, red astilbe, sunflowers, daisies, peonies, gardenias and pretty much anything your heart desires. If you go to a flower shop simply trust your inner feeling on what you’d like to place there for your event. Don’t go traditional even, just do what feels natural to you and be unique!

http://www.flowerdelivery.org.uk/wedding-flowers/

Written by Daisy Hart

Interview with Artist & Musician Reinder Oldenburger

09 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Featured Artists

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

andy warhol, art, canvas, color, conservatory of amsterdam, countryside, de kooning, dutch, fine arts, fryslan, greetings cards, guitar, hurricane sandy, karel appel, matisse, music, netherlands, new york, owl, painting, picasso, playful, red cross, Reinder Oldenburger, ryan oldcastle, rythm, songwriting, structure, Van Gogh

My first impression of Reinder Oldenburger was definitely a good one, as he seemed laid back, kind and very sweet. Off the bat you can tell he was artistic, which he totally is, and he looked quite handsome that one winter day. You see I met him and my friend Jen in NYC to take photos of their wedding at city hall. It was such an honor to capture their special day.

Photo Credit: Jen Lombardo

Since that day, I have kept up with what Reinder has been creating and I have to say, I am impressed. Not only can he write and play music but he paints as well. Born in the Netherlands, he started playing guitar at 13 and then later moved to attend the Conservatory of Amsterdam. The artist, 28, now resides in Queens with his wife and fabulous makeup artist, Jen Lombardo.

Owl

Color plays a big part in his art as well as his music. In 2011, he decided to start putting his thoughts on canvas and through this has become a self taught fine artist with clear intention and abstract vision, one held by the great expressionists that have truly influenced him. His work is playful, raw and childlike with a touch of maturity and sensibility. It’s amazing he has only been painting for about a year.

I asked Reinder if he would do an interview with me for the blog and he kindly said yes. I am very happy to share the Q and A we had so you can learn a little more about this unique young man too.

What would you consider your first love, music or art? And why?
I started playing guitar in 1997 when I was 13. I took lessons and started playing in some local bands and eventually moved to Amsterdam to study music at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. I didn’t start painting until much later in 2011 after a visit to the van Gogh museum so it’s safe to say music was my first love.

How do you feel art and music/songwriting influence each other in your life?
I think they are essentially the same. They both have rhythm, color, and structure. I get inspired to paint a picture from listening to music and vice versa.

Andy Warhol

What is it that draws you to use vibrant colors in your paintings?
I think they’re just mesmerizing! Some of my favorites are cadmium yellow, naphthol red and azure blue. They’re so powerful I find it hard not to look at them.

Untitled

How do you feel your upbringing and surroundings have influenced your artistic vision and what experiences have influenced you the most?
I grew up in a generation without cell phones and social media. There was less distraction and more time to use the imagination. I’ve had a very free and untroubled childhood growing up on the Dutch countryside. The skies are amazing over there! The Dutch landscapes are a painter’s dream and I definitely believe that has influenced my perception of space and color.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Most of the time inspiration comes as I’m working. Music and books are some of my favorite sources. I believe that everything I see, hear and experience influences and inspires me when the time is right.

Explain your artistic process when starting to work on a painting.
A blank canvas can be very intimidating. It’s all about being open and fearless, adding and taking away. Every brush stroke leads to another. I often have no idea where I’m going. I basically start building on a simple idea and let the current take me to unknown waters. When I paint I like to listen to loud music and drink lots of coffee.

Untitled

Is it ever hard to part with a painting when it’s sold?
For me it’s all in the process of creating. I’ll give it everything and when I’m done with a painting I’m ready to part with it.

Who are your favorite artists and why?
Picasso, Matisse, de Kooning, Karel Appel, and van Gogh are some of my favorites. Mostly because of their incredible use of color.

Vincent van Gogh

{To learn more about Reinder, you can visit him at reinderoldnburger.com and ryan oldcastle.com. You can purchase his paintings in his Etsy shop. Also currently for sale are limited greeting card boxed sets featuring 8 paintings from his 2012 work which you can buy for $20. He is kindly donating 25% of the profits to the Red Cross to help Hurricane Sandy victims.}

Inspiration Photo Friday: Childhood Freedom

09 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Inspiration Photo Friday

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carnival, children, memories, photography, rides, swings, treats

I have loved carnivals since I was a child. The energy they hold is so unique. From the rides and games to all the yummy treats, you can’t deny yourself a good time. I took this photo a few months ago when it was still nice out. There was a carnival here in Brookhaven township and I had to go take some photos while I had the chance. Okay, okay, I will admit, it was purely for the zeppoles. They are my favorite!

While I watched the kids laugh and scream with glee on the swings, it brought me back to the good old days when we had no worries. We can simply enjoy ourselves without any stress or real life problems on our mind. I have been on this ride a few times in my day and it truly feels free. Legs swinging in the air, the wind kissing your cheeks and that floating feeling that just overcomes you is amazing. Such fun memories.

I decided to add an effect to the photograph to give it more of a vintage whimsy feel. I think it allows the image to breathe while feeling ever so light and airy. Just like how you feel when you ride the swings. What does this photo make you think of?

{You can purchase this photo as a set in my Etsy shop for $10}

Easy Ways to Update Your Bathroom

08 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bathroom, color, diy, interior design, painting, repurpose, tub, white

The bathroom might not be the most important room in your home or the most used but it is surely important. Its a place where you have peace and privacy and most often get to relax. For me, having a beautiful clean bathroom is a must. Since my husband and I had a low budget when we bought our home, we couldn’t do much to the master bath. But besides completely renovating, there are things I have done to make it more bearable and better looking.

Our half bath downstairs is also a small project we haven’t gotten to yet but plan to in the near future. With just a little bit of paint, new flooring and a new sink, it would totally be transformed and it wouldn’t even cost much. I love home projects and doing it all ourselves is always fun too. I enjoy doing the work and taking all the credit but in the end, its all about taking a step back and seeing the beautiful space you have created.

To all of you who feel the same and enjoy doing DIY projects around the house, here are some great ideas I scooped from Better Homes and Gardens on what to do to spruce up your bathroom. Enjoy!

Using white items tend to cost less because manufacturers make them more often. Plus, white is a perfect color for the bathroom because it looks fresh and clean.

Just by updating the hardware in the space, the room can look like it had a facelift. Most hardware is affordable and very easy to install. Definitely a DIY project you can do in less than an hour.

By changing or updating your tub area, you can easily make the bathroom look different. There are plenty of companies that you can hire to help with this problem. Instead of remodeling the whole area, why not call in someone like Bathfitter who can simply cover it all up and make it like new. For under $5,000 you can get this checked off the list.

Add more storage to what you already have so you can stow away items that don’t need to be seen. Maximize your space and get organized!

Get creative and turn a piece of furniture you love into a vanity. All you need is to cut a hole out for the sink and you have a beautiful piece that will transform the room. Look for great finds at outlets, garage and estate sales and craigslist.