This display consists of a few rosebuds, berries and fir branches put in a cut crystal vase. My mom threw this together, and I think it is lovely in it's simplicity. And the best thing is, that you can pick these kinds of flowers up at the grocery store, and cut a sprig from your tree and.....voila! Inexpensive and pretty!
Red Amaryllis and cabbage with fir sprigs in a silver goblet.
I always find inspiration when I visit antique stores, and there are a few in my town that I visit regularly just for the stimulus. Antique Row in Dallas happens to be one of the tops on my list. They have wonderful vendors selling the best objects, and also I love the people who work there, especially Mary who runs it. She creates incredible jewelry and is my first go-to when I am looking for a special gift. She just has that eye for unique items and knows how to put it together. These three photos above and below are from my visit there last week. I thought that these flowers were just lovely.
This vendor made an incredibly sophisticated and elegant garland for the mantle, using items purchased from the local supermarket as well as leaves from her yard. She used large magnolia leaves and sprayed them with Pam cooking oil to get them to shine. In them, she stuck these green stems that she bought in one bunch at the grocery store. And above them are faux lemons in a bowl. Isn't this just great? We need to remember to use what's already around us in our decorating, especially in floral arrangements. Some of the prettiest designs are simple branches from a blooming tree or shrub put in a vase.
If a Snowman's Top Hat filled to the rim with wine corks isn't festive, I don't know what is.
Down the street from Antique Row, is London Market. I popped in there, and thought that this tree was adorable. They said that they just kept the plates and pitchers on the wire racks and twisted the artificial tree's limbs around the wire, and there you have it. An instant easy tree.
