DIY Decor Diva: Spring into Spring with Flowers

After copious amounts of oh-so hard (not!) research - pouring over style and home magazines, cutting out ideas, pouncing on gorgeous pictures, jotting ideas in my journal and updating my interior ideas notebook...the lounge resembled a war-zone....there were magazine clippings everywhere, scraps of paper discarded all over, screwed up balls of paper tossed around, scissors, glue, nappies....no....wait!...how did that get there?! On the upside of all this chaos, I did notice that FLOWERS are back! Now, I have to put in a small disclaimer here. I'm not a florist. And I never will be (the good old allergies have made sure of that!) So I know nothing about flowers. But I do know a trend when I see one and flowers are back to FRESHEN UP our spring!
Now, when I say flowers I don't mean the nana-ish, old mumsy arrangements. I'm also not talking about the 'just-got-it-from-the-florist' bouquets either. Nor do I mean artificial flowers. On a side note: ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS are NOT ok, and I my estimation, NEVER will be!!! I heard a popular stylist saying that these days, artificial flowers are very realistic looking and a great way to brighten a room. I don't care who tells you artificial flowers are ok - you just can't compare with FRESH, LIVING flowers and greenery. There is something quite IMPORTANT in the word LIVING - this is what makes a room feel VIBRANT and ALIVE!

Ok, so back to the topic. Flowers are back. Check. Real flowers. Got it. But how do you have fresh floral arrangements that aren't nana-ish, mumsy and not bought from the florist? The trick is to have an arrangement that is subtle, and home-made looking, but still looks impressive, expensive and artistic.

"Right" you ask, "So how do you make flowers look impressive, expensive, and artistic when you're on a budget?" Well the Diva has found the secret! THE SUPERMARKET! I know what you're thinking.... **GASP** "Not ugly supermarket flowers!?!" Oh Yes. Supermarket flowers. Everyone usually just speeds past them on their mission to get groceries, but often supermarkets have lovely small bunches and collections of flowers that aren't as fancy as the florists, nor with the same price tags. You can purchase a bunch of flowers from the supermarkert and add some greenery from your own garden. In fact, yesterday while i was at the supermarket, there were clearance flowers! (I'm such a bargain hunter...clearance flowers....$3.20 a bunch!...that's ridiculous!). They were on clearance because a few of the petals were a little bruised, and a couple of flowers weren't quite standing up straight. But this was perfect. They look like I'd grown them straight from my own garden. Brilliant! Throw these into a vase and add a bit of greeery from the garden and you've your own (inexpensive), homemade, vibrant and most importantly LIVING flower arrangement!

Take a cue from the current trend - simple flowers and greenery are so elegant and dainty, especially if placed in mismatched vintage vases, jars and bottles. Don't you just love these?

Christall at Maisy&Grace does the perfect spring flower arrangements.
And if I'm not mistaken, they're all from her garden too!
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The effect is in the simiplicity. Loving the gorgeous purple.
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Simple flowers like these Gerbera's are affordable flowers that will put a BURST of colour into any room.
Source:Eat Drink Chic

This is my favourite, and would look great with fresh lavender or giant white daisies too!
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I'm sure everyone has a spare plate, bowl and jug collecting dust in the back of the cupboard.
Dust them off and pop in some hydrangeas (also inexpensive and found in many a garden)
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