Inspire Floral Birthday Celebrations with Colorful Designs

BirthdayCelebrating a birthday with a gift of flowers can be a source of joy for the giver and the recipient. It can also be fun for the floral designer since creating the design surprise is like being in on a big secret. “My boyfriend Nick asked me to create an arrangement for the birthday of his client, Shelly.” said Jaclyn Gough of the Skinny Vase in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “I had so much fun designing this arrangement.” Blooming Birthday Wishes Jaclyn was so pleased with the resulting Blooming Birthday Wishes design that she entered it in the OASIS Floral Products 2015 INSPIRE Design Showcase. “To my surprise,” she added, “it was chosen as the Most Inspirational Everyday/Birthday Design.” Talented Smithers-Oasis Design Director Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI joined the fun when he recreated Jaclyn’s INSPIRE design for the ad photo shoot, adding some creative ideas of his own shown at the beginning of the article.

The design process for Blooming Birthday Wishes

The unsuspecting flower recipient was a woman who enjoys working out. To personalize the design, Jaclyn wanted to emulate resistance bands encircling the flowers. She decided that the shape and color of OASIS Flat Wire in Turquoise was just the inspirational design element she needed. To begin the design, Jaclyn chose a square German container in purple. She blended seeded eucalyptus, salal, baker fern and ruscus together to form a design foundation that the other florals could be inserted into. After combining red and purple flowers, Jaclyn accented the design with a pop of color using the turquoise flat wire. “I was confident this would be a compact showstopper perfect for both birthday and everyday arrangements.” “Tulips have a mind of their own and I wanted to keep them in line for this design, so I created a fun armature out of OASIS Flat Wire and curly willow to hold them in place,” she said. She then added a pavé (a paving of materials in a uniform flat surface for decorative purposes.) of trachelium, purple lisianthus, red roses and red carnations in the center of the design.

What makes this design special?

  • Birthday inspiratioin Color – This most eye-catching element is the first thing a viewer connects with.
  • Design – Unexpected form captures attention more quickly than a predictable look.
  • Texture – Opposing tactile qualities such as shiny and dull or smooth and rough add richness to the mix.
  • Ease of Construction – “Less than 20 minutes and you’re done!” says Jaclyn of this design.
“Armatures help support the arrangement and create interest, and that makes me happy,” Jaclyn confided. “I was able to sketch, visualize and execute the design just as I envisioned.”

What inspires Jaclyn’s designs?

“I love fashion. I am inspired by the prints, colors and textures of clothing.” She also loves the exploration of life outdoors. Experiencing nature reminds her “nothing is ever really perfect.” She can be inspired by something as simple as a crack in the cement. “Think of a random flower that has grown in between the cracks on the sidewalk.” Jaclyn suggests. “How it got there, we may never know but if it is meant to be, that is all that matters.” “The new products and latest trends from OASIS always amaze me,” she says. She often refers to them as her design ‘BFF’s … Best Friends Forever. Blooming Birthday Wishes was special to Jaclyn because it was created from the heart. She explained her decision to enter the INSPIRE Design Showcase in this way - “We all have one thing in common and that’s the love for sharing our knowledge of floristry with the world.” What creative ideas for birthdays and everyday can you share with us?

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