If deep inside you there is a Southern belle just waiting to shine, then the Kentucky Derby is your chance to set her free with a standout statement hat! Even if you can’t make it to Churchill Downs, there are Kentucky Derby parties happening all across the country. If you don’t already have plans, then having the opportunity to strut your stuff like a lady is as good a reason as any to throw your own Derby party.

You can have lots of fun creating your own unique hat with a little creativity and very little money. In doing a little research I learned that a wide brim is key. Not only will it keep the sun off your pretty face, but it adds so much drama, so I say the bigger the brim the better! Adorning your hat with flowers, feathers, lace or ribbon completes the look and is said to bring luck to gamblers at the race. In keeping with the Derby theme–also known as the Run for the Roses–I chose red roses as the centerpiece for my adornment, with a little bit of black tulle, and finished it off with a daisy crown around the brim. After all, a girl wants to look good coming and going! Continue Reading…

I’m always looking for new unique ways to arrange flowers in a vase and if you remember my Thanksgiving Centerpieces, you know that incorporating fruits and veggies is one fun way to do it! This asparagus vase is super easy to make but looks a lot more impressive, and it gives your guests one of those, “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!” moments. With just a regular beverage glass or glass cylinder vase, a rubber band, ribbon, asparagus and a bouquet of fresh tulips, you can make this DIY asparagus vase in under 5 minutes!

Floral crowns seem to be blossoming everywhere you turn these days… and with good reason!  They’re delightfully charming, they’re romantic, and they can be worn anywhere from a wedding to a birthday celebration to a music festival. They’re also surprisingly easy to make. There are just a few basic steps to creating your own amazing flower crown!

I’m going to show you how to “wire and tape” using a single floral variety (in this case white waxflower) that can be worn on its own.

And how easy it is to take it up a notch simply by gluing in your choice of additional flora (and even “fauna”)! You can also do a combination of wiring and gluing. Wire the larger flowers and glue the smaller ones. So let’s get started! Continue Reading…

Tabletop Tips

Sometimes your inspiration starts with just a sprinkle of an idea, or some beautiful linens, or heirloom china. Sometimes it’s the season or the special occasion. And for me, more times then not it starts with the flowers… in this case tulips! My tulips are so bright, fresh and colorful you can almost hear them say “look at me”, so I kept everything else neutral and organic.

Using a burlap table runner instead of a full tablecloth keeps most of the warm wood of the farm table exposed, adding to the rustic feel. Continue Reading…

I know that some of you were curious as to how long the flowers that we waxed a few week ago would last on my How to Preserve Flowers with Wax blog post, so I thought I would share an update. This shot was taken almost 4 weeks to the day after I dipped each of the fresh fully-bloomed roses in melted soy wax. Isn’t it so amazingly gorgeous – still!

I took this next photo 4 MONTHS after I waxed the roses, and they are still beautiful, just with a more rustic feel.

Continue Reading…