This is Cute & Clever.

CANDLE STICKS & PEONIES CENTERPIECE – A DIY TUTORIAL

By: Amber Lay

Photography By: Camryn Clair

CANDLESTICKS & PEONIES

This week I wanted to share a DIY Wedding centerpiece idea that is not only beautiful, but is very cost effective! Peonies are one of the most popular wedding flowers, and their season is ending quickly so make sure to try this out within the next few weeks! (Of course you can always swap them out for another favorite flower too.) 

MATERIALS

– 6 Candle Sticks (the kind that hold tapers)

– Floral Foam Soaked in Water

– Vase of Water

– Floral Knife

– Floral Clippers

– 6 Stems of peonies (or any flower with a big blossom and thin stem)

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. As soon as you get your peonies home from the market give them a quick cut with either your floral knife or clippers at a 45 degree angle and then place them directly into your vase filled with room temperature water. If your flowers came with plant food go ahead add that to the water and give it a quick stir before inserting the flowers.

2. Once your floral foam is completely soaked with water cut pieces to fit the candlestick holes using your floral knife and place one piece of foam inside of each candle stick.

3. Now cut each peony stem to the height of the candle stick hole and insert it right into the foam. Again, make sure your stem is cut at a 45 degree angle.

4. Arrange your candle sticks in a line down your table alternating the various heights or cluster them in the center if you have a round table. You’re done! Enjoy your creation!

HELPFUL HINTS:

– Make sure your candle sticks are not clear glass or the floral foam will show through.

– Assemble your centerpieces no more than 1 day prior to your event. Since the candle sticks are shallow there is not a whole a lot of water soaked foam for the flowers to drink from. The closer to the event time that these are made the fresher they will be.

– Until you are ready to assemble leave your flowers in the vase filled with water.

MATERIAL RESOURCES:

– 6 Candle Sticks: Any Local home goods store or IKEA

– Floral Foam: Local Floral Supply Store or Michael’s

– Vase: Any Local Home Goods Store or Target

– Floral Knife: Local Floral Supply Store

– Floral Clippers: Local Floral Supply Store or Lowe’s

– 6 Stems of Peonies: Local Floral Supply Store or Grocery Store

via:http://blog.hwtm.com

Vintage Glam Wedding Decor

Staying true to its name, this DREAM Bridal Event is overflowing with dreamy details like vintage glam furniture, romantic florals, and fluffy hanging clouds dripping with sparkles!

Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations, Isari Flower Studio, and Luna Photo coordinated an incredible list of vendors to collaborate on an amazing night filled with tons of beautiful wedding inspiration for guests to soak up. “DREAM” was an interactive event and much more intimate experience than the segmented booth displays that are standard at most bridal events… Guests could do things like create their own mini-boutonniere, mix & match china, mix up their own cocktails, experiment with lighting combinations, have flowers put in their hair, & more… how FUN!

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

– An inspiring mix of Retro Glam + Pop Art styles

– Sparkle, sparkle everywhere – from the sequined table lines to the dishes & desserts!

– Throwback furniture surrounded by robust room designs

– Dreamy clouds dripping with crystals, stunning florals & more…

*****

VENDOR CREDITS:

– Plan, Design, Invite: Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations

– Embellish: Isari Flower Studio

– Capture: Luna Photo

– Dine: Toast Catering

– Stay: Starwood Hotels (The US Grant, The W, The Westin)

– Dance: Elan Artists

– Film: Modern 8

– Nibble: Sweet Cheeks Baking

– Illuminate: AV Event Rentals

– Set the Table: Casa de Perrin

– Furnish & Accessorize: Pow Wow Vintage Rentals

– Beautify: Shampoo Too!

– Dress: M Bride

– Say Cheese: The Foto Box

– Discover: Luxe Finds

– Style: CBS Life Stylist

– Sip: For Real Bartenders

– Pillows: Lounge Appeal

– Register: Bloomingdales

Rustic Wedding Centerpiece

RECYCLED PLASTIC CONTAINERS & BARK 

By: Amber Lay

Photography By: Camryn Clair

MATERIALS

– 5 Recycled Plastic Containers (from yogurt, cream cheese, etc.)

– Floral Foam Soaked in Water

– Small Bucket or Big Vase Filled with Water

– Floral Knife

– Floral Clippers

– Melaleuca Bark

– Brown Yarn

– 1 Bunch Bells of Ireland

– 1 Stem of Kale

– 1 Bunch White Lisianthus

– 1 Bunch Stellata Pods

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. As soon as you get your flowers home from the market give them a quick cut with either your floral knife or clippers at a 45 degree angle and then place them directly into your vase filled with room temperature water. If your flowers came with plant food go ahead add that to the water and give it a quick stir before inserting the flowers.

2. Once your floral foam is completely soaked in water cut pieces that securely fit in each plastic container. Use your floral knife to cut the foam!

3. Wrap each container with a piece or two of the melaleuca bark and secure by wrapping the brown yarn around it and tying it off in a knot. Cut any loose yarn ends off. Also, make sure to cover the container completely leaving excess bark at the top of the container to help cover the foam.

4. Now you are ready to insert your flowers! We will start with the Kale since it is the easiest one because there is just one stem. Measure the stem by holding it next to the container you wish to insert it in (a tall and thin container works best) and cut in the appropriate spot at 45 degree angle. You can use either your floral knife or your clippers to make the cut. Insert the stem into the foam filled container making sure it covers all of the foam. You can “fluff” the leaves and adjust the bark if some the foam is showing.

5. Next choose a container for the Lisianthus. Again hold the stems next to the container and cut to the height you would like. Try to arrange the flowers in a loose but round shape. Make sure to turn the container after each stem’s insertion so that your centerpiece is three dimensional versus being one sided.

6. Now take your Stellata Pods and arrange them in one of the containers the same way you arranged the Lisianthus.

7. The only flowers left are the Bells of Ireland! To make your product go further cut the stems into 3 or 4 parts as shown. Use a shorter container for this one since the stems will be shorter after cutting them into several parts. The Bells of Ireland are not a heavy flower so they do not need long stems for support like the Kale does. Insert the pieces of Bells of Ireland into the container making sure all of the foam is covered. Again spin the container after each insertion so that you make a three dimensional arrangement.

8. Congrats! You are finished! Now arrange the five arrangements in a cluster if you are using them on a round table or you can arrange them in a staggered line if you have a long thin table.

HELPFUL HINTS:

– Melaleuca bark peels naturally so you are likely to find plenty of it at the base of any melaleuca tree!

– You can also adhere the bark by using spray adhesive instead of the yarn if you prefer no yarn in your centerpiece.

– The Melaleuca tears easily and can be peeled into thinner sheets if need be so you will be able to size it according to the recycled plastic containers you are covering.

MATERIAL RESOURCES:

– Floral Foam Soaked in Water: Local Floral Supply Store or Michael’s

– Small Bucket or Big Vase Filled with Water: Lowe’s

– Floral Knife: Local Floral Supply Store

– Floral Clippers: Local Floral Supply Store or Lowe’s

– Melaleuca Bark: Local Melaleuca Trees

– Brown Yarn: Michael’s

– 1 Bunch Bells of Ireland: Local Floral Supply Store

– 1 Stem of Kale: Local Floral Supply Store

– 1 Bunch White Lisianthus: Local Floral Supply Store

– 1 Bunch Stellata Pods: Local Floral Supply Store

via:hwtmblog

Bunny Love

Easy and Adorable Easter Bunny Party Ideas

There’s beauty in both the sweet simplicity of this pretty “Some Bunny Loves Me” theme – and also in its {much appreciated} budget-friendliness! Designed by Stefanie of Anna and Blue Paperie, this party is a wonderful visual reminder of how smart choices in paper, color palette, and presentation can make for a very pretty party that’s easy on both the your eyes AND your wallet!

{Added bonus – at the time that I’m writing this, the custom invitation and collection of party printables pictured here are both on sale for only $10 in Stefanie’s Etsy Shop!}

PARTY DETAILS, as told by Stefanie,

“Theme: Some Bunny Loves Me

I wanted to style a table that was versatile and one that could be used for everything from Easter brunch to baby showers, childrens’ parties and more. The color palette used within this collection includes a pale yellow, pale green, and baby blue along with a textured linen to give a warm and classic feeling throughout. My goal was to create a look that was affordable and one that could easily be recreated for anyone’s occasion to create a sweet and lovely event!

The favors are apothecary jars filled with all the ingredients your guests would need to make homemade chocolate chip cookies. The jars were topped with a pale green gingham fabric and tied in place with baker’s string.

Many of the sweets were ones that I found at my local grocery store – such as the donut holes, crème-filled pastries, and muffins. Displaying them on a pretty plate with matching colored paper liners made for a lovely display. I added homemade cream cheese frosting to the top of the muffins for a sweet ruffled look.

Potted plants fit perfectly in white tins that I found in the dollar bin at Target! I also added a pale yellow ribbon to the cake stand, a vase of coordinating flowers, and themed gift tags and labels to keep the colors consistent throughout the décor.”

Gorgeous Easter Idea!

Kim Foren is back with some absolutely GORGEOUS Easter tablescape & floral design inspiration today! I seriously got SO excited when I first laid eyes on these pics… especially the large centerpiece arrangement with all the beautiful, colorful flowers sprouting from a variety of egg shells. Pure creative genius and just lovely in every way!

CREATIVE DETAILS:

“We collected real eggs (Ostrich, quail, chicken, goose and emu eggs) that were all sourced from specialty grocers and Asian supermarkets.

We carefully opened up the top of the egg, cleaned out the inside, and found some delicate small stems of grasses and flowers to arrange in our “egg vases“. Nestle in a small nest, mound on a bed of moss, or display as a collection in mossy baskets for the the ultimate Easter dinner or Spring brunch centerpiece.”

VENDOR CREDITS:
– Kim Foren from Geranium Lake Flowers
– Photography: Erica Ann Photography
– Photograph Styling: Billede Design*****