Handmade wedding: Make your own wedding flowers

Julie decided for her wedding to buy all her flowers from a cut your own farm. Just note here she lives and Oregon and there are several locations to do this ,but not every where may have these farms. Here is information on location we want to. This option was not only affordable 80 dollars for all her flowers, but fun if you are organized.

We used all the flowers for: 

Three bouquets : bridal,Maid of honor and throwing bouquet 

7 flower arrangements on the tables for both cocktail hour and reception

All the boutonnieres

Amazing arrangement on fireplace 

What need:
Knife

Flowers

Vases

pruners/shears

canning jars

Chicken wire / floral adhesive tape

Floral foam block

Garbage can

Water

 5 or more buckets / containers ( keep flowers in)

It was pretty simple once we picked flowers with Natalie ( A brilliant friend that has done flowers for two other wedding). We stored them at her house in buckets with lot's of water. Keeping them cool and out of sun. The next day and one day before the wedding we arranged them. First soak floral foam in water about five minutes and cut to fit inside the vases using a knife. We took the vases and added the floral foam or cress-cross using the tape. The floral foam and/or floral tape keeps the arrangements stay put. A quick note on all flowers cut the stems at angle at least 1/2 inch.First use greens ( anything with lot's of leaves giving it that nice full feeling)  all around the vase and then add filler (smaller flowers such as baby's breath). Then add larger flowers. Add height by adding flowers that have height or lower flowers hanging over the vase for some visual interest. Add fun things like wild raspberries and strawberries. It is really up to you when it is done,but the fuller the better. Be sure to keep flowers cool and with plenty of water. Enjoy.

My crazy collection : Buttons

I am going to be honest I have problem. I love to collect things.I balm my family I come from a long line of collectors. My great grandfather collect rocks, my mom collect quilts , material and lunch boxes and my dad well you know about him check out my blog here and here. So it is in my blood. I have variety of collections hats and collective spoons to just to name a just a few. However, I have inherited a button collection and they are so beautiful.  Some of buttons are pieces of art work. So as I went through them I couldn’t help to snap some pictures and share them with you.

My dad's extraordinary house part 2 : A pickers dream

I perviously Had post on my dad’s very unique house. You can check it out here. This is part two of may dad’s house. Everyone knows the show American pickers well that was my dad he would travel around the United States picking up things that he liked. 

Anything and Everything.Some of the best part of the stuff he has is the stories connected with them. My dad himself describes his house as “ pickers dream” So here are some more pictures of his very extraordinary house. 

Please feel free to leave me any questions on anything you see at his house. We are going through a lot of his stuff and selling it on EBay.