Fabulous Flowers

While Jared disappears into his "study hole",(that's what I like to call our second bedroom where Jared sets up shop) I've been keeping myself busy with totally non-academic, fun things!  I've always wanted to take a flower arranging class but like most things in life, I never seem to have time (or, more likely, take the time) to do the things I WANT to do.  So when the Newcomer's Club offered a flower arranging class, I jumped at the opportunity.  

I love fresh flower arrangements, but they are just so expensive!  In Fort Worth, I would often go to Costco and admire all the bunches of flowers (but I never bought them because I knew that as soon as I plopped them in a vase, they would never look quite right).  So I was so happy to learn some skills.  Maybe when we get back to the States, I'll open up a flower shop....just kidding, Jared!

Matthew Taylor, a local Oxford florist led the class.  He was so patient to answer every dumb question we had.

This is his super cute shop, exactly what you would expect from an English flower shop.  It is actually across the street from Jared's college, so I've admired it often.  I'm pretty sure this picture from his website was taken in June because all those lush green plants would be sad in the freezing temps we've had lately....brrr!!!

He did some techniques that I had never seen before!  On this arrangement, he started out with a three or four strands of grass and began wrapping it with wire, then he would gather another bunch and continue wrapping until he had created a frame for the flowers...so cool!

 He then stuck some crystals in the middle of roses for a little touch of bling.

I loved the red, orange and purple together in this beautiful Fall arrangement.  I've never thought of Gerber daisies as a fall flower, but I do now!

Now the next arrangement was something completely out of the ordinary.  He took an amaryllis plant that was about to flower and made a Christmas tree out of it!  He simply wrapped the amaryllis stalk in wire and stuck evergreen branches into the wire to create a tree shape...brilliant!  This is the perfect Christmas tree for flats like ours that have NO extra room!

Fellow Texan, Lauren, doing her best Vanna impersonation!  Sorry for my horrible photography skills...maybe I'll take a photography class next!

There was a raffle at the end of the class for all the arrangements....of course I didn't win.  It was probably just as well since I didn't want to carry one all the way home, anyway.  But I did learn some great tips that I can hopefully hold in my head until I finally get my hands on some Costco flowers!