4 Apple Crafts for Autumn Entertaining

Hello crafters! Looking for tips on how to decorate with gorgeous apples? Look no further…check out my blog post at mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com.

Advertisement

Jackie & Jeff’s Spring Wedding

This gallery contains 14 photos.

One of the reasons I love planning and styling weddings is the opportunity to think out of the box and to create unique venues for clients. Fortunately, my clients have allowed a little design craziness. And as expected, some cockamamy ideas … Continue reading →

Simple Flower Arrangements & Flea Market Finds

 

Last week I had the privilege to do some floral styling for a video shoot. The photographer we worked with was photo journalist and Pulitzer Prize recipient, Matt Rainey. The images he captured are exquisite and Matt was kind enough to share these photos with me so I could share them with you.

For this assignment, I used simple and elegant thrift store vessels to compliment the freshly cut spring flowers. There’s really no need to spend big buck on vases … let the flowers express themselves.

Chalkboard Flower Pot Easter Gifts

Chalkboard paint is so much fun to work with and it allows you countless ways to produce unique and functional pieces like this project, Birch Log Table Numbers.

I have a giant pile of unused terra-cotta flower pots so putting them to good use, I cracked open a can of chalkboard paint and created these simple gifts for the upcoming Easter holiday.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Terra Cotta containers (any paintable container will do)
• Chalkboard paint
• Foam paint brush
• Chalk
• Small plant or flower of your choosing (I used Baby’s Tears)
• Egg (optional)

You can find all of the project ingredients, including terra-cotta pots, at any craft store. Oh, with the exception of live plants and real eggs but you could substitute with artificial. For live plants, visit your local nursery and for eggs, visit your fridge.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Clean the surface of the container and paint away!
2. After the paint dries completely, with chalk write or draw anything you want on the surface.
3. Insert plant or flower.
4. Your done!

For an added surprise, I placed a simple brown egg that I blew out then glued twine into the hole to hang.

Here’s how you blow-out an egg:

1. Using a long stick pin, poke a hole in the top and bottom of the egg and move the pin around to break op the yolk. Make one of the holes a little larger than the other. That’s the hole you’ll insert and glue twine.
2. Holding the egg in one hand, force the egg contents out by gently blowing into the smaller hole in the egg. The egg insides will come out the other side. Note to crafters – save the insides and make a scrambled egg for yourself – no waste!
3. After the insides are empty, insert the egg in warm soapy water to clean the inside of the egg. Rinse and let dry on a paper towel.
4. When dry, insert twine into the larger hole, glue in place and your done!

Happy Crafting and Happy Easter!

 

Tiny Twig Trees

 

We’re on the holiday home stretch right now and if you’re looking for ideas for a super cute gift or party favor, you’ve come to the right place. These tiny twig trees are fun, easy, and sure to please.

You’ll need:

• Twigs
• Hot glue gun
• Tiny containers to compliment your tiny trees
• Moss
• Dry floral foam

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create the tree by laying out five pieces of twigs on a flat surface; one is the trunk, second is the base of the tree, the third and fourth are the sides and the fifth is the center.
2. After you have the shape desired, place a dab of hot glue where the twigs touch each other.
3. When the glue is dry insert dry floral foam into the container then insert the tree into the foam (trunk first).
4. Glue some moss to cover the foam and you are done!

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

Glitter Christmas Trees in Milk Glass Vases

Who doesn’t have loads of milk glass vases sitting around? Okay crafters, maybe just me but I’m going to show you how to turn those vases upside down to create charming bases for glitter Christmas trees.

You’ll need:

• Milk glass vases (flea markets, antique stores are a good source for these beauties)
• Styrofoam cones
• Elmers Glue
• Foam brushes
• Glitter
• Glue gun

All of the project ingredients, with the exception of the vases, can be found at any craft store.

Here’s how ya do it:

1. Turn the vase upside down to make sure it doesn’t wobble when sitting on a flat surface.
2. Then choose the appropriate sized styrofoam cone to rest securely on the bottom of the vase.
3. Using a foam brush, completely slather the styrofoam cone with glue and douse it with glitter. Glittering 101: To avoid a massive glitter fiasco, find a large cardboard box and position it so the opening is on the top, place the object to be glittered inside the box then sprinkle glitter until you have completely covered said object. Don’t forget to glitter the bottom of the tree!
4. When the glittered cone is completely dry, use a glue gun to affix the cone to the bottom of the vase.
5. You’re done!

Happy crafting!

My Orchids Tie One On

 

Here’s my latest creation and invention. My friend Joe owns the best Italian restaurant ever called Roma Ristorante. Joe asked for some flowers for his bar so I picked up these stunning orchids and two glass containers. One very large and a smaller vase to fit inside the larger one. Next I scoured Ebay and found 350 wine corks (Ebay is awesome!) I then dumped the corks between the inner and outer containers and in the inner container, repotted the orchids in organic potting medium for orchids.

It’s important to support the flower stems of orchids but I’m not a big fan of the standard stem clips so to continue the theme, I drilled a quarter-inch hole right through a cork then with a razor blade, sliced it in half (on one side only).   It’s important to leave some wiggle room between the stem and the cork and I found that a quarter-inch drill bit was perfect. Then I placed the cork around the stem and stake. Finally, it’s finished off with some string and I topped off the arrangement with moss. Cheers!

Gussied Up Glass Cylinder Vase

Want to know how to dress up a plain glass cylinder vase?  Simply buy some decorative paper from your local craft store or download and print a vintage wallpaper image from the web.  Then cut to size and slide it inside the vase.  Your done!  Obviously this only works when you are arranging dried flowers.  No water needed for this beauty!

This arrangement features craspedia, brunia, thistle, hypericum berry and scabiosa.

Enjoy your weekend!

Bailing Twine Flowers

My friend Kate made yarn pom poms for a wreath (and her cat Fable) and I thought I’d try the same technique but use bailing twine instead to make flowers. I love bailing twine – it’s inexpensive, a roll of it goes a long way, and I use it in a lot of my projects.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bailing twine
• Florist wire
• Scissor
• Your fingers

Here’s how ya do it:

1. Loosely wrap twine around four fingers starting with your forefinger to your pinky finger. Wrap the twine around your four fingers about 25 times.
2. Remove the twine from your fingers and twist florist wire in the middle of the flower to bind the center of the flower.
3. Cut the looped ends with a scissor.
4. Now simply fluff up the flower to the perfect shape and cut the flower to the desired size.
5. Done!

I hot glued mine to the ends of twigs but there are countless creative uses for these beauties. Have fun, and happy crafting!

Saturday Flowers

Recently I provided the flowers for a Garden of Hope event hosted by the Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley. It was an outdoor event filled with inspiring stories of courage, hope and inspiration from a cancer survivor and a Salsa performance by Lehigh Valley Salsa.

The flowers I used were a few of my favorites: golden rod, hydrangea, chrysanthemum, voodoo roses, zinnias and hosta leaves to line the interior of the clear glass vases.

This little fella was still feasting and wasn’t quite ready to give up its tasty meal.

And here are the creations.

Happy Saturday!