image of a man looking to reuse, reduce and recycle

Reducing, Reusing, Recycling AND Rethinking

We are all looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint these days. Ways that we can reuse, reduce and recycle.

This has been something that we as florists have been increasingly aware of for many years now, and have been working toward making more conscious decision.

We make changes in little ways that really have a big impact, and that is what you can do at home too.

I worked for a florist 18 years ago who insisted that we seperate green waste. These days this doesn’t seem revolutionary, but back then, it was quite an exception to the rule. It was quite normal to combine green waste with other mixed waste in a bid to save time.

image of trash bin with information about Reducing, Reusing and Recycling

Florists would work fast and strip directly on the floor, only to go back and scoop up everything together to place in the rubbish bin. A fast florist is a valuable commodity to many businesses so this mindset of getting things done as quickly as possible was quite common.

By separating green waste, we reduced our garbage astronomically, and the green waste, was simply composted.

One of the things that is really hard in floristry is reducing the amount of plastic cellophane. Many bunches (particularly) imported bunches are wrapped in plastic for transportation. Some individual blooms are also cupped in packing material to protect it from damage.

Image of flowers on a cellophane

Many florists now choose to wrap in brown paper rather than cellophane, but unfortunately we are still left with all the excess plastic wrapping that we receive our flowers in.

One way florists try to reuse that material rather than just adding it to landfill immediately, is they keep the packaging to use in padding a hamper, or creating a buffer around a bowl filled with floral foam. We also use it to create a ‘bag’ to place wet floral foam in for wet packing.

Floral foam. This is a material that many florists are now trying to reduce using. Foam products are toxic and whilst they come to pieces they don’t break down as such.

Many moons ago, no one would think twice about creating a wreath on styrofoam or in a floral foam base, and dropping it in the ocean for a memorial.  These days, I think it would be hard to find a florist who wouldn’t try to talk you out of it. Things are slowly changing for the better I believe.

If you are keen to see florists in action who are not using foam in their designs check out the hashtag #foamfreeflowers #nofloralfoam and #foamfreefloristry

Image by Flora Daily
Source: Flora Daily

Your florist may choose to use chicken wire as a base to work, or a new product such a a Floraguppy sphere (above),  created by investment advisor turned inventor, James Wong. Wong, who grew up in a blue collar family, considered floral arrangements a luxury, something quite special, but struggled to perfectly put them back together when he would change the water. For years he experimented with everything from wire and rocks, wasting money on many gadgets before setting out to create something himself. The floraguppy is simply a spherical shaped piece (made up from two halves) that sits within  your bowl that you guide your stems through and anchor in on the other side. It can be moulded in warm water so suits a variety of shaped vessels, and as the stems can go right through the holes in the guppy, you can lift the entire arrangement out without displacing the stems. This is environmentally friendly and economical tool, can be used up to 25 times!

At home I keep packing materials from orders to reuse myself. I keep wrapping paper where I can to reuse. I keep gift bags. We seperate our coffee grounds to use on the garden. We have a soda stream to carbonise water rather than buying premixed drinks in single use bottles.

Think about the small things you can do at home to help reduce waste.

Fwf x

Featured Image: Monash

 

 

 

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DIY Christmas wreaths

D.I.Y Door Decorations

Let’s face it, Christmas is expensive. And even if you simplify, as we do, the cost of quality items is high. Add to that the cost of the Christmas meal whether that includes turkey or prawns, pudding or trifle. And don’t forget the provisions you just have to buy when the shops close for 24hours…you know, ridiculous quantities of canned goods, preserved fruits and vegetables, extra milk and bread to freeze 🤦‍♀️

Florist With Flowers designs a gorgeous range of wreaths each year, suitable for your table or your door. Call us on 02 9871 1666 or come in-store to chat to our friendly staff about your requirements. You can get some inspiration here. If however, your budget has stretched as far as it is going to, yet the decorations have been left to last, here are a few ways to get creative.

Embroidery Hoop Wreath

Using an embroidery hoop from your local fabric/craft shop as your wreath base, you can create a simple yet stunning door hanging. Taking inspiration from Scandinavian design,  the focus is as much on the empty space within the piece as it is on the decorated area.

Embroidery hoop wreath arrangement
Source: LapinBlu
Competed hoop wreath with advent bags
Source: LapinBlu

You only really need a small amount of pine or spruce along with foraged pine cones to complete this simple wreath. This example shows how it can also be adapted to be your own special advent calendar. You simply number some brown paper bags and fill them with your chosen treats, and finally attach them to the base.

Pool Noodle Wreath

For those of you who are not only cash poor, but also time poor, this option can be prepared well ahead of time, freeing you up closer to Christmas. It requires NO fresh ingredients. Aside from gluing the noodle together to form a ring which would need to be done ahead of time, this wreath would take less than 10 minutes!

Pool noodle wreath
Pool Noodle wreath. Source: Miss Kris

30 minute Bauble Wreath

This wreath is about as festive as you can get. You can choose the colours you fancy, but you will need approximately 90 baubles in a variety of sizes, a hot glue gun, an old wire coat hanger and a bottle of wine 🍷  (according to the author). For a full breakdown of instructions you can check out the full post from Delightfully Noted.

A gorgeous bauble wreath that you can customise to match any colour scheme. Source: Delightfully Noted
A gorgeous bauble wreath that you can customise to match any colour scheme. Source: Delightfully Noted
Step by step instructions are available at Delightfully Noted
Step by step instructions are available at Delightfully Noted

Kmart Christmas Hula Hoop

Kmart products often inspire a bazillion creative hacks, and Christmas is no different….in fact there are probably even more sources for inspiration. This year, one clever mummy has created the most impressive hanging display which will sit over her dinner table, but the concept could just as easily be adapted to create an amazing door hanger or decoration for an entry gate. Lisa Heenan’s simple instructions can be found here, but please note, Lisa has attached the hoop in four places to her ceiling fan which allows it to move slowly in the video.

Lisa Heenan created this hanging arrangement using a Kmart hula hoop and flowers, vines from IKEA and discounted store ornaments.
Lisa Heenan created this hanging arrangement using a Kmart hula hoop and flowers, vines from IKEA and discounted store ornaments.

The $5 hoop can be found at Kmart, along with a variety of other retailers, and is simply covered in an assortment of artificial vines, and blooms sourced from IKEA, Kmart and discount stores.

Should you wish to adapt this to include fresh foliage and fresh cut flowers, I would suggest using a combination of doddavine, trailing Ivy as your base to cover the hoop. Both materials last well without water. For your flower choices, I would generally recommend sticking with dried flowers, or flowers that can either survive for the day without water or in small water vials.

Spray painted dried lotus pods, pine cones and gum nuts are ideal as they are dry. White Singaporean orchids are a delicate bloom that lasts well without water.  Most tropical blooms will withstand a day or so without water, particularly if it is humid.

Wreath Gum and Paper Cut Outs

Source: Sostrenegrene

This is soooo simple to look at, and even simpler to do. Using only eucalyptus foliage which can be left to dry on a super simple frame, and adorned with quaint paper cut outs…really, is there any excuse not to have a wreath when there are options as easy as these.

Still, not everyone is crafty, so as you know we are here for all your fresh flower, gifting and Christmas decorating needs.

Not long to go ONLY 5 more sleeps! 🎄 🎅🏼 🎄 🎅🏼🎄🎅🏼🎄

Fwf x

 

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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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Shelling peas

The Simple Things

I’m in the midst of school holidays, and if I’m really honest I looked forward to hiding myself away for a little while to write this very blog post just a touch toooo much. And it’s not because I don’t enjoy being with my kids….I certainly do. In fact this year my eldest started school and I miss her being around terribly. I do think however, that in an effort to give our children more, we give them less, and leave ourselves with nothing 🤔 So my quiet time tucked away working can be my salvation.

I started jotting down things they asked to do, or things I thought could be fun as the school term was coming to an end. Of course there is some expectation that we might see one movie, but they are pretty darn happy running through the sprinkler, or playing board games, or passing the time playing together and having conversations with each other (and me) about nothing and everything.

It’s true we all parent differently and we’ve all been parented differently, so sometimes the things we value and see as important, non negotiable or necessary are also very different.

Daisy chain
Gorgeous daisy chains via The Reluctant Migrant

If you think about the things you enjoyed most when you were growing up, what do you remember? I could bet that it wasn’t some elaborate play date – did they even exist as a ‘thing’ back then? Or full day excursions to a theme park or a play centre? I doubt it.

Our world was simpler, wasn’t it? Hours used to pass sitting and playing at the local park, which was nothing more than a swing set and a slide (probably metal 😂)…surrounded with plenty of wide open green space and trees. Endless possibilities.
We’d climb the trees of course, and swing and slide…and then we’d sit, picking out “lucky” four leafed clovers.
Only the other day I realised this was something I was yet to do with my children. We had discovered a new park full of clover and bees….LOTS of them. It was a welcome sight, and a brought with it a feeling of nostalgia.

We sat collecting the small white flowers and I demonstrated the way you could link them together. Slowly the girls copied and created crowns for their heads.

Lucky four leafed clover
Lucky one! Source; Wikipedia

So I guess this got me thinking about the simplest pleasures we can share with our children, that are inspired by nature’s plants and flowers.

Here’s my list of just some of the wonderful opportunities Mother Nature has gifted us with, that we may use to bond with, talk to and teach our children;

1. Daisy chains 🌼
2. “Lucky” Four leafed clover hunts ☘️☘️☘️🍀
3. Plucking petals from a flower head one by one…he loves me….he loves me not… until you are finally presented with the answer you desire. 🥀
4. Carefully picking Dandelions, and then blowing the seeds into the breeze, carrying with it all your hopes and dreams. 🌬
5. Collecting different coloured leaves 🍁
6. Collecting leaves from different trees- use them for ‘rubbings’, or paint on one side and make prints, or press them into clay to see the leaf’ structure. 👩🏻‍🎨
7. Shell peas fresh from the garden 👨‍🍳
8. Use white chrysanthemums stems placed in different food colourings to demonstrate the capillary network within the flower structure. 👨🏼‍🔬
9. Collect interesting flowers and sprigs to press. 🌾
10. Make a grass head 👨🏼‍🌾

a girl blowing on a dandelion done with a vintage retro instagram filter
a girl blowing on a dandelion. Source: Flower Meaning
Sage leaves pressed into clay for added texture
Sage leaves pressed into clay for added texture
Dying chrysanthemums with food colouring
Science experiment time with flowers and food colouring. Source: Laughing kids Learn

The beauty of all these activities is that children feel more connected to the world in which they live in, while you provide great opportunities for conversations and questions. Plus, things in nature just seem to take longer, so it helps develop patience. Spring is a beautiful time of the year to get out and enjoy the environment, with plenty of fresh flowers in bloom and great varieties of fresh cut flowers available in store to play with too! Teach them how to ‘arrange’ flowers by using a selection of our market fresh cut flower specials and a small glass bottle. It is easy to fill and will give them that feeling of achievement. Get them to help you water the garden; whether it is with a hose, watering can or old milk bottle, young ones love to be busy.

Fwf x

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Image of a daughter suprising her mum for Mother's Day with bouquet of flowers

What You Need to Know When Arranging for a Flower Delivery Service in Cheltenham

It’s almost the time of the year when people take the time to spoil their mums and express their appreciation for everything she has done. If you’re wondering how to make your mum feel special, you can never go wrong with gifting flowers for the occasion.

Of course, not just any flower will do and you will have to make sure that the flowers get to your mum fresh and on time for her special day.  If you aren’t sure which flowers to choose, expert florists in Cheltenham can help to ensure that your mum gets a beautiful flower bouquet for Mother’s Day.

Consider the following before making arrangements for flower delivery in Australia:

  • It’s important to consider your mum’s preference for flowers when deciding which flowers to get. If you know that she favours a particular kind, then that would be the best choice regardless of what anyone says. If your mum likes different types of flowers, then you can create a bouquet which will delight her.
  • What if you have no idea what your mum’s favourite flower is? Well, you can always opt for traditional favourites. Popular options include roses, carnations and of course, Chrysanthemum — the traditional Mother’s Day flower of Australia.
  • You can likewise take into account your mum’s personality and make decisions based on that. For example, if your mum has an outgoing personality and enjoys outdoor activities like gardening, then sunflowers are likely to be one of her favourites.
  • Choose flowers based on colour — each colour has a significance. For example, red roses have always been a symbol of love. If your mum prefers a particular colour, then you would want to take that into account as well.

There is no shortage of options in finding flowers that are most suitable for your mother on her special day. You need only to take the time to look around and consider the factors mentioned above.

Purchase flowers and arrange for delivery online

Are you looking for the quickest and most convenient way to get your mum Mother’s Day flowers? If so, the most convenient method is to shop online. Reputable flower shop businesses like “Florist with Flowers” have websites that showcase flower arrangements and other gift options for the occasion. You need only place an Order for bouquets Online for Mother’s day, and they will take care of the rest.

Make sure that you place an order for the flowers ahead of time to beat the rush and ensure the flowers you want are available. As the demand can often exceed supply just a few days before the occasion.

 

Are you looking to place an order for Mother’s Day flowers? Check out our beautiful selection of flower bouquets online or phone us today on 02 9871 1666. We would be happy to help you make sure that your mum gets the flowers that she deserves on this special day.

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poison cover

Do Yourself a Favour and Avoid a D.I.Y Disaster

These days we try our hands at all sorts of things….things we have no training in (outside of YouTube videos, of course!) But let’s face it, there is only so much you can learn from a couple of minutes of video footage, the expertise and guidance of a trained professional is irreplaceable.

Take the experience a Nebraskan Bride had recently for example. Determined to put her own stamp on her wedding celebrations, she and her crafty bridesmaids decided to make their own bridal bouquets, gathering flowers and foliage from her family property. Little did she know though, she had chosen a flower with devastating effects.

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Image; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre by Nan Hampton

Snow on the Mountain is one of many flowers that can give people allergic reactions. As part of the notorious Euphorbia family, Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia marginata) is a common garden ornamental plant. Like many plants within the Euphorbia family, when cut, the stem emits a white sap which may cause a severe rash, dermatitis like symptoms, swelling to the eyes, and irritation to mucous membranes. A person’s sensitivity to the plant will depend on age, weight and physical health. Children are the most vulnerable as they are the more curious, and small in size. The plant absorbs toxic substances, from the water, air and soil, and therefore the toxicity of the plant can differ depending on the season, and stage of growth.

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Image; Omaha World Herald

After being in contact with the flowers, Christine washed her face without realising that the plants sap was still on her hands. With that, she transferred the sap to her eyes, and so it began…

Christine’s pastor rushed them through the ceremony, so that the couple could get to the hospital where she was administered a steroid shot. The rash spreading over Christine’s body called for a quick wardrobe change, and then she and Jon headed back at her reception 3 hours late.

There are plenty of flowers that can cause similar reactions, so you must beware. Choosing a trained professional florist is certainly going to avoid these sorts of complications, and that means choosing a reputable business, not just someone who ‘does flowers’ from home.  A trained/qualified florist has the knowledge and skill base to point you in the right direction style-wise and also keep you safe with hypo-allergenic choices.

Luckily enough for Christine and her Groom, their generous suppliers helped create the magical day they had hoped for a month after their botched wedding day, allowing them to pose for the pictures they never had a chance to have.

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Image; Christine Jo Miller Instagram via Mamamia

Christine has remained pretty good spirited about the whole ordeal, describing herself as the “scariest-looking person at (her) wedding”.

Christine says that her less than perfect wedding day has reminded her to “Focus on the big picture,” the bride told the Omaha World-Herald.

“It’s so hard to do that when you’re trying to compare your wedding to other people.

“You are literally getting married. We make it such a big deal in all the wrong areas.”

So even though things didn’t go quite as planned for Christine and Jon, they gained great insight into the fact that the wedding day is only the start….we almost forget the fact that we are vowing to marry someone for a lifetime.

Christmas and New Year are traditionally popular times to get engaged- so if you know someone who plans to tie the knot in the New Year, send them our way! Florist with Flowers has oodles of experience in organising gorgeous wedding flowers that reflect each couple perfectly.

In the meantime, we want to wish you all a safe and happy holiday period. Thank you to all our lovely loyal customers. We certainly couldn’t keep doing what we do without your continued support.

Fwf x

Featured Image; Ritz Carlton

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xmas tree cover

Christmas Tree Decorating that Breaks the Internet

If you, like me, like a good ‘theme’ to things, then Christmas is probably no different. I must confess though, in my current stage of life (3 kids under 5) over the last few years I have stuck with the same theme out of a combination of laziness and practicality. Despite the burning desire to change the colours, I have resisted, telling myself that this year is probably the last year that I will have to decorate a non traditional tree.

Over the last five years I have done what most families do; that is, either choose to have a non traditional Christmas tree decoration, OR, for the traditionalists, erect a fence-like structure around the parameter of your Christmas tree.

I have created a hanging wooden tree, made from various lengths of wooden slats, hung together to create a triangular Christmas tree silhouette and this has appeased me both practically as well as aesthetically. This  hangs in an alcove at the entrance of our home, away from little hands that seem absolutely determined to pull everything out and down, only to throw it all on the floor….for me to stand on.

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Like many other cash savvy mums out there I keep my eye on decorator ideas from many of the big retailers. And I have to say, non rival what Kmart have on offer.

Mums from all over the country post pictures of their trees sourcing wisdom from the crowd for their decorating dilemmas. Others post pictures for others to take inspiration from, and of course to garner the envy and appreciation that only social media ‘likes’ and comments can give you.

The one that really seemed to impress  this year was Tammy Sims’ black Christmas tree dressed head to toe in a slowly changing rainbow. Using a combination of store bought decorations as well as D.I.Y baubles that she glued and glittered herself, she was able to create a truly eye catching, creative tree.

Tammy Sims' Rainbow Christmas Tree

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Images via Kmart Mums of Australia Facebook Page

The South Australia mum of three has scored over 6.1K ‘likes’ on the Kmart Mums of Australia’s Facebook page with her creation inspired by the ‘Yes’ vote.

“It seemed appropriate in celebration of the yes vote,” she explained.

Not everyone puts as much thought and consideration into the theme they will use to decorate their Christmas tree. Depending on your family, perhaps you have a box of precious baubles that have special memories attached to them, and they are lovingly hung each and every year.

Or perhaps you prefer less of the clutter that tends to comes with Christmas? If that sounds like you, then Kmart has another option that might fit the bill.

It’s not a fresh Christmas tree. It’s not even green. But Kmart’s stacking Christmas tree is both space saving and chic.

Part of the appeal of the Stacking tree is it’s neutral colour palette and simple Scandi style, however many creative people out there have used the shelf style tree pieces to create colourful compositions to suit their themes for the year.

Jacqueline Bertucci's metallic tree hack
Jacqueline Bertucci’s metallic tree hack
Sam Dawson decided to steer clear of glitzy baubles and instead created a neutral colour palette with light and texture
Sam Dawson decided to steer clear of glitzy baubles and instead created a neutral colour palette with light and texture
Louise Martin's take- with and without the lights illuminated.
Louise Martin’s take- with and without the lights illuminated.

So whether you choose to decorate a fresh or artificial tree, fill a vase with dried branches, or can decorate your home with festive fresh flowers you have endless opportunities to extend yourself creatively….and, if all else fails, know that we do it for you! Check out our Christmas range for inspiration!

Fwf x

Featured image; by Sofia Katariina 

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diy cover

The Long Weekend DIY List

There is nothing like a long weekend to inspire a long list of DIY projects, am I right? I personally decided to take on a cosmetic lift on our ensuite. Full of enthusiasm, I removed plastic accessories that were the height of fashion back in the late 90s when they were originally installed, gave it a lick of paint, and replaced the handles on the vanity to bring it into today.

With 4 full days off, many people seem to have the same idea, and get inspired to tackle projects around the home that they just can’t seem to find time for ordinarily. Maybe it is getting into the garden, or spring (autumn) cleaning, maybe you decide to reorganise the furniture. Whatever the case, a long weekend, gives you an opportunity to concentrate on the task at hand with less distraction.

Here are 5 DIY projects you could set your mind to this weekend that will add atmosphere, relaxation and entertainment to your home.

1. Vegie Garden

If you want to get a head start on your garden this weekend, this is certainly the way to go. Did you know that some vegetables can regrow from a small scrap? YEP! OMG, talk about a game changer. Not only will this give you a head start, it is cheap too. Buy your vegies once, and regrow them for a lifetime.  The best method is to place the scrap in a small amount of water for the growth to begin, but once it gets going, it should be transplanted into the earth for full growth. This can be done with many of the common vegetables and herbs you will have in  your home such as celery, lettuce varieties, cabbage, lemon grass, green spring onions, leeks, garlic chives, buk choy and fennel. For me, this makes incredible sense particularly for celery and lettuce. I find that I tend to cook more casserole/stew style meals for the family in the cooler months, and often the base of the sauce starts with celery. But I honestly find it hard to warrant buying a bunch of celery, when all I really need is one stalk.

Celery stalks should be trimmed them placed in a shallow bowl or saucer of water. And miraculously, new growth will begin to sprout from the centre. A similar technique can be used with lettuce; Cos Lettuce works particularly well with this technique. After the plants begin sprouting you can plant them in your garden and be well on your way to harvest!

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Image; Google

2. Create your own Budget Firepit

Firepits seem to be the latest rage- and they are not cheap to buy. But creating your own budget version can be fun and rewarding. When the lights are low, and the fires burning, it ain’t really going to matter if you took out a small loan for your firepit, or made it with your own two hands. For the full tutorial head to A Beautiful Mess.

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Image; A Beautiful Mess

3. Bird Feeder

Attracting bird life requires very little effort but can be interesting and rewarding.  Each and every home potentially will attract its own unique birdlife. This cute teacup bird feeder is utterly charming and can be customised by choosing a colour concept that will suit your home, or better yet, put those odds and sods to better use!

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Image via Bite Sized Biggie

4. Create a Succulent Ball

Drought resistant plants are generally easier to care for, so this succulent ball makes a great project for just about anyone. They can spruce up an indoor or outdoor empty space, suspended from the ceiling. Try pairing 2 together at different heights for some added interest, or if space allows it try a cluster of three in different sizes.

By choosing a variety of succulents you till be able to create interest with colour and texture. If you feel creative, you could spray paint the wire cage before you begin to match an existing colour scheme. I think a bronze/copper or deep aubergine/chocolate frame would look amazing teamed with similarly coloured succulents 😍

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Image; Drought Smart

5. Garden Bench

There is nothing better than having a quiet space somewhere at home where you can sit, have a cuppa, contemplate and reflect. The garden is an ideal place and this garden bench will provide the perfect spot to sit. Made from Cement blocks and wood, this easily constructed piece of garden furniture will be the perfect project to undertake this weekend.

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Image; Bees and Roses

Whether you have a luxurious escape somewhere planned this weekend,  or are going to get busy around your home, we wish you all a very Happy Easter break.

And, if you are getting on to the crazy roads throughout Sydney or the rest of the country, be safe.

Fwf x

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lab cover

Creating Kitchen Garden Markers

Many people find gardening relaxing, something that is good for their soul. Countless hours may be spent, digging and planting, turning the soil and weeding. But it seems to be a special talent to get things to grow, and much more to have them thrive. Recently, the trend seemed to be bigger houses with less lawn and less garden, and certainly for many that is still true. But for many others, there is a change happening- turning our backs on mass production, and fresh fruit and vegetables being bought at big retailers. Instead we see the popularity of farmers markets increase, and the concept of ‘farm fresh’ and ‘paddock to plate’ becoming more important to a large percentage of the community.

There is a lot to be said for understanding where food comes from. As old fashioned as it sounds, I believe it is of vital importance to bring your children up in the garden and in the kitchen too. That is where they will begin to learn how to have a healthy relationship with food and understand that the food they choose sustains them and helps them thrive also.

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Image; Via Instagram

As a family, we longed for a patch of land where we could begin growing our own food,  as well as give the kids an everyday experience where they are encouraged to touch, feel and get dirty without concern. Oh, and what fun we have had since moving! 😄 So far our kitchen garden has provided literally kilos and kilos of zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, snow peas, corn cobs, cherry tomatoes, celery, chilies, rocket, and different lettuce varieties. We are also waiting on our crop of broccoli and silverbeet.

My husband certainly takes the reigns in the garden (as our resident horticulturist, I wouldn’t expect any less), but the vegie patch and the herb garden have somehow remained mine. Our herb garden has been thriving and we have had more than our fair share of mint, basil and parsley. We also have dill, lemongrass, rosemary, oregano, chives, purple basil.

Some may say it is because I am a control freak that I feel the need to label everything. My response is usually something to do with attempting to make things easier for others, you know so things can be put back in the correct spot or so that you know what is what. So after I had happily planted my seedlings I set about looking for some garden markers. Who knew anything nice was so expensive!!?? I really could not resolve the idea of just leaving the labels on or using those plastic white labels you can get from the hardware store so here are some of the ideas I found;

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Image; 5 Dollar Dinners
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Image; Pin and Paper
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Image; Best Friends for Frosting
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Image; Shrimps Salad Circus
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Image; Simple Details
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Image; Hardly Housewives
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Image; My Garden Your Garden

I found some raw wood spoons in a dollar store and took to them with my sharpies based on the above idea. I started just by roughly positioning the letters on the spoon in lead pencil. Then when I was happy, I penned them in and then added a greenery based design to each, unless it particularly called for colour.

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Whether you are happy to buy some of what you need, or you want to make do with what you have around the house, any of these options make great additions to your garden. And it goes without saying that the kids love getting in and getting their hands dirty.

Fwf x

 

 

 

 

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10 Christmas displays you can create in 10 minutes or Less!

We are all time poor these days but never  more so than at this time of year when there are countless social engagements, family celebrations and workplace functions filling our calendar, as well as heavier traffic and longer lines in the stores.

It is totally acceptable and expected then, that the less important tasks are left to the very end, and for many that will mean the decorating.

Creating a talking piece is easy. Don’t believe me? In less than ten minutes, you could create one of these fun displays that you could use in a foyer area, side table or servery or something you can add to your table. For those of you who have left decorating to the last minute, I have found some eye catching pieces from all over, which are effective and also quick and easy to get together.

These super cute Christmas Tree Napkins from Publix are surprisingly easy to make. For the tutorial head here.

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Image; Publix

Or if you fancy a cute Elf hat instead, you can find the tutorial here. I’d alternate the colour of the elf hats or christmas tree napkins to add more colour to the table but stick to one block colour if you have other accessories on your table.

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Image: Good Housekeeping

Table top designs like these tinsel trees, and super easy to make. Pick up styrofoam trees from the craft or dollar store, and cover them in card; this way you are using the styrfoam as a mould. Then hot glue tinsel to the surface by winding it round and round. (If you use the hot glue directly on the foam, you will find it melts). Remove the card from the styrofoam tree, and place on your table.

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Image: A Lion’s Nest

My craft cupboard has an assortment of household junk, old wrapping papers, scrap-booking papers and lots of old thick card. Whether you purchase thick quality card, or recycle cardboard boxes, these two piece tree ornaments are super cheap and super easy to make. You can cover your recycled card with old wrapping paper, paint your designs or cover them in glitter to match your theme, then, when they are dry slot them together. Voila!

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Image: HGTV

Hurricane Lamps or other vases can be used to create a display within, like a life sized snow dome of sorts. You can even turn over your stemware and create a slimlined display down the centre of the table.

A display can be very quickly put together using a handful of Christmas ornaments that match your theme and a large vase, and it will take you less than a couple of minutes. Alternatively you may use Christmas themed figurines and carefully craft a scene that your guests may admire. The more intricate the scene, the longer it will take you to make, but it will also keep your guests amused discovering all the details to your design!

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Image: Take Time for Style
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Image: Cuecas na Cozinha via Pinterest

Candles are an amazing way to add ambiance to a room. Obviously though, they are best reserved for night settings where the candles glow can truly be utilised.

I love these candle holders that have been accented with some evergreen flat pine. Nothing says Christmas like a touch of pine, right? With the help of your trusty hot glue gun and a few sprigs of flat leafed pine, you will quickly be on your way!

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Image: Better Homes and Gardens

And check out this AWESOME alternative to traditional votive holders by removing the centre of a pine cone. Think about how easily this idea can be altered to tie in with your colour theme;you can either change the colour of the candles, or spray paint the cones and sprinkle them with chunky glitter while the paint is still wet.

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Image via Sortra

Too advanced for you? This idea with recycled bottles, candles and a touch of pine simply tied on, is easy enough for ANYONE! No excuses- Get crafting!

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Well, that rounds out our Christmas themed blogs for another year- it’s hard to believe 2016 will soon be coming to a close. From all of us here at Florist with Flowers, we thank you for your continued support here, in store and online, and wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas.

Fwf x

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