Pummeled with Pomanders

I am so ridiculously relaxed while on this vacation that I actually voluntarily opened up a medical textbook to read about liver disease in preparation for my first month as a senior resident.  More on that.....never.

Ok that was just a minor seepage of my work life into this blog---will never happen again I promise!

One of my most recent projects: flower pomanders made from silk flowers.  I had been obsessing over fresh flower pomanders and watched a million you tube videos about making them.  Then I thought... why not make them out of silk flowers and see?  I loved it so much I made four of them!!

Unfortunately, I don't have a nice pictorial tutorial.  In the crazed commotion of creating flower balls, I could not be bothered to take photos.

You will need (pictures and items courtesy of JoAnn Fabrics):

Friendly neighborhood wire cutters                 3-4 silk flower stems (6-8 flowers each)                       Several feet of ribbon                           

 A styrofoam ball

(mine was 4" diameter)

(it was a dry foam ball)

(when using fresh flowers, use a wet foam ball and soak it in water)

 Directions:
1.  Snip off all the flowers leaving a 3-4" stem.  I separated the leaves from mine because green is not welcome in my flower balls, but you can leave the green on.  I've seen adorable pomanders where the green is all located at the top of the ball so that it looks like an orange, but I can't find an example.

2.  measure out enough ribbon to tie around the ball and to make the handle.  Account for the length needed to tie a bow as well.  I used 40" for mine.

3. Tie ribbon around the ball, I just went around once though, some will suggest making two rounds, as though you are tying around the equator as well the meridian of Int'l Date Line/Greenwich Mean Time.  I should not pretend to understand geography.

4.  Now with your pre-cut flower stems, pierce them into the ball evenly until they fill out.  EASY PEASY GREASY BREEZY.

5.  Hang your newly created balls on banisters, hangers, lamps, shower curtain rods, regular curtain rods, chairs, ALL OVER THE HOUSE.

Ah, how satisfying.  I think pomanders (otherwise known as kissing balls) are so charming.  I squeal with delight (in my head) when I see pictures of them hanging at different lengths from arches.  I am going to hang them from the trellis that will stand behind us during the ceremony.  On the other hand, I also have a soft spot for them hanging on the chairs along the aisle.  Ah, decisions, decisions.

Flower Power: Carnation and Rose Bouquets and Centerpieces

My mom and I had a flower adventure yesterday.  We bought roses, bi-colored carnations, and mix bouquets and went to town making prototype bridesmaid bouquets and centerpieces.

Here is the damage:

Now we know what floral adornments the groomsmen, bridesmaids, and tables will be sporting.

Flower Preview

I've been on vacation since the beginning of the month: eating, sleeping, travelling (Rochester, Cape Cod, Ft. Lauderdale), and swimming.  Then I got otitis externa :( but it's getting better now.

Pictures about these may appear in the near future.
But Definitely my near future (tonight or tomorrow) involves posting about my recent bridezilla (bridesilly) and mother-of-bridezilla activity.

Outfit: Gap shirt, UO skirt

Carnation carnival

I've got wedding on the brain. Ever since I booked the venue last week, the Bridezilla Quyen has reemerged.  I've decided to make all of the bouquets, boutonierres, and centerpieces.  Naysayers can take the one-way bus to Boring Town, I'm going to do whatever I want and today I'm having a Carnation Carnival! Carnations are poofy and budget-friendly, what more can I ask for?

image credit: manolobrides.com

This is what my bridesmaids and I plan to look like:


you probably think it was hard to find a picture of us out there on the
internet just like that.  Well, it wasn't.
We are going to stomp on you with our stillettos.
Note: wedding colors are lilac and burgundy

So the job is to use red flowers everywhere!! Including the centerpieces.  And I am really weird but I have a no green rule. Maybe the yellow-green of young stems will be ok but dark greenery and thick shrubbery = scream.
Anyway, with the help of bulk flowers from costco and some experimentation, I think this will work out and it will be fun!  I was so excited at the prospect that I showered for under ten minutes this morning and went off to buy flowers and vases for a test run.


I came home with 5 red carnations, 2 pink carnations,
6 red roses, and 1 pink rose.
The reason why I didn't get all red flowers was because
while I was deliberating what to get, this lady went and
took half the bucket of red carnations! What in the carnation!

Then I made a French spiral bouquet and tied it up with a red ribbon.
After this I proceeded to take a million pictures of me with the bouquet.

I am wearing: Charlotte Russe T shirt, J Crew bi-stretch wool minnie pants in green (or 'parsley')

  After I was satisfied, I dismantled the bouquet and made some table arrangements.  While I was doing this, a few of the carnation heads fell off where the hinge on the stem was.  Bleh.  No matter, I was going to try out some "floating flowers" set up anyhow!