With your Thanksgiving guest arriving next week, why not dress up your front door to welcome them in for the get-together? We’ve got some easy ideas on how to create a welcoming path for your guests!

Wreaths

Hanging a pretty wreath on your front door is a great way to create a welcoming beacon to your home. You can always buy one, but it doesn’t take much longer just to make one!  Head on over to your local crafts store for inspiration, ideas and supplies.

A simple and inexpensive twig or grapevine leaf can be the form of your wreath.

Using the grapevine wreath as your basis, you can get really creative with the project. You can use faux–or real–fruits and leaves of the season on your wreath by merely hot gluing them onto the wreath in a pretty pattern. Oranges, cranberries, and holly are all good to use. Or, glue pieces of dried corn husks and wheat to the wreath.

A really unique, beautiful and functional idea is to create a birdseed wreath. You’ll only need a few materials, and it’s actually a quick and easy project.

Swags

An even easier way to dress up your door is to make a quick swag to hang on your front door. Items you might consider using include dried wheat and cornhusks. You can even add in some dried or faux sunflowers. Simple tie a pretty and festive ribbon around the bunch, tie to the door and Voila! You’re all done! What could be easier?

Cornucopias

You can make a simple cornucopia to hang on your front door by using a natural sap bucket, wicker cornucopia basket or cone shaped tin can. Use dried flowers, faux fruits, pinecones and grasses in your cornucopia.

Other Ways to Welcome Guests In

-Decorate your front steps with gourds and potted Autumn plants like Chrysanthemum
-Get your kids to help make simple pumpkin cutouts or turkey crafts to decorate windows with
-Use kids crafts like these garden turkeys in flower beds
-Fill wicker baskets with faux lowers, fruits and cornhusks, tie with a pretty bow and leave on your front steps or porch
-Make a scarecrow with old clothes, a pillow, a hat and straw
-Set out bales of hay with gourds on top and beside them

We hope we’ve provided you with some fun, festive, affordable ways to welcome your Thanksgiving guest in. Happy crafting!

There are different ways to pick out the perfect floral centerpiece, depending on the setting and occasion. An arrangement that sits on top of a fireplace mantle will be different from those ornamenting tables at a wedding reception, for instance.

But for all of the variations between size, types of flower and budgets, the color of an arrangement will always play an important role in the final decision.

For holiday get-togethers, the most show-stopping, festive centerpieces are showcased on the dining room table.  Usually, that festive feel is echoed in other centerpieces and arrangements throughout the living area. Smaller, simpler flower arrangements are typically used in the rest of the house—like guest rooms. For example, a cornucopia flower arrangement might be the table centerpiece while arrangements filled with flowers in Autumn hues might be scattered across the rest of the common areas.

Different flowers have different meanings, but the color also holds significance. Since centerpieces attract so much attention, they can literally set the tone for an entire room. Understanding that impact of color will help you find the right centerpiece for your desired effect.

Blue: This cool tone evokes calm and serenity. Paler shades can work especially well during the winter, although blue can subtly tie together a room year-round. Centerpiece flowers, often found in complimentary purple shades as well, include hydrangeas, irises and delphinium.

Pink: Cheerful pink flowers symbolize youth and innocence, with lighter tones adding a touch of grace. In addition to the rose, lilies, cold weather amaryllis and vivid peonies are all pretty in pink.

Purple: The color of royalty and luxury, purple is a bold shade to work with. If the jewel tone seems too distracting for a room, try out soft lavender instead. Purple mums, freesia and lavender will do for shorter table top arrangements, while striking irises and delphinium can provide height.

Red: Considering that the red rose is the ultimate symbol of passion, it’s hard to downplay the drama of a red centerpiece. However, for fall and winter décor, red can add a warm punch of color to any room or display. For more elegance, roses comes in a broad palette of ruby, scarlet and mauve, while gerbera daisies and carnations set a more casual and playful tone.

Yellow: Bright yellow flowers can bring the sunshine indoors. Perhaps the quintessential floral color of spring, yellow visibly signifies youth and energy. Options for this sunny shade abound, including brilliant sunflowers, tulips and daffodils. To heighten the drama, eye-grabbing lilies, orchids and roses are all dazzling in yellow.

White: Although white is always a complementary addition to a floral centerpiece, it can also serve as the focal point. Associated with purity and openness, white flowers can be an uplifting decorative accent. Among the variety of options, lilies, calia and orchid are some of the most attractive.

Orange: Nothing brings a burst of warmth and energy into a room like a tasteful orange centerpiece. These normally make their appearances in the fall with Halloween and Thanksgiving arrangements, but don’t let the holidays confine you. Springtime gerbera daisies are handsome in orange, and birds of paradise are an exotic choice.

Green: As the color of growth and renewal, green-themed arrangements stir up a sense of vitality. If you want to move away from florals and focus on ferns and plants, green is obviously the way to go. Sage cymbidium orchids and eucalyptus accents also pair well with similar warm tones.

As you pick out the perfect color for your centerpiece, don’t forget to pay attention to the vase as well. Even if the flowers pair together flawlessly, the wrong vase will ruin the overall presentation. Be sure that it enhances the bouquet but doesn’t distract. Its color and surface texture should also harmonize with the surrounding décor.

As the winter chill sets in, and colorful leaves of fall and give way to bare tree branches, it casts a more somber tone on the landscape. But just because the vivid oranges, golds and reds fade away outdoors, it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice color inside. In fact, the late fall and winter are perfect opportunities to get creative with seasonal décor.

For instance, rather than just relying on cold weather plants and blooms to liven up a room, why not add an extra point of interest with complementary fruits? Of course, pumpkins and gourds are the go-to option for early fall and Halloween, but don’t limit yourself to them. The chilly months offer a variety of vibrant options, including pears, cranberries, and pomegranates. Even a large bowl filled with a lively selection of fruits, intermingled with dried leaves or flowers, can have an attractive effect.

If you aren’t sure where to start, these ideas might offer some help:

• Kumquats: Don’t overlook the potential of these lovely, palm-sized citruses. Better Homes and Gardens suggests creating your own seasonal kumquat topiary using flower foam as the foundation. Simply the cut the foam to the desired shape and attach kumquats around the base with picks, topping it off with coordinating rose blooms.

• Cranberries: For a clever way to add an extra splash of color to a flower arrangement, fill the vase partially full with cranberries. Be sure to add enough of the tart fruits in the vase to prevent them from floating around in the water, and the stems will also nest securely in the bed of berries. To replicate this effect in a gift, send someone a seasonal flower arrangement filled with cranberries.

• Pears: Bring out the glitter and gold for the winter, and try your hand at gilding pears. Highlight the fruit’s delicate shape with easy-to-use gold, silver or copper leaf paper. Most craft stores sell gilding kits that should include everything you need. USA Pears recommends silver leaf on Gold Anjou pears and copper on Red Anjou.

• Pomegranates: These symbols of good luck also dry beautifully for long-lasting décor accents. According to eHow, the first step is selecting fresh, healthy pomegranates that are smooth and firm. Then, all you have to do is space them out on a wire rack and allow to air dry for at least three weeks. Take care to turn them every couple of days as well to preserve their shape. Once dried, integrate them into floral centerpieces, wreaths and garlands or display them on their own.

• Apples: The wonderful part about decorating with apples is their sheer variety. Bright green Granny Smiths, blushing Galas and sunny Golden Delicious are just a few of the options you can choose from. Martha Stewart suggests coring out apples, placing votive candles inside the spaces and floating them in water to cast a warm glow on an autumnal meal. Or showcase a harvest-themed centerpiece made up of chrysanthemums, roses, carnations and eucalyptus, interspersed with glossy apples.

As you start thinking about how to liven up your home for winter, consider bringing the fruit out of the kitchen and into dazzling displays. They can provide cheerful notes on the fireplace mantle, coffee table, dining room centerpiece or any entranceway. Just find a fruit you like and have fun with it.

When it comes to hanging on to the beauty of fresh flowers, you have several options. You can dry or press your flowers; both of these methods yield gorgeous results. Another way to preserve your flowers is to wax them. Wax flowers are beautiful and lend themselves to all sorts of crafts, decorations and projects. It is actually an easy process–read on for details!

What You’ll Need:
Double boiler
Fresh Flowers
Scissors
Spoon
Toothpick
Tweezers
Tray lined with parchment paper
Paraffin wax
Thermometer
Floral foam
Rubber bands
Small cup (optional)
Display dome (optional)
Candle pillar (optional)

1. Use fresh flowers that are completely opened. Flowers with firm petals are best—delicate petals disintegrate. Good choices include roses and lilies.

2. Melt a pound of paraffin wax in a double boiler. Keep in Mind: Never melt paraffin directly over a flame!

3. Temperature is key here. Heat wax to 130 to 150 degrees. Maintain the ideal temperature throughout process with a thermometer. Wax will not coat flowers effectively at a low temperature and a higher temperature will scorch them.

4. Cut all flower stems to at least 2 to 3 inches.

5. Take your fresh flowers, holding each flower by the stem end and dip the flower head completely into wax. When waxing them, you will want to use a slight angle instead of straight on, and be sure not to touch the sides of the double boiler. Immediately lift out, allowing excess wax to drip into pot. If you’re waxing a flower with many petals you might want to spoon wax into flower middle to fully cover. When waxing small blooms you can insert a toothpick into the center and dip into wax, or use tweezers.

6. Cool the flowers by placing each blossom’s stem in floral foam or on its side on a parchment-paper-lined tray. It will cool and harden completely in 5 minutes. Be sure to handle the flowers carefully!

7. Now it’s time to finish the process by waxing the stems. When the blooms have hardened, wax their stems by holding the bloom this time and dipping the stem in wax.

8. You have endless options when it comes to displaying these waxed flowers. You can showcase them on their own, make cards with them, display them in a centerpiece, use them when wrapping a gift, arrange around a candle…the sky is the limit! One way you can showcase them is to display them in a simple, small cup and put them under a glass display dome or bell jar. Just snip your flowers to a few different lengths and secure with a rubber band. Fill the small cup with floral foam and—using care—arrange the flowers in the cup. You can add decorations like ornaments if you wish.

Enjoy, and stop back by for more tips about how to showcase the beauty of flowers!

Life’s short–that’s why it is so important to let those around us know how we feel. It’s the little things we do that make a difference.

Why not let someone special in your life know how much you appreciate all they do? There’s nothing like a heartfelt surprise to add a little sunshine to any day. Read on for a few ideas about how to do just that!

1. Your Sweetheart

There’s no reason to wait until special occasions to let your true love how much you care. Why not surprise that special someone with a bouquet of beautiful flowers delivered right to their home or office for no other reason except to let them know how much you love them? Pretty multi-colored roses are a sweet choice; cheerful daisies are a sunny option, or choose Stargazer lilies for their sweet fragrance and beautiful pink blossoms.

2. Your Mom

She’s always there for you–why not show her your appreciation, gratitude, respect and love? Don’t just wait until Mother’s Day or her birthday! A great idea is to send her a flower arrangement that captures the feeling of the season. For example, this Rustic Autumn bouquet is a festive choice for the season.

3. Your Best Friend

Your friends are there for thick and thin, but it’s easy to take them for granted. Sending your BFF flowers out of the blue will definitely let him or her know just how much you appreciate their friendship! Take time to choose an arrangement that reflects their personality. This Go Green bouquet exudes modern style.

4. A Crush

Single? Have you had your eye on someone for a while and are too shy to make a move? Here’s an idea: send a pretty flower arrangement with a note asking for a little bit of her time. Be sure to choose something casual–don’t choose a huge arrangement of red roses! This sunny arrangements of bright sunflowers is a perfect choice.

We hope we’ve given you some ideas about how to surprise someone special in your life! So, get to it!

Know someone with an October birthday coming up? Why not give them something different this year? If they are a Halloween lover then send an adorable and whimsical Halloween flower arrangement straight to their home or office. It will surely bring a smile to their place and accent their Halloween decorations–plus, it will be a welcome departure from the usual birthday gift cards.

This unique spooky-spider arrangement is too cute!

Orange blossoms spill out of this ceramic pumpkin to make an adorable gift.

A vase full of candy corn displays lovely fall flowers in this festive bouquet.

The leaves are changing and that familiar Autumn chill is in the air. Gone are the sunny, balmy days of summer, as well as the bright sunflowers and daisies, green grass and our summer garden harvest.

But just because the grass in your yard may be turning brown and your garden which was once thriving a few months ago might resemble a wasteland doesn’t mean you cannot get a few more months of color in your yard, add some fun fall touches to your front porch, as well as prepare for next Spring.

Planting Fall Color

Once all the bright summer color has vanished, it may seem as if your porch and yard are gloomy and boring. They don’t have to be! Plenty of flowers can flourish in a pot or bed in the Autumn. Chrysanthemums, Asters and Pansies are a few flowers that can grow heartily throughout Fall. Try big pots of beautiful chrysanthemums on both sides of your door to welcome guests.

For a fun weekend project, try container gardening with Fall perennials. Use seasonal perennials that will survive well in your area and plant lovely combination arrangements in large pots. You can get really creative but usually the large pot is filled with a taller perennial or decorative grass in the center, some ‘filler’ plants or flowers in the middle, and some ’spiller’ plants as the final, last layer; these will spill over the pot in a nice fashion. Here is a great step-by-step video on the process. Cheerful pots and beds of pansies will add color to your yard as well.

Cleaning up the Garden

Once you’ve enjoyed your summer harvest, it’s time to start preparing your garden for Fall and Winter, as well as start your planting and/or sowing for fall vegetables. Check out these guidelines:

• Replace all spent annuals
• Prepare soil for autumn planting
• Plant spring bulbs
• Rake and remove all fallen leaves
• Cut back the spent perennials / biennials
• Remove annuals damaged by frost
• Harvest all herb stems and roots
• Fertilize remaining plants as needed
• Sow seeds for succession planting
• Plant peonies, poppies and irises
• Add winter mulch, if needed
• Prepare bulbs for forcing and chill
• Divide and transplant perennials and ground covers
• Apply dormant fertilizer to trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines
• Plant and mulch hardy annuals for winter
• Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines
• Transplant roses
• Plant bare-root roses
• In southern zones, stop watering to induce dormancy

You can also start planting your bulbs for Spring, such as bright yellow daffodils, gorgeous and vibrant tulips and many more types of bulbs to make a beautiful show once Spring arrives.

Decorate for Fall

In addition to adding mums and container gardens throughout your yard, there are several other things you can do to decorate and beautify for Fall.

• Make an easy Autumn wreath for your front door
• Decorate your front porch and stairs with gourds and pumpkins
• Make a scarecrow
• Pick beautiful fall leaves and flowers, preserve them in glycerin for three days (two parts hot water to one part glycerin), then display in a beautiful cast iron pot or wicker basket on your front porch
• Fill an old children’s wagon with hay, pumpkins, gourds and leaves to display
• Tie dried cornhusks from your front or back door
• Fill window boxes with mums and pumpkins

As you can see, there are so many ways to brighten up your yard and porch this Autumn. Do you have a great Autumn decorating idea we’ve missed? Please share it in our comments section!

One of the most fun ways to collect items to use in your Fall decorations is to take a long drive in the country to enjoy the beautiful Fall foliage, collecting items and produce from local farm stands and markets along the way.

Stop back by later this week for ideas about how to bring the beauty of Fall indoors!

Set aside as a day for employees to show gratitude and appreciation to their boss, Boss’s day is celebrated on Friday, October 16th this year. Employees can take this opportunity to present their boss with a token of appreciation, but there are a few gift giving ideas to keep in mind when choosing a gift for this occasion.

If you choose to give a gift to your boss for Boss’s day, it is important to remember that you should stay away from anything overly personal or anything that could be perceived to have romantic overtones. For example, you don’t want to present your boss with an arrangement of roses or a piece of jewelry, unless you really want to spark some water-cooler gossip! Instead, try to choose more practical or sensible gifts, such as an orchid plant or a dish garden for their desk.

You may also want to ask around the office to check if your co-workers are planning on giving a gift to the boss – if you turn out to be the only person thinking of giving a gift, you may want to re-think the idea of giving a gift. If you are the only employee in the office giving a gift on Boss’s day, your intentions may come across as a bit self-serving; perhaps choose to write a quick thank you note to your boss instead – the gesture is sure to still be appreciated!

Should you find that your co-workers were planning on giving a gift but hadn’t yet decided what to give, suggest that everyone contributes to buy a gift together as a group. With the money collected, you can choose a gift basket such as one filled with their favorite fruits, or a gourmet basket that has a little bit of everything, and your boss is sure to enjoy!

Choosing a gift that has a bit more personal flair is also sure to be a hit, so if you know your boss loves chocolates, sports, or just loves the aromatic scent of stargazer lilies, sending a gift that incorporates their favorite things is a sure way to show your gratitude for all your boss does for you throughout the year!

Summer is officially over! September 22 marked the Fall Equinox and the official start of Autumn. Even if Summer is your favorite time of year, how can anyone not get at least get a little excited over the joys of this season: evenings by the fireplace, the beautiful changing of the leaves, football, Halloween and of course, Thanksgiving!

Bring out your creative side this Autumn and decorate your house with signs of the season– all it takes is a walk to your own backyard or quick trip to your local farmers’ market and you can design some unique and easy decorations for your home. Dried wheat tied in bunches and displayed in a wooden bowl make a wonderful table centerpiece and can also be given as presents for guests to take with them after a cocktail or dinner party. Another unique idea for a centerpiece is to purchase some gourds or pumpkins from your local store and display them on a platter; mix some leaves or flowers from your backyard to complete the festive look!

The colors of fall are probably best displayed through the fall foliage and the flowers and plants in season during this time. Take advantage of the lustrous and rich shades of seasonal flowers such as gerbera daisies, sunflowers, and calla lilies; or spread some autumnal cheer to someone you care about by sending a beautiful mum plant or blooming cyclamen. Or, consider sending a festive flower centerpiece showcasing the colors of the season.

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, spend time with family and friends by hosting an evening of entertainment! Start with some delicious seasonal beverages such as hot harvest cider or hot brandy toddy and serve them with warm and delicious appetizers like ginger brie bites or pumpkin risotto cakes. Top the meal off with a delectable dessert such as an apple upside down cake and your evening is sure to be a hit! You can pass the time between servings of this scrumptious food by playing games for an intimate group of people like charades, Pictionary, or try some classic board games that are sure to bring out the fun yet competitive side of everyone!

Happy Autumn from all of us at FromYouFlowers.com—now, get out and enjoy the season!

White Phalaenopsis Orchid

So, you’ve been the lucky recipient of an orchid plant–congratulations!

Once the gorgeous blooms start dying off, perhaps that feeling of joy has turned to one of panic. Questions pop into your head…along with the premonition that you surely cannot keep this thing alive.

What now? When the flowers die is the plant dead? Do I put it outside or inside? How often do I water it? Should I just throw it away since the flowers fell off?

Stop panicking…believe it or not, orchids aren’t as high maintenance as their reputation makes them out to be! That said, they definitely aren’t as low maintenance as that cactus on your desk! But, just follow a few general tips and you can enjoy your orchid plant for months, maybe years, to come. There’s a reason why ‘orchid people’ are an infatuated bunch of folks–they can’t resist the unique beauty of the breathtaking plants!

Read on for basic info–applicable to most orchid species–along with great orchid resources for detailed info.

Take it From the Top

Congrats–someone must really care for you to send you such a gorgeous plant! So, take good care of it!

-When you receive your new orchid, feel the ’soil’ (orchids use a different potting mix than other plants and do not survive in plain old dirt/soil) to see if it is very dry. If it is, water it–lightly!–over a sink.

-Orchids need light! Don’t stick it in a dark corner, but don’t put it in direct light either. Filtered, indirect sunlight–like on a nice window sill–is best.

-Enjoy the show! Appreciate the flowers while your plant is still in bloom. Different species keep their blooms for different amounts of time. If your plant is blooming for quite some time, make sure to water it–lightly!–once every 7 days and to make sure it is getting enough light.

-Figure out what kind of orchid you’re dealing with. There are many different species, which require different care. Some of the most popular are Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium and Oncidium. Posted below are three popular species; see the resources section at the very bottom of this post for a more detailed list in order to identify what kind of orchid you’ve got and how to care for it.

Dendrobium:

Oncidium:

Oncidium Orchid

Phalaenopsis:

Lavender Phalaenopsis Orchid

What Now?!?

So you’ve enjoyed your orchid in all its blooming splendor…now what? Well, it’s time to repot!

-Your orchid most likely came in a small, decorative flowerpot with minimal drainage. You must repot it so it has a bigger home to flourish in.

-Clay pots, shallow but wide are the best. If you cannot find a special orchid pot with holes for good drainage online or at a local nursery, then head to the Home Depot and grab a shallow terracotta ‘azalea pot’.

-Orchids cannot survive in potting soil. They require a special mix. This is a great one; if you cannot find orchid mix at your local nursery/home improvement store, then look for fir bark at Home Depot or Lowe’s.

-Fill the pot about 1/3 of the way with the orchid mix.

-Carefully remove your orchid from the decorative pot it arrived in–taking care not to damage the plant or roots. You may have to use a screwdriver or knife–just be sure to clean it with alcohol first–to gently pry it out.

-Fill the rest of the pot with orchid mix.

-Water lightly and place it back in its favorite spot with plenty of light. Don’t water for another 6 days or so.

-Keep an eye on it and make sure not to over-water it! Water your plants over a sink and never let it sit in water. Always water in the morning!

-Fertilize with orchid fertilizer once a month. Make sure the fertilizer you buy is specially made for orchids.

Bad Signs

Once you’ve repotted your orchid, you need to keep an eye on it to look for signs of sickness or distress.

-Your orchid leaves should be a medium green color. Very dark green leaves mean your orchid may not be receiving enough light; lighter green leaves means it is getting too much light. Adjust accordingly!

-If your orchid starts to get blotchy or damaged looking leaves, hold off on watering. It may be getting “root rot” from over-watering it. If the leaves and new growth turn black, then it is definitely getting root rot.

-If you see signs of distress, then seek help! Check out the orchid resources listed below for more in-depth help.

Orchid Help: Care, Identification and Shopping

Orchid Care Tips: Beautiful Orchids

Orchid Identification: My Orchid Care

Orchid Care for Specific Species: Aloha Orchids

Send Orchids: FromYouFlowers.com

Buying Unique Orchids for Yourself: Aloha Orchids & Angel Street Orchids

Happy Growing!