New Bridal Bouquet

This week has gone by in a jiffy :). I did not even know where it went :). I taught 17, yes 17 students in a demo session that DECO Clay holds every Tuesday at the Waikiki Mariott Hotel. My friend and senior colleague Chen-Li usually does it. But since she was busy that day, the academy asked if I could step in. I did, because I thought it would be fun and a great learning experience. I had students ranging from 3 years to ladies in their 70s. I learnt a lot, and had a lot of fun.... Also, my respect for Chen-Li and Yukiko went up manyfold :).
Then yesterday, I went to give Aya of DECO Clay Craft Academy a hand at the Girls' Day Craft Fair that's being held at Shirokiya (Ala Moana Shopping Center). If you are around, do come and take a look. There are many pretty finished products for sale, by some of our senior-most instructors (who do great work!). We are also doing demo sessions there. The schedule can be had from the DECO Clay Craft Academy.


This week I also finished one of my bridal bouquets. So, here are some pics. My client's colors were dark pink, light pink and some white. She initially wanted to go for roses and pearl studded /or crystal studded stephanotis. I showed her some samples and she decided to go with the pearl studded stephanotis. Also, she decided she wanted some peonies as well. So, this is what I came up with. I also decided to add some greens.
This client of mine contacted me via weddingbee.com . She is not new to DECO Clay Flowers. She had seen them at her cousin's wedding in Hawaii. And guess what? She loves her bouquet :). So, what do you think about it ? :)
PS: I totally forgot to mention..... about Cherrie's contribution to this bouquet. I usually make Peonies with green and white centers. But Cherrie told me to try golden yellow centers. That is what I have tried in this creation of mine.

Gardenia Hair Piece

When one of my ETSY clients received the Gardenia Hair comb she bought, she realized that a comb was not she was looking for. She somehow thought she was buying a hair piece on an alligator clip and bought the comb by mistake. When she received the hair piece, she told me about her dilemma. When I said I'd take back the comb happily and send her a refund, she said she loved the way the comb looked. Only if I could do a similar cluster of flowers on an alligator clip. So, this is what I came up with.

I liked the way it turned out but thought that it was a little too big. So although my client loved it and told me to send it over to her, I ran it by my trusted senior colleague - ChenLi - today. When she told me that it was the perfect size and showed me how it looked on her hair, I realized she was right. So, this beautiful piece will be on its way tomorrow :).

I had loads of fun today! I attended a Tropical Flowers class by ChenLi at the academy, along with Corrine and Bob. I made a yellow Cattleya that I had been seeing at the farmers' market we visit. I also made an Anthurium and a pretty pink Plumeria and helped Bob make his Hawaiian Red Ginger flower since we were running out of time. I also showed Yukiko my white and green arrangement. She liked it too :). So, it was a fun time at the academy today! Not a dull moment with DECO Clay around :).

Peony and Rose arrangement in white and green

A few posts back I had written about how I am doing a peony arrangement in white and green. Well, here it is. This is for a custom order. I have added white roses and lots of foliage. The green tendrils add movement and height to the arrangement.
I have always loved white and green arrangement, but never had the opportunity to do one. Well, now I have :). So, let me know how you like it.

A Gift for a friend and a friend's creations....

The first part of the post is about a gift I made for my friend Maxine. Maxine was having a party and I was at a loss as to what to give her as a gift. I could carry a wine bottle.... but since I don't drink, I can't even differentiate a good wine from a bad one :). The best thing to do would be to give her one of my arrangements that she so loves :). So, that is exactly what I did. I created an arrangement for her just hours before we went to the party :). She loved it.
Yesterday, Sarang and I went to my friend and colleague Cherrie's house to take a look at some dolls she had made using the techniques that Kazuko Miyai showed us. Now, the rest of us, were content to do basic dolls with basic dresses :)- which was no mean achievement, trust me! :). But Cherrie is a an award winning dress designer. She makes beautiful flowers too, but I really really flip for her figurines and the dresses she puts on them :). Gorgeous, just gorgeous! And such amazing detail. I have to get better photographs, but here's what I have right now. So do let me know how you like Cherrie's work.

Llyons Arboretum

On this Valentine's Day, we decided to do something very different. We visited the Llyons Arboretum here in Manoa, Hawaii.

We were amazed at the variety of plants there and the vibrant colors of the flora. I have put a slideshow of some pictures we took, for you all to enjoy. Happy Valentine's Day!

Peony Arrangement - Reloaded!

This is an arrangement that has sold like hot cakes. It started out as a custom order, but so many people liked it that I listed it again on ETSY. This arrangement can be customized to a client's choice of colors. I wanted to share these pictures of my latest sale with you, because I think they have come out pretty nicely. I love the mint julep cup and think it adds a ton of elegance to any floral design.This is the first time I have been able to take decent pictures of this style of arrangement. I love the pictures and also the way the arrangement has shaped up. In fact, I am working on a similar wedding bouquet too. When its ready, I shall share it with you.Also in the works is a larger arrangement in a mint julep cup, with white peonies, green roses and lots of foliage and berries. This is the first time I am working on a white and green creation and I love the look of it. I can't wait for the peonies to dry up, so I can start putting the flowers together! :)

Meanwhile, I also attended a tropical flower class with the lovely Chenli today at the DECO Clay Craft Academy. It was SO MUCH FUN, re-doing flowers with Chenli ! The thing that strikes you first about Chenli is her resounding laugh :). It can bring cheer to the cloudiest of days :). But make no mistake - she is one hard taskmaster. She will keep correcting you till you get every petal, every texture, every shade right. And that is what I love about her! Am really looking forward to more classes from her and Yukiko - they are just pure joy, the joy that comes from creating something beautiful.

Valentine Bride order completed

Here are some picture of my Valentine Bride's completed order. There is one bridal bouquet, 4 bridesmaids' bouquets, one Maid of Honor's bouquet, 6 boutonnieres, 2 corsages and 1 flower for the flower girl to hold.
Guess which was the toughest to make? :) The flower girl's flower. I needed something that would hold her attention, since she's just 2 and a half years old :). So, I came up with a single flower, embellished it with pearl sprays and leaves and finished it off with a ribbon. I hope at least one of those things will keep her interested enough in the flower, so as to not throw it away till the ceremony is over :). But with children, you never know :).

The maid of honor bouquet is a little different from the bridesmaids' bouquets. It has hydrangeas instead of orchids.

Over the months, Anitra - the bride - has become more of a friend than a client and its been such a pleasure working on her flowers. I now hope that she likes the flowers in person, as much as she likes them in photos. Here's wishing Anitra and David a blissful married life......