SUSAN Hodges demonstrated some ‘cute carnation’ arrangements in the form of animals, at Newton Abbot Flower Club’s latest meeting.

Ms Hodge, from Love to be Green, is a floral designer based on the outskirts of Newton Abbot. She began her career as a dress designer in London’s West End and went on to run her own bridal business designing and making wedding and bridesmaid dresses.

After moving to Devon, she transferred her design skills into her passion for flowers, gaining qualifications in floral art, floristry and contemporary floral design and teaching, later being employed by Devon County Council teaching courses in floristry, flower arranging and floral design. Today she runs her own successful floral business.

Her first arrangement, Cute Kittens, was a box of five tiny kittens made from white carnations with wired beads for eyes and nose, card for ears and midollino flexi sticks for whiskers. Each was decorated with a blue bow and surrounded by delicate foliage.

Next with seven white carnations she created a novel arrangement of a dog, sitting upright with his paws draped over a square pot. He had a chequered ribbon round his neck, glued on moving eyes and cute button nose.

She went on to make an aqua-pack hand tie bouquet with a difference, followed by a basket arrangement, suspended by a balloon with a cute pink dog inside.

As well as her unique flower arrangements, she gave members tips on how to make an easy and quick floristry bow with the aid of a house brick!

The club’s next meeting is on Monday in the Courtenay Centre, Kingsteignton Road, when the guest is area demonstrator Sue Neale.

The members’ subject is Fruit and Foliage, and all are welcome to attend the event which begins at 7.30pm.