Winter Sale - 15% off on everything in our Etsy shop!

Celebrate Winter Season with 15% off on everything in our Etsy shop! Just add the coupon code: WinterSpecial15 at checkout.

Something Blue Audrey Gardenia Couture Bridal Shoe Clips by floreti

Something Blue Audrey Gardenia Couture Bridal Shoe by floreti.

Looking to spice up your favorite pumps or sandals. These versatile Gardenia shoe clips can be clipped to the side, front, shoe-straps or any other way you like.

A set of elegant Audrey Gardenia shoe clips custom-made in a beautiful periwinkle blue silk charmeuse. Middle adorned with indigo blue freshwater pearls, clear and blue Swarovski crystals, set on Sterling Silver wire.

Dimensions: Gardenia blooms are about 2-1/2 inches in diameter and from 3/4 to 1 inch high.

Available here: Floreti.com

© 1991 Floreti. All designs, images, and text. Visit http://floreti.com for more.

White Satin Rose Couture Bridal Shoe Clips Wedding Shoe Accessories by floreti

Perfect detail for your bridal shoes. A set of cute Rose shoe clips. Blooms are about 2 1/4" in diameter, custom-made in white satin. Clip these versatile Rose shoe clips to your favorite pumps or sandals - to the side, front, shoe-straps or any other way you like.

Darling these rose shoe clips with White Rose Wedding Dress Pin

In Tiffany's Style Lace Bow shoe clips are available for purchase here:

ArtFire | Etsy | eBay | Bonanzle

© 1991 Floreti. All designs, images, and text. Visit http://floreti.com for more.

White Couture Camellia Bridal Hair Dress Pin by floreti

Beautiful pure white camellia bridal hair clip and wedding dress pin. Find this bridal accessory here:
http://Floreti.etsy.com, http://Floreti.com (via http://Floreti.Etsy.com)

White Couture Camellia Bridal Hair Dress Pin available for purchase here:

ArtFire | Etsy | eBay | Bonanzle

Floreti Designs™ joins the ETSY WEDDING TEAM!

Great News!

I am happy to announce that Floreti Designs™ is now a member of the ETSY WEDDING TEAM! visit our Team blog at EtsyWeddingTeam.blogspot.com. There you will find many unique sources for handmade wedding items from a carefully selected group of the finest wedding artisans on Etsy.

Here are just a few handmade treasures from our team:

Gorgeous "White Calla Lily Beauty Bridal Tiara" wedding hair accessory handmade by UpfromtheAshes.

Playful "CLAYCRAFT by DECO - Pink Roses, Fuschia Peony Buds and Stephanotis in Embossed Square Tapered Vase"handmade by Dkdesignshawaii.  Great for wedding table centerpieces!

Elegant "Bella - Something Blue" pleated silver satin clutch bag handmade by Leigh-Ann Kline.

Cozy "Jasmine Green Tea Shrug - Elegant Luxurious Organic Cotton Handmade Knitwear" handmade by TickledPinkKnits.

Irresistably cute flower girl dress "Girls Princess Dress"  handmade by Cp349

Mesmerizing "STAR custom slim line bridal gown with internal corset" handmade by Gracie's  Treasures.

You can also find us here:

Etsy Wedding Team on Yahoo!
Etsy Wedding Team.blogspot.com
Etsy Wedding Team Flickr portfolio
Etsy Wedding Team on mySpace
Etsy Wedding Team on Ning .com

Cheers!

Using Fragrance on Silk Flowers

Spraying fragrance directly on silk flowers can leave stains. Therefore, the best way to scent silk flowers is to spray the fragrance on a facial tissue or a cotton puff, and put it in a box together with your accessory. Cover the box and leave it for a couple of days.

Gallery of Silk Flower Jewelry from Floreti Collection. Available here.

After wearing silk flowers, you can leave the scented tissue or cotton puff in the box, or discard it. After a while your accessory will start to wear off the scent and you will be able to use a different fragrance next time.

-Irina Floret

Silk Flower Care and Cleaning

Silk flowers are jewelry. They can serve for many years and be passed down from generation to generation.

Gallery of Silk Flower Jewelry from Floreti Collection. Available here.

STORING SILK FLOWERS

To properly store silk flowers, keep them in dark dry place at room temperature in sturdy box with enough space to fit in. Do not keep them where they are subjected to prolonged and excessive moisture, or direct sunlight.

CLEANING SILK FLOWERS

Dust: Use feather duster to gently remove it.

Stains: Stains on silk flowers should be professionally cleaned. In some cases restoration may be necessary. 

I offer silk flower restoration services.  E-mail me if you have any questions Info@Floreti.com. 

-Irina Floret

History and Origin of Silk Flowers

I strive to bring something interesting and inspirational to my readers.  When I first opened Floreti online shop in 2004, I decided to write an article about history and origin of silk flowers, since there was very little information available about this great art online. I set out to do my own research.  Went through a number of art and history books, encyclopedias, back alleys of the library research rooms, and online resources; the article below is the result of my findings. I hope that you will find it an easy and enjoyable read. And hope that it will spark in you a greater interest in silk flower art.  This article is also available on my web site at Floreti.com.

 

There are many different accounts of silk flower origin.  The one that seems to be most accurate is this art has originated in China with proliferation of silk production.

SILK

Chinese legend attributes the wife of mythical Yellow Emperor, Lady Hsi-Ling-Shih, with the introduction of silkworm rearing and the invention of the loom  around 3000 BC.  Although, there are archeological evidences that sericulture existed as far back as 5000 BC.  For thousands of years silk has been used for many different purposes from the creation of exquisite garments, in household, to utilization in medicine.

Silk was also used in silk screen painting or printing. Chinese learned to successfully use dye and ink on silk medium around 400 - 300 BC, during the Zhou dynasty.

SILK FLOWERS

Silk flowers are said to have originated around 1500 years ago in the imperial palace, in China.  The flowers were created for and worn by the ladies at the palace.  In Chinese, silk flowers are called Juanhua.

Closely to 200 BC, Chinese migration to Korea and open trade with Japan greatly influenced Korean and Japanese cultures, especially their artistic expression, even more so, after Japan reopened its border at the end of 11th century AD.  Thus, allowing the art of silk flowers to travel to Japan and eventually to Europe, around 1500 - 1700 AD, with a growing trade with Portuguese.  Finally, it came to France the heart of fashion then and now.  From France this form of art had spread to many other countries.

Today, with technological advances most of silk flowers are made of plastic, polyester, latex and other manmade materials.  They are not of real silk even though they are still called "silk flowers".  The flowers are done on the scale of industrial production. Utilizing cutting molds, and press irons.  There are very few places left where silk flowers are still done out of natural fibers and all by hand, the way Chinese and Japanese have done it more than 1500 years ago.

Hence, I am proud to bring you luxurious quality and unique design in this timeless form of art - silk flowers.

- Irina Floret

Bibliography

Tregear, Mary.  Chinese Art.  New York: Thames and Hudson Inc, 1997.
Munsterberg, Hugo.  The Arts of Japan an Illustrated History. Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc, 1957.
Stanley-Baker, Joan.  Japanese Art.  London: Thames and Hudson Inc, 1984.

Internet Sources

http://www.silk-road.com/artl/silkhistory.shtml
http://www.chinaetravel.com/china/fsilkflw.html

Send comments and questions about this article to: Info@Floreti.com

Copyright © 1991 - 2008 Floreti. All designs, images, and text. Visit http://floreti.com, for more.

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