Spring Woodland Nest

Spiral Eucalyptus, False Indigo, Feathers, Twigs, and Birds Nests - Heaven in my book! A visionary I am not. It's a rare occurrence that I can put together a design without multiple trips back to the store, but this time the blue moon was full. In our home, this design hangs against a dark green wall keeping with the color palette, and its upright and tilted florals in the basket lends itself perfectly to frame one side of our sliding glass door.  Happy Spring!

Cone Garland

A woodland home, or basket in this case, is not complete without pine cone garlands!  This is an easy project that takes no time at all.  You'll need plenty of cones of varying shapes and sizes, bind wire (or the green twisty-tie wire usually found in garden stores), a drill with a drill bit slightly larger than the diameter of the wire, and beads to be used as spacers.  Some pointers as you create your own: If you use closed Spruce cones (see right cone in bottom photo), leave plenty of room on the wire to allow them to open.  The middle photo shows how the cones will twist on the wire and face in different directions if you don't leave room.  If you're especially particular about creating the most perfect garland, pay close attention to the curve of the long Spruce cones in determining where to drill the holes.  Most importantly, have fun!  Share the experience of creating the garland, or give it as a gift!

Country Brush Wreath

An idea sparked the moment I saw them - the beautiful branches from a downed tree on my in-laws' property.  We burned brush and cut firewood most of the day, then headed home with a healthy bundle of branches I managed to save from the fire.  The wreath was easily assembled with a Mitchell wreath ring and wreath machine.  It was the perfect Christmas gift for my sister-in-law this year!

A Bird's Life - Repurposed Window

Jean's Antiques in Shell Lake, WI is practically a required stop when we make the trip up North to Mom & Dad's.  During this visit, two windows caught my eye.  After a good cleaning, I replaced the window panes with mirror panels from the hardware store (Lowes sells 6 packs of 12" by 12" panes, and will cut to any size for free!), held in place with glazing points.  All was going according to plan when the last pane shattered, and for the next month the window sat neglected in my garage.  When inspiration struck, this design was born.  Supplies include: Poppy pods, False Indigo, Birch twigs, silk foliage, Kiwi vine, speckled feathers, and an occupied bird's nest.

Silver Birch Bouquet & Boutonniere

What calls to an northwoods girl more than ice fishing and pine forests?  Birch bark of course!  Ok maybe that wasn't your first guess, but to this girl it was!  This bouquet is made with strands of birch bark strips bound with silver wire, silver 'chains', beaded wire, and shear ribbon.  Strands of birch and wire give the bouquet extreme movement and even sound.  The simple, yet elegant coordinating pin-on boutonniere completes the northwoods look!

Container Gardening

Finally May 15th, the first day to plant in zone 5, has arrived!  It has become to many like a celebrated holiday (I made cupcakes to mark the occasion), and if you've caught the gardening bug you know exactly what I'm talking about!  The first three planters at our house will grow pink/red Orchid Primrose (the plants that made my jaw drop!), Inspire Blue Speedwell Veronica, yellow/orange Dwarf Coreopsis, white Euphorbia, and Elephant Ear.  Chili peppers are one of the "must-haves" for one of the next three containers.  What unique and jaw-dropping plants are you planting in your container gardens this year?

Corsage Outside the Box

A corsage should reflect the personality of its wearer, so why do we continually go back to carnations and baby's breath?  One of the greatest compliments a florist can receive is the trust of a customer saying, "Do whatever you want!"  Try it the next time you're in a floral shop and watch their eyes light up!  This corsage I made for my favorite professor Donna Theimer, AIFD for our college's spring gala.  Birch bark, bullion and 24ga wire, pearl-head pins, green lycopodium and hypericum berries, a black and white speckled feather, and corsage magnets.

Embracing Color Once Again

This winter, during a very difficult time in my marriage and living with depression, much introspection lead me to discover the importance of color in my life.  There has never been a time until now, that I can remember or have been able to realize, when the state of my happiness and wellbeing has been measured in shades, tints, and tones.  Gray was a comfort - a color I had never warmed up to until then.  Black became my shelter - a dark place to hide and withdraw.  The litmus test and proof of my recovery has been color.  Which colors draw me in at this very minute?  Why that color or intensity of that color?  I am thankful for that season of depression and wouldn't trade it for the world, but I am also glad to release it and embrace bright, vibrant colors.  Amazing that a seemingly insignificant thing such as color could have such a profound impact on one's wellbeing and happiness.

Spring Cloche Design

Cloche designs were the big hit at a recent spring design show hosted by Van's Floral Products in Alsip, Illinois.  Dried honeysuckle vine created a base on which to build your design, and mine included poppy pods, feathers, leaves, grape hyacinth, and a nest with two small blue eggs.  So cute and so simple!

Great Lakes Floral Expo 2011

The 2011 Great Lakes Floral Expo was held this weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I was fortunate enough to attend, participate in a hands-on class with Loann Burke AIFD, and compete in the student design contest.  As always there was a wealth of information shared - tips Loann shared will go back with me to the classroom for next fall, and winning second in the design contest was the icing on the cake.  Looking forward to next year's Expo!  Highlights from the Professional and Student design contests...

Deep Fried Pickles!

Strangely enough when it comes to county fairs, nothing for me comes close to the excitement of deciding which food stand to stop at first.  Corndogs or elephant ears?  Pork chops or cotton candy?  Unashamedly I'll admit that my husband and I plan our fair food indulgences sometimes weeks ahead.

Maybe it's the dead of winter that is giving me this hankering for fair food, or maybe it's that I've been deprived of it for 4 months.  Whatever it is - I thank you!  Like Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love, I'm eating my way through life... one deep fried pickle at a time! 

More importantly, this perfect recipe by DMJOLLY can be found at allrecipes.com.  Enjoy!

Antiques in Sandwich

I’ve debated on how to start this entry… “Dear Penthouse…”, “To You Who Love a Good Hunt…”, “Guess What?! OMG!! ANTIQUES!! 3 Antique Malls in One Day, and My Husband Was Okay With It!!!” Can you relate?

Mom and Dad are serial antiquers. As a kid I remember spending hours in antique shops, wandering the aisles finding all the depression glass Grandma had in her china cabinet and the rusty metal traps Granddad had in the barn. From time to time there would even be a Garfield mug – the very same mug I had sitting in the kitchen cupboard at home. Someday that $8 mug would be worth millions!

During lonely Saturdays in college, 5 hours away from Mom and Dad, I’d make the trek downtown to the only antique shop in town and spend hours walking from booth to booth. The shop wasn’t big by anyone’s standard, but it let me escape to Northern Wisconsin, wandering the aisles of Mom’s favorite shop.

Present day, antiques are both a reminder of my wonderful folks and an addiction that might just need a 12-step program! I’ve even managed to evangelize antiques to my childhood friend who, after going to Junk Bonanza with me this past October, is now completely hooked!

Today’s trip was great! I visited 3 shops in Sandwich, IL: Sandwich Antique Mart, Olde Timers Antique Centre, and Prindi’s Antique Mall.  Had to share with you the photos...

The floral design instructor in me had to take a photo of this Pave-esque arrangement.

Cast iron "Steer Barn"

Children's beaded mukluks - I love all things Native American!

Paper mache Christmas houses - adorable!

A new find - canvas water bags.

Beautiful airplane quilt - if I had $450 it would have been mine!

Another new find - an over-the-fire popcorn popper.

I love the finds that bring to light an old memory. 

Grandma kept one of these in her closet.

For my close friend, the copper kettle she was looking for at Junk Bonanza!

For Mom, a Norwegian pewter necklace.

For me, a pair of $3 "feather" earrings.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, happily at home surrounded by the warmth and love of the season!

Oreo Truffles

Oreos, cream cheese, and chocolate - what's not to love?! 

Plan for plenty of time in the kitchen when you make these truffles - dipping and drizzling chocolate takes up most of your time, or simply forego the chocolate altogether and roll the truffles in nuts, sprinkles, crushed Oreos, etc. If you're a want-to-be chocolate pro like me, instead of drizzling chocolate over the truffles with a fork to get those pretty little ribbons, make a small cut in the corner of a plastic sandwich bag, fill with melted chocolate, and pipe over the truffles. These stay perfect in the freezer for 2 - 3 months in an airtight container - if you can make them last that long. Enjoy!

This recipe for Oreo Truffles comes from evelyn/athens at http://www.food.com/.

Cinnamon Roasted Nuts

When a man stops eating and asks for the recipe, you know it's good!  It's a wonder we even had any  leftover last night after my husband's men's group met at the house.  Your guests are sure to have the same reaction!  This recipe for Cinnamon-Roasted Nuts is from BJ at AllRecipes.com.

Water, sugar, nuts, salt, cinnamon, and an egg. 

The brown sugar snuck into the photo - not used in this recipe!

Beat egg and water until frothy but not stiff.

Add nuts and...

...toss to coat.

Mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Pour over nut mixture and...

...toss to coat.

Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat, and

bake for 1 hour at 375⁰F, stirring occasionally.  Enjoy!

Homemade Potato Chips: An Experiment Worth Trying!

Ever eat homemade potato chips dipped in barbeque sauce?  If not, drop everything and do so.  Your world is guaranteed to stand still!  After our first trip to the new bbq restaurant in town, I was determined to create these yummy treats at home.

On my old mandolin, I thinly sliced the potatoes.  Tried frying apple slices... didn't work out very well!

A handful of potato slices in vegetable oil for just a few minutes until they turned golden brown.  Don't let the temperature gauge fool you, I had no idea what I was doing!

Voila - Potato Chips! Now, where's the bbq sauce?

Thanksgiving Arrangement

Mums and Sunflowers need not be the only flowers we use in Thanksgiving arrangements.  This design incorporates turkey feathers and wheat with baby blue eucalyptus, dahlia, and spray roses, making it a fresh approach to a classic holiday design.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Personalized Christmas - Birdseed Bags

Since Thanksgiving is not at our home this year, my mind has shot straight to Christmas - gifts in particular.  Did last Christmas catch you off guard too?  The things I brought home from the stores... ufda!  This year, Christmas preparations began in August.  Hopefully the gifts this time around will be a hit!

This year's Christmas gifts will be all things homemade.  Green tomatoes from our garden cooked and canned into Green Tomato Relish.  Sunflower seeds grown just outside our back door will mix with bird seed for each family's personalized bird seed bag which were also homemade.

The first of many, I had to try out the hair-brained idea of birdseed bags with our last name.  After that first bag, I listed them in my Etsy store Wildwood Floral to see if anyone would buy them.  Wouldn't you know it, the next day I had an order!

Ready, set, GO!

Seventy-nine bags cut out - an accomplishment worthy of a photo!

Mom's old sewing machine still going strong!  A gift from her dad when she was my age, this is one of my favorite gifts from her.

The weekend was spent holed up in the basement, covered from ears to toes in burlap fuzz.  Seventy-nine bags and fifteen orders later, I still love them!

Now instead of counting down the days until Christmas in fear of finding the perfect gifts, I can't wait for it to come!

Baked Pumpkin

Now that Fall is winding down, it's time we bake the pumpkins from our Autumn displays to use in soups, pies, pumpkin-orange-cranberry cookies (my favorite!), desserts... The list goes on and on!  Cooking down a pumpkin is a simple but rewarding process:

Cinderella pumpkin - grown in our garden this year!

Cut in half so it fits on a baking sheet, and de-gut.  Save the seeds to roast or plant next year.

Place each half cut-side down on a baking sheet, and pour 1/2in of water in the pan.  The water prevents scorching and keeps the pumpkin moist while baking.

Set your oven to 350⁰F.  Baking time varies by the variety of pumpkin - 45min to 1hr for what I call a soft-skinned pumpkin (those that can be easily carved with a kitchen knife - Cinderella, Jack-O-Lantern), 1hr to 90min for a hard-skinned pumpkin (those that only surrender by way of a hand saw or a strong husband - Blue Hubbard Squash, Young's Beauty).

Out of the oven, the soft-skinned varieties will deflate.

Lay out one layer of cheese cloth over a mesh strainer.  Ours has expandable arms, allowing it to fit over the sink.

Scoop out the innards, which at this point should lift out easily.  With hard-skinned varieties, the pumpkin may give in completely by separating from the skin before you're able to turn it over.

Allow to drain for at least 1hr to remove excess water.

Puree in a food processor if you prefer a smooth texture.  Happy baking!