Saturday, September 12, 2009

Whitney's Whatnot~ Floral Fun Minus the Silk

The words “silk” and “greenery” have become bad words in my house. I will say that I do enjoy silk arrangements in other people’s homes but I have banned them from my own. As I have been putting my new home together I have noticed how it did need a little bit of something to warm it up. Back in the day that would have been of course… greenery. So what do you do? Some might say go with the real thing… get some real flowers and plants to spruce the place up. Having three kids and a husband to take care of, I have found it a task to even keep our fish alive so the real thing isn’t even an option... I just wanted to share a couple of ways I added some floral fun… minus the silk and greenery of course!


This is one of my favorites… my husband’s family is from Lubbock, TX. On one of our trips last year I had him pull the car over and grab me a couple of cotton plants that were growing along the edge of the road. I paired them with some dried Curly Willow left over from my sister’s wedding. I realize that not all of you make frequent trips to “God’s Country” as my husband calls it to pick your cotton but I have seen some sold online. The vase was a fun $7 find I made at Home Goods with Ashley on one of our shanty shopping days. I have this arrangement on my hearth now next to my lantern I shared with you girls last week.




Another way to add floral is by using dried hydrangea. I love this stuff… can’t get enough of it. One day I may be lucky enough to grow my own in the yard but for now I buy mine already dried from a dealer in Dallas. I have some on top of an armoire in the living room spilling out of a basket and I also have some in my revamped vase. So cute…



Last was a project done with Ashley and our grandmother… Meme. We made a trip to Hobby Lobby to find something to go on top of my entry table. We were able to find some blue berry stems, some brown sticks and some cute white things that I think look like dried peas. We found a great vase and filled it with river rocks and put the whole thing together. I love it. Thanks for stopping by girls… just thought I would pass on a few floral minus silk and greenery ideas! I will be linking these tips up at WFMW over at We Are That Family... Go check it out!
http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/09/wfmw-how-to-find-your-car-in-parking.html







20 comments:

Enchantresses Three said...

What great ideas!! The funny thing is, is that we do go to Lubbock every once and a while! Grew up in Carlsbad NM, which is 2 and a half hours away! Next time we go, will have to do some cotton pickin!
hugs,
Sariah

Karen said...

I definitely have a brown thumb when it comes to plants, but I'm with you on the silk arrangements. They usually come off (for lack of a better word) tacky.

Dried hydrangeas are always beautiful, I love the blue especially. I like to clip branches and use hosta leaves in glass vases to bring a little nature to my home too.

Stephanie said...

All I use in my house is dried "stuff" :) I think that's a great way to add color without adding the silk mess.
We agree with your husband...TX is definitely God's country!! If we could pick up and move there, WE WOULD!

Infarrantly Creative said...

Very organic looking. I love it. That cotton is very cool. It is just like that or do you have water in the vase?

duchess said...

They do look great. I'm from NC & it always makes me smile when I see cotton growing, maybe I can find a way to bring it into my home as well.
Thanks for the ideas.

Amy Kinser said...

I absolutley love the cotton with the twiggy things. I will be trying that as soon as I find a cotton field somwhere. You do beautiful things in your home. Thanks for sharing. Amy

sara@augustfields said...

great ideas! i too love hydrangeas...and i even have some beautiful mature plants....but they have never (in the 7 years we've live in this house) produced one bloom :( so sad.
the cotton looks great!

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Dried and even faux hydrangeas are my favorite! I mix the two together and you would never know! The cotton looks so cool!

Manuela

Jane said...

I loved the cotton and curly willow on your fireplace! Such a nice natural look....beautiful!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Jane

Sarah said...

Lovely organic arrangements. I have dried hydrangeas that have lasted more than five years. They are a wonderful little touch. Just found your blog. Love the idea of sisters doing this together. ~ Sarah

Its So Very Cheri said...

"Love the look of cotton" and I LOVE hydrangeas too, dried and fresh.

Just wanted to come by to touch base. My blog has been growing so rapidly I haven't had time to come for visits. I miss all of my blog friends and needed to stop in just to say hi and invite you to come for a visit as well.

Cheri
Its SoVery Cheri

Shannan Martin said...

I have the same rule in my home! :) The cotton is such a fantastic idea!

Sarah S. said...

Love your blog! My favorite post is the kitchen mantel. I would love to see more of the house and the kitchen.

You have convinced me to try glazing. Where do you get RL Smoke Glaze. I went to Home Depot and they don't have a paint color, to mix with the glaze, called smoke. I would love your help. My project is waiting for me. stephaa@hotmail.com

Tracy said...

The cotton looks great - very unique and natural looking. I am very careful about faux greenery these days, but I do have a few fairly realistic looking fakes that I have found more recently, particularly some hydrangeas I found that look so real you have to touch them just to be sure. I think they are getting better at making them! I used to have a huge hydrangea bush and drying the heads was really easy. They lasted for years, but eventually they get too dirty and fragile.

Jane@Little House of Projects said...

What I discovered this spring is that when the maple seed "helicopters" fall from the trees, they are great to display. I brought some in that were still green and had fallen in bouquets and they looked great in a glass hurricane. I think this will be a new spring-time tradition.
Jane

Unknown said...

Here there...popped into your blogs from Susie Harris's Blog and LOVE your style. The cottom and willow is great and such a TEXAS thing. Happy Fall Ya'll from Houston!

Anonymous said...

Love love love dried flowers! Makes your home feel warm and fuzzy!

santamaker said...

Hi Girls! You two are so creative and talented. I've enjoyed reading several post and you have wonderfully inspiring ideas and projects. I'm hoping that my Lowe's has those frames for mirrors..I've been wanting to do that for a while. I really wanted to replace with individual mirrors, but I'm so afraid of taking down the huge mirror in my bathroom and it shattering while in the process. So thanks for the idea! Love what you did with the pears and the hall tree too! Thanks for coming by and checking on my porch. You girls are so lucky to have each other. I have two daughters, 22 and 25 and hope they will be as close as you two.

Hello Jessica Lynn said...

I have never saw that, very clever!

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Have a blessed rest of the week! :)

The Johnson Family 5 said...

hi! I just stumbled upon your blog and i LOVE it! I too live in the DFW area...can you tell me where you buy your dried hydrengea flowers? Also, I am totally going to home depot tomorrow to get some of this glaze you keep talking about! Do I just ask for RL smoked glaze??

Thank you!
bkjohnson24@tx.rr.com

 
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