FLOWERS Archives - An Appealing Plan

March 25, 2016

Spring Flowers. The Perfect Way to Celebrate the Season In Your Home.

Spring days scream for spring flower arrangements placed on every surface of your home. Don’t save these gorgeous spring blooms for Easter dinner or Mothers Day brunch, brighten your living room, entranceway table and Spring tablescape with a combination of Snapdragons, Pussy Willow branches and fragrant stock everyday!

I have a collection of vases for everyday flowers that sits on top of a sideboard in my dining room that I grab on a regular a basis, and then I have an amazing collection of art glass pieces I have purchased and acquired over the years that I bring out when I want to create something special. Now that doesn’t have to mean I am throwing a party, it can simply mean I picked up an extra bunch of flowers at the market or that I need a little pick me up on a Thursday.

Of course I start with my favorite flower arrangement filler, Eucalyptus leaves, in the base of my large glass container, cutting them to lay just on the edge of the vessel and then begin to add a layer of white fragrant white stock. On top of the line of white stock, add a large bunch of purple snapdragons for that pop of color.

Finish off this spectacular spring flower arrangement with a few Pussy Willow branches in the center. Spread them out so they arch over the top of the entire arrangement adding texture and height to the arrangement and your spring dinner or coffee table.

Promise me you add more flowers to your home this spring. Don’t wait for a holiday to add beauty to your table ~ try it today, just because. Celebrate everyday ~ Krayl

November 22, 2015November 23, 2016

Creating an Easy Holiday Centerpiece with Flowers + Candles

To me flowers make the table! I like to use unexpected vessels for my arrangements but occasionally they aren’t water tight. Here is my quick fix for that and a how-to for creating an easy holiday centerpiece with flowers and candles using a few of my favorite greens – Seeded Eucalyptus and Boxwood clippings as well as a mixture of colorful flowers – Blue Eryngium Thistle Super Nova, Purple Liatris and Orange Safflower Seed. Please feel free to use whatever flowers you find at the market or garden.

Although I mention specific flowers and greens in this article, and in the video, the real take away is that you can create a base for your arrangements using any vessel that inspires you with just a few items you may even have around your home. Use this as an inspiration and let your creativity run wild!

Creating a Holiday Centerpiece with Flowers + Candles

SUPPLIES

oasis, wet floral foam
Ziploc style baggies – 1 gallon size or larger
2 taper candles
Stick Um
Fiskar garden clippers
Assorted Greens + Florals used in this arrangement:
- Seeded Eucalyptus
- Ornamental Cabbage or Flowering Kale heads
- Blue Eryngium Thistle Super Nova
- Purple Liatris
- Orange Safflower Seed
- Boxwood clippings

METHOD

Cut your oasis foam block in half and soak in water overnight to completely saturate with water.
Push your candle holders into the oasis foam deep enough to hold them straight and secure. If you are not using small candle holders the taper candles may be push directly into the oasis to ensure the stay upright.
Place each block into a water tight bag and roll down the edges so they are just above the top of the block but are below the top of your decorative vessel. Place block and bag into vessel, add the candles and center in the vessel.
Begin to cut and place Eucalyptus branches along the outside edge, be sure the cut ends are deep into the oasis for hydration and so the are secure. Insert large Ornamental Cabbage heads into oasis to create the main body of your arrangement. Cut and insert Blue Eryngium Thistle Super Nova and Orange Safflower Seeds then fill in with Boxwood Clippings.

This flower and candle arrangement is perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or it can easily be updated for any entertaining opportunity that occurs at your home during the winter and Christmas entertaining season. Simply adjust the color pallet coordinate with your seasonal decor or tablescape as needed.

My Boxwood + Besties tablescape with my Roasted Butternut Squash + Cauliflower Soup recipe, perfect for entertaining friend during the holiday season has also been featured on The Inspired Home website.

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And, if you are looking for even more easy holiday entertaining, check out An Appealing Plan the book.

I believe we are bringing back entertaining at home, lingering over a table after a lovingly prepared meal with friends. I am thrilled to be able to invite you on this journey with me through a year of celebrating every day. Filled with recipes, tablescapes, floral inspiration and seasonal entertaining ideas An Appealing Plan :: A Year of Everyday Celebrations. To learn more about An Appealing Plan :: A Year of Everyday Celebrations here.

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April 1, 2015March 10, 2016

How to Create A Spring Bulb Centerpiece.

Forcing bulbs to create a Spring Bulb Centerpiece brings the cheeriness of the outdoors inside, but requires you to plan weeks ahead to properly prepare the bulbs. This quick short cut creates the same look in a fraction of the time. Add this easy Spring bulb centerpiece to your Easter, Mothers Day or other Spring gathering tablescape and watch as each bulb opens up just as it would in your garden.

Begin by selecting the vessels and bulbs, for this table I am using gold accents therefore I am used several gold toned urns in varying heights and textures to add interest to the table. For the bulbs, I have picked up already growing yellow daffodils, purple hyacinth and white tulips – your local nursery, garden center or market most likely will have a nice selection of colors during the early spring months to choose from.

Once you have your vessel and bulbs are selected begin by place a small amount of soil in the base of the planter, then begin to add your bulbs on top. Nursery stock pots usually contain 3-4 bulbs in each, gently break them apart to fit in them in the container and spread out the colors as they would appear naturally in the garden.

Once the bulbs are arranged in the container add another layer of soil to secure them in place and to ensure their roots stay moist as they bloom. Complete your look by topping off the soil with green reindeer moss to cover the roots and add an additional texture to the spring bulb centerpiece.

When you have everything in its place bring the entire container over to the sink and give it a good drink of water – consider whether your vessel has drainage holes and if you need to protect the table surface as well as how much water the bulbs will rest in.

Group the gold urns together in the center of your Easter or Spring tablescape and enjoy the fragrance as they bloom just in time for your Spring gathering.

March 24, 2015January 26, 2016

Setting An Easy Spring Tablescape

Ah Spring… we smell you in the air, we feel you on our skin, we have waited through the chilly nights and short winter days for you to arrive and finally spring is here. It is time to put away our winter coats, open up all the windows, sweep off the front porch and welcome spring into our homes. Yes, please come on in. First step, setting an easy spring table.

Whether it is a kitchen table or a dining room table, creating a Spring inspired tablescape is as easy as heading to the garden to find colorful bulbs and clipping the early flowering branches. If you have a small garden or can’t bear the thought of cutting back the long awaited color, your local farmers market or grocery will no doubt be filled with the bright colors and flowers of the season. For this spring inspired tablescape a white ceramic bunny is nestled between vibrant purple hyacinths mixed with bright fuchsia and green cuttings.

Pink chargers at each place setting create the perfect backdrop to stack plates for each course. Soft boiled eggs placed in whimsical duck feet holders begin our brunch, followed by a spring mix salad with dried currants to be placed on turquoise scalloped edged Italian stoneware plates. The main course of Green Asparagus Soup with Seared Scallops will be served in a low white china bowl.

Setting a pretty table does not equally a stuffy formal affair. Keep with the informal feel of this brunch table by placing additional hyacinths in juice glasses and group together around our happy white ceramic figurine. Sand colored linen napkins and everyday flatware complete the table.

Once the table is set, continue to welcome spring by placing flowers around the house on any flat surface you find.

Seasonal decorating gives you the opportunity to move items around your home, rotate décor and personalize each space as the seasons change. Be sure to enjoy every minute of this fresh new season by playing around with different colors and textures on your table and throughout the house.

March 13, 2015March 18, 2015

Bells Of Ireland

One of my all time favorite green flowers, the Bells Of Ireland, is also one of the most unusual looking flowers you will see in your market or florists shop, but it is the perfect stand alone statement flower arrangement you can place on your table.

Also found under Bells-of-Ireland, and Shellflower or Shell flower – with the Latin name Moluccella laevis – is remarkably from the mint family, grows from seed and is an amazing addition to country gardens as well as more modern beds.

When you purchase your Bells Of Ireland be sure to remove a good inch or more from the bottom before placing them in your arrangement as I find the base of their stems break down before the top portion even starts to fade.

The flowering portion of the Bells Of Ireland are actually the small white buds inside the green bells but beware these spiky have mini thorns so look out when arranging them. These apple green beauties are a striking flower alone in a tall vase of glass or metal – I find tall slender shapes work best as they tend to spread out and their stems are frequently bare at the base.

Bells Of Ireland flowers are a wonderful design element for you dining table or hallway entrance table for the spring season and can be paired with minimal accents to allow the flowers to be the focal point of your arrangement.

February 14, 2015February 9, 2016

Pink Rustic Flower Arrangement

In this segment of An Appealing Plan TV I create a pink rustic floral arrangement perfect for a pink themed table, a girlfriends brunch or a romantic valentines meal for two.

Using a combination of pink flowers with various textures it is possible to create a romantic feeling centerpiece for your dining table or to be placed in any room of your home to add a natural beauty.

Allow the colors and textures of the flowers to dictate the feel of your arrangement rather than forcing it – this lends itself to an overall vintage tablesetting.

Using coordinating colors in your napkins, dinnerware and glassware brings a calm feel to the table and draws the eyes to the finer details and textures.

Add easy to make Ombre XOX sugar cookies to your table by placing them on a cakestand to add a visual interest.