It is one thing to admire beautifully created flower arrangements. It is another thing to try to do it yourself, haha! But I did! Thanks to a workshop by the School of Styling Philippines recently at Glorietta 5 on how to make boutonnieres and corsages.
The entire atrium of Glorietta 5 was transformed into a flower wonderland. Every working table had summer blooms of different varieties as well as a basket filled with the tools one would need.
A stall to one side was selling beautiful Ecuadorian flowers from Kay Flowers Manila that came in vibrant colors — deep red, royal blue, baby pink, and a variant that mixed all colors! I was already getting excited to work with these flowers, with a bit of trepidation mixed in. There’s always a first time!
Mommy Em Sulit, organizer of the workshop, gave us a briefing on what to expect during the workshop.
The workshop began with a Basic Photography lecture by Geunice Burgos of Lightkeeper Studios, the event photographer. I was happy that this topic was part of the workshop because the tips given were very useful for a blogger like me who needs clear and well-composed pictures to go with my posts.
Geunice gave us several tips, including:
* Being meticulous about getting that perfect shot and ‘clean’ angle
* Quality-checking photos
* The rule of thirds, negative space, contrast, rule of odds, flatlays and other composition techniques
* How to edit photos
Next, we were introduced to Indy Ycasiano who demonstrated how easy it was to make a boutonniere and a corsage. How I wish I knew this when my kids were still at the age of proms! I’ve bought so many of these corsages and boutonnieres from flower shops.
We began by familiarizing ourselves with the tools needed to make a boutonniere or corsage:
* Floral wire
* Floral tape
* Ribbons or lace (colors, prints and styles depend on your taste)
* Glue sticks and glue gun
* Fresh flowers
* Fillers such as baby’s breath or leaves
* Cutter or scissors
Some tips I learned in making my very first corsage and boutonniere:
* For the corsage, choose combination of flowers that won’t be too heavy to wear on the wrist
* Mix large and small decorative flowers. Usecomplementing flower colors.
*Pull the floral tape tightly around the wire. Pulling activates the glue of the floral tape so it sticks to the wire better.
And here is my first attempt at a corsage.
Whew! I survived! But at least now, I carry with me some knowledge on how to make my own corsage or boutonniere when the occasion calls for it. And as they say, practice makes perfect!
Thanks to my friend, Em, and to the School of Styling Philippines for such a fun and educational morning.
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