Your CartThere are almost as many fleuristes {flower shops} in France as there are patisseries and boulangeries. Like everything else the French do, the buying and giving of flowers is done casually, but with amazing style!
Flowers are such a big part of creating a warm and inviting backdrop for special occasions and everyday life. They are a quotidienne de luxe – an everyday luxury – that contribute so much to our homes, and our sense of happiness.
I’m joining my talented friends Shirley, Mary and Pam today for another beautiful Floral Friday! It’s always a joy to see what they have created this time, so be sure to go visit them. I’ll share the links to their blogs at the end of this post for you.
Creating beauty with flowers is so easy, isn’t it? The flowers do all the work, their alluring shapes and enchanting colors capture our eye and heart no matter if there is one single bloom in a vase, or masses of them arranged “just so”, they are all intriguing.
Like everything else here at home, my way of bringing everyday luxury to our home involves adding beauty, but in a slightly casual way. I am a huge fan of elegance, but effortless elegance. It shouldn’t be too difficult, nor too fussy.
For today’s Floral Friday, I chose two of the antique white French sauceboats, simple designs with a little elegant flourish, just perfect for my early spring table setting. I set my table in our kitchen with an antique French sheet, and used antique French white plates to mix with the always alluring English hand painted Palladian dinnerware made in Oxford, England by Deborah Sears in the softest greys.
To make arranging flowers easier in unusual shaped containers, here is my florist secret that I learned in Europe from a true flueriste : use special florist tape to tape grids on the containers. It’s like thin see-through tape, but specially made to attach well to containers and be water resistant. If you look carefully, you can see the tape over the top of both of these white sauceboats in the photo below.
{per your many requests: you can buy this at most florist supplies but I’ve found a link-not sponsored in any way- for the tape on Amazon.-see below}
Oasis Floral Tape
This makes it so much easier to make a beautiful arrangement!
Aren’t these soft pink spray roses so pretty mixed with the pink ranunculus flowers? I love their soft colors, they look so pretty with the grey Delftware designs of the hand painted dishes.
For this table I thought “If one is beautiful, surely two centerpieces will be spectacular!” so I made a complimentary floral centerpiece using another antique French sauceboat.
It’s kind of just like me to break the rules! Using another color of those sweet petit spray roses, I added a darker pink ranunculus and those darling wax flowers in cerise pink.
And scattered the fallen petals on the linen tablecloth, because they are so delicate and lovely. So why not?
Antique Limoges Sauciere| Hand Painted Delft Service|French Limoges Sauce Server|Gres Delft Platter|Antique French Enamelware Water Warmer
Please go see my three beautiful friends to find out what they created for this Floral Friday:
and don’t forget to enter my fabulous April Reader’s Appreciation GIVE AWAY:
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER TO USE FOR A LOVELY SPRING CENTERPIECE?
I can always count on you using your elegant collection of French antiques to set a most elegant table right down to the beautiful French sheet! And why not have not one but two amazing centerpieces for your guests to enjoy! The china from Deborah Sears is exquisite! … Now, I have seen the green floral tape; however, not the clear…. I always seem to be trying to hide those green “lines” …. Happy to be joining you again today for another wonderful Floral Friday with friends! Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend with your family!!
Thank you flower friend. I sent you the link for the clear oasis tape, it lasts a long time, I think I’ve had my roll for almost 10 years. It’s a “not-to-miss” tool in flower arranging. I hope you have a beautiful weekend, too! We’ll be going to the beach and making sand castles, then a bbq and fire pit later. xo Lidy
What beautiful centerpieces! I love the mix of roses and ranunculus. They both look good enough to dip a spoon in and taste … the colors bring to mind a raspberry ice cream that I make.
Vicky, you are so right! That bright pink color DOES look like raspberries. Your raspberry ice cream sound amazing! Happy weekend!
Bonjour Lidy! I’m in love your wonderful French sauceboats filled with your pink ranunculus, roses and petite waxflowers. I’m a ‘more is more’ kinda girl myself so I can totally appreciate your “if one is beautiful, surely two centerpieces will be spectacular” philosophy! The delicate soft pinks are perfect paired with your grey Delftware. I have to confess I got sidetracked for 30 minutes this morning oohing and aahing over your French treasures and antiques. I’m dreaming of all the garden goodies I could fill up from your shoppe and haul away in your wonderful French Country Wicker Garden Cart…*sigh*
Merci for the beauty and inspiration this morning. I always look forward to Floral Friday with you.
Bonjour Mary!! So nice to visit you today, your lake view makes me so happy! Just beautiful. You and I, more is more…I love that! I am blessed to do Floral Friday with you, friend. I hope you have a gorgeous weekend on the lake! xo Lidy
Your blogs are so meaningful to me I look forward to them every morning in my gmail.
I love everything French and decorate my home in that way.
Your article in Victoria magazine was wonderful to see.
Thank you for your inspiration.
Sincerely, Ann
Ann, you are so kind to say that. I wish I could write more of them, my antiques business takes up most of my time, which I love, but I do wish I could connect with you more on my blog! Maybe when I retire…..which won’t be for a few more years.
Thank you for noticing my article, too! I’ve had to cut back on writing about my dearest antiques for magazines, but hope to continue the articles here on my FrenchGardenHouse blog instead.
xo Lidy
This is my first time visiting your blog via the Floral Friday link and I can’t wait to come back! Thank you for starting my day with coffee and floral therapy.
Thank you for choosing to spend your morning with me…and coffee!! Nothing like a great cup of hot coffee to start off our day!
I have a couple of trays of seeds I am trying my luck at growing that have flowers similar to what you used in your arrangements. Poppies and rannuculous are hard to find here in my area. Well, truth be told so are flower shops. That is something I wish would come back in style!I am loving the timeless beauty that your flowers bring to your table and thanks for the reminder about the tape across the top. I recently did a huge purge and my floral frogs were one of the things I thought it was time to part with.
Have a good day!
Christine, I usually buy my flowers at the market or at a Trader Joe’s near hear. In spring and summer I’m so lucky to be able to gather flowers in the garden {not too many or my head gardener-Mr. FrenchGardenHouse- gets a little cross.
The tape really does make it so much easier, especially in strangely shaped containers like these antique Limoges sauce boats…they keep the flowers just where they are supposed to be! xo
Lidy, your arrangements are lovely. I especially love the sauceboats you chose to use for a vessel. To me the choice of container or vase, often makes the arrangement. Your flowers are beautiful and everything together, makes for a stunning table.
You are a great inspiration. Have a beautiful weekend!
Sandra, I agree, the container can make an arrangement even more special! That’s why I like to use everything I own at one time for flowers, so they all have an equal opportunity to shine with floral perfection!
The photos of your flower arrangements look like a lovely old oil painting. I can practically smell them. Gorgeous!
Thank you Alice, I wish you a lovely weekend. And one filled wit atleast one small bouquet of flowers.
Lidy, everything looks beautiful! I am going to borrow your idea of using sauceboats to contain a floral arrangrment. They look perfect on your table. Enjoy your weekend!!!
Shannon, I hope you enjoy your weekend, too, my friend. And thank you for always being my cheerful fellow appreciator of all things beautiful!
Lidy, your French antique sauce boats filled with ranunculus and spray roses are stunning. I tried desperately to find ranunculus, but to no avail. Your elegant, but casual tablesetting is exquisite! The hand-painted Delftware is so lovely paired with not one, but two centerpieces. Using the beautiful antique French sheet as a tablecloth is French perfection! I have not seen the clear floral tape, that certainly makes arranging easier, I love sharing Floral Friday with you…Happy Weekend.
Pam, thank you, I love sharing Floral Friday with you {and your darling and strawberry cake!} too! xo
What beautiful flowers! I love the all the shades of pink you’ve used and the sauceboat idea is genius!
Thank you Mary, the saucieres were the perfect vases to use, they are low, narrow (so they don’t take up too much room on the table) but hold a lot of flowers. The pinks are my favorite flower color, for here inside our FrenchGardenHouse, right after white and cream.
I love how you make your arrangements so easy and elegant!
Dorothy, thank you, I love elegant, but since we’re all way too busy {!!} it’s great to have it be easy too! Happy weekend to you.
Hi, Lidy,
Can you tell me the brand and pattern name of the flatware you used in this tablescape? Is it silver, silverplate, or stainless? American size or Continental?
Thank you very much.
Maureen
Maureen, it’s an older set of silver-plated flatware, American sized. I think I bought it at Horchow long ago…I’m sure you can still find similar designs somewhere. Happy Friday!
Lidy, both of your arrangements are simply stunning! I can’t choose a favorite, so doing two was a great idea! Thanks the tip on the florist clear tape! Beautiful post, Lidy.
Thank you Ginger. I’ll post a link for the clear tape in a while, it’s inexpensive and works wonders. I’ve had my tape for about five or more years, it goes a long way here at home! Hope you have a beautiful weekend.
Really stunning!!!Hugs!
Love all the arrangements, and love to use in my home. They make me smile
That’s the best thing, isn’t it Tonya? Love that they make you smile.
It was a “wow” moment to see your beautiful post. You used some of my favorite flowers and colors. Amazing!
Thanks so much, Dianne! I am so happy you loved the flowers, they are my favorites too!
Lovely centerpiece!
Thank you Robin.
Hallo Lidy,
Love your centerpieces. What a great idea to make use of your sauceboats. I usually sur chickenwire but thuis tape is amazing.
Prettig weekend.
Anja, prettig weekend! I’ve used chicken wire before, but always loose it somewhere, at least with this roll of tape I know where to find it! xo
Hi Lidy,
Lovely centerpieces! For spring I have a couple of color combinations I like to use. My French countryside combo is yellow sunflowers, white or cream mums, and lime green accent flowers or greenery, with my butter yellow card or a French market tall bucket. Also, with green and French patterned dishes, I sometimes do individual floral pieces using a variety of green creamers, one at each person’s plate. For another color combination, I have lovely depression era glassware in shades of lavender, pink and purple, which I use with old lavender English China pieces, with cream roses, pale pink or lavender edged roses, greens & ivy,
Hi Liz, Oh! Those all sound so wonderful. I’m a huge fan of the individual creamers at each person’s plate. Love that. And then, lavender, pink and purple with English china, that can’t go wrong, can it?! Beautiful ideas!!
HiLidy, those arrangements are stunning! Ranunculus are one of my favorites. I will have to remember that tip for using tape to hold the flowers in place.
Bonnie, thanks so much. The tape really does make it so much easier to arrange flowers in an odd shaped container!
Due to my schedule, I missed Floral Friday so am having Floral Sunday! 🙂 What stunning floral arrangements and photography – your flowers made my heart sing!
Sharon, Happy Floral Sunday!!
Hello Lidy,
Love your Blog on the Floral Centerpeces with a French Twist. First of all, I love everything French. They just seem to have a casual, but elegant way of doing things. I love visiting France, and have been fortunate to have traveled there many times. From fashion, food, the street flower vendors, baked goods in the boulangeries, the antique shops, and countryside gardens.they seem to know and enjoy elegance in everything they set out to do.
I really never gave a thought to using some of my Serving Pieces from my China, or some of the other pieces of my collectible serveware that I have collected through the years, to use for centerpieces. I have used some of my wonderful tea cups, and made small bouquets that I have set around in rooms. Using two centerpieces on a table instead of one is also a fabulous idea. I have used the thin floral tape to make the grids on vases. Something I learned from a friend who owned a florist. I will look for the clear florist tape, although the green never showed when I would add enough flowers to the centerpiece.
I loved Shirley’s centerpiece using the blue and white China, with the yellow and white and light green accents. The Roses and Ranunculas, are also real eyecathers as well.
I love sitting and taking some morning time when it is available, and sharing your Blog while having my first cup of morning coffee. I was thinking of how good a Chocolate Croissant would be tasting, while reading your Blog this morning. Have a lovely day Lidy.
The snow has all melted away, and Spring is finally in the air here in Wisconsin. Going to go out later and see if any of those spring bulbs are finally starting to peek out of the ground. Sending a Hug.
Janice, I love that you are thinking about using some of your serve ware for flowers! I hope you had a lovely time, {dreaming of chocolate croissants!} and reading my blog. I’d love to join you!