Succulent Pumpkins

Recently, someone at work had one of these succulent pumpkins delivered and I thought it was so cute, but I had NOT idea how easy it was to make these!  I immediately started to research and bought the supplies.

I got two small pumpkins for less than $2 each at Trader Joe's.  I found some moss at the Dollar Tree, and I ordered 10 succulent cuttings off of Amazon.  

The key to picking a pumpkin, is picking one with a flat top.  And then, you add hot glue and press down the moss.  

Next, I added hot glue to the bottom of the succulents and pressed them into the moss.  This small pumpkin took about ten little succulent cuttings.  

I pulled off some of the bottom leaves of some of the succulent varieties.  After you get it arranged, you can spritz it with some water about once a week.  I've read that the succulents can take root, but regardless, these should last awhile b/c succulents are pretty forgiving.  When I'm ready to move from fall to Christmas decor, I'll probably try to slice off the top of the pumpkin where these lives and place it in a flowerpot and see what happens.

Oklahoma

      This year has rocked my world.  In particular 2020 so far, not just the 'school year'  I usually measure things by as a teacher.
     I'm not ready to dissect it yet, but after a LOT of changes at work.  A lot of unknowns.  After quarantine for all, and a personal battle with Covid-19  I feel stole a huge part of the last 6 weeks from my personal life and those of my immediate family.  Lots of things to say about that eventually.  Praises to be shared as well.  This weekend I need something normal.  I'm sure we all do.

       Last weekend I packed my facemask, and my hand gel, and gloves, and I drove North to Oklahoma.  Just two hours, but it's the farthest I've driven BY almost 2 hours in almost 3 months.

     I sat by a lake away from the new normal these days and I got to feel, for just a moment, like, even as we take these lessons we learned over the last few months, there are going to be things that still can feel the same.  Sweeter, not worse.  My iPhone and I looked at the details of these flowers, by a lake, and then we drove home again and I took a little bit of that back home with me.

Easter Bouquet

I made this bouquet last week on the cheap.  Obviously, I went with the Easter theme, but this could be used for any holiday.  If you are using real flowers (which I was) and you want to be able to keep them in water, the key is to get a smaller vase to go inside the first that leaves just enough room for your candy.  In this case, I got both vases at the Dollar Tree.  I also added some peeps on sticks.

I used a fat/squat one on the show and a plastic Dixie Cup inside for those flowers (I just cut it down a bit so it didn't stick up over the vase).  If you grab a bouquet for 5 bucks from the store this can either be a fun table decoration, OR a fun hostess gift....just a thought!

Felt Flower Tutorial

I filmed a short video on making this felt flower.  It's going on to a wreath I'll share later this week.  A true trashy treasure.  In the meantime, you can find the video (starring my dogs barking through the window at all my neighbors as they come home) here.

Green Thumb

Last year I went to an overpriced boutique downtown and I saw cute little succulents in tin cans.  I happen to know you can get tin cans for free after most meals, and you can snag a succulent at the store for 2-3 dollars...about 18 dollars less than the boutique price.
I poked some holes in the bottom of the can, sprayed it brown and took a paper cloth and some gold paint and sponged it on.  I planted the succulent, and I put a few feathers at the bottom.  The good news is that succulents sort of thrive when you ignore them...and I'm really, really, really good at ignoring plants at my house.  It's a win for everyone.

Brooch Bouquet

 I'm headed into GMT tomorrow.  I'll post the video here later.  I have a year long schedule, but this month I had a time sensitive project I've been working on that I offered to share, so...I bring to you-brooches!
I've seen these bouquets around for awhile and I absolutely love vintage brooches.  I've heard of people getting brooches at bridal showers they then turn into a bouquet, which is adorable, but....I only had a month to put this little gal together...and 3 and 1/2 weeks of that month I was out of town, so....I went shopping on Ebay.

 A few of the above brooches the bride's aunt bought (the two in the top left) at a discount dept store.  I found the rest for 1-3 dollars (free shipping).  They all came from China, so it took that month to arrive in the mail.  They sell some at the craft stores you can snag for about the same price, but they didn't have the same variety.

 I also bought some lace, tulle, and satin.

 I decided I wanted the the stem area to be a little thicker so it was easy to hold, and I found a foam form that would help the brooches stay in place.  I am sending this bouquet a few states away and I wanted to keep it secure

 I also found some little feathers and jeweled flowers in the wedding section to help fill in any gaps.

 I bought some 20 gage floral wire and I wrapped a piece on each side of the brooch.  If there weren't holes in the design, I used the pin on the back.

 I then twisted the two pieces of wire together so that I had a steady stem.

 Ta da.

 To also fill in some gaps I put some of the jewels onto fabric flowers.  I tucked them down into the bouquet, but this helped cover up the green foam and any gaps between jewels.

 I cut the lace into slices and I pinched five in the middle and sewed them together to form petals and then added the brooch in the middle.

 I cut the satin into messy circles (different sizes) and ran it along a flame so it curled up, and I added a brooch to the middle of these.

 I added wire to these flowers and I had a collection of 'just brooch' stems and some with fabric stems.

 I then just started pocking and pulling them down into the foam form.

 I wrapped the stems with floral tape and then covered it all with ribbon.

Easy Easter Bouquet

I put this little bouquet together last year for Good Morning, Texas, but I didn't have time to post about it.  I gave these to a friend for her Easter table.  I bought a really cheap bouquet at the store with some mums and small white flowers and put them inside egg shells with a little water.  I added some purple Easter candies (chocolate eggs and purple jelly beans), and of course...some baby bunnies.  I'm definitely going to take this to a bigger level this year with friends b/c it was just a fun little way to say Happy Easter.  I've seen the flowers before, but decided to add some candy in the cups b/c really....what's better than an edible arrangement?

Crepe Paper Poppies

I made these little poppies recently using some scraps of stuff around my house.  These are going to be some toppers for a favor I'm giving out at an upcoming party.  

I cut some floral wire into fourths and found some plastic (from my recycling bin...a piece of a bag. I squished it into a ball.  

 I placed the plastic ball onto the top of the wire and covered it with a little square of black tissue paper.

 I wrapped the bottom in a little piece of floral tape.

I made fringe out of a piece of 2x8 inch tissue paper.  

 I wrapped this around the middle ball.

 ...and added some more floral tape.

I cut out a petal shape from some old streamers (about a 2 1/2 inch piece).  I cut 5 or 6 of these per flower.

I pinched the end and pulled it back over my thumb to make it curl out a little.  

 I started wrapping my petals around my middle...keeping it just a tad taller than the middle.

 I just kept building it until it looked about right.

 I added more floral wire and curled the end.  Coming soon to a party favor near me.

Left Over Pumpkin=Thanksgiving Arrangment

I love buying the mini pumpkins at the store and setting them around....but it seems like they should get some sort of special treatment after they have to watch their older brothers and sisters get carved and lit and celebrated.  I learned this little trick from a friend of mine that went into the floral business.  I adapted it a bit (not oasis water foam, and a 'trick' for keeping all those flowers in place).  Here's a fun idea for Thanksgiving arrangements....carve them up just like a pumpkin, remove the seeds. 

 Instead of foam, I just slip a small cup inside (Dixie cup, I cut down paper cups etc....).  Fill it with water. 

 I buy cheap bouquets at the grocery store, snip off those ends and gather them together in a tight little bundle.  To hold them in place, I wrap a rubber band around the stems.  Just make sure that you don't make it so tight you cut off the water flow up the stems...

Pop your bouquet down into your cup....and you are ready to roll.  Or at least...eat rolls and turkey with a prettier view.