Willow House Wednesdays: Tips From Convention

Fall is almost here (woot!) and this is usually when my container arranging bug hits. Here are a few tips for you DIY arrangers to get your creative juices flowing as we migrate from outdoor entertaining back inside.

The height of your arrangement should be carefully considered. A good rule of thumb is to either have the arrangement be half the height of the container (as pictured above) or be at least one and a half times the height of the container (as pictured below).

Your arrangement doesn't have to be made with flowers at all - how about granny smith apples? Here the apples are skewered and mounded around our Beaumont Container (pg 44, fall 2010 catalog). To fill in the spaces and add a pop of color, tuck hypericum berries here and there. You can find these for cheap in your grocer's floral section as well.

Moving closer to the holidays, the same Beaumont Container can be dressed up with a collar of artichokes (again from the grocery store) and given height with berries, greenery and sticks found out in your back yard!

Container arranging doesn't have to be elaborate or scary. Stick with me (ha, pun intended) through fall and I'll give you plenty more ideas for simple and inexpensive arrangements that will have your friends saying WOW!

So what say you? Do you like to DIY your arrangements or just grab something that calls your name at a local boutique?

~Southern Fried Gal

p.s. I love the design tips shared at convention. It is one of my top three reasons for going! Melanie Grant is as cute as a button and always has fabulous ideas to share. She will be hosting her own online show later this year. Stay tuned for more details on our upcoming Willow House community!