Christmas Wreaths and Other Decorating Ideas from 2019

Hey, everyone!  I am sorry I haven't checked in for awhile but, I thought I would take a few days to enjoy the season and spend time with my husband and our family.  I am happy to report that I have had a wonderful Christmas season!  Lots of celebration and fun!

Today, in a tradition that I started last year mainly because I ran out of time to do it before Christmas,  (the same reason really applies this year too!) I am posting Christmas photos from my home now, a few days after Christmas.  To be honest, I was amazed at the response last year's after-Christmas post received.  It was one of my most viewed posts of the year! Why fiddle around with success, as they say. So here goes!

Lights of the Season

Reliving the Fun Time We Had at Our Holiday Wreath Workshop

Hey, everyone!  How is it going?  It is busy in my little world and I am betting it is for you as well.  But, I wanted to quickly tell you how our Holiday Wreath Workshop went last Thursday night and share some photos of the evening with you.

A Christmas Decorated Foyer

Hey, there!  It is December 4th and we are digging out from a three-day long Nor'easter.  We got 18+ inches of snow! I am not ready for this yet even though I live in New England and I should be!  Tomorrow I will be co-hosting the holiday wreath workshop I have been talking about for a few weeks.  I am sure you are all pretty sick of hearing about it but, that event has kept me busy :).

Thankfully, the snow didn't hurt my efforts in the house concerning my Christmas decorating.  Today, I would like to share my decorated foyer with you.

Christmas Memories and Ideas from the Past

A Christmas Time Wedding Trio

I would like to share some work I did a few days ago.  I enjoying working with flowers and playing around with them. (I guess that goes without saying given what I do!) So that is exactly what I did at the end of last week.  Unfortunately the flower supply was wanting, seemingly everywhere when I decided to do this. I, therefore, settled on some white roses and babies breath for the main flowers.  I had some silver dollar eucalyptus and Italian ruscus left over from other projects I had done and the evergreens and dusty miller came from my garden.

A Many Textured Thanksgiving Table

Hello!  I know I have posted a lot 

on the subject of Thanksgiving tablescapes this fall but, I hope you will indulge me one more time.  I have enjoyed creating this one so much that I just couldn't help myself.  I hope you don't mind.

A Semi-Foraged Arrangement and a Fall Dessert Potter's Bench

I am sitting here at my computer on Halloween afternoon looking out the window as it is pouring and looking very gloomy outside.  I spent the morning making macaroni and cheese, with bacon at my husband's request, in anticipation of heading North to my daughter, Brittany's house, to see my one and a half year old grandson, Finn, celebrate Halloween in his hippo costume.  Unfortunately, those plans are not going to happen today because Brittany ended up getting sick.  You know what they say about "best laid plans" :).

Announcing a Holiday Wreath Workshop

A Gallery of Thanksgiving Tablescapes

An Intimate Wedding at Gibbet Hill Grill

Getting Fall Inspiration in Ogunquit, Maine

Getting R&R and Inspiration in Ogunquit Maine

Hey, everyone!  I think I mentioned in my last post that I would be doing the flowers for a wedding all last week and wouldn't be posting anything until this week.  Well, here I am!  My wedding ended up going very well and the flowers (I think) turned out beautifully but, I did have some unforeseen and last-minute problems along the way.  So, when Sunday morning came, the day after the wedding, I was exhausted and needed to get out of the house to de-stress from the week of hard work.

An Unexpected Benefit of Growing Coleus from Seed!

Foraging for Fall Flowers

Hey, there!  I know it has been a while since I have been in touch but, September has been a very busy month for me!  I wasn't expecting it to be this way and I am a bit off-kilter.  Last year at the end of August I wrote about a visit I made to a local pick-your-own flower farm and subsequently shared the arrangements I made with flowers I purchased there.  You can see that story here, if you would like.  Honestly, that was one of my favorite posts from last year.  I loved going to that farm.

Announcing Some Exciting News!

Hey, Guys!  It has been very busy in my world lately with the end of summer and the approaching of fall.  Every day this week has been scheduled with something.  My garden club started up on Monday.  My mom had an eye appointment on Tuesday.  Yesterday was a trip into the flower market with a Boston Harbor Cruise in the evening with my husband for a work related function.  On top of all that, I have been working on something exciting and am finally able to share it with you!

Decorating with Gourds and Pumpkins

Hey, everyone!  I hope you are enjoying September so far.  Life seems to have taken right off now that the summer is over with fall activities.  Before you know it, we will be doing some autumn decorating.  You can feel it in the air. As this week has progressed I have started thinking about buying mums and seasonal flowers.  The next thing to come will be the desire to place pumpkins and gourds all over the place!  So, today I thought we would start with a little fall decorating preview~

Blogs I Love to Follow

This week was one of those "getting back to reality" weeks for me.  There is one week (almost) of "real" summer left and I know that life as it has been over the summer with no schedules and no true commitments would have to come to an end at some point but, I am pretty sad about it.  However, what can you do?  You can't be on continual vacation forever, can you?

What You Can Do With $12 Worth of Grocery Store Flowers

Hey, Everyone!  Last week I shared my Fun End of the Summer Tablescape with you.  While I was writing that post, I thought it would also be fun to share the making of the centerpiece from that tablescape.  Unfortunately for me, I came to that revelation after I had taken all of my photos and written that post.  So, I do not have a step-by-step tutorial for you but, I think I can walk you through it anyway.

A Fun End of the Summer Tablescape

Hey, Everyone!  Last week I shared my Fun End of the Summer Tablescape with you.  While I was writing that post, I thought it would also be fun to share the making of the centerpiece from that tablescape.  Unfortunately for me, I came to that revelation after I had taken all of my photos and written that post.  So, I do not have a step-by-step tutorial for you but, I think I can walk you through it anyway.

The Professional Photos of a Cape Cod Wedding

Ways to Find Storage Places in a Small Cottage

My Humble Abode: A Cape Cod Cottage

A Bridal Shower at Davio's, Chestnut Hill

Still Writing Thank You Notes~

Adding Touches of Spring to My Home

Hey, Everybody!  How is it going in your world?  Mine is going well but, I have to admit it hasn't felt like spring for me here in Massachusetts until this week.  For some 40+ days in April and May we were subjected to rain and/or cold weather.  However, this week has brought a number of beautiful sunny and warm days in a row and what a difference that makes!  It finally feels like spring!

Flowers for an April Wedding: Part Two

Hello, there!  I am sorry it has taken me this amount of time to finish posting about the wedding I did in April.  The month flew by and May is not exactly going at a snail's pace either.  However, I do have a few more photos to share with you from Katie and Andrew's wedding at the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Massachusetts.

May Day Baskets: A Lost Tradition

Flowers for an April Wedding: Part One

Decorating for Easter!

Happy Easter Weekend, everyone!  I am about to head out the door to go to Cape Cod to take my mom out for an early Easter lunch.  Tomorrow some of my children and their families will meet at my house and then we will travel a few miles down the road to a restaurant in my town of Groton, Massachusetts to enjoy our Easter meal.

Making a Hoop Wreath

Hi, all!  How is it going?  Are you enjoying spring so far?  I definitely am.  With the warmer weather and the promise of bright, beautiful colors coming along with the onslaught of spring, I thought I would try my hand at a couple of hoop wreaths to put on the double front doors of the entry to my house.

Sweetheart Wrist Corsages

Ten Ways to Foster the Love of Gardening in Yourself and Others

With the weather finally getting better it has started me to thinking about the seasons to come and the prospect of flowers popping through the soil and getting myself back into the garden.  I've also started to think about how the love and passion for gardening started in me and I have come to realize that I was first exposed to gardening through my maternal grandparents.  So, this is where I will begin my "Ten Ways to Foster the Love of Gardening in Yourself and Others," and perhaps your children, too~

My New Flower Cupcake Collection

Hey, there!  Earlier this week I mentioned that I have been working on a new product for my floral design business.  I also said that I wasn't exactly ready to announce the new idea quite yet. Well, although I am not totally ready, many of the photos associated with my new "reveal" are St. Patrick's Day in nature and since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, I figured that now was as good a time as any.  I am hoping you will enjoy the reveal in its hurried form nonetheless :).

Trial and Error: Painting Furniture

I can't believe how quickly this week is flying by.  I am in the middle of trying to launch a new product for my floral design business but, I am not quite ready to share it with the world yet.  I don't mean to be so mysterious.  It's not a big deal.  I just want to have all my ducks in a row before I share my idea with the world :).

A Not-So-Naked St.Patrick’s Day Cake

This past weekend we had two, yes two!, snowstorms predicted for our area of Massachusetts.  I knew I would probably go stir crazy by the end of the weekend so, I planned to make the best of it.  I decided to try my hand at a naked cake.

Looking to Find Some "Green" Inspiration!

I don't know about you but, I am starting to get sick of the bland and neutral landscape of winter.  I know there isn't anything we can do about it.  It is February (almost March) after all but, I am craving a bit of color at this point in the season and since St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, I thought focusing on the color green might bring some nice inspiration for today even though it is still very snowy in my neck of the woods.

All Greenery Boutonnieres

Hello, there! Are you guys in winter mode like I am?  Last week was Valentine's Day and I was very busy with all of that but, this week I just want to take it easy.  It is February school vacation here in Massachusetts and although I do not have children at home anymore, it just feels like a take-it-easy kind of week.  Besides, this was the view out of my bedroom window yesterday.  It doesn't appear that I have much of a choice when it comes to being in winter mode anyway so, why fight it :)?!

A Valentine Garland

Hey, there!  I hope you don't mind one more Valentine post for 2019.  I may have gone a bit overboard in that regard this year but, after all, I do love Valentine's Day!

Anyway, today I am sharing the easiest tutorial for making a Valentine garland ever!

Valentine Floral Arrangements from the Past

Welcome!  I am continuing with my Valentine theme this week and sharing some of my past Valentine-inspired floral arrangements with you.  To be sure, I have some new ideas in my head for this Valentine's Day but, it is always fun to look back.  It is a good way for me to learn from the past and maybe even improve~

Cabinet Styling for Valentine's Day

Hi there!  How are you doing?  Last weekend was all about getting ready for the Super Bowl and planting ourselves in front of the TV to watch it.  As you may know, we are all very excited here in New England with how it turned out :-).  With the results of the Super Bowl, the parade that followed and the warm beautiful weather we've been enjoying, it has been pretty sweet around here!

Sometime over the weekend I was also able to continue taking out my Valentine decorations.  I don't usually do a whole lot in regards to Valentine's Day decorating but, I do like to put a few things around the house.

A New Spin on Valentine Floral Arrangements

So, last week I was talking about transitioning my Christmas decorating to winter decorating.  Did you see the post?  Well just like that, I am over it!  I guess that shows that it took me too long to do my winter decorating in the first place because now I seem to be all about Valentine's Day.  I'm scatter-brained that way sometimes :).

My husband is traveling this week; snow and extreme cold temperatures were forecasted.  So, I decided to go and buy some flowers and play around with them while I was stuck inside.  My desire was to make a Valentine floral arrangement but not in the traditional colors.  I was inspired by a couple of spools of ribbon that sat on my counter as I was thinking about my project.  The colors of the spools were pale pink and peach.  I thought the colors looked beautiful together.

Winter Decorating

Hi, all!  How are you doing?  Are you making it through January OK?  I can’t believe it’s more than halfway through!  Part of my January has been spent getting my house into winter decorating mode.  Gone is the red and green of the holidays and now it is time for neutrals to reign in the house.

Some of My Favorite Designs from 2018

Welcome!  I am very slowly moving into 2019 but, while I painstakingly get my house into January mode, I wanted to look back at some of the designs I created last year to gain perspective as I move forward into a new year.  Looking back helps me to appreciate some of my achievements (something that is hard for me to do sometimes) while also allowing me to set some new goals toward overall improvement .

So, here is a little slide show of my favorite floral designs from 2018.  Some you may have seen before and some may be new to you:

An Ice Vase as a Centerpiece: Transitioning into Winter

Here it is several weeks after Christmas and still I am finding myself not quite ready to do away with all of the sparkle and lighting that is a part of the holiday season.  So, as I transition over to winter décor, I still need a little glitz included.

I went to Michael's the other day and found myself in the Christmas clearance aisle and thought I could, perhaps, find uses for the items I found there.  Many of them had a bit of sparkle :) ~

Top Posts of 2018

~

Happy 2019, everyone!  Before moving onto the new year with all of its promise, I thought I would reflect on what you all liked best last year when it came to this blog.  I find it therapeutic and informative to look back and, perhaps, learn a few things about you, as well as myself along the way. Some of your favorites surprised me, while at the same time, I was surprised that some of my favorite posts were not very successful...at all!  C'est la vie :) !