A Floral Crown - Fit for a Queen

 

I love how everyone  is getting into the mood to celebrate the Jubilee. Flags are at the ready and bunting has been strung along the shop fronts of all the local businesses.

I've been doing the window displays for Caversham's newest massage therapists Le Masseur Personnel since they opened. This month, they set me a challenge and rather last minute asked me to come up with a floral crown for their Jubilee window. 

"Cool, no probs, of course I can do that" I said. Only thing was, it had to be very lightweight to be able to sit in their existing suspended display box, so oasis was out of the question. I'll figure it out, I thought and went away to play with some wire.  One snipped finger and a few chicken wire scratches later, this is what I came up. 

I used coloured decorative wire to make the outline shape, reel wire to make the fleur de lys, orb and crosses, to which I added beads for jewels. I then attached chicken wire around the base and arranged thistle, carnation spray and gypsophila through this as a floral alternative to the usual Ermine. Don't think Queenie would mind, do you? 

After all, Queens get a free massage this weekend ; ) (everyone else gets 10 %)

In the pink

If you're looking for a classic pink rose for a wedding, gift or for home, you can't really go wrong with Aqua - a versatile mid pink rose, with a lovely neat shape and a good spiral. They're not what I would call a large headed rose, but nevertheless have a compact, regular shape and are available year round. 

Whilst I'm not generally a big fan of carnations, my sources tell my they are due for a revival and I'm actually quite taken with this new variety, bred no doubt to tap into the current vogue for romantic vintage style, they have a beautiful painterly quality and subtle variations in tone. What do you think?

Of course you shouldn't overlook Peonies if you want big, blousey pinks blooms. They have a relatively short season and are at their best in the summer months of May and June.  I just love them and use them as often as possible. For some reason they just make me beam. Ah, loving the romance!