Stony Stratford Show - Flower Competition

I decided to enter Stony Stratford Harvest Show's Flower Arranging Competition.  This show is not as big as Bucks and much to my relief you could do your arrangement at home and then take it into the hall on the morning of the show.  I decided I would enter two classes out of the three - the harvest arrangement and the miniature and here are some photos of my designs and other designs from the show. 

I was really pleased with my design and really liked the added peppers for a bit of additional harvest feel, I got third prize so was pleased.  I didn't like the winning design (below) as I felt technically there was a lot of mistakes in the design, such as its overall shape and profile but hey that is just my opinion.    The same lady won first prize in all 3 flower categories as she had done last year too!!  The one I liked most of all after mine of course, wasn't even placed.  The irony of the judging was that I had seen the name of the judge but it hadn't clicked but the judge turned out to be none other than Jamie's Headteacher!!  I haven't photographed my 3rd place certificate yet but will add it in when I have (added below!) - Jamie was very disappointed there were no winnings for him to collect!!

My design at home - lots of reds, browns and oranges and lots of texture too - all the designs had got the harvest feeling about them.

Some of the flower entries.

I also decided to enter the miniature class too  - this was my try out as I had never made a miniature design so I was feeling my way with this class.  Below is my design along with some of the other entries.  The winning entry didn't impress me at all and I was really pleased with mine, I suspect that it was overall just marginally too big and come over the 4 inches which the design needs to be under.  I have another blog about miniatures coming up with all of my practices for this class and some more information about miniature and petite designs - I am currently and eagerly awaiting the delivery of my NAFAS booklet on miniature designs to complete that blog. I used individual Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana (Flaming Katy) flowers and some Aster (September Flower), small pieces of cupressus, ivy leaves and rhodedendron leaves, with single gypsophilia flowers as filler.

Some of the miniature entries, the winner at the front, I wasn't placed this time round, mine may have been slightly too large. The winner didn't really seem to have anything about it for me, no scale and proportion and certainly no focal area, movement or any thing really, just an unusual container with a bit of gypsophilia!

 Below was the one I liked the best, outside of mine, of course, I think the entry grasped the concept which is the miniature must be a scaled down design with all of the elements and principles of design in place and not just the smallest design.

Will I enter next year, not sure will have to give it some serious thought.
Ciao

Sue
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Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading The Hunger by Carol Drinkwater