Several weeks ago, I spent the day with Lance Jackson and David Ecton of Parker Kennedy Living to help them with a video they wanted to make- I was working behind the camera while they were busy showing their Instagram followers tips on brightening their homes with creative flower arrangements. We shot the video live on Instagram and had so much fun! But, I think the video is lost forever because we didn't hit that save button before it was posted. Ugh! It was our very first attempt at "going live" and now we know! The good news, though, is that I also took a million photos that day. The arrangements were so beautiful and their new home was so gorgeous, I couldn't stop snapping shots of it all. It was a feast for the eyes, and I wanted to share it with you!
The photo above is a picture of what started the idea for this lesson on floral design from Lance- greenery and citrus. The fresh, lush greenery combined with the unexpected citrus fruit is such a good combo. Lance used myrtle branches for the greenery and then put the oranges, lemons, and limes on floral picks and placed them around the base of the large blue and white vase. David was the chief assistant and helped keep us entertained while all of this floral magic was happening! One of the most magical aspects of the greenery and citrus fruit is that it was the easiest one to create and the most dramatic! It was nice to see that a show-stopping, creative, eye-catching floral arrangement doesn't have to be hard!
As you can see above, all of the ingredients for a gorgeous floral arrangement were laid out on the table to make it easier to work with it. Lance and David had all of the vases and cache pots on the table- and I think choosing such beautiful pieces is as important as what goes in them! Below, you can see the pots and vases that they chose- and notice that a floral oasis was used for some of the arrangements to hold it all in place. Soak the oasis in water and then place it in the pot, vase, or planter- your flowers will thank you and you won't have to water as often!
The roses that they used were so many pretty shades! Most of the roses were found at the grocery store- isn't that great to know? I love how Lance and David mixed the colors and added greenery to create a burst of color that isn't that hard to replicate in our own homes. Take a look at this one- it turned out to be my favorite...
And, while we are gawking at the flowers, how about the fabulous blue and white vase (and garden stool, hello!)? Everything in this photo looks so elegant- the coffee table books, the velvety pillow, and the stunning arrangement that we all know we can make! At least we know we can achieve one piece of this look, if nothing else right? :)
I also love how Lance and David put groupings of roses in blue and white vases and ginger jars. I always felt like I needed to mix in something else to make it look right, but they taught me how beautiful and easy it is to simply start with a unique vase and put roses in so that they are just peeking out of the top. I'm sold on that idea and I really love the simplicity.
And even in mostly one shade, the yellow roses look so pretty tightly fit into a contrasting blue vase...my mom's favorite color combo has always been blue and yellow, and so this flower arrangement made me think of her! That would be a great gift idea for me to remember to give her one day!
So, what do y'all think so far? Do you feel like these are fancy and fantastic but also do-able? And, let me ask you this...have you ever used asparagus in your flower arrangements? I haven't! But, leave it to Lance to combine roses and asparagus and make it look fabulous!
The produce section definitely caught his eye when he was in the grocery store shopping for roses. Along with the citrus fruits and asparagus, Lance came back home with cabbage too! I am definitely more of a give-me-lots-of-color-kind-of-girl, but for those of you who prefer a calmer vibe, you will love the cabbage combo!
I love how the asparagus gives the same feel to the arrangement as the myrtle greenery in the roses...but if you don't have access to myrtle, then grab some asparagus stalks at the store and design away! I often clip greenery from my yard to add to flowers, and boxwood clippings are my usual go-to. Now that we have dogs, I occasionally receive a bouquet of boxwoods fresh from Tuck's mouth when he decides to be naughty. I have to admit, it does make for a lovely little organic pop of pretty on our breakfast table when it happens!
And, look at how pretty the flower arrangements look grouped all together on this wicker console. The Parker Kennedy design eye is strong! The garden room in their home is stunning all by itself- and then add in their incredible talent for interior design and it becomes jaw-dropping. If you don't already follow Parker Kennedy Living on Instagram, you should! They share the most inspiring photos and such fun glimpses into life at The Governor's Mansion which you can also follow on IG as they restore this historical home and property in Commerce, GA. And, to help us all achieve their signature look, they have created a wonderful online shop where they offer finds that range from rare, antique finds to whimsical, fun Barbie shoe jewelry. The shop is called PKL-The Cellar, and each week I look forward to seeing what they are offering. Lance's keen eye for choosing such amazing and unique pieces is always a big draw for me- you never know what will pop up in the shop!
I hope you are inspired and encouraged to create something lovely after seeing how easy it can be to play around with flowers and to think outside the flower box. I loved being a part of this day and this video- I only wish we still had the video for you guys to see! I do have a quick little blooper video that I will share with you- I made them do a quick practice run so that I could check the lighting and sound before we went live. It is always a joy to be with Lance and David of Parker Kennedy Living, and I am excited that I can share my talented friends with you. I hope you love them as much as I do! They are wonderful people with tons of talent- they deserve to be shared as they truly spread goodness through their kind hearts and their immense talents! Here's Lance below taking a quick pic of his creative handiwork!
Happy Arranging! I would love to see what you all are inspired to create!
xo,
Lydia
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