For ages I've wanted to go to Flower School's open studio Saturdays.
Last Saturday I went to Opalia owned by Phoebe Crary in Brooklyn, 377 Atlantic avenue.
The windows were full of wild dancing poppies - the stems are filled with sap. Don't cut them.
Inside an endless array of flowers wait to be choosen for your bouquet.
I usually paint just 1 or 2 flowers and my vases are tiny so I was stumped.
The other students have taken Flower School intro classes.
And are busy creating complex masterpieces.
The instructor was whipping out perfect bouquets in minutes. YIKES! This is daunting. 
I ran out to eat something at nearby Bedouin Tent, 405 Atlantic Ave. This picture has me munching hummos and carrots as I post.
Back to face the flowers and finally choose a few ranunculas... 
And one tight pink peonie bud... 
Mini display bouquets around the shop give me courage. Just ONE flower - my kind of bouquet! Yay.
Meanwhile 'Roses' finished TWO divine arrangements...
And the other student reached the heights of orchid perfection.
My handiwork looks raggedy. Hmmm... I did paint the peonie. I plan to attend another open studio Saturday at Flower School. I'll take some Dutch courage next time.
This Parisien Piggy says, "Don't eat to much chocolate this weekend!"
BONJOUR FLOWER SCHOOL!
et
Bon Week-End!
I love your beautiful, singular peony! Simply, singularly, divine!!
ReplyDeleteBest,
rk
Lovely! I've seen this place in Brooklyn before, and always admire those beautiful wild poppies -- they look almost surreal!
ReplyDeleteYour single pale pink peony and those two little lost rosebuds are perfection! Less is more, and you are proof of that.
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers all over the shop, I can imagine students of flowers going wild in there. ;-)
Happy Easter, Carol,
affectionately,
Merisi
Well you may not be able to arrange them yet but you can definitely paint them!
ReplyDeleteFlower arranging in NY, what a lovely day that seemed to be.
The Wanderfull Traveler
canadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com/
What a divine way to spend a Saturday!
ReplyDeleteYour bouquet looks like the ones in the window - dancing fleurs!
LOVE love the link to David Sedaris on Easter!!
ReplyDeleteMERCI!
The pink bouquet with roses, peonies and lilacs is just gorgeous. But I also love your painting!
ReplyDeleteJust absolutely lovely, Carol. What a fun life you lead. :) I love every picture. And that food!! Wow. I don't know which one I envy more - 'flowering experience' or the foody one. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI needed that post :) So much color & it just shouts Spring! Like a visit to a greenhouse! (Not much budding of anything here yet.)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
I'm so jealous. I wish I could get away one Saturday to attend one of these events. But, I'm too busy at my own flower shop. There's nothing more beautiful than a single blossom in a vase. Except of course for your beautiful paintings! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteWith flowers like those, you can hardly go wrong! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWow, I think I have to go here! And how auspicious that you ended up going in late April, with the poppies, peonies & ranunculas - my favorite flowers. Middle Eastern lunch... all in all, another super day (and post), mon amie!
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous flowers! They are such pretty colours too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy painting them!
What a fun day. I so enjoyed reading this post! If you go again, try arranging all flowers of one color. They will all look great together.
ReplyDeleteBonjour PB~
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfectly perfect day~
"flower school" it sounds so inviting... (I'm now on an Imaginary Trip to the Garden)...so very Spring-like.
The blooms are incredible. I'd be intimidated attempting an 'arrangement' but how could you go wrong.
You chose well...one perfect peony.
There are some beautiful Flower arrangements here. You do seem to do a lot of fun things and we love you sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteOh I needed to see all those flowers! I did a 6 month floristry course and absolutely loved working with living pieces of art. The next time I'm in New York (cough cough), I must do a series of photos about florists. Happy Spring to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic thing to do. I would be in heaven in another florists studio, the styling here is so nice. Rinnunculas and anemones are two of my favorites, theynremind me of my mothers garden.
ReplyDeleteAs for your arranging , practice makes perfect, you have skills in areas I could never master x
Thank you for coming to my blog. In the Atlanta suburbs I only see flowers if they are in the garden of my neighbors (our yard is “au naturel” with just a few flowers.) I miss all the flower shops in Paris (but I’ll be there next week.) I miss lilac – I don’t think it grows well here in the south. In our house in France we used to have gorgeous lilac bushes and some pivoines too (peonies.) The flowers you show in your post are lovely as well as your little drawing.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter
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