This week, I happened upon a few spare moments. I am sorry, let me stop the laughter right here…spare moment(s)? You moms out there know these spare moments don’t generally exist. In any case, I am here signing in for a mid-week mini post to share a few simple ideas.
Perhaps one of my favorite things about starting this blog has been the creative aspect. Just as I am unsure of what I will do with my thrifted treasures in the moment, the same is true for my post(s). I do not always know what my mind will create- when I enter that “creative space,” I have been allowing myself.
As I was preparing for Friday’s post, I thought… “Why not? Why not squeeze a short post in between a homeschool math lesson, my dinner preparations, and changing a diaper?”
We’ve got this. Breathe. Take time to smell the roses. Ahh, speaking of roses- cue the roses from last Friday…
…Remember these?
~A Familiar Rose~
Yes, these beautiful roses!
After a week of giving joy to my kitchen, the roses were beginning to look a bit sad. This is where I like to come in and rescue them from the garbage bin. If you follow my post(s), you may recall I did an article on dried flowers. This is piggybacking off the same idea.
You see, the whole premise behind my thrifting finds- is to save beautiful things from going to waste- by giving them a new lease on life. I view flowers in this same way.
As a reader, you may have gathered by now that I love fresh flowers. In fact, I wish I had a garden chock full of them- to cut and place in a basket- before bringing them inside my home, to make it lovely. You guys may have also gleaned from my writings that I do not like to let beautiful treasures go to waste. That is why I like to dry my fresh flowers… instead of discarding them. I feel this gives my flowers a second life. In this way, they become a gift that keeps on giving.
~Drying Fresh Flowers~
Drying flowers is a simple and lovely chore (if one can call it a chore). I like to dry the flowers in a way that provides beauty in the process. As with life, there can be much beauty in the process of growth and transformation.
Dark environments are conducive to drying flowers, but I cannot see my flowers drying if they are in a dark closet.
No, no-I much prefer to hang them in a communal space so that they may be enjoyed- as they transform from fresh to dry.
One of my favorite places to dry flowers is by the fireplace. I like to put a rubber band around my mini bushel of flowers, and then tie a ribbon through the rubber band, so that I have a means to hang my flowers upside down.
These beautiful hanging flowers can then be placed in many areas in the home to dry- all the while, looking lovely.
Again, making lovely moments in the home does not have to cost an arm and a leg. If we think of ways to use things instead of discarding them, we can create much beauty even on a shoestring budget.
~A Notable Note~
Note #1: Be on the lookout for these duck friends in future posts, for I am sure they will make a cheeky debut at some point. Their names are Gussy and Quack. Fondly named by my children.
Note #2: After your flowers have fully dried, they can be used in vases or baskets around your home. If the vases and baskets are thrifted…even better. A double beauty- a real showstopper- worthy of being preserved.
~Fruit and Flowers~
Speaking of flowers (see top picture), last week I used blueberries in my flower centerpiece. My flower arrangement was created with a thrifted jewelry box.
This week I thought my flower arrangement needed a pop of color to add interest. Again, I remembered the blueberries. I had some leftover skewers from a previous baking project that I decided to “string” my blueberries onto. This way they could stand upright in my vase. (My thrifted vase I might add- that my husband and I bought in a charity shop in England). I strung a few blueberries on the skewer- as if it was a needle and bead necklace. I then used a bit of vintage lace to tie onto the skewer stick to give a bit of texture to my arrangement.
An easy-peasy project that added a pop of color and texture with ingredients I already had in the refrigerator/craft cupboard.
Additionally, this simple concept is perfect for a brunch finger food. The skewers make grabbing fruit a breeze if you are feeding lots of people. Think shorter lines, happier crowd. All the while making the table look inviting.
~Until Next Time... ~
In working to create my weekly post for Friday, new ideas sprang to mind. I like to think of each blog post as a culmination of the next creative outlet. When the posts happen to overlap, intertwine, and complement each other- I am overjoyed.
I hope this mini post has inspired your creative juices to flow, while bringing even a simple moment of joy into your day. Lovely, ordinary things can be a silver lining in the middle of a long week.
See you all Friday for that quintessentially English treat…
~Elizabeth~
Lovely ideas, and beauty is a joy.
Thank you!