Monday 27 January 2014

That age old question...

What's your favourite flower?

If I had a pound for every time someone asked me what my favourite flower was, I'd be rich. Truth is...many florists probably do have a favourite, however I don't have one! Well not one that stands out anyway. 
Im going to show off one that I do adore though, the Grape Hyacinth - Muscari. 


I absolutely love using these delicate flowers in designs. Mostly for their gorgeous blue colour. It stem allows natural movement as well which adds to any design. 
It's a spring flower which can be available in late Autumn at a slightly higher buying price. There are several varieties of Muscari all with different tones of blues, whites and hints of green. 

They are perfect for design work where something delicate is needed, but yet impact is required. I used the blue in a bridal shrug that I designed as my qualifying piece for The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2010/2011.
Ive also used the white and the blue in bridal bouquets which added the blue colour required into a hand tied design, and a light lace effect needed in a shower bouquet. 


White Muscari in a shower bouquet.



Blue Muscari in a hand tied bridal bouquet.



Blue Muscari used in a Bridal Shrug design.




It's It'

Fusion Flowers International Designer of the year competition 2013.

Woo hoo! 

Over the past 4 years I have competed in the Fusion Flowers magazine, annual competition. I was always delighted with the bronze awards that I had been given due to the high standard of not only designs but also because of the high level of judging.
This year however I was absolutely delighted to have been awarded a bronze and a SILVER! Yay! I have broken the bronze curse.

Ive already started to get my teeth into the 2014 competition...starting with the fiddly detailed bits and sketching out new designs and ideas. Here's a look at this years awarded designs. 


CASCADE - BRONZE AWARD

CIRCLES - SILVER AWARD


Well hello there!

Hello!
Welcome to my blog.

Here I will post and keep you all up to date on the crazy goings on of the life that is
Amanda Coghill - Creative Freelance Florist.


So to begin with..here's a little bit about me. 

I am a 28 year old Florist, Freelance Florist, Floral Designer, Flower Fairy...what ever it is you would like to call me...but basically flowers are my life and my passion. To date I have won two RHS Chelsea silver medals. Four Bronze awards and a Silver award for The Fusion Flowers International Designer of the year competitions between 2010 and 2013. 

Based in the far north of Scotland in a little town called Wick, in the County of Caithness...one of the most beautiful places on earth..well at least when the sun is shining it is! 

From an early age I've been "playing with pretty flowers" competing in my first flower show at the age of 7. By 13 I had my first Saturday job in a flower shop, at 18 I went to college to train, by 21 I had opened up my own shop Amanda's Creative Florist. For seven and a half years I worked from the shop, until in August 2013 I took the step to close the shop and go freelance. Allowing me to open up many doors of opportunity in the flower world. 

My main passion is bridal work. I absolutely ADORE creating beautiful bouquets for my brides. That hasn't changed with the freelance work. Im already looking forward to creating several amazing designs for my brides to be this year. 


 Me..so you have a face to the typing voice.