How To Make A Starbucks Flower Arrangement

  Starbucks cute rustic silk flowers

I recently visited my local Starbucks located at the Kroger grocery , Midlothian Tnpk, VA and saw these cute rustic silk flower arrangements in vases with burlap or a rough weave fabric wrapped around the container.     Very simple yet effective and goes very well with the eclectic casual setting.  At the end of this post I will explain how to make one!

 Starbucks rustic silk flower arrangement

Leave it to Starbucks to have a visually pleasing and aesthetic interior right down to the details, 

Paris, Victor Hugo

in addition to the beautiful and tantalizing breakfast goodies, cookies, brownies, quality sandwiches and of course...

 Starbucks Chocolate Croissant

 Starbucks Caramel Flan Latte

attractive coffees and drinks, reinforcing a higher end experience at the store.   That is why you pay a little more.

Paris, Starbucks Victor Hugo

It's not all about what you are drinking at Starbucks it is the total experience and higher end retail stores know this.  Like most I like going to an eatery and paying more for the food with a nice interior, enjoying the atmosphere along with the food.

Is that Carrara marble on those Paris bistro tables above?!!  Carrara is a very expensive marble.  The look is stunning with the leather tufted banquet seating!

 Paris, Starbucks Montmarte

Visuals are important and have psychological value.  An attractive clean environment will uplift rather than depress.  I feel good every time I walk into a Starbucks, don't you?

Now, to make your own Starbucks rustic/casual flower arrangement.  Place several on your dining table, buffet, or on the fireplace mantle like below at my local Starbucks.  Here's how:

Use a juice glass and measure the length and width around by using a string or ribbon, add one inch to all sides (this will make extra fabric at the top to cover the glass and have extra at the top like the photo above).  

Use these measurements for a pattern and cut out  your fabric (burlap or loose weave cotton). Make a fold 1/2 inch turning in on all sides and hot glue the folds. 

Wrap the length of the cut fabric around the glass overlapping one end, hot glue this end underneath and press onto the fabric beneath.

Make a bouquet out of small flowers at different heights adding ferns if you like.  Cut a piece of Styrofoam and hot glue it onto the bottom of the glass for holding the flowers.

Note:  You can stain the fabric if it is too light and for an antique or grunge look.  Soak the fabric in tea water for 20 minutes and check the color.  If too light soak for another 20 minutes.  Soak the fabric  until you are happy with the color.

 Starbucks, Paris Opera

Taking A New Direction With My Photography

I started a love affair with photography almost two years ago after starting a blog and needing good images.  I have found if I give something a really good try it can become a passion and if I am not careful an obsession!  It has been a learning experience of taking advantage of what is around me nature, flowers, trees the dog down the street.  Looking back now I see my subjects and techniques are gradually changing.
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There are a zillion images out there of flowers, trees, birds and bees, to stand out one needs to not only be good and have all the social marketing in place which I  have been adding gradually although not to the extent that is needed for the type of exposure I should be getting.

Blogging is highly suggested for SEO, so here I am better late than never!  It is really not just about SEO, I love to express my excitement and interest in art and that side of me needs to be expressed or I'm not  going to be completely happy.

I have been doing some reading and researching over the gap of my first post, finding my way of how to go about blogging with more enthusiasm, finding what it is I am interested in writing about.  I have decided it is OK to write about my own art since that is what excites me (or why would I be doing it?!) and know something about, also from time to time other artists and their work.  I hope the excitement about my art discoveries overflows to the reader and not only me.

As I go along I am more interested in enhancing and editing my photography (in addition to other images) creatively than trying for the stunning shot.  I enjoy the challenge of working on the "stunning" in editing/PhotoShop where there is no limit on creativity.  I am not a purist and like making images look more "atmospheric" or even fantastic.  Even shots that are "ugly ducklings" I use and enjoy turning into beautiful swans, but that is for another post.

I recently became interested in the rustic food photography style (I owe Pinterest for this and the tremendous amount of beautiful images there) and recently started taking photos of food that is in my kitchen.  Here is a before and after shot of a store bought cake, the second image showing the textures I added for more drama.

 Here is another before and after of grapes in an old colander.  Old kitchen accessories have "patina" a term I lovingly use often, important for the rustic look.  The more cooked in, the better, metal pans that have darkened with many "bakings" are prized.  The very items I turned my nose up, shook my head at in the thrift store I now prize.  I have a new appreciation for the old serving spoons, tin cookie cutters, used metal baking pans and cookie sheets that are in the kitchen.

I got the idea earlier in the week to also try a popular media subject which I will write about and the different look and some techniques used.  Should you want to look at some of my other art click here for my gallery

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/suzanne-powers.html?tab=artworkgalleries