Lindsay and Jesse

October 4, 2014 was the perfect sunny day for a beach wedding at Sandbridge Beach, Virginia. Lindsay and Jesse tied the knot facing the ocean in front of a beautiful beach home, the Vista Royale that served as the reception venue.

Lindsay selected to carry an arm bouquet of Blue Bom orchids and Calla lilies.

The Bridesmaids carried nosegays of Blue Bom orchids, white roses, and ruscus.

Since the reception tables would be on three different decks we decided to do different centerpieces that added interest, and kept with Lindsay's vision of a tropical beach themed wedding.

The Conch shells consist of Blue Bom orchids, Fuji mums, Lemon Leaf, Bear Grass, and White Roses.  Glass boxes of gold fish were a fun addition to the tables. 

Lanterns are always a great idea for out door weddings and receptions.  Especially when the party goes on into the night. 

Lindsay and Jesse, wishing you many happy beach days and dances!

The following vendors that brought this beautiful and fun wedding together are:

Venue: The Vista Royale, Sandbridge Beach, Virginia

Wedding Planner: Reva Stein 

Photographers: Andi & Zoe Photographers

Second Shooter Photographer: Luke Rieke

Dress: Bridal Impressions

Catering: HK on the Bay

Hair: Jenna Wosk 

Makeup:Amber Norge

DJ:DJ Julz Gat

Flowers: Mary's Flower Works

Better late than never really isn't a good excuse

Last time I posted the new raised flower and shrub beds were on hold waiting for March to finish doing her thing.  FINALLY top soil, a few plants, mulch, and sod made their way to the backyard.

Left to right, Limelight hydrangea,  a PeeGee hydrangea (paniculatas) that I can't remember the exact name, and a variegated Lacecap hydrangea, and lots of mulch!

Later in the year, a few other plants were added and frankly I will have to move some of the plants in the fall to bring some of the smaller plants forward. Isn't that the life of gardening?  We are never completely satisfied, and a garden always changes.

This is a current view

You can see where the birds have kicked half of the seeds out of the feeder-well I should say the SQUIRRELS-ugh, I really dislike those rodents. There are a few hostas in the front, and lilies on the far right. Recently, a friend gave me some Shasta Daisies that are planted near the bird feeder. I can't wait to see them next summer. They are such a happy flower.

Two of the hydrangeas did not bloom but had good growth. I can only hope for next year that they will produce beautiful blooms like the Limelight did this year. Love a Limelight. They are truly an easy hydrangea. If you are reluctant to garden, this plant is so easy. Be sure to purchase a Proven Winners Limelight. Their name is no joke.  Look at this bloom!

Fall is right around the corner. It is the perfect time to plant bulbs. I hear we are going to have another cold winter so tulips might be in order since they love cooler weather. What are you planting?

Can it get any more dreary? Don't answer that...

I usually don't complain about the weather and the seasons. I enjoy the change and what each season has to offer, but this year in the Tidewater area of VA, winter, you have over stayed your welcome. 

While I wait for the weather to warm up, I made some plans for new flower beds. Having a new patio put in earlier this year caused some major changes in the yard.  I'm ready to dig in my yard and start on my newly designed backyard flower beds (thank you Chris S.)  

I want to see some color! I want my yard to be green again.  Is that too much to ask?  Obviously it is since we won't really see any warmth for a while and April is so dicey. It is warm one day and then we get a crazy freeze in the middle of the month.

This will become one large bed of shade loving plants. I have two hydrangea planted here. The limelight is planted, and the variegated leaf lace cap hydrangea is plopped after moving it when we had the patio replaced.  The hydrangea will remain plopped until the soil arrives. This bed receives some afternoon sun, which really isn't great for hydrangeas, they need morning sun, but the sun is filtered by the silver maple that stands near.

If my beds had been established I would have purchased some gorgeous wintery-early spring perennials that I saw at Home Depot today.  (I still may go back and get them!)  Home Depot had Candytuft, English Primroses, English Daisies and Creeping phlox. Even in the misty rain, these flowers were amazing and happy!

English Daisy

 English Daisies are beautiful in pots or as a border plant. 

Candytuft

Candytuft reminds me of my grandmother Davis and my mother-in-law. Both loved this early spring plant, planted in drifts along with tulips, daffodils and Hyacinths. 

English Primroses

English Primroses can brighten any dull corner or edge of a flower bed. They can do well in clay soil! (yay) They may go dormant in the hot summer, but should come back next year.  These are even pretty grouped together in a basket for inside. Don't keep them inside for long, they are outside plants. 

Creeping Phlox subulata

Creeping Phlox is another beautiful late winter, early spring flower that gives hope that spring is on its way. The Subulata variety likes full sun, but can tolerate some light shade. This flower makes an excellent ground cover. After bloom time, shear it, for a nice green color that will be much appreciated when we are all complaining of the hot sun! ;)

This year, what are you planning on planting?

Mary

 

Count down to Savannah wedding time...

Today is Monday-I have exactly today and tomorrow to do the prep work for my niece, Jordan and her bow, Rob's wedding.  We leave Virginia on Wednesday to head to Savannah GA for a Saturday wedding on Skidaway Island.

Flower girls' headbands are made and checked off the list!

If you are interested in having accessories made for your wedding, or wedding flowers and even wreaths please contact me!

I am joining Between Naps on the Porch's Met Monday.

Mary

Zoe and Jason's Wedding Day

My niece, Zoe and now my nephew, Jason's wedding day began at 8:00 a.m. October 19, 2013 at the Woman's Club of Portsmouth. We set up the ceremony and reception to include making centerpieces for the tables and decorating the porches. All of the other flowers were made ahead. We were on a tight schedule to meet the 3:00 p.m. wedding time.  

My dear friend, Bonnie arrived early and we got to work on filling the ball jars with purple stock, white fuji mums, limonium, lisanthus, ocean song roses, dark purple carnations, purple button mums, lavender fuji mums,  white hypericum, white spray roses, and white with purple edge carnations, lemon leaf, topped with twigs and hanging gems.  

Jason's groomsmen were such FABULOUS help. For a happy-go-lucky group of guys they were pretty darned particular about setting up the tables, and making sure all the napkins were even and the dinnerware set just so.  I would hire them in a heartbeat.  They were absolutely the best in every way imaginable and the two ring-bearers were precious!

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

There were 21 tables and each table had three ball jars, two held candles the large jars were filled with flowers. 

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

We moved to the outside of the Woman's Club of Portsmouth to decorate with seasonal pumpkins, pansies, mums and candles. Zoe's mom, Wendy made the cutest chalk board sign to help guests find their way to the ceremony on the back deck. 

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

The Woman's Club also has a gorgeous working fireplace on the front porch. Although it was too warm for a fire it didn't stop us from doing a bit of decorating :)

Image courtesy of Mary's Flower Works

And we didn't want to forget front steps

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Meanwhile, back inside the balcony was getting decorated by Bonnie and another good friend, Evelyn with a burlap, ribbon and pumpkin wreath that I originally made for over the fireplace until the Woman's Club added the beautiful scroll ironwork piece. It turns out the balcony was the perfect place for a tulle swag and wreath.

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Close up of the burlap wreath

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Zoe and Jason selected the best photographer, Stephanie of Stephanie Michelle Photography.  She and her assistant for the day took TONS of pictures and they were all great with lots of detailed pictures. I LOVE details. Thank you so much Stephanie for sending me pictures of the bouquets and reception!

Zoe's bouquet:

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

The bouquet consists of Ocean Song roses, purple stock, white fuji mums, white hypericum berries, purple carnations, dusty miller, lemon leaf, ruscus, purple carnations, lisanthus and limonium; plus a little bling for some sparkle.  Zoe's bouquet was wrapped with lace from her mother's wedding gown that was made my our mother.

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Zoe's bridesmaids carried bouquets of dark purple carnations, ocean song roses, lavender fuji mums, hypericum berries, limonium, and purple orinoco mums.

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

When Zoe and Jason were on the front porch getting their picture taken, some pretty flower girls took a peek... 

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

Isn't that the cutest?! 

Thank you Zoe and Jason for allowing me to make your wedding flowers and to be a part of your wedding. I enjoyed every minute, from the moment you got in engaged until the last clean up of the night. xoxo. Well, maybe not so much the clean up ;) 

Image courtesy of Stephanie Michelle Photography

I hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures. Contact me at maryjollett@gmail.com if you need flowers or a wreath! 

If you would like to see more of Zoe and Jason's big day or more of Stephanie's beautiful photography please visit Stephanie Michelle's blog.  

I will be joining Between Naps on the Porch, Met Monday, Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings, The Brambleberry Cottage,
The Dedicated House Make it Pretty Monday and Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style.

Also I must thank my husband, Cam and son, Joel, my friend and neighbor, Bonnie, Wendy's best friend, Tish for their hard work, and Ev and Roy who came from PA to see their daughter play field hockey in VA Beach, and were gracious enough to help set up and clean up!  Thank you all, you are the best!



Comments are always welcomed!

Pier 1 Knockoff

Happy Monday!  Today I am going to show you a project I did over the weekend to use at my niece's rehearsal dinner in a couple of weeks.

Since she is having a fall wedding pumpkins always look cute and festive with a fall arrangement of fresh flowers. I didn't want to use a plain pumpkin since my niece is a fan of bling and all things shiny.  I visited my local Pier 1 store looking for ideas since they obviously love bling too.  I found this,

Pier 1 had the cutest display of fall ornaments, and I fell in love with this pumpkin for 6.95. WHAT? 6.95 ?  and I need 10?  Oh no...that is 69.50 and some tax!  Hmm...I need to make these...  

Take a close look to get the details in order to buy the right materials for the piece being copied or knocked-off.

  

Check out all those fun beads, sequins and glitter.  Yeah, I love and hate glitter, but on this pumpkin glitter is a must. Michael's and Walmart are my go to places for craft items so

I was off to make these jeweled pumpkins.  

I purchased 10 small faux pumpkins in orange and green at WalMart for .97 each, and two boxes of glass beads for 1.50 each. At Michael's I bought a 3 oz. package of glass beads, (that I didn't use since I had plenty in the tubes) one package of mixed brown, black, silver and gold sequins, one tube of coppery-orange glitter, florist wire and brown floral tape. 

First, gather everything on a lined cookie sheet to keep the beads from rolling away and the glitter too; that stuff has a mind of its own and lands everywhere, (be sure to check your bra and teeth for glitter before going anywhere) but the cookie sheet does help and is a great work surface.

Second, start making the curly pumpkin vines by cutting 10 pieces of floral wire about 6 or 7 inches long and wrap them with brown floral tape. 

Pull the tape when wrapping around the wire. Using less tape keeps the stem from looking bulky. Next wrap the taped wire around a pencil or pen, mine is wrapped around a lipstick brush that I found in the pen and pencil cup?? Go figure... Anyway, wrap the taped wire to make the perfect curled stem for the pumpkin.

Once all of the curly stems are complete hot glue them as close the pumpkin stem as possible. 

Before hot gluing I stretched the curly stem out a little so it didn't look too much like a mattress spring.

Now this the fun and a little bit messy part, but it will be worth it! Use Elmer's All Multi Purpose Glue and make a small puddle of glue near the stem and let it run down the sides of the pumpkin, just a little.  Then start shaking out the glass beads, sequins and last the glitter. Check the pumpkin to be sure the glue is covered add more beads, glitter and sequins if necessary.

Here you can see where some of the glue is still running, just add more glitter, beads or sequins.  

The pumpkins don't look exactly alike, but that is what makes them fun and interesting. They will be placed on different tables at the rehearsal dinner. 

Cost of this project:

10 faux pumpkins  9.70

2 boxes of glass beads  3.00

Brown Floral Tape 1.99

Sequins 3.49 + 40% off coupon from Michael's=2.09

Glitter Tube .79

Floral Wire 2.00

Total is $19.54 plus tax, so around $20.00, and I still have materials left over.   *I did not add the leaves like the inspiration ornament and I only used one curly stem per pumpkin. 

I will be joining Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday , The Dedicated House, Thrifty Decor Chick, Savvy Southern Style, Stone Gable  and Jennifer Rizzo's Fabulously Creative Friday.

Are you making anything for fall? If you try this project I'd love to hear from you!

Mary

Fall or Christmas? You pick.

Fall might be in the air, but it is Christmas at Mary's Flower Works.

I received my first delivery of Christmas items for making wreaths and arrangements.

Thank you to my sister for helping me go through the various wholesalers on line. :)   I was overwhelmed comparing prices so that I could get the best deal in order to offer you the best deal when you place your order for a Christmas wreath.

How exciting to be able to go through all the ordered items after looking them on line.  It is a relief to know that they are good quality!

Fun picks that will look great with a green silk wreath as well as the popular mesh wreaths. 

You can never have too many bolts of ribbon!

Red and white check ribbon always looks great on a wreath.

Stripes and plaids are always a favorite.

Pine cones are beautiful in a wreath.  A money saving tip, collect your own and be sure to bake them in the oven for 45 minutes at 200 degrees.  You don't want any little critters coming out in your wreath.  After baking the pine cones I always spray them with Zinsser 12 oz. Clear Shellac Spray found at Home Depot 

While I wait for the rest of my orders to arrive, I will continue to work on my nieces' weddings, plan designs for the wreaths, and I will enjoy the fall weather we are having by finishing my fall decorating.

Have you decorated for fall?  Or are you thinking of Christmas? ;)

Mary