Fun weekend and a Wedding DIY

So this project post wasn't what we did THIS weekend, I'll post on that tomorrow, but it's still a fun project that I thought I'd share. While we were in Wintergreen last weekend with our friends Wendy & Jason (photo below on top of Wintergreen mountain) who are getting married in November we tested one idea for their tall table arrangements.



Wendy and I were pretty tight in High School and somehow managed to drift apart when I headed to Charleston for college. I am two years older and she was still in HS when I went away. We were lucky enough to run into each other one night at the gym, traded numbers and have been back on track ever since. I LOVE it when that happens, so rare, but so wonderful. She was a great friend then and I am lucky to have her back in my life now (here we at the vineyard they're getting married at!)



Wen is a very talented graphic designer so she is not your average bride, she likes the unusual, unique, a little off the wall, so as her "floral and event design helper" we have brainstormed some ways to save some money with not using flowers at every table.

Her mom bought some tall cylinder vases in varying heights which we will fill with green or purple moss and limes and tangerines (I'll show you those one day soon, the photos are on my home computer). We will then add branches, but not just ANY branches, spray painted branches, here is the DIY...



I bought two different types of spray paint, their colors are a rich pumpkin/rust color and a beautiful shade of eggplant/plum. Perfect for a winery wedding in November!

Here is the purple branch:


And here is the copper:


Any thoughts? I promise I'm not crazy to be using branches, and how COOL of a bride to like something that biodegrades when we're done!

I'll post what we ended up with after the wedding in November! Have you done your own tablescapes? Please share! I know you are a talented bunch of bloggers!

Happy Monday!
*Amy

Planting Indoors

As I'm sure you all know, most of my work is OUTSIDE! But on occasion I am lucky to get a lead for office plants. I love doing these because I know it makes such a difference in the quality of their work spaces.



So yesterday I crammed my SUV (thanks honey for my new ride) full of plants, containers, plant food, a watering can and of course myself and headed over to put it all together!



Here is the front desk now:
A Phalaenopsis orchid on the desk
A Spathiphyllum also known as Peace lily on the floor



Seating area in the lobby:
Dracaena mass cane



Fragrant orchid on the side table


Boss's office:
A gorgeous Fiddle Leaf Ficus



The building is very sleek and modern, here is the lobby:





My client was an aviation planning and management company who wanted simple, clean lined containers to match the style of the building and greenery to enhance their surroundings. I went back today to take these photos and they were thrilled with the results. It's so nice to have people love and appreciate what you do!

Do you grow houseplants, if so what's your favorite? Is it important to you to have greenery around?

Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!

*Amy

Thirsty Thursday

With this beautiful fall weather that has started to push in I thought it appropriate to bring back one of my cool weather drinks. No, not this gorgeous Serviceberry...



The Hot Toddy

I thought "Toddy" was a funny word and did a little research, come to find out it may have orginated in Asia or Africa as an alcoholic beverage made from the sap of palm trees. I love the internet, there is all kinds of great information!



Traditional Scottish recipe from Wikipedia

Pour a shot of Whisky into a cup or mug, add boiling water to it. Add a spoonful of honey or sugar. Add a half slice of lemon, 2 cloves and, if you have one, a cinnamon stick. leave it is to brew for 3–5 minutes. I like to take the cloves out when done steeping and keep the cinnamon stick out but close by so I can give it a swirl around the mug now and again.

This is the perfect cool weather drink, it really warms you up on a drizzly day.



Do you have a favorite cool weather drink? Please share!

*Amy

Images from: my own, here and here

I'm a guest!

I was lucky enough to be able to participate in THE (Through Her Eyes) Series on the amazing blog Layers of Meaning written by the very sweet Maria Fe and today is the first post of the series, "Your Purse."



I know we are all nosy to see what we carry around with us on a daily basis, so she was clever to think up such a cute way to share some insight into us bloggers out there.

So go on over and check out myself and the other talented ladies I've been grouped with, this is the year end roundup, so we got in under the gun so to speak! Maria Fe and her husband Brad are welcoming their first BABY in the New Year, so stay tuned for what I'm sure will be even more stylish updates on living with a little one!

Let me know what you carry, I know there's something good in there!!

Happy mid-week!
*Amy

Cardinal Flower Vine

I have a affinity to Hummingbirds, okay, I'll come clean, it borders on obsession! Their tiny little bodies, those ruby throats, uggghh, I just want to hold them and feel their little wings beat-haha, okay I swear I'm not crazy. But I will do anything to attract them to my garden. I'm not really a "RED" person, in my house or in flowers, but they are the easiest color for hummingbirds to see and be drawn in to a garden, so I have compromised BIG TIME to lure these lovelies into my lair, oopps, I mean yard.



Cardinal Climber, also called Cardinal Flower Vine or in Latin Ipomoea multifida is a favorite to Hummingbirds. They love long, tubular flowers that allow them to put their beaks in to retreive the sweet nectar.

This is growing on an iron form in a container on my deck mixed in with my Moonflower (see earlier post), so I get a great show during the day with this and another treat at night with the moonflowers opening up.

In small spaces you have to use EVERY inch! So multi-task your containers for even more enjoyment.

Hope everyone had a safe, happy holiday weekend!
*Amy

Proven Winners

I spend a LOT of time searching out the right plant for the right place for my jobs. It's a designers dream, much like finding the perfect fabric or wallpaper for an interior designer, we seek to find something that is a reflection of YOU from the outside. This is a container on our back deck with sweet potato vine, geraniums and bidens. They are enjoying the last days of summer, I will be replacing them with fall blooms here shortly (sorry plants, that's your job!)



The plants we choose reflect our homeowner, home, style, taste, lifestyle and are seen from the exterior. Plants are often the first impression others get of your home, that's a LOT of pressure! No one's going to know your kitchen is a mess from the outside, but they will know if there are NO plants welcoming you, or if the holly is "eating the house." Can you even see the two windows hiding behind the holly on the left??



I think the same holds true for container gardening. For people who don't have a lot of space you can really add some drama with containers. I love plants by Proven Winners, a great brand that is owned by three leading US plant propagators I personally think they produce some of the nicest plants in the marketplace. They pay careful attention to trends and bring unique, high performing plants to garden centers throughout the country.



Check out their website, it has great tools on it to design your own containers, or even use their ideas to plant your own!

Have you used any of their plants? Do you change out your containers seasonally? Let me know if you want some tips and tricks for fall containers.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

*Amy

Images from: here, both mine, and here

Thirsty Thursday

Welcome to the LAST Thirsty Thursday of the summer!! I will continue on with this weekly series so if any of you fellow bloggers have a special drink you like or want to share e-mail me, and I will add you to the list of contributors!



Today's recipe comes from Bar None Drinks, I thought this Idol Orange Fizz sounded like a refreshing tasty treat to round out the last few days of summer. The Vodka, from IDÔL is the only vodka made from small, hand-picked lots of noble Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from Burgundy, France. It is a new product to me and one I am excited to try. I do like Vodka (I am 1/2 Czechoslovakian and 1/2 Irish) beer is also on the list of fave's along with a nice glass of wine or Champagne, alright, alright, our family likes to celebrate!

Enough about me, here is the recipe for what sounds delicious, I mean it does have orange juice in it, that makes it healthy right?

Idol Orange Fizz

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Ginger Ale
1 1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Idol Vodka
1/2 oz. Orange Liqueur

Instructions
Rim a tall glass with cinnamon sugar. Build over ice and garnish with an orange wedge.



So cheers to a wonderful summer full of good friends, happy memories and LOTS of laughs, I hope you all did the same.

We're off to Wintergreen, VA with some friends for the weekend (one of the 5 weddings this fall is there and I'm helping the bride as event designer) so we're going to check out the venue, do a little hiking and perhaps some wedding crafting, stay tuned, I'll be back with some photos on Monday!

*Amy

Images from: here and here