November 6, 2013

Up To My Usual (Cheap) Tricks …

grocery store flowers

Last week I decided that a fourteen year old girl should come home to fabulous flowers on her birthday. I picked up a pretty fall colored mixed bouquet for $12 while I was shopping at Target, but knew I could jazz it up with some of the gorgeous foliage I’ve been adoring in my neighborhood.

Armed with my trusty scissors, I headed out for a little walk with Ollie, snipping crimson leaves as we went, trying not to look suspicious.

After adding the leaves into the bouquet, I felt like it needed a bit more filler, so I grabbed some ivy from our planter out back and some berries from a few shrubs we have by our trampoline.

For twelve dollars and some free foliage, this is what I ended up with:

fabflowers

I am in NO WAY a professional florist. I like to call myself a professional faker. I’m happy to poke and prod at an arrangement until all of the holes are filled and there are different levels and interesting things to look at. I think this particular arrangement is effective because I chose a low vase and cut the stems pretty short.

The birthday girl gave me the ultimate compliment though, when she “couldn’t believe I’d paid for a real florist to do flowers for her birthday.”

Shhh . . . she doesn’t need to know. Go to the grocery store. Buy some cheap flowers. Then look around your yard for the extras. You too can be a faker.

flowercloseup

6 comments:

Apis Melliflora said...

Those "professionally arranged" flowers & foliage are the perfect color contrast for the teal/aqua blue in Hannie B's room. Cute plate arrangement too!

I've learned from you and the Queen that my back yard is really just my outdoor greenery/floral supply.

TracyS. said...

Simply beautiful. Thanks for the tricks past and present- I plan to use them especially to jazz up my Christmas wreath.

Elise said...

You put this gal who actually went to floral design school to shame!!! Sweet arrangement for a sweet girl!

Bells said...

Love the flowers! My dining table is in need of a centerpiece at the moment, I think I will try to arrange some flowers with your tips! Your flowers look beautiful in her room, do the plates have any ancestral significance or cool thrift store finds or what?

The Queen Vee said...

Gorgeous and that young lady is worth it, well done DF!

Aiketa said...

I do have great skills... I'm not sure I would be able to arrange something that can look nice enough... But, your tips are always appreciated for when I decide to try!