Christmas Tree alternatives

Christmas Tree Concepts that will Floor You!

Well, there is no denying it, The Christmas countdown is certainly on, with less than 4 weeks to go.

Our home probably looks like many others at this stage. I have located most of my Christmas gear in boxes from the garage, but there is something inside me that prevents me decorating until December 1st. And let’s face it, there is a list a mile long of things to organise at this time of year: cards to post, letters to Santa to write, shopping lists to write, menus to plan, gifts to buy, and wrap!

To make things a little easier for you Florist with Flowers has a gorgeous range of fresh flower gifts, plants and hampers on offer this year. If you are yet to check gifts off your list perhaps for someone who is a little hard-to-buy for, check out our Christmas range here.

Last week’s blog featured some creative Christmas trees ideal for smaller spaces, and little hands, but this week we are sharing with you some inspirational floor standing trees.  Again, these are not your traditional Christmas tree, so they may suit some homes and family personalities more than others. What I like most is how creative people are. I love how people reuse, recycle, and upcycle. I love how the focus is on repurposing, and rethinking materials that you already have. And lastly, I love how these options rarely use plastic components, so they make our planet happy too.

Cardboard Box Tree

I’ve turned cardboard boxes into cubby house and trains in my time, but so far, I haven’t made them into a Christmas tree. For young families, this floor standing Christmas tree can be bright and festive, AND manages to avoid the irresistible tendrils of tinsel and the inevitably bouncing baubles too! It is a great Christmas activity to enjoy together; firstly designing the trees decorations and then carefully painting it all. You can find step by step instructions here.

Cardboard Christmas Tree
Source: Makedo Cardboard Christmas Tree

Brown Paper Christmas Tree

I personally like the tone of brown paper and/or cardboard, so I would probably opt just to paint simple decorations on the cardboard tree and leave the base natural. This brown Paper Christmas Tree is another alternative, and again, the decoration can be as simple or as tizzy as you like. Interested in recreating this look by Craft a la Mode, click here for a full tutorial.

Brown Paper Christmas Tree. Christmas Tree alternatives
Source: Crafts a la Mode

Teepee Tree

I love the idea of creating a simple teepee with bamboo poles, or another appropriate stick. For an Australiana theme to Christmas, decorate the tree with garlands made from pretty eucalyptus leaves, which have a gorgeous scent and will dry nicely in the heat of our summer. This option can be decorated with traditional tinsel and lights too of course, but I think that half the appeal is in its simplicity. Less is more!

Christmas Tree alternatives. Teepee tree

Ladder Christmas Tree

Everyone has an old wooden ladder hanging around right? So what about using it as a centrepiece for Christmas one year? This particular look would fit right into a converted warehouse space, or a home with a rustic or industrial feel. While researching for this piece I found many unique versions of the ladder tree: some with a bazillion balls suspended underneath, some with planks of wood placed across each rung, to create shelving, but this one, with the large hanging paper decorations is by far, my favourite.

Ladder Christmas tree. Christmas Tree alternatives

Whilst the Christmas countdown has begun, there is still plenty of time to organise gifts and decorations. Browse our gift ideas online, or give us a call in store if we can help design something special this year.

Fwf x

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Christmas ideas for something a bit different

Flat Christmas Tree Displays When Ordinary Won’t Do

I don’t know about you, but at my particular stage of life, a traditional Christmas tree just doesn’t work. Last year I optimistically took a picture of my two eldest, proudly sitting in front of our hanging wooden slat tree, which they had just finished decorating. The caption below excitedly announced “Our last Christmas with a non-traditional Christmas tree”. What a laugh. 🎄🎄🎄

Firstly, I think I had forgotten what a two year old was like….add to that the fact that I grossly underestimated the difference between girls and boys. So it seems I have just a little over a week to decide what my alternative to a Christmas tree is going to look like this year. Can you believe that December is almost here? It’s crazy to think that the festive season is really upon us, and if you are looking at getting organised already, you can check out our Christmas range now 🎄 🎄🎄

There are a bazillion ideas out there for people looking for something a little different. The result will largely depend on whether you want to use things you already have lying around at home, or whether you are happy to buy some supplies.

Wall hanging trees are fabulously out of the reach for little hands, and are also a great alternative for you if you haven’t a lot of space. Ready to buy flat felt Christmas trees are available at several retailers,  however I like how unique and creative these alternatives are.

🎄Honeycomb Christmas Tree🎄

This version of the honeycomb tree is very bright and festive in a non traditional way, however you can imagine how fabulous it would look in traditional red, white and green, or any colour theme really! The honeycombs can be picked up from Kmart, and most dollar shops inexpensively, and can be adhered with blu-tac.

Honeycomb Christmas Tree
Source: Studio DIY

🎄String Light/Tinsel Christmas Tree🎄

Whether you choose to use just string lights, string lights and decorations or add tinsel as well, this concept is incredibly simple and easy to erect. You will need removeable hooks ( preferably the 3M ones) which you can easily take off the walls without damage. And my biggest tip? Adhere the hooks facing outwards so it is easier to wind the string through them firmly.

String light and tinsel wall tree
Source: Home Decoration Articles

🎄String Christmas Tree🎄

I looooove this one. How effective does it look!!?? And, by using a couple of different coloured strings you could make it even more festive. You could also tie in the colour theme you are using for your decorations or you could peg your cards to the string instead. If you like the idea, a full tutorial is available at My Poppet.

Source: My Poppet

🎄Memory/Milestone Christmas Collage🎄

Choosing one of these Christmas Tree alternatives is often due to having small children, and this tree is a wonderful way to appreciate the passage of time, and all the big moments that have passed during the year. These days we so often rely on the digital copies, but seeing it all before your eyes is a beautiful way to share these moments with friends and family who may have missed many of them.

This would also be a fabulous way to showcase some of your favourite moments after returning from an overseas adventure and also a lovely way to display moments captured in time with loved ones who may have passed.

Photo wall Christmas tree
Source: Printiki

Photo Frame Upcycle Tree

I love this one because I’m sure I’m not the only person In the world who retires photo frames to a dusty old drawer. Give them a coat of paint, and a new lease on life. Voila! Putting pictures in them is absolutely not necessary, but if you chose to, it could be done of course. Alternatively fill them with festive sayings.

Frame Christmas tree, an alternative to the traditional
Source: Organised Clutter

Half the fun of the festive season is the decorating so next week I’ll share with you some fabulous floor standing alternatives to your traditional Christmas tree. They will also give you the opportunity to personalise and customise your displays to suit your home and decor. 🎄🎄🎄

Fwf x

 

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House Proud Plants

There are certainly popular house plants. They are the same plants that people have been adorning their homes with for years, and probably will continue to, for years to come. Plants such as Spathyfilium (Peace Lily), Maiden Hair Ferns, Cyclamen and African Violets.  But if you like to do things a little different, here is a list of some other plants you can try which are exquisite to look at, and will provide the gorgeous green foliage that you desire. The benefit of decorating with house plants is that they last longer than cut flowers, whilst still bringing life indoors.

Cyclamen plants have pretty flowers and dainty foliage
Cyclamen plant

A few years ago, Fiddle Leaf figs became extremely popular and continue to decorate homes everywhere. They have a rich dark green glossy leaf in the shape of a fiddle, hence their name. They tolerate low light conditions so are great for indoors, but are equally happy planted outside.

Fiddle leaf figs are popular house plants
Source: Pinterest via City Mouse

Monsteria leaves and Philodendron leaves are both popular choices of green house plants with their luscious leaves. They are also popular cut foliages, lasting for weeks in fresh water. Devils Ivy, is often confused for a Philodendron, but is not the same. It is also sometimes known as the ‘Money Plant’.

Devils ivy
Devil’s Ivy grows well in vases in water as well as in pots in soil.

Devils Ivy is an attractive, leafy plant. And whilst the pot plant has always been popular, given that Devil’s Ivy can grow easily from cuttings, it is becoming extremely popular to display in vases. Simply snip the plants tendrils and place them in fresh water. These cuttings will continue to grow and flourish. Be sure to change the water regularly, however you do not need to recut the stems as you would with fresh flowers as you will notice that roots start to sprout.

Zanzibar Gem plants are low maintenance, ever green plants perfect for indoors
Zanzibar Gem are low maintenance plants

If you like an ever green house plant Zanzibars are a fabulous choice. These plants are extremely low maintenance only requiring monthly watering, and tolerating low light positions too. It isn’t particularly dense, but the leaves always look extremely lush and turgid.

Rhapis palms, also known as the lady finger palm, have been a popular cut foliage for florists for many years,  but they also make a great house plant. If you like a variation in the colours of the leaves, get your hands on the verigated rhaphis which has a beautiful, yet subtle stripe to the leaf with lime highlights.

Dracena Deremensis Compacta are a slow growing ever green plant which is perfect for indoors
Dracena Deremensis Compacta are a slow growing ever green plant which is perfect for indoors. Source: Jardineria On

A personal favourite is the Dracena deremensis Compacta. It is a dense head of short glossy leaves; favouring low light conditions, and extremely slow growing.

Apart from the aesthetic beauty indoor plants bring into your home,  we have known for some time that being surrounded by nature has health benefits too. NASA’s first Clean Air study was published in 1989, and both the Rhapis and Devil’s Ivy are featured on their list of air quality improving plants 🌱 🌱 👍🏻👍🏻  So whether you are looking at buying something for your own home, or for a gift for someone special, think about choosing a unique house plant.

Fwf x

 

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Tools, timber and flowers....fresh flowers? Do these things go together?

Tools, Timber, Hardware…and Flowers

Before I was a florist, before I even knew I could become a florist, my family and I used to buy flowers from this tiny little corner store with buckets and buckets of market fresh flowers. There wasn’t any arrangements or mixed bouquets there, but if you wanted them mixed, you simply chose the bunches you wanted and they would put it together. That was the quintessential old school corner store wasn’t it?  A true mixed business, where each member of the family had an essential role in the function, success and future.

Then, specialty florist shops began popping up: where you would expect to find an assortment of pre made bouquets and arrangements. You would of course be able to design your own mix from their selection of fresh cut flowers. The giftware, balloons, chocolates and other extras was limited in those days.

Balloon bouquets are a great alternative for births, birthdays and other celebrations
Balloon bouquets are a great alternative for births, birthdays and other celebrations

As the industry has changed, new opportunities have continued to appear. Studios have positioned themselves in a way that they attract Wedding and events work as well as workshops. Boutique florists create bespoke florals for product launches and media, as well as handling many celebrity clients. They may source a range of unique homewares, hamper items, giftware, vases, ceramics to offer their clients some beautiful gift items that are unique and gorgeous quality. And your trusty local florist is the one you can rely on for your everyday needs for your home or gifts and special orders.

Where do supermarket flowers fit into the picture?

For many, people will grab a bunch from the supermarket if they need something for a vase at home. And you can understand it in some ways- it’s convenient…and you know what, it also becomes part of the grocery bill in your head, instead of the luxury item you have gone to a specialty store for, right?

Over the last few years supermarket flower pricing has become more and more competitive.  Big supermarkets have even been attracting new customers with focussed, and specially designed menus of fresh cut flower arrangements and bouquets for BIG DAYS such as Valentines Day and Mother’s Day.

How about service station cut flower bouquets?

Maybe all the shops are closed, and you have been unorganised. Perhaps it’s a public holiday. Perhaps your local florist was sold out… Surely, these are the only reasons a person would find themselves browsing the flower stand at a place that your fill your car up with fuel.

Well, let me ask you this….what about hardware store flowers?

When you think about choosing a floral gift, in what universe do you find that in a hardware store?

For a little while now, Bunnings has been stocking flower arrangements and bouquets. I was flabbergasted when I walked in the entrance to be confronted with a stand of arrangements. They were located at the very front of the store so that they were easily accessible  should you need to run in and run out. There was no comparison between what they do, and what we do, so whilst I was certainly surprised by this new addition, there is obviously some market for this style and quality arrangement.

In business they say the most important factor is knowing who your target market is. For many it is tempting to say ‘ everyone’ but unfortunately one of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to appeal to everyone. Your product won’t appeal to everyone, it just won’t. So the sooner you define who your customers are, and how to give them what they want, the stronger your business will be. So rather than worry about all the things everyone else is doing, Florist with Flowers is focussed on what we do best.

Living Portrait planter pots.
Living Portrait planter pots.

Have you seen one of latest additions in store? These ‘Living Portraits’ are a gorgeous gift idea.

Fwf x

 

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Post Wedding Woes and Worries

I remember when I made the decision to focus my floristry career on wedding work alone. It was a big decision, but I felt it was the challenge that I craved, and something I could really throw myself into. I also felt that I had enough experience behind me to put me in a good position to guide clients in their choices for one of the most important days of their lives.

 

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Some of the time, getting on the same page, would come quickly, and at other times, both parties probably left the consultation unsure if we really ‘understood’ each other. In order to mitigate some of the potential issues, as well as including the flower types and names of varieties (which probably means little to someone outside the industry anyway) we would also include an overview of the colour palette, as well as approximate quantities of each colour, and a description of the overall look and feel in colloquial language. But I’m not going to lie….across a career of thousands of weddings, I’ve had my fair share of ‘failures’. And whilst the bouquets may have been aesthetically beautiful, they did not meet the brides expectation.

This week, I have heard a few discussions on similar experiences; the disappointment in that despite their best efforts to be completely transparent, some bits of the creative process still seem to be lost in translation. Then there are other cases, where the colours just were not right, or a major change was made and never discussed with the client…or worse, items were never delivered to the venue.

As a supplier, we must be able to decide whether we are responsible for failing our client. We must be able to look through the brief and honestly answer whether we met it. And when we are in the wrong, we must own it.

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Sometimes however, people experience a post wedding low. It has the same intensity as a wedding high, but sits at the other end of the spectrum. The wedding high brings all those exuberant feelings; elation, euphoria, happiness, giddiness, optimism and gives you the ability to overlook details that seem insignificant.

The post wedding low, can be where things go wrong, and it is understandable. After months, or even years of working toward a goal, a momentous,  beautiful day where every whim and every wish is realised, daily life hits you with an almighty thud.

The realisation that that big project is over can leave people wondering what to do next. Does that sound ludicrous? Believe me, this is a REAL thing.

For suppliers, post wedding day lulls, can surface complaints that did not exist on the day. And for creatives, like florists, it really hits us where it hurts….the HEART.

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Unlike many other wedding suppliers, florists get no second chances. The flowers are one of the last pieces to the puzzle, and responsible for kind of tying everything together….and no one wants to get it more right than your wedding florist. When we get it wrong, it keeps us up at night…literally.

So, if I can give one piece of advice, I would say that when you choose your wedding florist, choose a company who creates things that you drool over all the time. Choose someone who has a natural style that aligns with your own….then, I believe you will get something that you think it just perfect for your big day.

Fwf x

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