I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm in love with orchids. Aren't these lovely just laying in the tissue from the florist?
These types of orchids (called the Cymbidium) are great for many reasons. They look great alone in a tall cylindrical vase, but because they are pretty expensive per stem, I like to buy one stem and cut each bloom off to use individually.
At a dinner party I hosted a few years back, I bought one stem and used each bloom (there were enough for 10 place settings) in a small vase that doubles as a place card, above.
Another item I found is a great vase for the small blooms are antique ice-cream dishes. I have a small collection of these dishes and I used one, shown above, to hold a cymbidium bloom. It is shallow and it also holds the bloom at a pretty angle: looking up.
These are the two types of ice-cream dishes I have (shown above and below), both circa 1910-1920. I found them separately at Antique Malls, and they weren't expensive -- probably because no one knew what to do with them. You see them and you know you are not going to use them to serve ice cream (but I did once at a mother/daughter tea) so I snatched them up for a steal and have found that they not only make good vases, but candy/nut dishes, and soap holders in bathrooms.
Another good vase for these orchid blooms are old shot glasses. This is one that I inherited and I often put a single bloom in it. A rose at full bloom or a cymbidium orchid. I try to always use what I have and think of optional uses for things so I can use them as often as possible.
I found this sea-urchin vase for $3 at a garage sale. It too is small and perfect for a single bloom. All of these flowers were extra's from one stalk! And they last a long time. From one stem you could fill 8-12 small vases throughout your house. So a $50 stem will yield you several $4-5 arrangements! (all images: cashon & co)
