2016 Florabundance Design Days

2015 Hawaii Regional Floral Design Competition

"Gateway to Americas International Competition 2016 in Vancouver, Canada"  HFNA event in collaboration with MidPac Conference at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Waikoloa, HI on July 23, 2015.

There were 3 categories:  Bridal bouquet for a destination bride at Hapuna Prince Hotel; table centerpiece for a 60" round table at the MidPac Conference; and a plant arrangement for a grower's sales office.

Some examples of the Bridal Bouquets:

Some of the entries for the Table Centerpieces:

And finally a few samples of the Plant arrangement:

 

Contestants at work.

Break time in the design room.

Relaxing in between designs with SueV, Kala, Erica and Iris.

And the winners are...

1st Place - Erica Rasmussen AIFD

2nd Place - Sue Tabbal-Yamaguchi AIFD

3rd Place - Deborah Di Bella AIFD

Relaxing after the competition with Cory Ho AIFD, Erica Rasmussen AIFD, Aniko Kovacs AIFD, me and Sue Tabbal-Yamaguchi AIFD.

 Mahalo to Hitomi Gilliam AIFD for making this competition possible, to Eric Tanouye and Neo Thong Teng of Green Point Nurseries for organizing and sponsoring the event, and to HFNA for sponsoring the competition.

Gala in the Garden w Rene van Rems & Team

Per Benjamin Floral Design Workshop and Demo in Honolulu 9/27 & 28

Please join us in Honolulu on Sept. 27 and 28, 2015.  Register at www.design358.com

Wildflower Workshop with René van Rems AIFD June 2015

I was fortunate to be able to

spend three educational days with René in his Carlsbad studio for a Wildflower Workshop.

Some of the product collected for the class.

We began our adventure with a bit of theory.

I was introduced to a wonderful product which I had never heard of before called Daphne or Mock Orange.  We have Mock Orange in Hawaii but it is very different from this one.  I was in love!

René demonstrated a Euro hand-tied bouquet which we had to copy.

His finished hand-tied bouquet.

Then we had to replicate the hand-tied using a foam bouquet holder.

Completed piece which used additional product that might have otherwise wilted in a traditional hand-tied bouquet.  In the end, you couldn't tell the difference whether or not it was faux.  The point is that the flowers will last longer in a foam holder.

Our next project was a cascade bouquet.

René was showing different kinds of plant material which could be used in a cascade.

Finished cascade.

We also learned how to construct table garland.

Rene's garland getting ready for a photo shoot.

Our Wildflower basket project used the MOST amazing lilies!!

Beginning the Wildflower basket.

The class working on their baskets.

Beginning the demo on pew decoration.

Finished pew decoration

And finally the candelabra demo.

A bubble bowl on the top was an option instead of adding all flowers.  A candle, water and floating flowers are some of the options to fill the bubble bowl.

Fellow classmates explaining their bouquets.

The final recap of our design filled three day workshop.

The bonus for me was the photo shoot with the amazing Pat Boemer who shot Rene's Wedding book.

Additional arrangements by René.

Wonderful mix of textures and color.

Thank you René for another inspirational journey!!  Can't wait for the next one!