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What A Charming Gift Idea for Fall!

I mean this in the best of ways…

The “Charming For Fall” flower basket looks just like something my grandmother would love. For that matter, my mother would love it also. It’s the perfect fall flower arrangement for a dining room table, a mantlepiece, the coffee table, or anywhere else that flower baskets could be used for decoration. In my mother’s house, that’s the table at the end of the hall. It fills an empty space and is often overlooked. Not anymore!

"Charming For Fall" Flower Basket

"Charming For Fall" Flower Basket

Both women have an affinity for fall decorating. Flowers are their thing. They usually have immaculate gardens and displays of flowers that neighbors envy. This year is going to be a little bit different for both. My grandmother turned 82 in April. Still a pistol with her speech, her body is failing and she’s left in a motorized wheelchair. That means gardening the hilly land around her house is out of the question.

My mom is a full time mom even though her children are 22, 23 and 26. She is also the full-time homemaker, a college professor during the day and is a medicare billing specialist at night.

I love these women with all of my heart.  I couldn’t ask for more respectable, strong women in my life. I want to honor them with something special this month. A gift isn’t enough. They need a special gift with meaning and feeling. I looked at the “Charming For Fall” arrangement and knew instantly that it was the right gift for them. Though too busy and too frail to garden for themselves, they can still enjoy fall flowers and autumn decorations.

It’s important to me that they get the best. They always give it to me.

Which flower arrangement is your favorite? Tell us why and it may be next month’s featured flower arrangement!

Yellow Wildflower

Yellow Wildflower

Yellow Wildflower

Wildflower Leaf

Wildflower Leaf

Ask the Expert: What Flower is this?
4 to 6 foot tall
Multiple blooms up to 3 inches in diameter Paul

Plant Expert Reply:

This one was a little tricky the bloom looks like one kind of plant and the leaf another.  However, I believe the wildflower you have is a Rudbeckia laciniata.  It is a perennial hardy in zones 3-9.  It will bloom from mid-summer ot mid-autumn.

See The Light This Fall With Autumn Illuminations

I can’t get past the Autumn Illuminations fall centerpiece. Among the other fall flowers, this centerpiece stood out instantly. That’s saying quite a lot considering how colorful and beautiful the other arrangements are!

"Autumn Illuminations" Fall Centerpiece

"Autumn Illuminations" Fall Centerpiece

But what was it about Autumn Illuminations that drew my eye back to it? Well for starters, it’s not an ordinary bouquet or typical arrangement. It has practicality, purpose and function. The Autumn Illuminations centerpiece is a wreath of fall flowers surrounding a warm colored candle. Imagine the smell of a pumpkin spice candle surrounded by fresh fall flowers! Mmmmm.

I saw this centerpiece and knew that it had to be the featured flower arrangement for August. The summer is winding down and the fall is getting ready to come ahead full force. Before you trade your summer flowers for Halloween and Thanksgiving arrangements, find a middle ground with colorful fall flower centerpieces like Autumn Illuminations. You’ll be glad you did! Plus it’s something nice to come home to if you or your husband is a farmer rushing to finish the harvest.

Trust me. You’ll love having the Autumn Illuminations centerpiece on your table.

Quick and Easy Flower Decorating Ideas For Thanksgiving

Harvest Halo Fall Centerpice

Harvest Halo Fall Centerpice

Since Thanksgiving is only a few days away, here are a few quick and easy ideas for decorating your house with flowers. With a dash of creativity and the help of a local florist, these simple flower decorating tips will your guests making plans to celebrate at your house next year.

1.  Decorate the mantelpiece with colorful fall flowers.

When your loved ones gather around the fire, everyone will love the way that the light of the fire accentuates the beautiful shades of your amber, red, brown and burgundy fall flowers. A few miniature pumpkins and gourds will give this mantelpiece a finishing touch that can be carried over through the rest of the fall season.

2.  Liven up the dinner table

with a Thanksgiving centerpiece from your local florist. Having your florist create a colorful centerpiece saves you time and effort but still allows you to add some personal touches once you arrive at home.

3. Places Overlooked

Hallway tables, unobtrusive corners and other places are often overlooked. This Thanksgiving, turn your whole house into the place to celebrate by brightening these nooks with arrangements of fall flowers or buying a houseplant from a local flower shop.

4. More Than Centerpieces

Where tablecloths and runners begin the decorations of the food table, finish it off with a few vines of ivy or ask your local florist to create an elongated floral centerpiece. The dimensions of these will draw the eye to the ends of the table, giving the mind a chance to enjoy a glance at the many delicious foods.

Arriving With The Perfect Hostess Gift For Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Unity Floral Centerpiece

Thanksgiving Unity Floral Centerpiece

Every year I’m invited to an elaborate Thanksgiving party, and must greet the occasion with an air of Southern hospitality. Many people have heard the common rule, “Never arrive to a party empty-handed.” It’s one of those understood rules of etiquette that can be a bit hard to carry out in a unique way for yearly occasions such as Thanksgiving gatherings. However, I recently learned of a very fun and festive gift for the hostess.

Jamie and I were recently discussing our upcoming plans for Thanksgiving. Though I think my presence is gift enough, I still wanted to find a great gift for the ladies in my family that are hosting our Thanksgiving dinner this year. Jamie is wise in the ways of the world and suggested a unique fall floral centerpiece. We brainstormed for a bit about all of the ingredients in a gift like this such as miniature pumpkins, colorful foliage, fall flowers, berries and more. When we put all of these things together, I knew that I just had to share this great gift idea.

Nature's Bounty Cornucopia

Nature's Bounty Cornucopia

Imagine how beautiful a carved pumpkin with flowers brimming over the top would look next to the turkey. Want something a little smaller? Try surrounding pillar candles with a wreath of fall flowers. These very traditional Thanksgiving centerpieces are tried-and-true gifts. For the real traditionalist, a cornucopia filled with fall flowers and festive fruits is a great way to liven up the table.

If you don’t feel up to the task of creating your own fall centerpiece but are still interested in sending flowers to your host, contact your local florist whose creative fall centerpieces will soon become the life of the party!

Top Seven Fall Flowers:

Whether decorating for a Thanksgiving dinner with family or simply enhancing the rest of your fall decor, try these wonderful blooms when contacting a local florist for fall flower arrangements, holiday centerpieces, autumn wreaths and more.

  • Chocolate cosmos – looks great in fall flower arrangements when paired with wine colored flowers taken from backyard shrubs or inside arrangements of orange, yellow, and burgundy.
  • Burgundy pincushion – the deep rich hues and bushy appearance make pincushions an excellent choice for fall flower arrangements
  • Dahlia – Bright golden dahlias add brilliant color to bouquets of fall flowers.
  • Dark colored hydrangea – it’s hard to go wrong with hydrangea mirrored inside of a fall arrangement by pincushion, dahlia, and chrysanthemum.
  • Sunflower – the perfect, traditional flower for fall centerpieces and other autumn decorations.
  • Amaranthus – Colorful amaranthus are great fall flowers for adding height to any arrangement.
  • Gloriosa – With all the appeal of a cozy autumn bonfire, gloriosa are a striking addition to arrangements of fall flowers.

Colorful Fall Flowers Really Make Autumn Come To Life!

Reaping Sweet Rewards From Fruits As Fall Decor

A popular trend in fall decorating is enhancing the color and wonder of fall flowers with fresh and dried fruits. How does fruit enhance fall decor? Glad you’ve asked!

Bales of hay, quirky scarecrows, gourds and pumpkins are all common accents used in fall decorations. Fall flowers such as chocolate cosmos and dahlia light up autumn decor with warm, festive colors. Many fruits and vegetables also appear an a variety of fall colors making them perfect additions to creative fall decorations. Whether looking to add a splash of color to fall decorations or wanting a quirky gift to accompany an arrangement of fall flowers, fresh and dried fruits are the way to go.

The fruit most popularly used in fall decor may come as a bit of a surprise–the pumpkin. Indeed, the pumpkin is actually a fruit that can be traced back hundreds of years before the first Thanksgiving celebration. Pumpkins and their veggie counterparts, squashes and gourds, are often seen adding warm colors to a unique fall centerpiece, decorating a mantelpiece, or lighting up the home as a fun jack-o-lantern.

Spice Up Fall Decor With Festive Fruits
Spice Up Fall Decor With Festive Fruits

Pumpkins also make great gift ideas for children. Even Charlie Brown knew how important these great fruits are during the fall! Parents and children can enjoy carving jack-o-lanterns into funny faces that will be enjoyed all season. Trips to the local pumpkin patch make great weekend getaways for families wanting a fun fall outing.

Once the pumpkins have made it home safely, enlisting the help of children in creating festive fall decorations around the house encourages family togetherness, stimulates creativity, and is a very fun way to develop an appreciation of nature in children–not to mention memories that will last a lifetime.

So the next time you stop to buy fall flowers from your local florist, think about the fun ways to include fruits and veggies in your decorations. The sweetest of the sweet rewards will follow.

Try These Impressive Hostess Gifts Ideas For Fall Parties

“Never arrive to a party empty-handed.” ~ Mom’s Everywhere

It’s almost impossible to break away from this helpful tidbit of information that many moms delivered, nay, insisted throughout our formative years. Now that you’ve been invited to a fun fall party, the inevitable question arises:  “What should I bring?” Don’t be stuck searching for hours for the perfect hostess gift idea. Here are Flower Shop Network’s top picks:

  • Potted mums make excellent hostess gifts. Potted mums appear in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. They’re also easy to care for which is a big plus for most busy hosts.
  • Fall centerpieces decorated with gourds, miniature pumpkins, or fall flowers also put a twinkle in the eye of many hosts. This is a great gift to have delivered by a local florist before your arrival. A short and sweet card lets the host know who sent the gift without putting him or her on the spot in front of others who may not have brought a gift. At best, your host may love it enough to use it as part of the party decorations!
  • Colorful arrangements of fall flowers are a very traditional gift that hosts and hostesses will love. Fall flower arrangements can also accompany other smaller gifts such as dark chocolates, wine that complements the flowers, and other unique gift ideas.
  • Decorative pumpkins are also great and quirky gift ideas for fall parties. Depending on the formality of the event, a hand-painted pumpkin or jack-o-lantern is a unique gift that will have your host smiling brightly.

Fall Into Autumn With A Sunny Pumpkin Surprise Arrangement

Scare out Spring with a Sunny Pumpkin Surprise

Scare out Spring with a Sunny Pumpkin Surprise

The colors of fall are warm and inviting. Bringing these colors into our homes signals our friends and family to join us in a cozy celebration of the new season. Orange, brown, red, yellow, deep green, and a splash of brighter colors welcome that special feeling that can only be associated with the changing of the seasons into a new fall coat.

A crisp chill in the air, the trees gently turning incredible colors, and holidays that encourage family togetherness are definite marks of fall. Autumn flowers give the Sunny Pumpkin Surprise arrangement this special feel so much that I knew that it simply must be the featured flower arrangement of October.

Being partial to October, I become oddly excited when I feel the weather begin to change. The official first day of fall was just a few days ago. I celebrated the day by sending my mother, whose favorite season is the fall, a beautiful arrangement of fall flowers from a local florist, June. Mrs. June is from the same small town and watched me grow from a young age. She knows my parents well so I was sure that she would be able to deliver the quality arrangement that I’d requested. I showed her a picture of the Sunny Pumpkin Surprise arrangement and was pleasantly surprised to see the arrangement as beautiful as ever on my mother’s table the next day.

Scarecrows, pumpkins, colorful leaves, gourds and hay seem to spring up overnight in autumnal decoration throughout my parent’s yard. My mother delights in her creative displays and often invites the neighbors over for lawn chair conversations so that someone else can share in her joy over the new season. Allowing my mother to bring some of that happiness inside the home made my heart sing. I’m very glad that she enjoyed her Sunny Pumpkin Surprise and know that your friends and family will also.

October 16th 2007 is National Boss Day

Just a reminder — tomorrow is National Boss Day. Every working guy has a boss. Some bosses are good – some are bad – some are great. So if you appreciate your boss, tomorrow is the day to let him/her know. If you just need to make brownie points, tomorrow is the day to do it without all of your co-workers thinking your a … well you know. Need some ideas? Try sending one of these:

A gourmet chocolate gift basket.

A mixed bouquet of fall flowers.

A cookies and snacks basket.

A coffee mug with a world’s greatest boss balloon.

Have a happy National Boss Day. That reminds me, I need to get my boss something.