When The Flowers Fade

Thursday, January 28, 2016



I can't think of anything more beautiful in the middle of winter,
when everything outdoors is dormant and drab,
than having fragrant and colorful flowers indoors.

One of the things I miss most during the winter is bringing in fresh picked flowers from the garden.  They add so much joy to a room!
So here's a great way to have the next best thing all winter long!

Rieber Bavaria colonial china and dried snapdragon flower vignette.


Recently, the doorbell rang and I was handed a gorgeous floral arrangement from FTD that was full of roses, lilies and snapdragons.  The flowers were so fragrant and added such color and beauty in the keeping room.

FTD-Tranquil-Bouquet-Deluxe-B20-4970D


Sad thing is, those flowers fade and then what?  They usually end up in the trash.

The first petals to begin falling were the snapdragons.
The partially dried petals would fall to the table top and as I began collecting them to discard I noticed they weren't turning brown.  The petals were so delicate, beautifully shaped and the colors so vibrant.  So, I decided to save them.

As petals fell, I would place them on a platter that I covered with a paper towel so they could dry.
When the snapdragon stems were being discarded, I pinched off the remaining petals and placed them on a paper towel so they could dry too.

They all dried beautifully and were placed in the living room.

Rieber Bavaria colonial china and dried snapdragon flower vignette.



Rieber Bavaria colonial china and dried snapdragon flower vignette.


I have a large collection of these colonial dishes by Rieber Bavaria and thought this romantic dish pattern would be perfect for these tiny snapdragon petals.


Rieber Bavaria colonial china and dried snapdragon flower vignette.



Dried snapdragon flower petals.



Dried snapdragon flower petals.



Colonial romance dishes, Wedgewood blue, brass and these porcelain busts go so well together.

Rieber Bavaria colonial china, Wedgewood blue, brass and porcelain bust vignette.



Rieber Bavaria china and dried snapdragon petals.


Other flowers in the arrangement that I dried were roses and seeded eucalyptus.
I've used them in arrangements in the hallway to the downstairs guest room.

Dried roses and seeded eucalyptus vignette in the hallway.



It's best to leave the roses and seeded eucalyptus stems in water as long as possible, to begin drying while still in the vase.
Then the seeded eucalyptus were removed and placed on paper towels to finish drying.
To fully dry the roses, I hung them in a closet with the flowers facing downward for about a week.


Dried roses and seeded eucalyptus vignette in the hallway.



The seeded eucalyptus was placed in a large milk glass vase
and the dried roses in a small fluted top vase.

Dried roses and seeded eucalyptus vignette in the hallway.




Dried seeded eucalyptus used in a floral arrangement.




Dried roses for a floral vignette.


Dried flowers can be expensive, so the next time your doorbell rings and it's a flower arrangement
or even when picking flowers from your garden...dry them!  A gift that keeps on giving.


And the winner the LoveFeast HeartGram is Vel of Life and Home at 2102.  Congratulations!!!

Hop on over for this week's features and inspiration at AMAZE ME MONDAY!


Sharing with: Show & Share Inspire Me Tuesday 

16 comments:

  1. Oh I so agree, fresh flowers are so wonderful all year long. But they are really a welcome site in the Winter.

    ReplyDelete
  2. aaaaaahhhhhh! I am indeed so blessed Cindy! THANK YOU SO MUCH! And Thank you to LOVE FEAST HEARTGRAM! I can't wait to use this for Valentines!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love to see Tulips or Freesias in the winter, brings cheer in when it's gloomy outside.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Noreen

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats to Vel! Flower arrangements are stunning and dried beautifully too!
    Jemma

    ReplyDelete
  5. I do love snapdragons and they are so pretty sitting in your beautiful dish! Enjoy them for as long as you can. Blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a lovely idea, Cindy. The dried petals are so sweet in your precious little dishes.

    Wa4m hugs,
    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sometimes the small pleasures are more precious than the large ones. The gift of a gorgeous bouquet, enjoyed twice, with the added pleasure of using your pretty little dish is the sort of thing that would make me very, very happy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Super ideas, Cindy...I love flower petals and I have more tables than higher surfaces that would display them perfectly. I was just sharing on IG that my daughter sincerely dislikes my dried roses---and I mean dried to the point of being pretty disgusting! lol! Love your advice.

    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  9. I still have flowers hanging upside down on my wall from my Mom and Dad's funerals in '97.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cindy, your sweet vignette is so lovely! I love fresh flowers from the garden and miss them during the winter months, but the dried ones had a romantic touch! Blessings, Pam @ Everyday Living





    ReplyDelete
  11. Cindy,
    What a lovely way to keep the memory of such lovely blooms!!!
    I adore dried roses from my Gardens!!!
    With allergies, dried is the only way I can fully enjoy them!!!
    I have similar French busts!!! Mine were my First Anniversary gift from "Mr. Ed"!!!
    The dried flowers and the French pair are truly romantic in your home decor!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well, Cindy, that is such a cleaver idea! Thanks for sharing with us. It's always a pleasure to stop by and visit!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your dried flowers are such a pretty, romantic and dreamy note in your room.
    I need to go get me some flowers today! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Cindy,
    I haven't dried flowers for a very long time and love how all of yours look...will be doing this again now because yours look beautiful!
    Congrats to Vel for winning the give-a-way! :)
    Kimberley

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful post Cindy! I am pinning your lovely images!
    Amber
    followtheyellowbrickhome.com

    ReplyDelete

Your visits make my day and so do your sweet comments. Thank You!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...