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!