I'm not sure if this exotic creation is found anywhere else in the world. However I think it might be one of India's greatest contributions in the field of floral decoration. If you grew up in India you've definitely gotten a few of these and maybe you've even had the privilege of giving them to someone. Anyway the flat bouquet is one of my favouritest things in the whole wide world...make that one of our favouritest things in the whole wide world. I have this friend, ENTER SOUPIE who also shares with me this deep love for flat bouquets and so i asked her if she would like to join me in this wonderful tribute to the flat bouquet and she was more than excited to do it and so here it is - an ode to the FLAT BOUQUET!!!
No flat bouquet is easy to make:
Ingredients:
Gold/silver/any shiny flashy trimming... however gold is preferred.
Cardboard, the cheapest and un-whitest variety
Cellophane paper in pink/yellow/green etc
A tiny card adorned with roses and cheesy candles screaming 'lovely wishes'/'your's forever'/'best wishes' etc in curvy bright RED font
Gladiolas in red and white (mostly)
An adventurous flat bouquet maker may also use yellow, primarily because it's the better looking variety of gladiolas..
Fern - that poky flat ugly thing that looks like mini coconut tree branches
Roses in red/yellow/gulabi pink… wilted, browning at the edges
Sometimes an overly adventurous bouquet maker will use Zerberas…..in lets say red - the colour of the moment..
Method: (prior experience not necessary)
Arrange the white cardboard into a hollow triangle
Throw a few ferns in
Flatten it, flatten it more
Throw in some flowers in no particular order.. they don't have to match or compliment each other.. in fact they strictly shouldn't.
Now for the part where the most care is taken…
Cover generously with the cellophane paper
Staple staple staple.. nice and tight remember we don't want the flowers to breathe
Use more than the necessary amount of the flashy gold trimming. Make sure you use a pair of scissors to cut the the shiny gold paper into tiny shreds so your arrangement can have movement (at least on the outside)
Use it as piping, cover all edges, corners and any visible space.
Top it off with a large bow made with bright red or gulabi pink ribbon and attach the card.
After attaching the bow use a pair of scissors to curl the ribbons. Do this continuously till the ribbon is now thinly shredded and very very curly.
Finally flatten the cellophane on top of the flowers as much as possible. Sitting on it might also help attain the perfect flat bouquet look.
Drum Roll...............................and you're done!!!
The multi-faceted flat bouquet
1. Weddings: the flat bouquet is often seen pinned as part of the backdrop on the stage behind the Raja Rani chairs.
The above mentioned flat bouquets are made from the leftover zerberas that the 'auntyjees' have discarded as unnecessary in their hairdo's
Auntyjees without flowery hairdo's are often found stealing some while wishing the bride and groom.
2: Funerals: When you're lying there flat out nothing addresses the moment better than a flat bouquet which lies as flat as you.
3.Office parties/birthdays/house visits
4. Has it ever been used in dovving???
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
An ode to the FLAT BOUQUET!!!
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7 comments:
very impressive and very informative. I know i wont be wrong when i say that u girls have put in a lot of effort to make this article as simple as possible. I can also say that the writing part was done by the won and wonly "pri".. cos if ST had done it, there would be many typos!!!!! i have one suggestion though, y only concentrate on gondolas and zebras... dont u think incarnations are very beautiful tooo!!
lol! incarnations? heeeeeeeeeee
and no no soupa wrote most of it. i corrected the typos and added bits and pieces heeeeeeeeeee
im nota big fan of flowers, havenrecieved too many... din n haven had the "privilege" of giving em to too many people unless ofcourse i hada very good reason. BUT BOOGERBRAIN ONLY IF U HAD TOLD MEWHAT SHE LIKED BEFORE...... LONG BEFORE I WUD'VE MADE A BETTER MOVE... $%%^^*@#!@
hey y u don u write bout making a nice big joint. i can help u with that.
@Sid: You do know she can read this right?
Ferns anthe :p Potted Palm leaves ri swami they are.
Oh have you seen the Kerala type round bouquet? Make parasol like frame with cane. Arrange marigold garland in spiral on top of the frame. Arrange coconut leaves in fringe all around parasol and wind them all the way down the handle.
Beat robbers and stink nasty proffessors out of boring seminars with the above item.
I LOU with post! in caps! Brilliant stuff! :D Yes, I think it woulda been used in "dovving" the 'pakkad mane dovvvu' in the oldoldold Rajkumar movies, perhaps! :D
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