Monday, December 22, 2008

Happy Holidays


This is Pooh in his Christmas finery. We adopted him from the Perkiomenville SPCA about 6 years ago.

We are happily enjoying our time off during the holidays. It's nice to spend time with my children and my family. My husband will be home with me until New Years, which is very nice. We just gave two family parties this past weekend that were really fun and now we're finishing up our shopping. Anne and I did take the time to make two important stops. You all know that we collect food and various items for the SPCA. This was our third trip over there this year with a van full of blankets, towels, food, bleach, litter boxes, and more. We thank all of you who have donated to this special shelter, especially in this time of economic need. The SPCA is bursting at the seams with animals. Many people can no longer afford to keep their pets because they are having trouble feeding their children. And donations are down, so we left a sizable check for them as well. Here's how to contact this shelter if you'd like to donate: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/PA171.html
Anne and I also wanted to help out at our local food pantry because people, as well as animals, are suffering. We purchased many Giant gift cards in hopes that many families will get to choose what they can use. The Community Food Pantry, at Jerusalem Lutheran Church, is in dire need of all food items. Here's how you can help:
Please don't forget that there are small ways to help those less fortunate than you. And if you can't afford to send a donation or volunteer a couple hours of your time - just a few cans of dog or cat food or old towels and blankets (for the SPCA) and cereal, granola bars, a jar of peanut butter, or a jar of jelly (for the Food Pantry) are all items which would be greatly appreciated.
Happy Holidays to you and your families. We'll be back in 2009 with more flower pictures and ideas. Leslie

Monday, December 15, 2008

Christmas party at the Phoenixville Foundry

The theme of this company Holiday Party was gifts. The colors were not your typical holiday colors - but were orange, copper, brown, and lime green. We used touches of glittery decorations and lights were everywhere. We carried through the theme by designing two different tablescapes made up of various gift boxes and bags. Tables were covered in olive green tablecloths with gorgeous overlays of orange and gold. Half of the tables were centered by an orange gift bag of flowers that included alstromeria, fugi mums, and hypericum berries. Around them were glass squares we filled with white Christmas tree lights and topped with bows. The Foundry is one of the prettiest places I've ever seen. If you'ree looking for a unique site, you should definitely check out. And Robert Ryan catering did a fabulous job putting it all together.




The other half of the tables were a mix of "gifts". Each table had a gift bag filled with lights and orange shred; an orange gift bag tied with raffia and filled with pine cones and chrystallized pine needles lit by an LCD light; a present of bright orange roses; and a present of green carnations. In the center of each pile of gifts was either a pine tree of gifts or a tower of brightly wrapped presents.


Sunday, November 30, 2008

Shannon & David - Colorful Cairnwood

Shannon and David's wedding was a beautiful, brightly colored affair that took place at the gorgeous Cairnwood Mansion. Shannon and David looked fantastic and the rooms were glowing in lustrous hues and candlelight. It was a perfect setting for a perfect day!

Shannon wanted bright colors and a "different" look for her wedding. Her color palette included lime green, bright orange, and hot pink. She used lots of candlelight everywhere including outside - where walks were lined with lanterns. Shannon's bouquet contained Tibet roses, ranunculus, stephanotis, mini calla lilies, hypericum berries and dendrobium orchids surrounded by a collar of folded aspidistra leaves. We added crystals all over her bouquet so that it glistened just like the candlelight.


Brightly colored bouquets were the perfect complement to fantastic bridesmaids' dresses.









We layered colorful stones in the placecard piece and topped it off with a bright orange gerber daisy. An array of colorful flowers, spraying beargrass, and ting ting was arranged on top.

Shannon's ceremony took place in the Great Room. We placed birch branches along the mantle with green and bright pink hydrangea scattered throughout it. The mantle in the Library were dedicated to Shannon and David's dog. We made a special flower and dog treat arrangement in a dog bowl surrounded by framed pictures. And the mantle in the livingroom was dedicated to Shannon's grandfather. His favorite purple hydrangea was flanked by candles.





Three of the tables in the Billiard Room were done in monochromatic colors and included hydrangea, calla lilies, and roses. The fourth table was a mix of the hydrangea. Check out the amazing napkins Shannon chose.







The diningroom was done with a large multi-colored centerpiece and groupings of roses to each side. A mix of multicolored flowers and candles graced the mantle in this room.

Music Room - High and low arrangements shared this room. I love the "stairstepped" group of vases. Bouquets were placed in vases on this mantle.










And the cake! A perfect ending to a fabulous celebration.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Meredith's Shower - Peacock Prelude

I have been looking forward to working on Meredith's wedding for a long time - and it will soon be here. Yay!!! She's my infamous peacock feather bride. You'd be surprised at how many brides tell me they know her from the Knot - because of her peacock feathers. It's so cute. Meredith's mom asked me to make a small arrangement for her shower. When I went to my supplier to figure out what I was going to make, I came upon a bag of marbles that were the colors of peacock feathers! It was a "no brainer" at that point - I picked up a bunch of peacock feathers, some purple stock, beautiful green celosia, and pink ranunculus and put it all together for Meredith. Just a preview of pretty peacock pictures to ponder. (Pardon the alliteration.)


Briana & Jacob - Talamore Impressionism

Talamore Country Club has recently undergone renovations - which are beautiful. On their walls are a few huge replications of well known Impressionist paintings. When Briana came to me to plan her flowers, she wondered if we could so something with Impressionist Art/Artists. Working closely together, Briana came up with ten pictures that she liked very much and framed prints of them. It was my job to interpret them as centerpieces. Briana did all of the scouting for containers and decoration and did a fabulous job. The sweetheart table flower arrangement - which I show first - used up all of the leftover flowers from the other tables and bouquets. Some of the prints may be difficult to see, but I thought it might be fun to see if you can figure out the names of all ten paintings (and the artist) by the flowers/items displayed on each table. If you really want to know if you're right, feel free to email me. You can send me you're answers and I'll let you know if you're right. A couple may be hard, but most of these are fairly easy. And I'd be happy to tell you what flowers we used if you ask. Have fun!





























Saturday, November 15, 2008

Diana & Bill - Men 'n Trees

This beautiful wedding combined two themes - Fall trees and Sports - along with Diana's colors of purple and orange. It was held in a tent on the grounds of the Pearl Buck House.
I know Diana's family from previously doing her sister's wedding and they are a blast to work with. They are so talented and helped to add so many personal touches to this terrific wedding. Diana's bouquet echoed her color scheme with two shades of purple calla lilies plus orange calla lilies. We glued tiny purple gems to the orange lilies to give them some sparkle. Di's sister Lee Anne loves ranunculus, so we did a bouquet of those for her plus brown hypericum berries. The other bridesmaids carried gorgeous purple and orange carnations also mixed with hypericum berries.







This may be difficult to see, but on either side of the path, leading up to the tent, were bases and bats with baseballs on top. Stenciled on the balls were letters that spelled Bill on one side and Diana on the other. It looked fantastic. The sports theme was carried out in cocktail tables and table numbers.


Bill is a sports fanatic. Cocktail tables held either an arrangement dedicated to the Phillies or the Eagles. Table numbers were those of his favorite players and on the back of each framed number Bill & Di printed out trivia about that player.



The placecard arrangement was made from a large tree branch. The top was hollowed out and I made an arrangement of fugi mums, purple hydrangea, gerber daisies, purple carnations, golden yarrow, purple oak leaves, branches, and cattails. Look closely and you'll see a heart carved out. Inside the heart is carved: Di & Bill. Too cute!!


We did three types of centerpieces also based on trees. Tall vases were filled with pine cones and acorns and filled with branches, orchids , eucalyptus, fugi mums, and gerber daisies.



Low arrangements were done in sections of tree branches that were hollowed out. We filled them with kangaroo paws, mums, spray roses, purple carnations, and safflower with a cover of angel vine.


Another low arrangement was made in a glass bowl filled with angel vine, acorns, and pine cones. Flowers included Asian lilies, asters, mums, lisianthus, and freesia. The head table, not pictured, was decorated with fall garland and three carved pumpkins courtesy of Diana's father. Each pumpkin sat on a "slice" of tree stump. One even had their carved monogram in it. It looked terrific!




Sunday, November 9, 2008

60's Themed 60th Birthday Party

We had a lot of fun decorating these brightly colored squares for this party. We remembered old sayings and designed "far out" flowers for each side of each square and placed a "happy face" in the center of each container. When we sat them on the tables, we draped "love beads" and John Lennon sunglasses around each container.







This fun box of grass and gerbers sat on the bar.