Iris...

Iris. Have faith. Believe in the impossible and never give up on the dreams of your heart.

I'll admit, I wasn't a big fan of irises until some made themselves at home in my English ivy. A gift from the wind I suppose. Or perhaps a message.

A stylized iris is the flour-de-les emblem of France and Florence. It is named after Isis, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, who traveled along the arc to pass messages between mortal and immortal realms. Because she was a messenger, the flower symbolizes a message -- often a promise of love, as well as wisdom and valor.

The meaning of irises varies according to color:

purple: beauty

blue: faith and hope

yellow: passion

white: purity and perfection

Do you love irises? If you do, it's  because beauty and elegance are important to you. Being a perfectionist, you believe that a job that's worth doing is a job well done. You aspire to do great things in your life all done with diligence, intelligence and graciousness. 

One of these days, I'm going to dig out those irises and plant them in my perennial garden. For you gardeners, some good companions are peonies, foxgloves, lupines and columbines.

For now, I'm enjoying them inside.

{this is how you can arrange them using the technique I showed you last week}

A closer look…

It's always nice to have a bloom or two in your powder room for your guests to admire…

Now that I've become better acquainted with irises, I like them. I guess we were destined to meet.

Source for history and meanings: The Secret Language of Flowers by Samantha Gray.

Floral design: how to line a clear vase like a pro...

I frequently use glass vases to arrange flowers. Lining them with greenery is an easy way to enhance the look of the arrangement and disguise the flower stems. I'll show you how to make several affordable designs with three ingredients in three simple steps.

Here's what you'll need:

(1)  Clean glass vases. I get most of mine at IKEA. If you want to splurge on something that will last a lifetime -- or buy someone a nice wedding gift -- I recommend Simon Pearce.

(2) Your favorite flowers. If you're cutting from your garden, be sure to do so in the morning before it gets hot. Always condition them properly before arranging.

(3) Flat green leaves -- real or faux. You know I loathe faux, but this an exception. Most apartment, loft and condo dwellers don't have yards or gardens. And my go-to foliage is not in season during winter months. Of course, you can get real green stuff at your local florist, farmers market or floral wholesaler year round.

{hosta, aspidistra (aka cast iron plant) and aspidistra ribbon}

Here's how:

Step 1:  If you're using cast iron plant, fold the leaf in half and cut the thick vein away from the back side of the leaf to make it more pliable and easier to work with. Cut away any unsightly dead or brown spots.

Step 2: Simply roll the leaf in your fingers, and place it in a dry vase. Once inside, you can unroll and adjust it to cover more of the interior area.

Fill the vase to leaf top height with water.

Note: If you don't feel super confident about your floral design skills, you can hold the arrangement in your hand and keep adding flowers and greenery until you're pleased with the look and shape. Like this:

{okay, this looks pretty good}

Step 3: Carefully place flowers and filler in the vase and edit as necessary. You're done!

{roses & parrot tulips with filler from my yard}

Faux aspidistra is not cheap, so use it sparingly. An easy way to measure the ribbon is to first wrap the outside of the vase before you make the cut. Then follow step 2. You can hide the seam while you're arranging later.

I used a square vase and variegated ribbon for this arrangement.

Here you can see the ribbon below the flowers. It makes a big difference visually. Don't you agree?

I like to give low vases some height by placing them on top of books around the house. They also make lovely centerpieces, especially grouped in odd numbers.

Hostas are flexible and easy to work with. Just cut off the stems and follow step 2. Don't be afraid to use several leaves and overlap them. It adds nice color variation and texture.

{one of my favorite Simon Pearce vases}

Floral designs with one type of flower are very easy to arrange. Here I used pink and white peonies. Add a few buds in between the flowers for contrast.

I line these hanging vases in my sunroom with a strip of cast iron leaf and add one statement flower. Peonies are perfect, as are gerbera daisies and fully-opend roses. Simple, yet elegant.

{vases from Pottery Barn are no longer available, but these are cute}

I hope this has been a helpful tutorial, and that you're inspired to go get some flowers and make your home come alive!

Spring into flowers...

Just some of the lovely flowers and veggies I  saw in my garden and around town last week.

Savoring the final days of my peonies this season.

'Festiva Maxima'...

 {I spy a ladybug}

'Monsieur Jules Elie'...

A stellar year at the Druid Hills Tour of Homes & Gardens.

Such a colorful and original display of veggies on a silver platter...

Adorable cottage in a pot…

Stunning pink rose arbor…

Tulips, star of Bethlehem and green barb dianthus in a pretty ceramic vase…

More dianthus with hydrangea, dusty miller and thistle in a julep cup...

Spotted at Saul's...

These green and red lettuces look so vibrant side by side. They would make for an inexpensive rustic centerpiece in a pot or basket.

And, around downtown Decatur.

Tub full o' plants at Calle Latina...

And, peach carnations and cookies at Cakes & Ale Bakery…

{taste like malted milk balls -- yum!}

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Peonies...

Peonies are finally here -- something I look forward to all year. Pink peonies are my all-time favorite flower.

One of the longest-lived perennials -- if properly planted -- a peony can outlive the person who planted it. It may even outlive his or her children and grandchildren. Pricey, but well worth the time and investment.

'Paula Fay' is always the first to show her lovely face in my garden. Beautiful, vibrant pink petals with yellow centers will put a smile on anyone's face. They make beautiful cut flowers. I would not recommend using them in a mixed bouquet unless they are very tight buds just starting to open. Once open, they last just a few days and emit an unpleasant odor.

Let's take a look.

'Paula Fay' grows on strong, upright waxy green stems and foliage. The blooms are not heavy like some of the fuller peonies, so they don't have to be supported.

{buds starting to open}

{in full bloom }

Once open, the petals fade to a lighter translucent shade. They almost look like tissue paper. I've had many people ask if they are real when I bring them inside.

Because they are so spectacular, they look best on their own.

Or, display them in groups of three.

{bubble milk vases from chive.com}

{snartig vases from IKEA -- $.79 cents each!}

An American Peony Society Gold Medal winner, 'Paula Fay' would be a nice addition to any garden. Consider gifting one to a favorite gardener in your life.

Visit Walter Reeves for tips on how to grow peonies in the south and which varieties do best here.

Starting to bloom: 'Festiva Maxima' and 'Mons. Jules Elie.'

My holiday tablescape...

Thanksgiving was an exciting day here. We celebrated Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and my sister's birthday.

Remember my blue and orange mood board? Here's how it came to life:

Hope you all had a good one, and for those of you who are still enjoying the festival of lights...

Bought some damn art

Blue painters tape has been on the wall above my living room fireplace for well over a year. Okay, maybe two. Every time someone walks in our front door they ask if I've found something to hang there. "No, I haven't."

Many designers say that it's better to have a blank wall than to hang something you don't love to fill the void. I agree. And, I tend to be a bit OCD about certain things. Once I get an idea in my head, I don't settle for anything less. I really didn't know what I wanted to begin with.

Browsing through the February issue of Style At Home, the abstract landscape in this photo caught my eye. The painting resides in a Surrey British Columbia condo designed by Kerrisdale Design. Canada, I know. The couple who own it asked the designers to give the place a Something's Gotta Give vibe. The Hampton's house in that movie is one of my faves. Actually, I adore all of the homes featured in Nancy Meyers films.

I quickly turned to the source guide. No mention of the artist. Darn.

Good things come to those who read a shit load of blogs. As luck would have it, this same photo appeared on House of Turquoise a month later. Erin at HOT loved the art too and shared the artist's name -- Nancy Jean Tobin who lives in New Jersey and has an Etsy shop. You know how much I love Etsy.

I quickly contacted Nancy and a custom painting was in the works. I asked for darker greens and a bit of red to blend in with my home's decor. After some back and forth, we agreed on the finished product. Note: I hope Nancy doesn't think I'm a nightmare client. Sometimes I have a hard time giving up creative control.

The box arrived last week. After unwrapping it, this little package appeared. Nancy and I must have similar taste, because I bought that same ribbon from another Etsy shop -- no lie -- a few years ago. Don't you love the spool and adorable hat pin?

And then, the painting was wrapped up like a giant present.

Here it is unwrapped, with painters tape still showing behind it. Hope to hang it this weekend.

Moral of the story: If you see something you like -- even if it's in a Canadian shelter magazine -- don't give up. I addition to Etsy, there are other online sources to shop for afordable, original art. Kate Singleton, founder of Buy Some Damn Art, features a new up-and-coming artist every Tuesday on her site for purchase. Check it out.

Next up: mantel styling.

Photo credit: 1

Photo gallery for dummies

I recently read Nathan Turner's American Style. In it he says that framed photos always look better on a vertical, not horizontal, surface. That includes book shelves, which is pretty much where all of mine sit. The only way to display family photos, he says, is in uniform frames on one wall. BTW, I love Nathan Turner. Here he is looking cute with his adorable yellow lab "Daisy." For those of you who don't already know, I have a yellow lab named "Daisy."

This inspired me to collect the dozens of framed and loose photos scattered around the house and packed up in boxes to display on one of our many naked walls -- a project I've started and stopped for 3 years. Alas, I came across Change of Art. These eco-friendly frames make hanging art and photos easy peasy. Yes, pleasey. Let's take a look.

Each frame is already matted, includes its own template and hanging button. This means no more holes all over the wall -- something I've been known to do. An extra storage pocket for photos you want to swap out is placed behind the actual photo slot. Watch the demo video to see how it works.

My photo gallery project in three steps:

Step 1: Weed through this mess to select photos. Overwhelming I know.

and this..

Edit, edit, edit.  

Step 2: I arranged the framed photos on the floor first. After much back and forth, we affixed the templates to wall with painter's tape. I like that the mats come in various sizes -- visually mixes it up.

Step 3: Nail buttons in place and hang frames. Done! This wall is opposite the stair case, so I had to take these photos from an angle. Looks much better in person.

The frames are also great for kid's art. I used my handmade Mother's Day cards from last year on my wall. Note: the frames only come in 5x7 and 8x10 with additional sizes to come. They also come in white and cherry. I have already ordered more to add to this gallery and start a new wall. I'm hooked.

One more thing. Change of Art donates 50 cents for each frame you buy to your charity of choice.

Easy, good looking, eco-friendly and charitable. Sold?

Photo images:  1