CasaSugar

Cool Idea: Using Cabbage as a Centerpiece

CasaSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:48 -0700

Glass vases are chic and timeless, but sometimes you need to stir things up a bit. And when you've used every old coffee pot and vessel you can think of, look to your kitchen or garden. Real Simple looked at a head of cabbage with an inventive eye, and decided to use it as a centerpiece. After cutting an opening into the top of each cabbage, they fit a piece of saturated floral foam inside, turning the produce into a vase! I love how they chose purple flowers to match the hue of the cabbage; it really makes a statement. For full instructions, go here.

DIY: Floral Foam Vase

CasaSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0700

If you read Casa regularly, you've probably noticed that people are making vases out of almost anything these days (pipes, plastic bottles, honeycomb, light bulbs). Quite frankly, a makeshift vase (coffee can, glass bottle) is not the hardest DIY. But, when I came across a DIY from ReadyMade for a vase made from floral foam that was cheap, easy, and most importantly, water retaining, I was pretty impressed. You'll probably find most of the supplies needed for this project in your house, too; who can argue with that?
Supplies:

Floral foam
Wax pellets or standard white candles
Baking paper
Cookie sheet
Toothpicks
Long, sharp knife
Cookie cutter or jar lid
Double boiler
Coffee can, slightly flattened to form a spout
Aluminum foil

To learn the steps, read more.

Draw half of an outline of a vase on a sheet of paper folded in half. Cut out the shape, and unfold so that you have a template for a vase shape.
Align your vase template with the base of your floral foam block.
Trace the shape of the vase with a toothpick onto both sides of the block.
Place the foam block flat on a table. Using the knife, cut out the traced shape, keeping the knife vertical.
Then, flip it over, and shave the edges smooth with the knife to make it clean looking and vase-like.
Using cookie cutters or jar lids, press a pattern into the foam (if you want one).
Fill your double boiler with water, and heat it up.
Put the wax/candles in your coffee can, and melt them.
Put a sheet of foil over your cookie sheet.
Put your vase upside down on the sheet, and pour the hot wax over it completely coating.
Stand it right side up, and slice off the top so that the foam is uncoated where you'll stick the flowers in.
Let it cool for an hour.
Soak the floral foam vase in water for an hour, and then stick your flowers into the top of the foam, making an arrangement as you wish. If the vase dries out, just run water over the top and it will soak it up.

Source

DIY: Pumpkin Centerpieces

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 05:05:21 -0700

I love floral arrangements that add some autumnal variety to the mix, like this beautiful pumpkin centerpiece. One of YumSugar's pals has directions on how to create this gorgeous pumpkin centerpiece. After you make this arrangement, pop over to Meeta's site What's For Lunch, Honey? and check out the beautiful food photographs she's taken.

Here's what you need:

Colored leaves, chestnuts, acorns, berries, twigs, flowers-basically anything a long walk in the woods will give you.
A rose - the color of the rose should match the fall colors of the bouquet
Floral foam
Wired wood picks
Greening pins
Floral glue
small plate or tea saucer
Knife
Scissors

To find out how to make this pumpkin centerpiece, just read more

Here's how you do it:

Cut the top of the pumpkin and remove the flesh and seeds. Since mini pumpkins are not edible, throw the flesh and seeds away (or better yet, stick them in your compost).
Cut a small piece of the floral foam so that it fits snugly into the pumpkin.
Using the wood picks, greening pins, and glue, arrange your flowers, leaves, nuts, and berries into the foam to create a nice, full arrangement.
On the plate or tea saucer, secure a few colored leaves using the floral glue. Make sure the leaves cover the plate nicely.
Place the pumpkin bouquet in the middle of the plate.
Finally, glue a few nuts onto the leaves and fill any gaps with green moss or leaves.

Source

Fabulous Fabric Wreath Roundup

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:00:53 -0800

I've been seeing some great fabric wreaths around the Internet this past week, and thought you might appreciate a peek at some of them, too.

I love SouleMama's wreath that she made from cotton, rickrack, and buttons. The little stuffed bird hanging from the wreath's center is precious.

To see two more lovely fabric wreaths, just read more.

Then there's Betz White's pretty woolen wreath, which she made from a stash of ribbing pieces left over from felted wool sweaters that she rolled up and secured onto a straw wreath with floral pins.

I'm also partial to these handknitted wreaths from Lulubeans. They look so lovely and wintry cozy hung together.

The great thing about these wreaths is that even if you don't have superb sewing skills (or any at all!), you can still make these wreaths with only a few simple supplies. With a foam or straw wreath shape from a craft store, some fabric or floral pins, and scraps of fabric, you're well on your way to having a unique and nonperishable wreath that you made yourself. If you've made any fabric wreaths this holiday season I'd love to see them!

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