About fabric dyes I use to colour my flowers

Please be kindly informed that we have moved! To read new blog posts, purchase our floral pieces and learn more about how to make flowers you are welcome to visit out new website here

Often I am asked what sort of dyes I use to colour fabrics for my pieces. And it is a very relevant question as not any fabric dyes could be used for our purposes. To start with I can say that acrylic fabric dyes are not suitable for a number of reasons. First, they are quite thick, they coat the fabric rather than just penetrate it thus changing the texture of it and they also stick to the millinery tools when we shape petals or leaves.
The right dyes to use when making silk flowers are so called aniline dyes, synthetic dyes that come in either liquid or powder form.
I started with these Russian made aniline dyes, which come in 11 rather strange completely artificial colours. They need careful mixing before one can come up with a suitable delicate colour to use on flowers.

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A bridal halo with double cherry blossom

Well, you have probably noticed that recently I have created quite a number of wedding designs. Although, I love to create bridal accessories as much as flowers for other occasions and even for every day, the reason I am concentrating on the wedding theme is because in a month (exactly a month from today!) I am taking part in a large Wedding fair in this new for me area. The Drayton Old Lodge Wedding Fair is held on 17 March at this elegant Edwardian manor house just 10 minutes drive from central Norwich. I have been placed in the Vintage room, which is another reason to concentrate on bridal floral accessories with a vintage feel to them.

Here is the creation of the last week: an open bridal wreath with double cherry blossom in soft pinks and mellow yellows. I used habotai for flowers and pongee for twigs (all 100% pure silk). As always I hand painted all the elements using colours for silk. The size of the wreath can be regulated with a silk ribbon at the back which is useful because you can wear it higher or lower depending on how you like it.

A similar wreath can be made with just white flowers or maybe only pink depending on the colour scheme of a wedding. The bridal wreath can be purchased from my Etsy shop.

I do find this floral garland very romantic i must say. And what is your opinion?

A bunch of grapes

I truly believe that a really great silk flower artist should be able to create diverse things. Yes, everybody loves roses. Yes, bridal accessories are always in demand. But one can not just make roses or white bridal flowers although I am not saying they have to be taken of the list. No way! But sometimes I want to take a break from popular designs and make something wacky, unconventional, but cute :-)

For a long time I was planning to make a brooch with grapes. I saw it in several books of mine as an interior  arrangement of a grape vine in a vase. But I wanted a brooch. So this week I finished my grapes brooch. It is a bunch of blue and purple grapes surrounded by 3 shiny leaves. It is finished with a brooch pin for easy attaching. The grapes brooch is currently available for purchase via my Etsy shop. It will make a perfect gift for any woman who appreciates unique handmade accessories.

Here are the pictures of the grapes brooch:

Lola rose

Britain is suffering of cold and snow. It is like being back to mother Russia in a way. And I have decided that I do NOT like cold and snowy UK, it just does not feel right. Besides, I am worried about my plants, all the little bulbs which are already coming up and the camellia full of buds. One snowdrop which was coming into flower got frozen the other day...

I would like to hope that it is not going to last long but BBC does not give much hope just yet.

Despite the gloominess outside I have a nice new rose blooming inside. In rich orange and red tones is provides a perfect change from the white winter outside. So here is Lola rose

Isn't she just full of sunshine? :-)

Bridal collection: floral head wreath

Please be kindly informed that we have moved! To read new blog posts, purchase our floral pieces and learn more about how to make flowers you are welcome to visit out new website.

For the last few weeks I have been working on some bridal pieces getting them ready for the coming Wedding fair which is actually happening this Sunday. I have created several pieces including some boutonnieres, flowers for hair, a fascinator, bridal shoe clips and a couple of wreaths. Now I would like to show one of them which was rather time consuming taking into consideration that it consists of 120 little gypsophila flowers, 8 open daisies and 4 daisy buds.  Traditionally the whole piece is made completely from scratch by me.
I am pleased with the result as the floral wreath looks full of flowers and pretty. It is ideal for a countryside or a woodland wedding and will please any romantic bride who is into head wreaths :-) Besides, it is a great keepsake too!

The daisy and gypsophila wreath can be made to order and purchased here at my Etsy shop.
P.S My Mummy had a similar daisy wreath for her own wedding 34 years ago. If I find a picture, I will share it with you! )))

Mint and turquoise butterfly headband

It is time to present one of my last creations here which I am rather proud about. First, I like the colours, very summery brights and at the same time cooling mint and turquoise shades. Second,  virtually nobody is indifferent to butterflies! And we have 3 mounted onto this headband, all of them in different colours, textures and shapes. I have used lace, 3 kinds of silk fabrics (satin, pongee, organza), seed beads in a lovely mix of colours and, of course, my paints for silk. What not to love about them? Me thinks it is an ideal hair accessory to wear with a dress in similar colours. It would look elegant at a wedding party, prom or in fact for any occasion when you want to add a splash of colour :-)

The mint and turquoise butterfly headband is a unnique creation of myself.