Happy Friday, y’all! What is it about sunroom ceiling demo that gets me all hyper and clammy? Yes, that’s continuing today (we’re still opening things up and waiting on some expert advice) but I promise we’ll have an official update for you guys on Monday! And now, just for good measure, more exclamation points!!!!
In the meantime, I figured after a big week of sunroom demo, whitewashing, sunroom rebuilding, and more sunroom demo, it was high time for a budget blooms post. We used to do these every month, and then I fell off last year. And then I got back on the wagon and fell off again later last year. But I’m baaaaaaack! Not with one, but four different arrangements. #livedangerously
We had a shoot at our house a little while ago (more details on that as soon as we’re allowed to spill them) and that meant there were some fresh grocery store flowers floating around. There was one bouquet of white roses, one bouquet of tulips, and one mixed bouquet – all bought at Kroger (although Trader Joe’s also has great, cheap flowers). For the roses, I cut them all the same length, and stuck them in a glass cup, which I slipped into an old woven basket from Ikea. It’s cute and pretty darn error proof (with flowers if it’s not easy, I can’t do it).
For the tulips I went with a red pitcher from World Market a while back. I have a thing for flowers in pitchers (both the clear glass kind or colorful ceramic ones like this). I did remove some of the extra leaves, just so they weren’t as crowded, and I dropped a penny in the water since that’s rumored to keep them from getting too droopy.
The mixed bouquet got trimmed a little and paired with a traditional glass vase. I get nervous about dealing with lots of different flowers (all of the same type seems more idiot-proof, which is my flower love language) but one thing that’s fun about mixed blooms is that you can just spin the container around until you like the view.
You know, because it keeps changing as you rotate that vase like that round bed in Austin Powers.
Here’s the last arrangement (let’s call this one Flower Lite). I just stole a lily stem from the mixed bouquet above and stuck it into an antique milk jug that I found at a secondhand shop in Cape Charles (we were there for a day trip a little while back).
That’s also where we bought that old turquoise oyster tin and the cool blue bottle (it’s an old NYC medicine bottle). We also got the mug that says “Shanty” on it while we were there (we ate at Shanty for lunch and I couldn’t leave without buying a crabby little mug), which I filled with a few more flowers stolen from the mixed bouquet.
Happy Friday, guys! Hope it’s full of flowers and flying demo dust!
Karen says
[off topic]
Hey Sherry! Do you have a blog somewhere about how to decorate a bookshelf? I’m challenged in that area, (well ok, other areas too), and I don’t know how to arrange my books, (and white ceramic animals!), without being too cluttered or that I’m trying too hard.
Your shelves always look so beautiful!!! If there is no blog, how about writing one for it??? :-D
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Karen! We have a few posts that touch on that here and here and here. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Emily @ Life on Food says
The tulips in the pitcher are my favorite. Love the pitcher. The roses in a cup though are quite good with the basket. It looks like a way fancy store bought arrangement.
Lynn says
A girl after my own heart – thrifting and fresh flowers! Love the idea of the roses in the basket…
Jenny says
After 50 years on this planet, I finally learned what tulips really need to avoid the big droop: ice water. If you fill the vase with cold water and add a couple of handfuls of ice cubes, you’ll find that your tulips stay wonderfully upright. And this makes sense, right? Tulips come up in the early spring, when the ground is still very cold. It works like a charm!! (Love exclamation points!!!)
YoungHouseLove says
Never heard that one either!
xo
s
Nicole @ Post Grad says
I just had to do a double and triple take on this post. I was just skimming and saw the Shanty mug and was like – aw cute – we were just at a restaurant called the Shanty for my birthday. Then I read that you were in Cape Charles! GAH! My family has a beach house there and we were just there earlier this month! Such a great beach town. They can’t build big condos over there because of some rare beetle that’s native to the area so it’s always blissfully quiet. :) If you make it back, check out Brown Dog Ice Cream, Gull Hummock gourmet shop (and say hi to Honey and John – the greatest people we know), Drizzles, and Blue Crow antique mall. And also, this one’s for John, the sculptor that designed the two bucks fighting bronze statue located on the Dell at UVA has a shop down there. His name is Will Turner and you can go and talk to him about the good old days of UVA back when he was there.
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! What a small world!
xo
s
Maria says
Hi, Sherry, I’m glad your DIY boldness extends to flower arranging; many people are too intimidated to even try! Basics for mixed bouquets: greenery first as a backdrop and support for other stems; then small “filler flowers” (odd #s are best because it keeps the eye moving); and finally the large “focal” flowers, often round shapes. And, of course, rules are meant to be broken!
As for drooping stems, vodka is recommended because it kills bacteria. All flowers droop when stems seal (due to air exposure, age, or bacteria) so angled cutting, changing water, aspirin, alcohol, etc. are all methods of protecting flowers from clogged stems which=death. Happy arranging!
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting!
xo
s
Ginaq says
LOVE KROGER FLOWERS!!!!!! They are always pretty, fresh and they last foreverrrrr!!
Cindy says
“rotate that vase like that round bed in Austin Powers.” HA!
I need idiot-proof flowers too. I have to take a floral arrangement class for design school, so I’m hoping I learn something, anything! xo
Kim says
Oh man, the verdana… I mean veranda… suspense continues!
Beautiful flowers!
Jenny says
No orchids! ;-) How can I get a mailing address for you guys so I can send you an orchid and our book on orchid care? They’ll last longer than cut flowers. Plus, they are a lot easier to care for than everyone thinks!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you’re so sweet Jenny. I’m afraid I’m an orchid murderer so I’m banned from owning them (self imposed – they’re so pretty but I’m just hopeless at getting them to ever bloom after the first time).
xo
s
Bailey says
Beautiful touches – and you’ve just inspired me to go spend $20 at the flower market next door!
xox
Bailey
http://akabailey.blogspot.com
marjo says
Again your former hallway is featured on Apartment Therapy: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/stylish-hallways-where-youll-want-to-linger-193829
YoungHouseLove says
No way! Thanks for the heads up!
xo
s
Ashton says
Ahh my name!! You picked a great milk jug! I wonder if I could get my hands on one.. Oh! And did you know Ashton Kutcher’s real name is Chris?! I always knew Ashton was a girl’s name ;).. Lovin the tulips in the red pitcher though. It’s probably the first time I haven’t thought ‘Christmas’ when seeing red and green together!
xo,
Ashton
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! Never knew that!
xo
s
Andy says
So, totally unrelated: I’m perusing pintrest & I see a thing from the house of smiths about DIYing an orb light fixture seen in Z gallerie, etc. & the picture shows a white fixture so I’m thinking its the before shot. Nope, they meant orb as in round. I might visit here a tiny bit too much.
Angela says
Hi. Just curious where you bought the day bed from? I have been looking for one and love the look.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Angela! It’s from West Elm about 5 years ago.
xo
s
Christina says
white roses=my wedding bouquet :)
Samantha says
The comment about the pin hole in the stems of the tulips was bang on. At our shop, the tulips last weeks every time because as soon as we process them we use that trick by making a teeny little slice in the stem near the flower head. By using knives instead of scissors to trim the stems, and frequently changing the flower food treated water there’s no reason why tulips shouldn’t last at least two weeks.
JT says
Looks like we took the same flower arranging class ;) Love the roses in the basket and great tips on the non-droop tulips! Have a great weekend, we’re heading to The Alamo!
lesismore says
ugh! you’re killing me with the suspense!!!
we are just about to have a contractor come look at an addition on our house to see if we can loft it. i’m so excited to see what you do and what you run into along the way.
my local farmers market has the best flowers. i can use one $5 bouquet around the entire house! i have missed your budget blooms arranging ideas. so glad you’re trying to bring it back!
BarbOutsideBoston says
DONE!
In June I was doing a little research about cork flooring, found this blog and BLAMMO–I was hooked!
Finally just caught up from the beginning and it’s been a great ride. Now that school is starting up again (I’m a school librarian) your regular posting schedule fits my life perfectly.
Thanks for the information, the laughs, and the general happy feeling I get from YHL.
Now I’m off to convert my 80s brassy chandelier into an ORBed orb…
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Barb, you’re so sweet! Happy brass chandelier conquering!
xo
s
Lindsey says
I, too, love a good veggie garden, and my husband’s ranching family lives out of town. Their neighbors (to keep the deer away) built a walled and ceiled garden out of some sort of netting, and have kept out deer and the random chicken. That might be something you consider for your lot which has a lot of deer traffic. Love the demo!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip!
xo
s
stephanie Russell says
Have you ever tried the Vogue Flower Market on Boulevard? I’ve found the prices there are much better than the grocery store. We recently got a ton of flowers there for a party and the price was excellent:)
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome. We’ll have to check it out!
xo
s
Angela, blue i style says
I love all of your interesting flower containers! I was intrigued when I saw the title of your post because my blog post the Friday before was also titled “Friday Flowers” (http://www.blueistyle.blogspot.com/2013/08/FridayFlowers.html). I’m glad to see that we are both enjoying flowers lately, and you’ve inspired me to search around for some new “vases”!
YoungHouseLove says
So sweet! Love that!
xo
s
Angela says
You inspired me and I just bought some budget blooms myself to cheer up my office. Just what I needed, thanks :)
Vanessa says
DIY reno is tough. Love your flowers arrangement, especially the tulips.
Krishna says
Honestly, I am so in love when it comes to flowers. I always do have fresh flowers in the house, it makes me feel more comfortable. Though, I don’t have the talent when it comes to arranging it yet I still want some fresh flowers :)