Give your table a vintage makeover with this vintage Halloween centerpiece. This original papier-mâché pumpkin from the 1950’s is my favorite Halloween decoration. My mother-in-law gave it to me a few years ago. She finds the best stuff and knows my style to a tee!
With a few cuttings from your fall garden – here I used dahlias and asclepias – this old pumpkin becomes the happiest jack in town! While not vintage, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM offers a great alternative.
The month of September continues to fly by, but I wanted to take a moment and share one of the sweetest holidays I have ever heard of! Love Note Day falls annually on the fourth Friday in September and was created to encourage people to share their feelings for the ones they love with written words.
In honor of this holiday I wanted to share just a few of my favorite love notes:
If thou must love me, let it be for naught except for love’s sake only. – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile. – Franklin P. Jones
Love is a friendship set to music. – E. Joseph Cossman
Have a wonderful weekend!
March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and what better way to start the day than with a plate of hot homemade Irish soda bread scones, a cup of Irish tea, and an Irish Eyes cocktail? Add some unique Irish inspired floral decor and you’re ready for the perfect Irish breakfast!
In this case, the tea is a bouquet of fresh “green tea” roses, to go along perfectly with the Irish breakfast tea of your choice! Match your tea and the tea cup of green roses, with Irish Soda Bread scones (recipe below), and you have the perfect start for your Irish breakfast!
Here’s a traditional Irish soda bread scone recipe with raisins that you might want to try. Let me know how they turn out!
Ingredients:
1 lb. flour
¼ pint of buttermilk
1-cup raisins
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 oz of Irish butter
Directions:
Sift the flour, baking soda and powder into a bowl. Rub in butter. Add in the sugar and raisins. Stir with a wooden spoon. Make a well in the mix and work in the buttermilk. Turn on to a floured board and knead briefly. With a wooden rolling pin, roll out the mixture till it is one inch thick. Use a cookie cutter, or an upside-down plastic tumbler, to cut out the scones from the dough. Glaze with a beaten egg. Bake in a hot oven (425°F) for 15 minutes.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I never knew the meaning and lasting relevance of the Irish flag. I’ve held it high on many occasions without even knowing what the three colors represented. In case there are any others of you like me, let me take this opportunity to share my new-found knowledge, as well as my floral tribute to this piece of Irish hope and pride.
The three equal stripes illustrate the Irish political landscape, as accurately today as in 1848, the year the Irish flag was first unfurled.
Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day as early as the 17th century. Keep the tradition alive by having green carnations available for your guests to pin on when they arrive at your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Fill an interesting and appropriately themed container, such as the old Bailey’s tin that I used here, with green carnations that are cut short and ready to be adorned with a ribbon or pinned on a lapel. The carnations I’ve used are a natural green variety called Prado. It is one of my favorite flowers, because of its beautiful pale green color and its availability year round.
If you really want to impress your special Irish lad or lass, look into their eyes as you pin on their carnation and say the Gaelic phrase, “Tá tú go h-álainn” (you’re beautiful).
This cocktail is called Irish Eyes and is similar to the vodka based White Russian. Crème de menthe adds just a hint of mint and gives the finished drink its light green color. A few of these and you’ll be singing “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” and no one will care what key it is in!
Ingredients:
* 1 oz Irish Whisky
* ¼ oz crème de menthe
* 2 oz cream
Preparation:
* Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
* Shake well.
* Pour into glass
* Enjoy and may the luck o’ the Irish be with you!
Inspired by the ancient tradition of featuring a different floral arrangement in front of a home to identify the family and profession of the resident, I created these one of a kind designs. These are the kind of arrangements that I really like to create as gifts. They are so personal and take more thought then anything else. Give a personalized wreath to someone special, they are gifts from the heart.
If your special person enjoys sewing, gather a few sewing supplies, some small roses, and a sewing kit basket with a long handle to hang in front of a door. Arrange all your materials in the basket and surround it with flowers. This is a lovely arrangement to hang on any door.
If your special somoeone enjoys photography, check out this creative wreath. This personalized wreath has nicely decorated flowers sitting ontop of an antique camera.
For the crafty person in you life, simply stuff a tool holder with flowers and ornaments.
For a sweet, spring looking wreath, decorate your wreath with pink roses and small pots.
If your special person enjoys knitting, simply find some yarn and a needle and fashion it into a bow on your wreath.
The Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the New Moon. This year, the year of the tiger, the Chinese New Year falls on February 14th – Valentine’s Day! So even if you’re not in a “love relationship” you’ll have a reason to celebrate and host a party that weekend. There are some traditional Chinese customs, foods, and colors that can inspire you and point you in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with it and use your imagination. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Decorations
The Chinese are fascinated by the color red, not only because of its intoxicating vibrancy, but also because of its rich meaning in Chinese culture and history. According to Chinese customs, red is the color of the soul of the nation. The color red signifies reunion, health, happiness, harmony, peace and prosperity. So guess what color palette I would suggest for your Chinese New Year’s celebration? That’s right – red!!
Flowers are an important part of the Chinese culture and New Year’s is the busiest day in the Chinese flower market. Flowers are said to bring good luck and are given when visiting family for the traditional New Year’s Eve feast. Pick up decorative take-out containers from a party supply store and fill them with flowers in shades of red, gold, and orange – both in honor of the New Year and the tiger. These sweet petite arrangements can also be given as gifts to your guests when the party is over.
If you start to think outside of the box you’ll discover that Chinese take-out containers have a lot of uses. I used one to hold some bamboo handled cutlery. I cut off the top flaps and filled it half way with red paper shred. I scanned this colorful image of a Chinese tiger and attached it to the front of the container for even more “pop”.
Food
Lettuce wraps are a fun, easy, traditional Chinese food. They are served at New Year’s, because the Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like rising fortune, and the wraps are filled with other lucky food such as noodles and peanuts.
Gifts
Hongbao, small red envelopes stuffed with money, are often given to unmarried children. You can find these envelopes at party supply stores.
The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of the lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap into the wisdom and heritage that their grandparents could provide. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. This year, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 13th.
This year, Grandparents Day takes on a very special meaning for me. I just became a grandmother for the first time on August 29th with the birth of Juliette Claire. Of course she is the sweetest most beautiful little girl in the world. It has only been a few days since she was born and yet she has already brought a whole new dimension to my life. I am embracing my role as a grandparent with all of my heart.
Great Gift Ideas for Grandparents
Being a grandparent is the ultimate gift. I know that any grandparent will tell you that he or she doesn’t need anything else. The love and support that grandparents give means so much and Grandparents Day is a great time to let them know. It’s not so much about the gift, but the thought and the sentiment that it represents. The best gift is one that is personal and speaks to the individual. Flowers are always a wonderful way to say what words cannot. Flowers can easily be sent to grandparents that aren’t lucky enough to live close to their grandchildren. When I am giving a gift, I always think about the person that I am recognizing and try to create something that speaks to his or her special interests, attributes and our relationship. Here are a few floral gift ideas for different types of grandparents. I hope one of them works for you or inspires you to create your own perfect gift for your world’s #1 grandparent!
It’s the Right of Every Grandparent to Spoil Their Grandchildren!
Often, parents have to set the rules and keep the treats to a minimum for their children. When children are at grandma and grandpa’s house, life’s a party full of indulgences! One of my favorite treats when I went to my grandmother’s house was a special ice cream soda that she made for me. I was so impressed with the “real” ice cream soda glass that she used and the whip cream she made from scratch. My grandmother made me feel special, because she always let me put the sprinkles on myself. Growing up in a house with five siblings all close in age, really didn’t leave a lot of time for those extra little touches that grandma was able to incorporate into every visit! It was especially sweet if it was your turn to go by yourself and have grandma’s undivided attention!
I made this floral faux ice cream soda in honor of my Grandma McCann. She had 14 grandchildren and somehow was able to make each one feel like they were her favorite.
Margaritas and summer just seem to go hand in hand. Some prefer them straight up and others go for the frozen concoction! Well 1-800 FLOWERS.COM has a version that is neither and yet will still be the hit of any summer celebration. They have a super sized version that is perfect as a centerpiece and a smaller size that is great for an individual place setting. The smaller size can even make a fabulous take home party favor. Here are a few images of these terrific floral cocktails from the 1-800 FLOWERS.COM Happy Hour Collection that might also provide some inspiration for you to make your own floral cocktail decorations. Just let your imagination flow – no pun intended!
And just in case you need it, here is a recipe for a standard margarita. I like this one with an added shot of Grand Marnier!!
Rub the rim of a cocktail glass with lime juice, and dip in salt. Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into the glass, and serve.
Enjoy!
Here’s a pretty project for a cold winter’s day. Add a little sparkle to someone’s day and create a dazzling arrangement using a glass, some beads, and fresh flowers. Take this initial idea and make it your own. These vases can be customized to any size, shape, and color. These vases make fantastic centerpieces for weddings, showers, and other celebratory occasions. Or just make one for your own pleasure and enjoyment.
Measure and cut elastic thread to a length that will encircle glass, plus several inches to tie off. Thread first group of beads on elastic thread, test for fit and tie off. Now you can pre-cut a number of pieces of thread and continue threading until vase is completely covered.
Fill vase two-thirds full with water and floral preservative. Cut stems of flowers (here I used lisianthus) to correct length so that the flowers sit just at the top of the rim of the glass. Continue until the vase is full.
Three trees, three different materials, three different stories. What’s your story?
A small way to keep the troops in our hearts and minds throughout the holiday season is to decorate a tabletop tree with yellow ribbons and top it off with an American flag. This one is a faux. It’s what I like to call a “Charlie Brown” tree.
Add to a holiday cocktail party by placing a fresh cut tree into a silver ice bucket and dressing it with lush velvety red roses and delicate baby’s breath. The fragrant combination of roses and fresh evergreens is truly intoxicating!
You can create the same effect by decorating the tree with just sprigs of baby’s breath. It will look like fresh fallen snow!
A partridge in a pear tree is a classic symbol from a traditional holiday song. Create this tree by using a base of floral foam and fresh boxwood. By adding fresh white flowers, faux mini pears, and a decorative bird in a nest made from Spanish moss, you will have completed the look.
