Christmas without the Cliche

Oh no! Could it be? Is it really possible? Am I really feeling what I'm feeling?...Yes...I officially have a sore throat, AGAIN! I'm going to stop it in its tracks this time. It is no match for my daily dose of Emergen-C working hand-in-hand with my intake of tangerines and lime juice with honey (***gulp***), I hope. Mind over matter, mind over matter.

So what does this mean for me? I get a relaxing day in front of my computer working on a blog entry and chipping away at the overdue photos I need to post. No meetings. No designing. Just rest day.

These photos are from a Christmas party that I did back in December for a popular dance school. I was given a budget and three days notice. Luckily, the client also gave me free reign to design...my type of job! I am not a traditionalist by nature, so Christmas was never really my favorite time of the year to design for. In a flower shop, Christmas usually meant creating wreaths and candle table arrangements. As a freelance floral designer, I get clients who seek out creativity. I decided on a traditional shape to keep in line with the traditional feel of Christmas and added a couple "new" elements, like feathers, succulents, and cinnamon sticks. I did three different designs that were alternated throughout the room. By far, my favorite was the white ethereal arrangement, that balanced softness against rigid, much like an actual snowscape. To me, the muted colors of the succulents, dusty miller and frosted pine cones gave the arrangement a "freshly fallen snow" feel and the lightness of the feathers and the fringed mums offset the stiffness of the evergreen and succulents quite nicely.

Every Christmas party needs a red and green color combination, so I did my own interpretation by replacing forest green with a more modern apple green. Alone, apple green paired against a bright red could translate to an animated style. So, I added in a deep red to give the colors a little more depth and elegance. The cinnamon sticks really completed the look and is really the only element of "holiday" in this arrangement.


Of course, I had to do one arrangement that was a little more traditional. My goal was to make the ornaments just as much of a focal point as the flowers and I think it was a successful pairing.

Could it really be? Am I really feeling it? Is this really happening?...Yes...After this project, I can actually say, I like to design Christmas arrangements!

Eco-Friendly Favor

Light on the pocketbook and light on the planet, these eco-friendly favors are definitely worth considering for your next event. The pots are made of recycled paper and your guests are able to take these home and plant them directly into the ground--pot and all! If you plan early enough, I hear succulents are relatively easy to grow and they will spread into multiple plants with time. Each one cost me less than $2 and 2 minutes to make!


Materials:
1. Edge Punch
2. Paper
3. Bottle
4. Plant with Soil

Choose a paper with an interesting pattern or use of color. Keep in mind the thinner the paper, the more your edges that wrap around need to overlap and thicker papers will not fold under as cleanly. I found the best papers for me were the pages of an Anthropologie catalog and the pages of a newsletter I receive. Both had a thickness similar to regular copy paper.

1. Cut the paper into a 4" X 9" rectangle. You can adjust these measurements depending on how large you need your pot.

2. Use your punch edge along one of the 9" sides of the paper that will be the top rim of your pot. I chose the Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch. You can use your favorite one.

3. Choose a bottle that has the same diameter you want for your final pot with a concave bottom. I used an olive oil spray bottle. Place your bottle parallel to one of the 4" edges approximately 2 1/4" from the bottom of the paper and roll until you reach the other end.

4. Tuck the bottom edges under the bottle.

5. Remove the bottle and your pot should stay together. If your paper is too thin, you may need to overlap the paper more.

6. Place your plant inside the pot. If you choose, secure with twine or a bow.


Try out different types of papers. The possibilities are endless! Add a tag to your favor explaining to each recipient that they may plant your pot directly into the ground. Not only will your friends thank you for such a wonderful gift, but the planet will too!