Hip Tip: Easter Egg Flower Centerpiece

Easter egg case filler flowers

Filling a vase with pastel eggs is a simple way to make spring flowers special for Easter.  Start by finding two vessels that nest and leave enough space between them for the eggs.  Use a larger clear glass vase and a smaller glass inside to hold the flowers.  Add water to the flowers only, and fill the outer vase with your vase-filler (the eggs or another Easter treat like jelly beans or peeps).  The flowers stay hydrated and the filler stays dry so your arrangement can last through the holiday and beyond. 

Photo credit: i.imgur.com (via Pinterest)

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DIY Fall Flowers: How to Make $35 Flowers Look Like $120

flower arranging tutorial fall party planning

I love having pretty flowers on the table, but ordering arrangements from a floral shop gets expensive so I started making my own.  I hit a corner flower stand (or two) to pick up my supplies and then arrange them myself.  It’s fairly simple and isn’t as hard as it looks: About 15 minutes of shopping and 30 minutes of trimming/ arranging.  For the flowers pictured here, it translated into a savings of about  $85 (3 arrangements at $40 each from a local florist, compared to my $35 worth of flowers – I own the vases so those aren’t included in the cost savings equation).  Here’s how I made these 3 flower arrangement for a fall party. [Read more...]

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Flower Gift Tags {Mother’s Day ideas}

DIY mother's day flowers

Use leftover gift tags to hang a sweet note on a homemade Mother’s Day bouquet.  Write a little note and tie it to one of the flowers in your arrangement for a pretty little detail that mom is sure to appreciate.  Happy Mother’s Day!

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Beautiful Buds: Affordable Floral Arrangements

inexpensive flower arrangements

Enliven your table with an arrangement of mini bouquets set in juice glasses or small mugs.  These mini bouquets are adorable and economical: A few bunches of inexpensive spring flowers pepper your entire table.  Pick a few small-budded flowers in similar hues, such as tulips, daisies and daffodils.  Trim the stems short enough so the flowers will peek over the rims of the glasses or mugs.  If using mugs, place a small round metal floral frog in each mug to help shape and hold down the arrangements (the frog will show through clear juice glasses, so rather than using the frog, just fill them a bit tighter to keep the stems in place).

This is a great idea for a spring shower or brunch.  After your event is over, place one of the mini arrangements next to the sink in your bathroom and the rest on bedside or end tables around the house.

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Hip Tip: A Penny for Prettier Tulips

Fresh-Cut Flower Trick

I totally forgot about this trick for making tulips bloom and stand upright until a facebook friend reminded me via her status.  Here’s the great tip: Place a shiny copper penny in the water with tulips to make the buds open and prevent the stems from flopping.  The copper in the penny acts as a natural antibacterial and will even extend the life of your fresh-cut flowers.  Using a shiny/ new penny will yield the best results.

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Hip Tip – Potted Plant Centerpiece

Use pretty potted flowers for a centerpiece – either one large pot or several smaller pots with different flowers and/or herbs.  A potted plant works especially well for a party in the garden or any outdoor event, and will last longer than fresh-cut flowers.  Tie ribbons around the pot for added interest.  For a shower or birthday party, place a colored napkin under one plate on each table and let the guest who chooses that seat take the centerpiece home.

Photo Credit:  Flowers Quata (potted Hydrangeas)

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