Exotic Flowers in Boston

It’s summertime and parents all over New England are looking for fun activities to distract and entertain the kiddies for the next several months.  Hopefully encouraging them to play outside, there are so many wonderful things to do to pass the time, many of which you can find hidden in your own backyard.  If you have a child who particularly loves gardening, here’s an idea that might be perfect for you!  Do you have a bed of flowers and a few old masons jars lying around that need to be repurposed?  If you do, here is an excellent craft to teach your children while also bringing the beauty of summertime into your homes.

photo credit via aboutflowers.com

Kid-Friendly Directions for Making Arrangements

Materials:

Cutting Shears Masons Jars

Water Flowers

Green Thumb

Directions:

(Your child will need to be supervised during this activity.)

1.  Take the cutting shears and snip off shoots that are bright in color of differentiating lengths.  Depending on the child’s age, you may want him or her to do their own cuttings so you’ll want to remind them of the plants they are allowed to snip and the ones they are not.  Excellent species to use for this type of arrangement are catmint, hydrangea, nasturtiums, campanula, yarrow, sunflowers, sedum, butterfly bush and lavender.  

2.  Fill the masons jar with warm, temperate water (not cold) and set aside.

3.  Once you have your floral clippings ready, place one at a time in the vase, fluctuating between colors and lengths to design an attractive an interesting piece.  Be sure to turn the jar as you add stems to avoid off balanced bouquets and clumping.  Try to only touch a flower once as well because the more times the petals are disturbed, the greater chance of bruising or breakage.

4.  Once you have filled the vase, bring the piece inside and place on your table.  If you have more spare containers and an overflowing garden bed, create several others and gift to loved ones and neighbors.  

We are pushing through the last few weeks of winter here in New England and although spring is certainly not to far away, there’s still the possibility of a snowy day or two.  Being stuck in the house with nothing to do can be difficult, especially when you have little kids trapped inside with you and it may be a challenge to find something to do.  That’s why its always a great idea to have a few fun crafts on hand to toil away the hours until the more temperate days allow us to play outdoors again.  Crafting for both kids and adults is a healthy way to keep our hands and minds busy as well as enjoy special time together creating with one another!  Since we love flowers so much, I’ve found this great project that’s simple, easy and ready to hang in your home when you are finished!  

PHOTO CREDIT via guidepatterns.com

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

* Tissue Paper

* Pipe Cleaners

* Beads with Large Holes

* Tape

* Scissors

Crafting Technique Steps:

1. Slide a bead on each end of a pipe cleaner and bend the ends to avoid the beads from slipping off.

1. Find the mid point of the pipe cleaner and bend them exactly in half.

1. Use the scissors and cut colored tissue paper into strips to be used as flower petals.

1. Roll the strips of tissue paper around the pipe cleaners in different sizes and shapes to create a multitude of different looking blossoms and them secure the paper with tape.  

5.  Secure the florets onto a long piece of string using the remaining tape and        hang in an archway to create a garland for your home.   

hristmas time is here and the bells are ringing, music is flowing and the decorations are being hung with care!  One of the biggest yuletide displays is the beloved Christmas tree, which is customarily decked out with shiny baubles and lights.  This presentation is the focus of the celebratory decor so it’s important to take pride in choosing themes, color palettes and textures.  

But wait a minute…  This can be EXPENSIVE!

photo credit via http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

Have you ever really done a good accounting check on how much ornaments, tinsel and lights can cost for only a single year?  Generally, tree accessories can be a fortune ranging anywhere from $5.00 to $50.00 for a single package.  Holiday companies have made a fortune over charging for personalized gifts and hanging tokens when realistically we’re only using them one day out of the whole year!  I mean come on!  How much is overspending when it comes to dressing up a tree?

photo credit via http://www.bhg.com/

Through careful research, I’ve found some great ways to cut back on the elaborate ornament fees by just using a little imagination.  Make your tree gorgeous without having to tap into the kids college fund and show your guests you can still implement a look with style and taste!  Start checking in your closets, attics and basements because I guarantee- you’ll have everything you need if you do some prep work before hand.  Be sure to add both perishable and nonperishable items including dried fruits and antique relics that have been passed down for generations.  Select only materials that are small in size and durable enough to be featured on branches that might be whimsy.  This is a fun activity for the entire family so get together and raid the house for anything and everything that will make your tree uniquely spectacular!

photo credit via http://stowandtellu.com/