Flower Blog - September/October

Well this blogging about flowers monthly is not really working . . . I think next year I'm going to choose another subject matter . . . maybe just "projects" which I am still doing a lot of you just aren't seeing any of the pictures (weddings, gifts for weddings, reinvented jewellery from the "cast off" stuff etc. etc. etc.)

But . . . Thanksgiving was quickly approaching and as I sometimes do, invited myself to my sister's for dinner; not only because I know the food is going to be awesome, but because the conversation is interesting and can get a bit intense at times (that's when her mother-in-law nudges me and says it's time to get the pies ready)!  So because I invited myself and didn't ask what I should bring I offered to bring a flower arrangement for the table to go with what she was already planning.

Three White roses, a bunch of white berries and the tops of the tall grasses from my front yard all sitting in a gold spray painted (albeit fake) pumpkin with the top cut out so I could put a glass (or tin can inside) and Bob's yer Uncle!

Here is a picture of it sitting on the table - she had already spray painted all of the pumpkins existing and twigs from her garden.  Then placed triangular shaped votive holders on a burlap runner (which was all sitting on top of a lace table cloth).  The chargers were all different (some were patterned, some were plain but all gold, brown and tan). 

Hopefully I behaved myself enough to be invited back (or if not, just show up next time). 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

 

 

Total Cost:  $42.00 for the flowers and $8.00 for the fake pumpkin.

Flower Blog - July/August

Is this getting boring . . . perhaps . . . next year I'm going to focus on something a bit more fun . . .

You would think in July I would have had a plethora of flowers already growing in my garden from seeds planted in the spring . . . NOPE . . . had to wait until almost the end of August to get me some . . . Here's what I came up with.

These are Viola (bottom right) and Pansy (top right) - dropped the large vase and it didn't break - luck would be on my side for that one!

These are just a couple of taller jars - the snap dragons (bottom left) are just tiny but still beautiful!

I therefore, haven't purchased flowers at the "market" for two months now - so I'm going to really punch it up for September!


TOTAL COST: ZERO

Chair Recover

There comes a time when things just need to be redone . . . and slipcovering is my schtick these days (remember the chairs slipcovered for the condo in Radium?)

These two outdoor lounge chairs came from my sister's place because no one there wanted the "ugly" things any more . . . I had recovered them in a stretch black denim a couple of years ago but because they've sat outside the fabric faded AND because outdoor fabric is now on sale it's time . . .

I simply measured around the metal frame and added 1/2" for the seam; then measured the length of fabric required (and added 1" on each end for hemming)

and voila - new chair covers!

SOLD for $120.00

Flower Blog - June

Ah June . . . I LOVE June . . . I take my summer vacation the last two weeks of June, I plant seeds and clean up the outdoor raised planter beds, I water and watch things grow, I paint exterior doors and fences and watch for things on sale for the next year . . . what more could you ask for? Well an arrangement in the living room while the lilacs are starting to bloom, that's what you ask for . . .

This one was pretty simple (aren't they all?)! Lisianthus, some dark purple leafy twigs, a white something or other (because baby's breath is apparently "so 80's"), some square vases and a naked male white sculpture!

TOTAL COST: $13.50

Flower Blog - May

I know I'm cutting it close again . . . last day . . . but Mother's day was in May and that's what this blog is about. I'd passed (only once at first) the Birks Jewellery store in Edmonton's Manulife Place and just about fainted. They had these beautiful patent leather luggage in their display windows and I had to stop. I immediately went in and asked if they were for sale and was told that they were "display only" and if I was interested I could contact a certain person in their marketing department to see if (and when) they would be available I could possibly purchase one. Well it took no time for me to get back to my desk and send a very personable e-mail saying how much I thought Birks was a mainstay in Edmonton and how privileged I would be if I could have the opportunity to purchase one of the beautiful luggage pieces when the promotion was over. I had a response in a couple of days (which seemed like an eternity) that they were not "real", that they could not be used for anything other than display but when the promotion was over they would let me know. Two months (or so) later I was called that the pieces were going to be made available to me and which one(s) did I want . . . how many I asked . . . as many as you wish because it would be too expensive to ship them back to Montreal . . . I RAN downstairs and I was given four . . . FOUR . . . can you believe it . . . I couldn't wait to get them home and decide what to do with them. As I said, Mother's day was only days away and I thought the Gerbara daisies would make a beautiful arrangement for my her so I purchased 5 hot pink ones and added three more coral ones that I had from another plant I'd purchased because I LOVED the colour of them and wanted to paint my front door that colour (and then changed my mind - about the colour of the door) - the significance of 8 - she had 8 kids! Here is the end result and she LOVED it!

Flower Blog - April

So they say April Showers Bring May Flowers . . . poppycock . . . it's still snowing here and it's the day before Good Friday. Something is definately wrong with this picture but I'm going to blog about spring flowers anyways! Tulips . . . LOVE THEM . . . love all of the beautiful colours and wish I could go to a field of them and make a bed out of them . . . seriously! I've been saving green bottles for just this occasion and I think it turned out pretty well. TOTAL COST: $16.99 (A bit over my monthly budget but because I only spent $5.00 in February, this month I splurged).

Another cast-off chair

I love it when people give stuff away for free . . . it always inspires me . . .

It isn't in bad shape but it's really not the best . . . and I am compelled to paint it and recover the seat (maybe) . . . it's always a journey just to make the decision . . . so for the time being I just re-upholstered the seat and may paint it once the weather turns around (if it ever does)

Total cost: FREE - I had the fabric on hand from fabric I purchased to change the living room from winter to summer!

Flower Blog - March

OK so I just about missed it . . . but I didn't . . . March should be spring . . . what a joke . . . not where I live . . . I thought that before I went away to Phoenix, AZ on March 13 that when I got home 7 days later the snow would all be melted and there would be buds on the trees . . . NOT . . . I came home to a snow storm. I think it's just God and Nature's way of telling you that life is unpredictable and you'd better stay on your toes. So because I got home to a snow storm, spring really wasn't on my mind. What was on my mind was SUMMER - LOL. I had already decided before I went away that I was going to use the Jonathan Adler vases my boss gave me a gift certificate (yes yet another one) for either my birthday or Christmas another year and I only needed four flowers. Do I go with greenery or flowers . . . flowers it is. Here they are! White Anemone - beautiful!

white anemone

TOTAL COST: $11.00

Flower Blog - February

It's February - lover's month - ack - it's just February. Traditionally the flower to give your "lover" is red roses. Pfffffffffffffft!

Like I said in the beginning of this flower thing I would "theme" some months but that doesn't mean I'll stay traditional (because it's totally not who I am - usually)! I chose the colour red but not red roses. I wanted to be a bit more creative and use the flower that I "love" instead - gerbara daisies.

I started out with a piece of drift wood (the largest one I had left from the box of driftwood my friend Lorie gave me) and drilled two holes in it (to accommodate the plastic vessels they give you at the flower store to keep them until you get home).

When I went to drill the one hole that had to be a bit larger than the other one I broke the driftwood in half . . . ARGH! ! ! ! !

Gerbara daisy in one hole and a leaf and some berries in the other with a piece of ribbon and I think it looks pretty good (but I'd rather of had a piece of raffia and couldn't find it . . . )

TOTAL COST: $5.60

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

Flower Blog - January

So I'm willing to admit when I don't think I've done that great of a job and whether or not I've learned something. Spending under $12.50 is HARD. And it gets even harder when you do eventually settle on what you want to buy, purchase it and then get it back to your home/office and realize that one of the flowers isn't really up to snuff or you are unimpressed with the purchase itself!

I had to return the mauve one because it looked a bit wilted, but even when I returned it, 5 of 6 of them were wilted, but I decided for this exercise I'd just pick the best one because I had everything else ready to photograph and wasn't about to switch gears again.

I learned that you need to examine the flowers BEFORE they are wrapped and that I need to do more research on how to photograph them. Not horrible for a first attempt but I expended a lot of effort (albeit mentally) getting the job done.

The vases are Hoosier (circa 1965); the teacups and saucers are from my mother's wedding collection; the plates are from my sister as a hostess gift; the spoons are tarnished but pretty and came from Winners; the table covering is two tea towels (also used when we were in Radium in the fall last year as napkins) and the flowers are Mums with sprays of eucalyptus.

TOTAL TIME: 1.5 HOURS (WAY TOO LONG)
TOTAL COST:  $12.07

Small Container Flower Arrangements . . .

New year, new challenge . . . This year I'm going to try and make a flower arrangement every month in a small container for a grand total in the entire year of $150.00. You might not think this is a challenge but if you thought about it ... how many flowers can you really buy at a high end flower shop for $12.50. Stay tuned, I'll find a container over the weekend and make an attempt at a mini arrangement every month; and yes, some of them will be themed!

Tulle Skirt

When Kristen shared a picture of a tulle skirt from Pinterest and said she'd like to wear one to her Christmas Party I offered to make it.  I viewed one video on YouTube and thought pffffft - I can do that . . .

Off to Fabricland I go and 8 yards of tulle (4 yards of off white, two yards of creamy ivory and two yards of blush), just enough black elastic for her waistband and 3/4 of a yard of slip fabric later, it's back home to sew.

What a pain in the butt this was . . . the fabric is SO sheer and the house is SO dry that it just got all full of static and was SO frustrating I had to put it down three times before I actually got it to a point where I could gather the damn tulle . . . but it was really simple sewing.

I cut the waist band four inches smaller than her actual waist measurement, and zig zagged it closed.  Then divided into quarters; sewed seams in all 8 layers of the tulle, ran a running stitch through the first four layers of tulle and then the other four layers, and then quartered the tulle.  I matched up the quarters, gathered the tulle a couple of inches LARGER than the elastic and stretched and sewed it on to the black elastic waistband with a straight stitch.  I sewed four layers on at a time.  She did not want it "pouffy" so that many layers was enough.  It did, however, need a slip underneath.

Here is the finished product; a VERY cute girl, some kick ass shoes, a jean jacket and a funky (borrowed) bracelet!

One last celebration . . .

Because Kristen and Andrew were away during Christmas, we still had to celebrate together . . . I truly didn't like that they were away but they have their own lives and I get it!

I stayed with some of the same theme from the cocktail party because it was only a week prior and Chili and Garlic Bread was on the menu . . . not really a Christmas themed meal but it was awesome none the less.

Here are a few pics of the table!

I made the napkins last year to go with the swag on the window!

And here they are in their all their glory!

I never purchased one thing for the table . . . well that's kind of a lie - I bought them each a Christmas ornament and put that in the bowl.

Cocktails for 10!

Christmas is over, I didn't celebrate New Years (only because I don't care to) but I'll certainly have a couple of people over for cocktails!

What's on the menu:

Martinis, wine and beer
A cheese tray
Hummus and Greek Garden Pie
and Bob's yer uncle!

How fun . . .

Red Pepper Hummus and Pita Chips

Cheese Tray - it looks like I got really lazy on this one . . . 

Flowers in recycled Perrier Bottles (and some spiced peas)

Greek Garden Pie and Pepper and Olive Oil Triskets

Next ! ! ! ! !