flower

When I shop for everyday flowers, the two biggest deciding factors in my purchase are form and hue — aside from, of course, vitality. For instance, I love the way the color persimmon looks against my peacock-blue walls. I also prefer a few blooms mostly for their shape, including calla lilies, peonies, and tulips. But if I'm hosting a dinner party and need those blossoms for a centerpiece, scent is the most important thing to consider.

For some reason, I think people tend to forget that flowers smell! I can't tell you how many luncheons and parties I've attended where the scent of the centerpiece has been so strong, it has either tainted the taste of my meal or made me nauseous. So in that case it's best to choose flowers that are mildly scented, such as ranunculus, yellow lilies, and hydrangeas. Steer clear of petals like sweet peas, most roses, and gardenias, and just use your judgment!

I love the transparent colors watercolor paints can create and the way different hues instantly blend on the page. But the trouble with watercolors is that mistakes can be much harder to remedy than with acrylic paints. If your brushstrokes don't turn out as intended with acrylics, you can just let your canvas dry, and you're ready to paint over it as intended. With water-soluble watercolor paints, you kind of have to work with what you've got.

I painted this tropical plant with watercolors and accidentally smudged my crisp white background. Instead of trying to fill in a background, or worse, starting from scratch, I decided just to cut out my painterly plant with an X-acto knife. Then, I placed it on a white mat in a frame, and voilà, it turned out to be a happy mistake! Now the painterly plant has depth, and its stems, leaves, and blossoms cast pretty shadows on the paper below it. Since then, I've painted a few other pieces, purposely cutting out the imagery to give them more texture and dimension with this technique. Give it a try!