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Showing posts with label custom wire corsage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label custom wire corsage. Show all posts

A Florist-Client Connection Creates Prom Perfection (A Special guest post Featuring Lori Kunian CFD)

When you watch someone execute a task flawlessly with ease and grace that results in a final product that looks effortless but is exquisite is a joy to observe. We have all seen it- a perfect salsa dance, a lattice top pie on the food channel, redoing a room in a day…and may I add a florist creating prom corsages when a connection is made with a great kid who trusts them to make a little magic out of flowers.

Lori Kunian CFD who has created thousands of corsages in her time at the bench recently made such a connection. 
The dress was turquoise, the girl was tropical and after graduation she was going to school to be an architect. Lori enjoyed taking a break from prom mothers who were afraid of color and their just want to “keep it white, goes with everything” mentality. Here is what she came up with.

-Client connection- Blue Ocean Wrist corsage by Lori Kunian CFD

-Client connection- Blue Ocean Necklace by Lori Kunian CFD



A base of aluminum wire pays homage to the steel and wire from architectural projects to come. Blue/gray eryngium (or sea holly) provides texture and interest representing the childhood canvas of mixed cultures and rich heritage.  Turquoise feathers infer colorful birds and the many adventures life post High School will bring. The safe soft security of home and being wrapped in a warm blanket courtesy of the dusty miller. The shell is for walking the beach after prom. Center stage is the orchid with its fuchsia petals ready to have fun and dance the night away.

By the way she had a date: this is the boutonniere created to accent her dress, her corsage and her personality, he was as proud to wear it as he was to have her on his arm.

-Client connection- Blue Ocean Boutonniere by Lori Kunian CFD

This post was an exercise in applying artistic process to what a good florist, yes I said florist- not floral designer does when they are passionate about what they do and where they do it. A florist does not have the luxury of simply playing with flowers, they have to pay the bills, stock the store, motivate the help and keep the government at bay. They have to create beautiful saleable art and do it quickly.  So Lori did not take time to sketch, go to market to choose the perfect blooms or search Pinterest for inspiration. Knowing her inventory and drawing on experience she went to the design bench and created the base, boxed it and put it on the shelf to have flowers added to it on the appropriate day. 

Just like Norm Abrams making a craftsman style table, she knew what was to be done and by applying her process, she did it. In the hands of a master it looks easy buy it takes lots of practice to become one who can make it look effortless.

-Client connection- Blue Ocean Wrist corsage and Boutonniere by Lori Kunian CFD

If you want a beautiful corsage, boutonniere, necklace, hairpiece, floral crown or any floral accessory for prom and you are north of Boston give Lori Kunian CFD a call at her shop in Melrose MA or visit her website.. affairstorememberflorist.com


I hope you enjoyed this guest post- Special thanks to Lisa Greene and Lori who so graciously accepted my invitation to guest post &  share one of her creative prom designs with us.

How-to: Wire technique



How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!

Earlier this year I shared a little how-to with wire from Doug Bates CFD on our Facebook page..
The video and photos are easy to follow and were originally featured in  Floral.Today -Floral Industry News for Floral Professionals.  
You can read the Feature Designer article here

This is the design that really caught my eye and sparked my imagination ....all those COILS!  
How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!


 I had to give it a try.... 
as stated in the video (below) you DO need lots of space in the beginning because you need to keep the design-in-progress FLAT. 



Once we got the hang of it, we didn't want to stop!
Here are a few of our designs ..


How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!

How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!

How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!


And a couple smaller delicate designs..

How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!

How To: Wire Technique (by Doug Bates CFD). Trying out new desings with Oasis decorative wire. Great for Corsages, armbands, boutonnieres.. whatever! Let your imagination go!

I'm Looking forward to using these for 
Homecoming and Prom! 
They are fun to create and are also very sturdy, keeping their shape nicely.  
The coil detail is so striking I would probably place the flowers either in the center of the wrap
keeping the coil detail in full view on the ends, or place the flowers next to the coils so they become part of the focal area.

Check out the videos!









Inspired by Wire -New Ideas for Corsages

After being inspired by Rhonda's designs (read about them here) 
and that wonderful Floral Jewelry book we keep referring to ...
I finally got a chance to gather my wire & tools and 
create!

  A simple leaf design for starters..

Custom wire leaf bracelet


An armband in pink with whimsical flowers and butterflies..
(flowers are placed on the wire spirals)


Pink arm band

A couple of cuff/wrap designs..

Perfect for prom- wire wrist corsage cuffs

A chunky wrap with pink & lavender beads..

Chunky wrap bracelet

And finally....a dragonfly.. 

Wire Dragonfly


I'm looking forward to seeing how they look with fresh flowers added!

Tracey
Twigs

Smith Valley Prom - A Black & White Affair

How do you stay unique when everyone is wearing the same color combination? 
That was the challenge we had while creating corsages for this event. 

Pattern..
These zebra & striped ribbons added just the right touch to keep this basic corsage interesting and unique. 



Texture..
Soft feathers contrasts with the sparkle of rhinestones


Color..
If you are wearing black or white there's no better place to add a splash of color 
Here it was a soft pink combined with black and white ribbons. 



Or
Just do your own thing!



Tracey Foster
Twigs
Yerington, NV

#thatmomentwhen


Have you ever had one of those moments when you thought 
 "why didn't I think of that!?!"
I had such a moment at a recent design show/workshop 
in Santa Clara featuring Hitomi Gillium.

As many of you know, we've been creating wire free form bases for our 
corsages here at Twigs for a couple years.
they look like this.... a wide-ish area for the flowers which narrows & continues to twist around the arm.


Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage
Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage

 

One of the projects at the workshop was to create one of these- 
"Cool! I already know how to do this!" I thought to myself- but there was a slight difference
 that altered the end result entirely.

Here are a couple I just completed - Our 'new & improved' design now
tapers down to a single wire, we've also added delicate angle hair wire.
The new version is much more versatile and light weight. 


Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage

Wear low on the wrist with the end curling up the arm,
or...

Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage

Wear it high on the wrist with the end curling around your
hand or fingers.

Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage

or wear it centered on the wrist with the end floating above the flowers.
I LOVE the versatility of this new base & the result is so light in design and actual weight.



Continuing education is important in the floral industry.
New trends arise, new products are introduced & fresh exciting techniques are
developed to combine the two. Attending design shows, national symposiums or workshops puts me in a place where I can learn about all three.

It certainly provides lots of opportunity for
#thatmomentwhen
the light bulb clicks on!

Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage

Shooting Star wire wrist wrap  #PromFlowers #wristcorsage






Tracey Foster
Twigs
Yerington, Nevada