Young House Love

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Budget Blooms: Tulips, Take Three

Things I’m great at: making up words to songs when I don’t know them, eating Oreos, dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld.

Things I’m bad at: loading the dishwasher, remembering to get haircuts more than once every few years, and apparently doing monthly budget bloom posts.

I used to do them once a month for over a year, but then I fell off, struggled to get back on it six months ago with one measly post in February, and just never got it together in any sort of regular pattern. So here’s a random Budget Blooms post after over half a year of absence in that department. Won’t you forgive me? In return I played around with these sweet tulips that John brought home from the grocery store for $5 in not one, not two, but three different “vases.” That’s in quotes because only the first containment device is actually a vase…

Tulips Glass

It’s one of those free ones I got when a good friend of mine sent me birthday flowers a while back.

Tulips Horizontal

It was really simple and pretty, but then I broke out my metal thrift store pineapple urn, just because I thought the shape was sort of penny-tile-ish with that going on in the background.

Tulips Gold

Crazy diagonal shot:

Tulips Gold Crazy Angle

Wannabe-artsy cropped shot:

Tulips Gold Close Up

And here’s my third “vase” – which is actually a tin lantern from HomeGoods a while back that usually lives on the dining room built-ins. It even came with a clear glass cup in the middle of it (maybe for a candle?) so it was perfect for tulips and water too.

Tulips Silver

Which one’s your favorite? And while I’m asking questions, is anyone else being better about treating themselves to inexpensive monthly budget blooms or doing some other monthly blogging feature? Have you ever done something for over a year and then just inexplicably gotten terrible at it? What’s my deal?

Psst- You can peruse a whole mess of Budget Bloom posts from the good ol’ days here.

Pssst- You might wanna check out the update that we added to the bottom of our homemade basket light. It’s such a small world!

Comments

  1. Shannon says

    Personally, I love the 1st vase the best. But I’m also digging the pineapple vase.

    In 2011 I was great at taking a ‘no commitment’ weekend every month, but in 2012 that totally fell off the wagon – I need to get back on that!

    Reply

  2. Dail says

    I’m liking the pineapple urn best! I like zinnias myself – never really see them at the grocery store though!

    Reply

  4. Annie says

    The clear one, as “boring” as it is, is my favorite! You can really see the tulips.

    I tried to do regular bouquets on my dining room table but I was awful at keeping them fresh, so I just ended up letting them sit there for way too long. And get stinky. And then I hated throwing out the slimy flowers and cleaning out the grimy vase. So, as much as I hated to do fake flowers, I got some fairly realistic ones and will switch up a few “bouquets” occasionally to keep things fresh.

    Seriously, old flower water is the WORST.

    Reply

  7. Tiffany @ The Mister and Missus says

    I’ve wanted to keep budget blooms in our kitchen. These tulips are gorgeous. And the pineapple urn is amazing. What sorts of things do you do to keep your flowers longer? I’ve heard of adding a tiny bit of bleach to the water to kill any yucky things that may be present that could contribute to the flowers dieing faster.

    Reply

  8. J says

    I’m guilty of totally neglecting blogging features! I started a “recipe of the week” feature last fall, and it was going great for a month or so until (crickets) I just totally stopped! No idea why, really.

    Oh, and vase 1 is my favorite. Kinda boring choice I guess, but it goes well with the simplicity of tulips :)

    Reply

  9. Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says

    Flowers are generally too expensive for our household to enjoy, but when I do get them (perhaps twice a year) I really like clear vases. The stems are often very pretty, especially with Tulips, which have a tendency to cutely flop over a bit.

    As for regular blog features, I’m way too Type W (that is, Wacky) to remember to do such things.

    Reply

  10. Noel says

    I love the pineapple! It’s un-traditional and looks great against the tile. I think the lantern would look better with a hydrangea or something that doesn’t have such beautiful stems. The tulips look a little chopped in that container.
    Regardless of the “vase” – this makes me want to buy flowers tonight when I stop by the Short Pump Trader Joe’s! Thanks!

    Reply

  11. Sarah says

    Forget the vases, I’m in love with the gurgle pot with the spiky little plant peeking out! He’s very pineapple-esque. Or would that be she? So hard to keep up with the many ceramics of the Petersik house.

    Reply

  12. Cheryl says

    I like the clear vase best of the three you show – but I would have been putting them in the yellow fish glug pitcher even if it meant trimming them a bit.

    The other two options just look too wide – the balance just seems off to me.

    I really need to clear off my dining room table so that I can have somewhere to put flowers when the urge strikes.

    Reply

  13. Dinka says

    The plain glass vase.

    There is so much detail going on with the penny tile that the other vases are just too much.

    Reply

  15. Rebecca says

    Ralphs/Kroger had a 5-stalk deep bright purple gladiolus on sale for $2 this past weekend, so I’m LOVING the budget-friendly height and brilliant color!

    Reply

  17. Melissa says

    The best thing for me to remember to do something regularly is, amazingly enough, my soon-to-be 4 year old boy. His memory is amazing and he likes to do certain activities repeatedly. This summer he grew green beans – he wanted to visit the garden and check on his green beans at least weekly, sometimes 3x in one night! He has also helped me get flowers inside on the table semi-regularly. He observes them blooming in the yard and says “Mommy needs some pretty flowers, let’s bring some inside!” We just had to guide him one time about HOW to properly cut flowers for bringing inside. I love it because he has gotten my husband to “give me flowers” a few times this season.
    If not for him, I would have to put it on my calendar and not “dismiss” the reminder until the job is done, assuming it is a want-to-do job rather than a have-to-do job.
    Beautiful tulips, btw. The various vases inspire me to think outside the glass vessels on my “vase” shelf next time.

    Reply

  18. Reenie says

    I like the first one best with the tulips. But, love the lantern ~ very kewel looking.

    Yes ~ I try to have fresh flowers all the time in my home. My fav also is ~ alstroemerias ~ since they come in many flavors and last for 2 weeks =)

    Reply

  19. Sarah@SBrandesDesigns says

    I’m having an internal debate between 2 & 3, but I THINK # 2 is my favorite. I actually prefer potted plants, because I would much rather have something that sticks around for a bit instead of wilts in a week, but we are now in our 2nd place in a row where there is literally not a single good place to have a potted plant. Like anyplace that gets ANY sunlight doesn’t have space to put one… such a bummer. Maybe next place

    Reply

  25. Meghann says

    I love having fresh flowers in the house! I just treated myself to some big, beautiful sunflowers from the market, which cost me 3 Euro (about $4). For just a little pocket change, they certainly do brighten up the casa.

    And I like the pineapple best – the funkiness of it combined with the happy tulips, plus pineapples symbolize welcome. Can’t go wrong with funky/happy/welcome, right?

    Reply

  29. Jenna at Homeslice says

    My favorite is the pineapple urn, though I like the lantern too.. the interesting shapes are fun! No worries about the posts… we’ll take them when we can get them. I love to buy fresh flowers, but I usually only do it every couple of months or so? I feel too guilty if I do it more- silly, right?

    Reply

  31. Lindsay says

    I’m a sucker for grocery store flowers. I have a hard time passing the flowers without picking some up. I just love walking into a room with a fresh bouquet of flowers.

    Reply

  33. Caitlin says

    Have to say, my favorite is the clear one. It just looks so light and fresh with everything else going on in the kitchen around it.

    On a completely unrelated note, I’m an interior design student, and today in my lighting design class we got assigned a project to create a lamp out of found objects- essentially exactly what you posted about yesterday with the basket light! I showed your post to a couple of my professors, and they thought your basket lamp was beautiful, and loved your creativity!

    Reply

  34. Aisha says

    Le pineapple is tied with the clear vase for my favorite. What I REALLLLY love is how the color looks in your kitchen. I actually smiled when I saw those gorgeous blooms.

    Reply

  35. Paige says

    Have you realized that, dancing aside, you are not Elaine but totally a Phoebe! Everything in your house has a story. Now raise your hand if you are in your 30’s and still remember every episode of Friends. Guilty!

    I love it. But then again I could totally appear on the next episode of Fanatic with $herdog, so maybe I’m a bit biased!

    P

    Reply

  36. Mary says

    I like the first one. The modern cut of the vase goes nicely with the feel of the kitchen.

    What about using the awesome yellow fish vase on the shelf above? Didn’t you know tulips grow out of fish’s mouths? On a more ‘design note,’ though, tulips would be an elegantly fun contrast to the unique, quirky vase. Oh, and the yellow tips of the tulips would match nicely the yellow of the vase!

    Reply

  37. Kierstin says

    I spy…an airplant! Isn’t that a tillandsia in the yellow fish gurgle pitcher/vase? Air plant terrariums have become a new hobby (obsession) of mine, and my husband says it’s only a matter of time before I see them pop up on your site, because that’s how things seem to work. Regardless of what plant is sticking out of the fish pitcher, it’s lovely.

    Reply

  39. Jeanna Walton says

    Awww, he brought you flowers :) My vote is for #1………… so clean lined and pretty. You just focus on the beauty of the flowers and not the container.

    Reply

  40. Liz A. says

    I vote pineapple…as for blooms in this house, by dear friend bought me a great pitcher for my birthday…with all kinds of paisleys and doo dahs all over it. LOVE IT!! But, it is unfortunately a death urn, since everything I put in it dies within 24 hours. I have tried three different sets of flowers, which, for me, is still a “coincedence”. I will try once more. I can’t figure it out…the thing is a simple ceramic pitcher, glazed and all. I also put some of each of these flowers in other vases and vessels, and they seem to do better. Maybe the pitcher does not like to play second fiddle to flowers…I should apologize ;)

    Reply

  44. Wrenaria says

    LOVE that pineapple urn, but I think the glass vase probably suits the tulips best because of how long it makes them look. I’ve been meaning to cut and bring in some roses from the back yard and never do.

    I’m terrible at keeping up with either of my blogs (personal and cat)… The cat one used to be twice a week then dropped to once a week and now it’s more like once a month, hahaha.

    As for my personal blog… well. I realized 2 weeks ago that I never posted the reveal of a project I finished about 6 months ago. It’s there now, but I haven’t posted since. OOPS.

    Reply

  45. NickiB says

    I loooooovvvveee your blog, thank you so much for being so awesome. I’m a fan of clean lines and clear vases when the stems are all neat and tidy. I vote for CLEAR!

    Reply

  46. Georgia says

    I love the clear one because it shows off the whole elegance of the tulips. I never knew that about a penny in tulip water. I love tulips, but lillies are my favourite. Unfortunately we haven’t had the money to buy fresh flowers for the last few years, but I would bring them in from the garden whenever I could.

    Reply

  47. Jen says

    I absolutely love the glass vase. The others are cool but I love seeing the water, stems and petals. Just gorgeous!

    Reply

  48. Jen says

    I like the clear vase the best because it allows the flowers to really pop & not compete for attention. Love the inspiration of using different containers!

    Reply

  49. Mary Lu Chang says

    Your website is very artistic. I enjoyed the writing. Flowers are a true blessing. Everyone to enjoy. I have bookmarked your site for my family and friends.

    Thank you
    Mary

    Reply

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