Greenery is Beautiful

So your job is to go look in your yard and find some inspiration.  My favorite designs are simply greenery.  Every color, shade, hue, and texture go perfectly together.  You can mix and match all you want because every piece of greenery is from nature therefore, making it all look perfect together.

Another great perk is that it is inexpensive if you gather it from your yard.  Greenery is long lasting as well.



 Hosta leaves are very broad so they are great for collaring and coverage.



Here are several greens together.  Variegated hosta and pittosporum are completely different textures but similar colors.  The purple is a great touch to bring a pop of color and the grass brings the whimsy.

The whole look along with colored water.  Instead of using flower buds in the small vases just use some greenery to bring the "color" down to the table.

Simple elegance is the best description for this look.  If you are short on time or just forgot the flowers, use some beautiful greens to complete your party theme.

Easter Branches

So our daughter has been receiving one of my favorite childrens' magazines from her Nana and "Popeye".  As we were reading the little craft ideas I saw this one and thought I would amp it up a bit for our table.

Supplies needed:
Branches (just go outside and pick some up)
Colored tissue paper (cut into about 2" squares)
Pipe cleaner ( I used green)
Easter Grass
Scissors

Find the branches that work for you.  You can even spray paint them if you want lots of color.

Supplies you need laid out.  Then I used pinking shears to cut tissue to the size you want.  If you layer it then it creates a more realistic "flowers".

Take the layered paper and crunch in the middle.  Take a pipe cleaner and wrap the middle securing the paper.

Take your "flowers" and twist onto your branches.

Take a sturdy glass vase and add your Easter grass.  Push your sticks all the way to the bottom, this creates some stability.  Add some festive eggs or "butterflies" and enjoy!

No, this is not a super elegant display, but it is fun and crafty!

Bright Colorful Water Centerpieces

Color is all the rage this Spring. So I wanted to continue the trend with some fun tablescaping ideas for Easter. A very easy and money friendly way to bring lots of color to the table.

Lets start super simple.  Three glass containers with some votive candles.  Very simple, very clean but brings lots of color to the table.

Take away some colored water and keep the blue theme going.  Just add agapanthus to the simple container with votive candles.  Very elegant if you don't like lots of bright color.

Just the right size for a small table that needs a punch of color.

Moving on...

Add some fluff to coordinate with the colored water.  Add some inexpensive flowers that stand alone well, candles and of course some eggs for Easter. 

Now let's start building a tablescape.

Same glass container with colored water but find some ribbon around the house you aren't using.  Lay out a couple of strips to really incorporate the color down the table.

So I pulled out a white top sheet... I know everyone has that.  Cover the table so there so no color competing with the colored water and start again.  This time I pulled out some candlestick holders and set the same glass containers on top to add height to the table.  Let's not forget the candles and ribbon.

Then I added some fun little blingy things to catch light and your attention.  Of course I grabbed a flower just because that is what I do and here is a fun table.  Lots of color, very little cost and most important it is different!

Prom is Almost Here!!

Old corsages are out and new body floral art is in!!  Take a look at all the new fun looks.


Traditional wrist corsage with a twist. Wear it a little higher on your forearm and the wire easily stays in place. You don't need heavy roses weighing you down, something exotic like your dress is perfect. Try a huge variety of orchids in a color to match your dress.

Upper arm cuff. No more sliding around on your wrist and that horrible scratching!. Try this fun new look for all those strapless dresses.

Hair Floral is a must!  Lots of girls wear their hair up so here is a fun idea.  Again, something light and airy will be perfect.  Let the dress really be the focal and the floral just accentuate!

This great wire comes in 17 colors!

Spring Has Sprung

And as the owl on Bambi says "Twitterpated" fits Spring perfectly.  Our little girl loves the movie Bambi, and while she was watching it the other day I heard fits of laughter.  "What is she doing?" I wonder as I peek around the corner.  The owl is saying twitterpated and she thinks it is soooo funny!

Well the birds have been twitterpated on our front porch!  I try and keep a fun wreath on the door and I chose an "Arkansas fluff wreath".  I have never seen a town so in love with a decoration, but I have been sucked in too  :-)  The fluff is FUN!   My very close friend came over and starts laughing because I have tediously placed a little nest in my wreath, she thought.  I had no idea what she was talking about so I looked.... Priceless.  Nature is trying to move into the house too!  Along with us, the two dogs and the cat.

How perfect though, everyday, our whole family checks the progress of the nest.  Here is the progression thus far.

I guess the birds knew that hot pink was a HOT color for the spring too!

We have five eggs!  The day we were going to move the whole wreath was the day we discovered the eggs!  So I guess it has to stay a bit longer!

Our view every morning we check the progress!

Here's hoping you find a little spring fun the next couple of days!

Re Grand Opening at The Bridal Cottage

The past week has been a blast!  It all started with an email and ended with lots of flowers and beautiful arrangements for an elegant but fun business in North Little Rock- The Bridal Cottage.  If you are in the wedding business in the Little Rock area and want to see beautiful flowers and beautiful dresses stop by.  They are located on JFK Blvd.

The flowers before they were arranged.

Store front before the decorating started.

Beautiful dresses but lets add some color!

I designed the frames and how I wanted them placed but my husband did all the building and hanging!  What would I do with out him?

Color is all the rage this Spring season.  Every prom dress reflects that!!  And The Bridal Cottage has some fabulous colors and designs to choose from!  I am a little out of the prom age of my life, but I am loving the short dresses!

Some arrangements for the store

Orange and yellow bouquet 6".  Flowers include gerbera daisies, tulips, ranunculus, honeysuckle vine and pittosporum.

10" Blue and purple bouquet.  Flowers include aspidistra leave collar, campanula, hyacinth, hypericum berries, thistle, anemones and step reed.

Arranged in a large brandy glass- flowers include white hydrangea, garden roses, hypericum berries and wax flower.



Fun and funky with fuchsia and orange.  Flowers include ranunculus, gorgeous tulips, hypercium berries and pittosporum.

Hot colors!!  Orange square vase with spray roses, stock and ranunculus.

The photos capture color but they are definitely not professional.  Hope you enjoy and get some great color ideas for your own Spring Fling!

Valentine's Day is Upon Us

Love is in the Air!  So are the flowers, flying in on airplanes that is.  I am getting ready for a busy Valentine's Day and that means flowers are being ordered early to get the best price.


The best way to help my customer is to give them options, not a ton, but plenty to choose from in all the price points.  It is also my goal to educate along the way.  So here we go.


The Arrangement Selection:


Dozen Red/Colored Roses $85 or half dozen $45

These are beautiful red roses and long lasting!  Here is the education part.  Roses are sold in 3 different lengths at Valentine's Day.  The longer the stem the more expensive!  Also the longer the more likely the heads will droop more quickly.  There is a lot longer space for water to make its way up to the head of the rose.  So, the long and the short of this.... sorry, a medium length stem will give you the statement you want, but also give you good bang for your buck.


Redneck Wineglasses with Half a Dozen Roses $65

What a great way to remember Valentine's Day 2012 with fun "wine glasses" that you can keep forever.  They are completely usable and reusable, not dishwasher safe.  Education: Definitely the shape of a white wine glass, but after getting these glasses home it will be easy to transfer the arrangement to another container similar in size to the mason jar by just putting your hands loosely around the neck of the jar and flower stems.  Then just pull straight up, have your other container ready with water and immediately put the flowers in the new containers.  Drinking glasses make great containers!


Not only should you use your "wineglasses" that night, you should also plan for snacks.  Plan a little romantic picnic with popcorn, M and Ms, strawberries (you get the drift).  What a great way, for relatively inexpensive, to set the mood for a romantic night


***Remember if you want to spread rose petals anywhere, you need to use a light color (light pink or white).  Red petals WILL stain white sheets and make a mess on the floor.  I will be selling small bags of petals for $10 a piece.  These will be plenty for sprinkling on a bed, on a table/picnic, or leaving a small trail.


Elegant Romance $85 or $35:

Look at the fun willow accent in the vase.  This adds another dimension to an ordinary square vase.

Soft and pretty!  Here is an example of what the $85 arrangement might look like.  The shape will remain the same.  However the flowers might slightly vary.  Very whimsical, elegant and spring like.  Education:  Florists do change the flower type up sometimes.  It is not because they are switching out a certain price of flower for something cheaper.  It is because they have found a better quality and price point to put in the arrangement.  Usually floral designers try and keep the shape of the flower the same so they don't loose the arrangement shape they are looking for. 


This particular arrangement I can make at a lower price point.  I would simply replace some of the more expensive flowers with a little less expensive flower.  No lesser quality just modified flower choices.  Plus the glass container would change as well.

Tulips  $50

 Tulips are perfect this time of year. They grow naturally outside during late winter and early spring.  They come in tons of color.  They are fun and funky!  Education:  Tulips still "grow" after you cut them.  So, if in three days you see that the stems have become much longer just cut each stem at an angle and put them back in water.  Also, tulips tend to "drink" lots of water the first 3 days.  Remember to dump the old water and replace with new COLD water.  You can even add ice cubes, 1 or 2, to the water to keep the blooms closed longer.


The Exotic- Orchids  $45

Orchids have the name of being very expensive and 40 years ago when we didn't have the transportation that we do now, they were expensive to get here from the more tropical environment.   These dendrobium orchids are great for a pop of color and they are long lasting, what a great bonus.  Education: This simplistic design form would be similar to Ikebana. Ikebana draws attention to shape, line and form.  This design form is from Japan where they focus on each element of the design, less is more.  True Ikebana would bring nature to humanity.


These are the major arrangements that I am offering for Valentine's Day 2012.  You can place orders by emailing me or calling.  Payments can be made by PayPal. 
Preorders are strongly encouraged so I can have the correct flowers on hand. 
I have tried to hit all the price points but if you need another price point please contact me and we can work on that.