Community Affairs Events October - December 2013

WOW!!!

             That is the only word to describe the community affairs workshops we have had in 2013.

We started before Halloween designing table centerpieces for Grace Care at North point where two of our SAFD members have relatives in residents.

 

 

             Next up we created 21 topiaries in fall colors for the Fisher Houses and for the Ronald McDonald House. The Fisher Houses are where relatives of wounded warriors or ill veterans can stay while they are receiving care at the VA Hospital in Houston. Likewise the Ronald McDonald House provides temporary housing for families with sick children being treated in Houston. We received a warm welcome from the staff at each of these places as the groups floral talents helped to brighten the dining areas.

Lastly during the busy weeks before Christmas the group gathered again to create 23 baskets of flowers in red, green and white. These baskets were delivered to Harvestwood and Copperwood Apartments. Both of these complexes are located in South Montgomery County and serve low income seniors.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered for these community affairs workshops, your volunteer efforts have brightened more lives than you can imagine and helped carry out the spirit of SAFD’s mission.

January 2014 General Meeting

On January 21st SAFD presented Laura Williams, TMFA, CWPI, as our featured designer.   Laura has worked at Flowers of Kingwood since 1995.  She has been a free-lance designer of silks and naturals since high school. Among her many accomplishments are accreditation as a Texas Master Florist; Texas Master Florists' Advanced program certification (2007); past president of Teleflora South Texas Unit; recipient of the 2008 Houston Cup; placed third in the 2010 Texas State Florist Association Texas Cup competition; Allied Florist people's choice award; and certification from Lonestar College as a professional wedding planner.

Laura's presentation was titled Trends and Styles for Table Flowers for 2014.  She presented four different tabletop themes for dinners, parties, and weddings.  We hope this presentation inspires you to participate in our upcoming Tabletop Extravaganza which will be held in April!

Laura's first design, Harmonious Romance, featured the Pantone Color of the Year - Radiant Orchid.  To demonstrate the color range for the design Laura used paint chips in colors of Shrinking Violet, Barely Pink, Blushing Bride, Lilac Snow, Sheer Lilac, Radiant Orchid, Mulberry, and Beaujolais.  As the mechanics for insertion of flowers Laura formed a wire Lomey collar woven with bullion wire and beads into a stemmed disk.  She created a hand-designed wire heart which was dropped into the vase. Mauve ribbons were basket weaved into a placement onto which the designs were later placed.

 

 

Beginning with ornamental cabbage,  roses were added in a European hand-tied manner with the colors graduating from dark to light in the ombre style.  The Lomey disk was threaded up the stems of the bouquet and the arrangement placed into the vase.

Accent pieces of cane with wire accent and a cardboard heart wrapped in ribbon and bullion wire were added to create a harmonious romantic look.  The white orbs shown below were created out of bits of crushed tulle, lace, beading, buttons an silver bullion wire. 

February General Meeting

SAFD will meet this month on the fourth Tuesday of February at our usual location of Cypress Creek Christian Church, the Forum building, located at 6823 Cypresswood Drive in Spring, Texas.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for membership sign-in, socializing and snacking, and opportunities to sign up for upcoming workshops and community affairs events.

This month we are pleased to present Yoshihiro “Yoshi” Sakamoto, a native of Wakayama, Japan who currently works and lives in Spring, Texas.  Yoshi carries on the tradition and love of floral artistry learned in the "school of nature" and from the influence of his father and grandfather.  He has trained with one of Japan's leading floral designers, Yoko Moroizumi, and also was trained in the English style at the renowned Constance Spry Flower School in England.  His vast experience was gained from years as a student, trainee, horticulture, floral designer and teacher.

At our February meeting Yoshi will be presenting instructions and designs featuring flowers from the spectrum of fresh, preservered, and permanent florals.  We hope you join us for this presentation.

Several of Yoshi's presentation designs will be available as raffle items.  Be sure to bring your checkbook with you - not only for the raffle tickets - but also to purchase tickets to other planned events that will be described during the meeting.

If you would like to check out Yoshi's work, please visit his website at:  http://www.myflowersbyyoshi.com

February Community Affairs

On Saturday, February 8th, our volunteers joined the children at Arrow Child & Family Ministries in Spring, Texas, to teach them how to create a cute Valentine flower arrangement and card.  Under the direction of Pam Dube, we set up stations for flower arranging, bead heart crafting, and card making.  SAFD volunteers love to give back to the community through hands-on workshops, using fresh flowers to bring joy and beauty to various organizations.