Monday, June 13, 2016

Thinking Outside the Vase


The other day I posted a pic of my soup tureen filled with flowers on Instagram 


and one of my dear friends commented that she needed to "think outside the box" when arranging flowers.


I told her that she actually needs to think "outside the vase"


and maybe use a box to hold her flowers.


I use flowers inside and out


and although on many occasions I actually use vases,


I usually try to use different containers to hold flowers.


 I am using lots of lavender lately because it is plentiful in the garden.


The best thing about lavender is that I don't need a container -


I can just set a bouquet out


or weave it into a wreath.


I have no luck with hydrangeas in vases so like the lavender, I use no container and let it wilt on its own.


I like that the dried hydrangeas last forever.



Rusty buckets are one of my favorite containers.


I love the look of the stock in front of this painting that belongs to friends who are in the process of moving - they asked us to store it while they are in transition.


The old sap bucket usually sits around outside, but this week it's hanging on the fireplace.


 My vintage picnic basket is perfect way to display two of my favorite things - books & flowers - together.


A file box makes an unusual container for flowers


as does a canvas bag hanging on the front door.


One thing is for certain - whether it's a basket, a bag, or a bucket,


There will always be flowers around the house.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Join me at

Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday

39 comments:

  1. That made me laugh thinking outside the vase! So many simple ideas on how to display your flowers. Sarah x

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  2. Gorgeous photos! Are your pansies still blooming? Mine stopped about a month ago due to heat.
    Brenda

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  3. Very cute ideas! Love the tiny bottle vase with the heart :)

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  4. You make everything look great! I love the many ways you display flowers. Whether there are a bunch or a few, you always make a nice display.

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  5. Fun and creative flowers displays Carol. A happy, colorful and inspiring post.
    xoxo,
    Vera

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  6. Love the way you use so many varied items for vases. Gorgeous!

    Judy

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  7. You have so many wonderful containers for the beautiful flowers from your garden, Carol. Love your ideas and creativity in placing these around your oh so charming cottage.
    Mary Alice

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  8. So many great ideas here! You've definitely got me thinking outside the vase and looking at "holding items" in a new way. I really like the canvas bag on the door - very unique!

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  9. I'm not even sure I even HAVE a vase...I like all other things to put my flowers in so much better...:)

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  10. I do love the way you use found objects or containers or boxes to hold your flowers. I'm glad I saw your lavender. I' getting ready to plant a few in a flower bed around the patio. Hope they do as well as yours.

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  11. having all those wonderful flowers must make your rooms smell fantastic. loved them all.

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  12. Great ideas for thinking outside the vase!

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  13. I never thought less of you and your ingenious ideas! Are you using foam in the containers? I've used small vases hidden as well.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

    Jane


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  14. I have that same white bucket that says, BONJOUR. I hung it on our gate that leads to the back yard and filled it with fresh peony cuttings. It lasted just a day, but was it fun to have FRESH flowers in that bucket instead of the artificial flowers that get cooked by the sun, wither and get blown away by the winds, leaving snippets of plastic everywhere! Better to have organic material blow about in the garden than plastic!

    Flowers breathe out such happiness, don't they?

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  15. Carol, you are the creative master when it comes to displaying lovely bouquets. Every photo so lovely! Pam @ Everyday Living

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  16. Your house is filled with flowers in creative containers! So lovely. Hydrangeas are hard to place in vases as they droop so much, as if their stems were quite weak. A friend taught me to use a straw to reinforce the stems.

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  17. So many pretty flowers and your 'outside the vase' arrangements are always creative and lovely. I wish we had more flowers the heat is doing a big number on them this year. I might have to buy a bouquet from Trader Joe's!

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  18. J'adore this post! Lovely vase alternatives, Carol. One of my favorite pleasures in life is bringing in fresh flowers to our home, and there are so many creative arrangements in this post, I love it! Thanks for helping us think outside the vase!

    xo,
    RJ

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  19. So many great ideas, I think you've got us all thinking outside the vase!

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  20. Hi Carol been a while. You so right about using other items for flowers. Lavender, my favorite

    Cindy

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  21. Your every photo is just so beautiful!!!
    My daughter, Amber, keeps fresh flowers in her house at all times!!
    I mean to - I just don't always do it! My very favorite bouquet is roses and honeysuckle. I also love fresh mint and rosemary!
    Right now I am in the camper down on my step son's ranch and there are bouquets of wild flowers all over the place!!! They seem to grow in natural clusters!! I may pick some today and bring inside and since I do NOT have a vase here - I'll just see what I can do!!

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  22. Good Morning Carol. Well, here's to another lovely post, you are always an inspiration. Oh, and Steve's paintings are so bright and happy, they carry be back in time to lazy summer days and fun at the ocean. Not that I have spend that much time at the ocean, but the times that I have spent are alive and well in my memories :)

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  23. Your posts are always so full of cheer and lovely photos. I love fresh flowers in the house! they really perk a space up. I need to purchase a few net time I'm in town...especially now that I have time to be home and enjoy them. I hope you are doing well. Have a lovely day.

    Hugs, Vicky

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  24. I love all the ways you displayed your flowers! I especially love how they look in a teapot. Lavender is one of my favorites to have around the house.

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  25. Great post!!! Beautiful flowers! I loved lavender. Greetings!:))

    xxBasia

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  26. "Outside the Vase" - I looooooooove it.
    Everything looks wonderful and you've just given me some fantastic idea
    Thanks!

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  27. My favorite "vase" is the tote bag. Now that is creative!! :)

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  28. Your flowers are always so gorgeous!
    Try dipping the cut hydrangea stems in boiling water for 8 seconds. I don't know why but it lets them take up the water and they don't wilt so fast.

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  29. I love all the many ways you display flowers. I particularly liked the tote bag on the front door. i've never seen that done before but love it!

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  30. Love all your gorgeous flowers in the different containers, Carol! You are so talented at making these wonderful vignettes.
    Helen xox

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  31. I smiled when I seen your flowers in a soup tureen...right now I have two trailing houseplants in soup tureens. I like using enamel pans for outside containers and like all your outside the vase ideas! Have a good day!

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  32. Hi Carol, Beautiful and creative ways to display lovely blooms. Thanks for sharing. xo

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  33. Carol, I loved this post! You have such a knack for putting things together. Love them all, but the filing cabinet with the grain sack made me swoon!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  34. Carol...beautiful flowers and beautiful ways to display your flowers!!
    Hugs,
    Cindy

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  35. Gorgeous flowers in gorgeous receptacles. Love the rusty bucket with the Stock.

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  36. I love using things other than vases for flowers. It is so much more interesting. Your images are wonderful! Thanks for sharing with us.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  37. I love all of the things you used to plant in...the canvas bag is my favorite and I would have never thought of that! So pretty!
    The filing cabinet with the grain sac stripe is so pretty!
    Wishing you a wonderful rest of your week!
    Hugs, Kimberley

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