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Creating with the Colour Wheel

We all have that friend who manages to put together fantastic outfits and their home is effortlessly cool and on trend, using colours that you personally wouldn’t have thought ‘worked’.

That is where learning the basic of the colour wheel can come in handy.

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Image: Anna Berry Beauty

I have always been a person who believes that you really only learn the rules, so that you can learn how to break them. All the things I learnt through my training, at some point or another, I have had to break. Let’s be realistic, sometimes, it is because you don’t have the quantity of of a particular bloom in stock, or maybe the client’s budget just doesn’t allow it. In business, you can’t simply give things away free, so if the budget doesn’t allow it, it doesn’t go into the bunch, and as a consequence of that, I may have broken one of the fundamental rules of floristry.

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Image: Design Seeds via Blog Lovin

Besides that, in nature, there is far more than simply primary, secondary and tertiary colours. Most thing has a combination of colours, and therefore sometimes your colour scheme is dictated by the elements in the feature/focal.

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Image: HGTV

The colour wheel: is an illustrated organisation of the hues that can show the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary colours.

Primary colours:  a group of colours from which all other colours can be created by mixing. They can not be created by mixing other colours together. The Primary colours are Red, Blue and Yellow.

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Image: Suggest Keyword

Secondary colours;  a group of colours that are produced by mixing equal proportions of two primary colours. The secondary colours are Violet, Green and Orange.

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Image: Colour Lovers

Tertiary Colour; is a colour  that is created by either mixing two secondary colours, or one primary colour with a secondary colour. Tertiary colours are: yellow–orange (amber), red–orange (cinnabar), red–purple (magenta), blue–purple (violet), blue-green (teal) and yellow–green (chartreuse).

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Image: Empty Easel

Colours are often referred to as ‘warm’ or ‘cool’. Warm colours make us think of sunshine, warmth and fire. Warm colours add warmth to spaces, and can make rooms feel smaller and more intimate. They can be thought of as ‘happy’, ‘bold’ and even ‘angry’ colours.

Cool Colours are thought to calm and soothe. Cool colours like blue, green and light purple are used to make spaces seem bigger, and remind us of water and sky.

Fool Proof Rules:

Want to know how to create colour schemes throughout your home or using your wardrobe? There are several  fail safe ways to put together a winning combo.

Monocromatics: If you like to keep things simple, use one colour along with lighter and darker variations of the colour.

Analagous Colours: These colours sit next to each other on the colour wheel, and go well together simply because they are in the same area/zone. Simply choose three colours that sit next to each other on the wheel. You will find one colour will be the dominant colour, which tends to be a primary or secondary colour.

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Image: Blend Space
This posy uses an analagous colour scheme along with a base of pale green.

Complementary Colours: These colours sit directly opposite each other on the colour wheel. Used together, they look more vibrant and intense than if they were used alone or with other colours as they provide the strongest contrast possible for each colour. This is why they are also referred to as contrasting colours or opposite colours. These pairs of colours when mixed, cancel each other out; producing a white/black.

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Image: Signs By Tomorrow
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Complementary colours occurring naturally Image: Our Art Corner
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Image: Our Art Corner

Split Complementary Colours are a variation to the standard complementary colour scheme. Here, you choose a base, and then use the colours adjacent to its complement.

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Image: Slide Rabbit

Triadic Colour schemes use three colours that are equidistant on the colour wheel. They tend to be quiet vibrant (due to the use of three different colours) even if you choose to use pale or unsaturated versions of your hues. To have success using a triadic colour scheme, allow one colour to dominate, and use the other two as accents.

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Image: Craftsy

Tetradic Colour schemes use set sets of complementary pairs to create a rectangle on the colour wheel. There is generally still one dominate colour, with the other three used as accents.

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Image: Two tales

So before launching into a full repaint and redesign of your home, take a minute to look at elements you have that you like, and if there are any key pieces of furniture that may already determine your colour scheme. For instance, you may have at special painting in your main living room, which as you can see below, has a colour scheme within, that you can utilise throughout the rest of the room.

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Image: Romanuke Via In Colour Balance

Creating at any level should be fun, so don’t take it too seriously. Start small and work your way up.

Til next time,

Fwf x

 

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And here I was Thinking that ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’

Flooding the local press this week is the incredibly beautiful and oh-so-over the top wedding of Deputy Mayor Salim and his gorgeous bride Aysha, which reportedly cost anywhere between $1.2 million and  $2 million depending on what you believe.

Salim married his long-time love in an outrageously extravagant ceremony that saw his street in Lidcombe shut down for safety reasons, largely due to presence of 50 Harvey Davidsons, 4 helicopters, a luxury $2 million sportscar, 40 drummers and a seaplane fly by PLUS MORE.

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Image via Instagram. Source: Iconic Films

When Mehajer was elected in September 2012, the millionaire property developer vowed to put “shine back on my beloved city, the city that made me who I am today”, and said he would “set the highest standards for progress, safety, cleanliness and a truly Australian harmony of cultures for other cities to follow”, the Auburn Review reported. Well, there was certainly a good dose of shine, sparkle and bling.

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Ok, so yes, pretty much any woman in the world would be his with this phenomenal ring. Image via Instagram. Source: Iconic Films

The waterfront reception venue, Le Montage, in Lilyfield was booked exclusively for the 500 guest event with formal dining areas as well as ‘chill out’ areas for the bridal party and their guests. A fireworks display, a Swarovski encrusted Ferrari key, a bow tie with bling, a extravagant 10-tier cake dripping in decorations and flower arrangements rumoured to have been worth more then $150k using approximately 800,000 blooms. It was nothing short of a floral fantasy and saw florists working throughout the night.

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Stunning roof installation of flowers literally dripping from the ceiling at Le Montage Image via Instagram Source: Iconic Films. Flowers: Vesna Grasso Floral Design
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Under the canopy of flowers Image via Instagram Source: Iconic Films

 

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Stunning Aysha in her World of Nektaria gown Image via Instagram Source Iconic Films
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Aysha’s House was decorated in fresh flowers for her special day Image via Instagram Source: Iconic Films Flowers Bloomsnmore
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Bringing Shine to his City Image Via iconicfilms

Cheekily, he notified neighbours last Tuesday that their entire block at Frances St in Lidcombe would be closed off for the event, and that any vehicles left on the street would be towed at their expense, a claim Salim denies. The Newlywed says he obtained a permit from council to occupy the street, but that he could not be held responsible for the additional vehicles that then joined the wedding procession and caused the disruption to the traffic.

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And so the chaos begins Image via Instagram Source: Iconic Films

The disturbance also saw a dozen local police officers called in to manage the dangerous traffic conditions and questions have been raised about whether Cr Mehajer broke the law. He denies any wrong doing, and told KISS FM;

“That was the aim — the aim was to make it the best and biggest wedding ever,” he said. “I don’t think we did anything wrong”.

The councillor had been tipping the event as the “wedding of the year” and was certainly satisfied with the result, after all it seems to have got EVERYONE talking! Now his sights are set on State politics, or Hollywood….I guess whatever opportunity presents itself to him first.

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Image via Instagram. Source Iconic Films
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Flowers at every angle! This certainly was a wedding of a lifetime. Can’t see too many people filling their reception with flowers like this! Image via Instagram Source; Iconic Films
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The massive 10 tier cake . Image via instagram/iconicfilms

Look, if you have the money, you can spend it any way you like. But for me, marriage is about every day after the wedding, not the wedding day itself.

I’ll take my simple life any day. I can find joy in the smallest things and the smallest gestures. I don’t need the big public displays of affection, or the lavish events and that is probably a good thing, because my other half isn’t the type to give that or do that anyway. That is the beauty of love…..there is a perfect mate out there for everyone, and we are all looking for, wanting and needing something unique.

As long as they have both found what they are looking for, #Australiasbiggestwedding was a success, if not, it was just a really REALLY expensive party!

If you haven’t yet clapped eyes on the video you can watch it here:

Til next time,

Fwf x

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Two generation family looking at a house for sale

Getting your house ready for Inspection

Everyone knows the saying  ‘You only have one chance to make a first impression’ and this is certainly true when putting your house on the market. I think it is fairly safe to say that most people don’t live in their homes the same way as they would present their home for sale.

Anyone with a family like me, knows that there is stuff everywhere. All. The. Time. I walk through the door and step over a pile sitting at the entrance, I slip over blocks, and I know that every parent out there knows my pain, when I say Lego and bare feet are not best friends.

I feel like we live in a constant state of a ‘work in progress’. I am always halfway through cleaning, halfway through getting things into storage- just this feeling that I have never quite got there. I suspect I am not alone in this either.

We have recently been house hunting and looking at the way homes are presented for sale is quite the art.

Sure, everyone knows that it is nice to have fresh flowers in the home, but sometimes they don’t know what to use, or where to place them for maximum effect. And, at the end of the day, a vaseful of flowers in a room with WAY TOO MUCH going on is not going to have the desired effect. We think there are four main areas to pay attention to when getting your home ready for inspection:

1. DECLUTTER

Every house has a kettle, toaster, mobile charger, coffee machine. But when it comes to selling your place, you need to emphasise the clean, clear open space by removing these items, leaving the potential buyers to visualise their own items there. This allows the eye to gaze evenly across all surfaces without interruption. Imagine just how much bench space you can see know. You get it? Same goes with the bathroom and every other room in the house. Don’t display items that only provide distraction and mess.

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BEFORE

 

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AFTER- decluttered

2. DEPERSONALISE

As silly as this sounds, you need to remove too many personal trinkets and photographs, essentially removing yourself and your family, leaving the home as a blank canvas so that potential buyers can ‘insert’ themselves. Now, I know that I said remove it all, but I don’t quite mean that, you don’t want to take it way too far the other way and make the space seem sterile. Just minimise your personal items; a couple of carefully placed photos is fine, just scale it back.

The fridge in particular can make your kitchen look messy, particularly if there is an excess of pictures, coupons, and magnets on its doors. Remove all items from your fridge doors for a clean uncluttered look.

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Keep bench tops clean and clear and remove ‘junk’ from your fridge doors. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make an improvement.

3. DEODOUR

You’ve probably heard that baking cookies or freshly brewed coffee before a house inspection helps potential buyers imagine the space as a home but the principle covers more than just that. Open the windows and invite fresh air in! You want your home to appear fresh, clean and clear. If the space feels stuffy, it can be a real turn off. Even large spaces that feel ‘stuffy’ and stagnant can feel claustrophobic and small.

Scented candles are a great way to add fragrance to your home. But beware, fragrance should not be used simply to mask unpleasant, unwanted smells- try to clean and deodourise first before adding anything else to the mix. If you have pets, remove all pet paraphernalia, deodourise with a neutraliser and then work up from there. When you are used to living with a pet you can be unaware of the smell that comes with your furry little friend, so get someone to come over and tell you honestly how your place is smelling.

4. ACCESSORISE

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Accessorise with colours from your existing colour scheme

Fresh flowers can liven up any room. There is nothing better than bringing a little of the outside in and accenting the best features of the space. But I think it goes without saying that if you have not achieved step 1, 2 and 3, then 4 is not going to save you.

There is no sense in adding a vase of flowers to an already cluttered room. It just adds to the chaos, and that really isn’t the point is it?

Try choosing a block colour of seasonal flowers that complements the existing colour scheme. Avoid cheap mixed bunches picked up from the service station or the supermarket- it tends to look just that. Cheap. And again, really defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place.

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Image: Full Screen Photos

Make sure you keep the water clean by changing it every couple of days. Flowers should smell nice, and dirty, smelly water is a real turn off.

Put an arty book or magazine lying on the coffee table, it’s a nice detail, and do have fresh towels hanging in the bathroom and fresh tea towels in the kitchen — colour-coordinated, of course.

BUT be careful that your home does not appear too ‘staged’. It is easy to get carried away and make your life disappear from the building in an attempt to provide a blank canvas to prospects. You should certainly go to some effort in cleaning and clearing the space of distractions, but remember you also want to show prospects that this is indeed a home, somewhere they can live and be happy.

Good Luck!

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Why do flowers need ‘food’?

I’m sure you have come across it before, most retail florists use it, and give it away so you can use it at home too. But have you ever wondered whether it was worth the effort, and if you should even bother? What is flower ‘food’ after all?

Like many other retail florists, we give out ‘flower food’ with fresh flower purchases. These handy little sachets are simply added to water to extend the viability of your cut flowers. They contain a unique blend of ingredients designed to help your flowers last longer, encourage your blooms to open more beautifully, and to keep bacteria at bay within the vase.

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Image: Chrysal Flower Food

Plants are known to thrive in an environment where there are few bacteria, plenty of food available for energy, and water uptake is encouraged. Flower foods contain an acidifier that helps to adjust the water’s pH and sugar that will be used by the plant as an energy source, which had been lost when the flower was cut away from its root. These nutrients will help the plant to fully develop. Finally, there are stem ‘unblockers’ that will ensure the flower can easily take up water and nutrients that can later be used to take care of the needs of the rest of the plant. It is this combination that gives the fresh cut flowers everything that they need to survive longer. Whilst sugar alone for example will provide some elements of what the plant needs, it will also encourage the development of more bacteria which will have an adverse effect on the cut flowers.

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden believes that different additives can be used to prolong the lives of fresh cut flowers. Experiments were performed with various substances mixed with water, including aspirin, vinegar, pennies and even vitamin pills, as well as commercial flower food to test their effect on cut flowers’ lifespans. Each vase contained the same variety of plant, and the vase was placed in the same environment. This research found that the retailer-provided “flower food” helped extend the vase life most effectively.

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Image: Florist Works

According to horticulturist James C. Schmidt, paramount to long lasting flowers is a sterilised vase. You can use a ordinary household cleaner to wash the vase, or a combination of water and bleach. By using a disinfectant, you are able to keep bacteria numbers down, which in turn will help your flowers last longer. Bacteria growth diminishes the vase life of flowers, causing them to wilt and decay faster.

Re-cutting the flower stems every few days will ensure that there is a fresh surface from which the stems can take up water. This will allow the flowers to last even longer.

If your flowers outlast your supply of commercial flower food, you can try your hand at creating your own. There are various combinations that have been found to be effective in prolonging fresh flowers vase life.

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EASY DIY RECIPES

  1. Lemon Juice – add lemon juice to your vase of water. The lemon juice changes the pH of the flower, and limits the bacteria growth from attacking the flowers.
  2. Soda – You can use either lemonade, or any other citrus based soda mixed with water in a 2:3 ration. (You just need the regular variety of soda, not the diet varieties.) The mixture should be changed daily so that your flowers can receive the maximum nourishment and protection.
  3. Apple Cider Vinegar – Adding apple cider vinegar to your vase will increase the health of your flowers by keeping bacteria at bay. Mix it with some sugar and water to see your flower thrive. White vinegar will work just as well, you will just need to add more sugar. Change this every few days.
  4. Copper Penny – An old school trick to keeping flowers at their best is to add a copper penny or two and a teaspoon of sugar. The copper in the penny will prevent the growth of bacteria by releasing acid.
  5. Plain Water- now this advice may seem to contradict the rest but where most people go wrong is that they fill the vase on day one, and then leave the flowers to slowly die. Part of the strength of each of these other additives is that you are generally instructed to change the vase every few days and re-cut the stems. If this is done, even with plain water, I guarantee you will see an increase in the vase life of your flowers.
  6. Aspirin – Crushed up aspirin tablets with an equal dose of sugar is a less effective method. The aspirin contains salicylic acid and will lower the pH.
  7. Vodka – Yes, you’ve heard that right, vodka can keep your flowers alive! A creative cocktail of vodka, water, and sugar (with the vodka diluted by at least half) keeps your blooms looking their best. Add a scoop of sugar and change the water every day.

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If like me, this sounds like a terrible waste of vodka, simply change the water in the vase and re-cut flower stems. Meanwhile pour equivalent measure of vodka into a glass, with a squeeze of lime and soda water to taste, sit down and rest your stems whilst enjoying the view!

Til next time

Fwf x

 

 

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