DIY Spring/Summer Tulip Wreath

 

Just wanted to pop in and share this easy DIY tulip wreath I made using faux blooms from Michael's! I used 8 pink tulips and 5 white ones.

First, select a wreath form. I used a bent wire one for mine but grapevine would work too. Next, cut your flower stems to about 6 - 8 inches and strip off the leaves. This gives you enough to bend around the form to support the bloom, without having tons of extra that will bulk up the form. 

Arrange and stagger your stems around the form, wrapping with florist or other strong wire as you go. I finished with some white grosgrain ribbon wrapped so as to hide the wire, then glued at the beginning and end with Tacky Glue to secure it (the glued parts are hidden behind the bow at the bottom).

I used the discarded leaves to make a bow, bending them in half to form the loops (3 per side). I cinched the loop ends together and wrapped a thinner strip cut from a leaf around them to gather them together. I secured the middle strip with more glue, then glued two more thinner strips with notches cut into the ends hanging down as the bow's "ribbon" ends. When the bow was dried, I glued it to the wreath frame.

That's it! Simple and easy. You could substitute whatever flowers you like - peonies, roses, forsythia, wisteria, or poppies (one of my other favorite flowers!). Use lots of blooms or just a few, all one color or a mix of everything - the possibilities are endless!

 

Tulips and Cherry Blossoms

Everything's finally blossoming around here, couldn't resist posting some tulip and cherry blossom snaps! I hope you enjoy them.

Hope all my fellow mamas out there had a wonderful Mother's Day as well!

Monday Musings

How was everyone's weekend? Don't be fooled by this photo (taken last spring back in Boston). It doesn't look like this here in Portland! Instead, it was cloudy and brisk here, despite the higher temps, so I spent a good deal of time dreaming of spring.

I can't wait for all the trees to be in blossom and for daffodils to peek their sunny yellow heads up from the flaxen grass. When you're in a new neighborhood or area and have never experienced spring there, you get to discover where all the unexpected tulips and crocuses and other flowers are hidden. I'm looking forward to getting out with the kidlet to see what we can find!

Easter Table Inspiration

Easter's almost here, and luckily, my cold is almost gone! (Hence the lack of posts.) I've been combing through Pinterest, looking for easy and inexpensive ideas for our Easter table.

I love these simple eggs cup posies from Martha Stewart. Just use take a dyed and hollowed-out Easter egg, tap the top with a spoon to crack it off, then place it in an egg cup. Add water to the inside of the egg and a few sprigs of lily of the valley, lilacs, or pansies and you have lovely little arrangements to place down the center of your table or around the house!

I've been seeing a lot of tulips combined with pussywillow sprigs for centerpieces. I love the way the colors and textures play off of each other in this one. I think I might try blush pink tulips with the leaves removed, and slightly taller sprigs of pussywillow. If you really wanted to be festive, you could arrange them inside a basket.

I've never tried my hand at elaborate napkin folding, but these adorable bunny versions might make me give it a go! The sprigs of pussywillows meant to look like a "cotton" tail really make these lovely. You could also use a real cotton boll or use a ball of bright green moss. This site is in German, but if your browser has a translation service, there are instructions included.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, and good weather for your Easter activities and Easter egg hunts!