Holiday Decorations

Fourth of July celebrations (and decorations) are the best! Whether you’re celebrating America’s birthday with friends and family on the beach or in your backyard, here are some easy ways to add little patriotic touches of red, white and blue with these fun DIY floral 4th of July decoration ideas!

DIY Mason Jar American Flag Vase

Seriously, is there anything you can’t do with a few mason jars? I took three small, clear mason jars and painted them in a stars and stripes tribute to Old Glory. One stem of blue hydrangea in each and you have a beautiful, fun, inexpensive centerpiece. You could paint a couple more while you’re at it and use them to hold cutlery or straws, or even tea lights, creating a festive look for evening festivities.

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Celebrate Dad with a Father’s Day Beer Tasting

We received such great feedback on our Wine Tasting for Mom event that I thought, why not plan something similar for Dad? This time we’re going with a beer tasting event in dad’s honor!

Thanks to an increasing appreciation for quality beer production, there are new breweries popping up all over the country. There’s a good chance that there’s one right in your neighborhood or close by. If possible, hosting your Father’s Day event right at the brewery can add a unique feel and make it more fun for everyone. Leaving the beer to the experts gives you more time to focus on the decorations and the fun details that make Dad feel loved and honored for all he does!

I reached out to Gretchen Schmidhausier, a friend of my sister, who recently fulfilled a lifelong dream and opened a microbrewery in her hometown of Neptune City, New Jersey, on the Jersey Shore. The Little Dog Brewing Company was named after Gretchen’s dog Quincy, a basenji, who is also the face of the brand!

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Cakes aren’t just for birthdays…especially when the cake is made entirely of fresh flowers! The Birthday Wishes Flower Cake™ is one of the most popular signature arrangements from 1-800 Flowers.com, but can easily be transformed for any holiday or special occasion, like Mother’s Day. While traditional cakes are presented, eaten and gone quickly, the flower cake becomes part of the festive décor and can be enjoyed for at least a week!

If you aren’t up for a DIY Mother’s Day project and don’t plan to make the cake from scratch (shortcuts are perfectly acceptable!) you can easily order the Birthday Flower Cake^™ and have it delivered right to your door. Instead of using the candles that are included with the cake, simply switch them up for a fun, festive cake topper. I made this one with straws, string, assorted printed paper and tassels. However, there are so many cute ones out there, and they are relatively inexpensive and can be reused.  Continue Reading…

1. Shamrock comes from the Irish Gaelic word Seamrog meaning “little clover”.
2. The word shamrock refers to multiple species of three-leafed plants.
3. The most common species marketed as shamrocks are the white clover and the wood sorrel (oxalis).
4. Because of its ease of cultivation, indoors and out, oxalis is the plant most often labeled and sold as a shamrock during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, in the United States.
5. In Ireland, the plant most often referred to as shamrock is the white clover.
6. Shamrocks that have four leaves are rare an are the traditional “lucky charms”.
7. There is only one mutation of the four-leaf clover for every 10,000 clovers.
8. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish during the 5^th Century.
9. Because of their creeping design, Shamrocks (clovers) can cover grounds easily and quickly.
10. In an uncontrolled environment, Shamrocks are considered weeds!

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
-An Irish Toast

Creating an Irish tricolour (as the flag of Ireland is frequently referred to) centerpiece is very easy and will last for a few weeks! This works out great for anyone (like me) who likes to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for the entire month of March!

The simplicity of the flag’s design of three colors in three equal parts makes it easy to recreate in flowers. The meaning behind it, however, is deep and captures the desire for peace during conflict. Here is what each of the colors in the flag represents: Continue Reading…

Here’s a traditional holiday arrangement that has its roots in the south, in Colonial Williamsburg.  The pineapple has long been an iconic symbol of hospitality, welcome, and friendship starting in the Carib and spreading to Europe before coming to Colonial North America.  While the pineapple is a key element in a traditional Colonial Williamsburg style arrangement there are others that are just as important to create the right look.  Here’s a list of just a few that you might want to choose from:

• Magnolia leaves
• Assorted evergreens
• Apples
• Oranges (especially decorated with cloves)
• Roses
• Ribbons
• Burlap

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