Spring Delight

Although Spring doesn't officially begin until March 20, we are experiencing beautiful weather here in Louisiana.  There is a field of daffodils that is grown as a tribute by a family and each year they generously share it with the public, inviting everyone to come enjoy and they encourage picture taking.  They also sell plantings with proceeds going to Doctors without Borders.  I was able to visit this year for the first time and thought I would share some of the beauty with you.  These flowers really brighten a room when brought inside, but this weekend I enjoyed them right where they grow.

 View from under a tree...

 The tree I stood under was a pecan tree planted in the 1900s.  A southern beauty for sure!

 A closeup of the pink flowering tree, not sure what it is but beautiful all the same.   I'd love to know what it is, so if anyone knows - please share.

 

This shot is one of my favorites, it has the well worn hand of my mother-in-law tenderly holding the stem.

Hope you enjoyed and are ready to have a Happy Spring!
Posted by Paula

PaperWhites are a Success!

I am so proud!  It's my first time to force PaperWhites and it worked!  

Posted by Paula

Paperwhites Please

While perusing one of my favorite blogs - Dreamy Whites - I was inspired to try forcing Paperwhites.  Maria said they are one of the easiest bulbs to grow so I thought I would give it a try - of course with a modern transitional flair.

First, I gathered the materials as instructed - Bulbs, Pebbles and 3 Dishes.

Next I placed the pebbles in the dishes.

To mimic the straight lines of the dish, I placed the bulbs in straight lines.  Since there is no worry of overcrowding I placed 3 rows of 3.  Hoping that the result will be splendid!

Ready for my 2nd dish...

Now - all three are complete.  You can see I only placed 3 in the center dish, I thought if all goes well I may add some Christmas baubles later.

The water pitcher is ready...

Adding water just to the bottom of the bulbs.

as I.do.not.want.root.rot!

Now, we wait - 4-6 weeks with fingers crossed - Paperwhites please!?!

The package says- Guaranteed to Grow.... I'll post pics later if all goes well.


Posted by Paula

Origami Tulips for my Valentine

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers, but the down side is they don't seem to last long enough for me!  So when I saw this video on ehow providing instructions for creating origami tulips, I just had to give it a try.

It was so easy!  After creating a few flowers I decided that I just had to create a Valentine arrangement.  So, I wrapped florist wire with strips of fabric and then inserted them into this beautiful black glass vase with some cut branches from the yard.  To add another dimension, I finished it off with a few pieces of white quilling paper.

If you've ever thought you might want to try your hand at origami - this flower is a very easy one to begin with!  If you decide to try, please share your pics!



Posted by Paula

Pretty Porcelain

Lovely handmade porcelain pieces arrived today from ROOST and I started thinking about how they were made, so I decided to do a little reading on porcelain and thought I would share.

Porcelain is made from kaolin, a clay formed from decomposed granite. Kaolin is a white primary clay-that is, a clay found in the earth in the place where it was formed. Porcelain is white and often translucent.

Glazes
Historically, unglazed pottery has always been more common than glazed pottery. Glaze is a form of glass, consisting basically of glass-forming minerals (silica or boron) combined with stiffeners (such as clay and fluxes) and melting agents (such as lead or soda).

I find it amazing that such beautiful and delicate things can be created from the earth.



These tealight holders and more can be purchased at our online shop Neutral Dwelling.



"Pottery," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.