decorating

A New Look For Sweetwater Style!

Date: April 7, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, flower arrangement, flowers, idea exchange, inspiration


Sweetwater Style is getting a new look!
The purpose of “Sweetwater Style” has always been about showing ways to combine style and elegance in economical ways.

That won’t change.
BUT….the focus will change.

See if you can figure out the new theme for Sweetwater Style!
I continue to believe that “Style is the perfection of your point of view”.
I know that the things that I enjoy most almost always have something to do with flowers.

Whether it is creating little bouquets for around the house or full on wedding decor, flowers make me happy.

I realize that some of my favorite posts are about arranging flowers and sharing tips with you my fabulous readers.

The revamped Sweetwater Style will be mostly about flowers! 

I will be sharing:
  • ideas and tips to make flower arranging easy
  • inspiration from floral designers 
  • sharing Sweetwater Floral Consulting events 
I am sure to add other things as I go along….maybe even some of my thrifting finds and DIY projects.
To get things started, I thought I would link up to some old posts about flowers that you might enjoy. 
ttps://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2013/07/cut-flower-conditioning-tips.html


 
https://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2012/04/frogs-for-flower-arranging-and-more.html



https://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2016/02/flower-arranging-hacks-you-need-to-try.html


I am excited to get restarted with this new look for Sweetwater Style.
I hope you get inspired to make flowers part of your lives!
Have A Great Day!



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Permanent Botanical Decor! Say What?

Date: February 6, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, flower arrangement, flowers, knock-off, Stuff to buy at Good Will

I learned a new fancy name for “fake flowers”. You can now call them  “permanent botanicals”!
You all know how much I love fresh cut flowers!
The whole idea of our little Sweetwater Floral business is about fresh flowers on a budget!
BUT….
Lately there seems to be a lot of buzz out there about using permanent botanicals.
Permanent botanicals have come a long way from the plastic posies that we love to hate!

 Around Sweetwater….Faux Florals
White Hydrangea with real and artificial greens.

 The purple Hydrangea blooms mimic the way real ones dry.
I added real greens here too.

The close up of the tulips show them up for what they are….not so wonderful as a centerpiece.

BUT….tucked in a corner and arranged to mimic the way real tulips fall over….they look better.

Notice the water in the vase….to fool they eye!

When one of our brides wanted peonies in her bouquet….in NOVEMBER….
we used a couple fabulous faux blooms that had a lot more staying power than the real thing.
I would have to say….stunning!

 These artificial blooms can be found at thrift stores and craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby. When you look at the thrift store blooms you need to keep an open mind. Those aubergine hydrangea were part of a god awful arrangement that I took apart. Keep and eye out for greenery too.

Stores like Home Goods and Pottery Barn sell very realistic arrangements.  You will pay dearly for them but it may be worth it.  Watch the sales at Wayfair and Joss & Main too.

HINT: Take a look at how these expensive arrangements are done.  Then you can copy them with your own cheaper versions.

And then there are fake plants!  They have always had the worst reputations. I always think about them tucked way up high on a shelf gathering dust.  I have been noticing lots of permanent greens all over…..Target, Pottery Barn, IKEA…..

I got these gorgeous Monstera leaves in the Target clearance aisle.
They look pretty nice mixed with the real potted plants.

I scored a “grab bag” of succulents at the thrift store.
This little succulent garden could certainly fool you into thinking it was real.
My live succulents never do very well indoors….so this is a nice way to have the look.
The Dollar Store is a great source for mini succulents.

 I know that I will never “really” be satisfied with only using permanent botanicals ….no matter how fancy the name sounds.

I learned some tips and tricks while I was doing my research or this post.
If you decide to go the FAUX route, you might want to check out these links.

  • Real vs. Fake Plant Quiz 
    • See if you can tell the difference between these high quality fakes and the real thing.  Great ideas for “staging” your plants.
  • Petals.com
    • Take some time to look at all the examples of the arrangements they sell.  You are sure to be inspired.


I don’t expect that I will be moving to the DARK side and using permanent botanicals more often than real ones.  There is something so decadent about gathering an armful of blooms at the grocery store or florist.  And hey….everyone needs at least ONE vice!

I will however keep my mind (and eyes) open for ways to use the permanent flora around Sweetwater.

Oh…one last and very important tip: Be sure to remove the tags on your purchased greens!

Have A Great Day!

Throw Pillows from a Throw Blanket!

Date: January 9, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, DIY, fabric, inspiration, sewing, thrifty

One of the easiest and thriftiest ways to update the look of a room is with decorative pillows.
Every one has them. In fact, I dare you to take a count of the throw pillows in your house!!!
I don’t just have pillows on the furniture….I have pillows in the closets waiting to take their turn in whatever decor scheme suits my fancy.

 A trip down the pillow aisle of almost any home decor store is pure temptation for me.

A pillow is affordable…..
A pillow is not a forever commitment like a piece of furniture…..

However…..
There is always the dilemma of how many pillows I should have out at one time.

If this is your dilemma too….I did a little internet searching and found these articles to be really helpful.

How Many Throw Pillows Is Too Many?

Guide to Choosing Throw Pillows 

Now…on to the latest pillow project at Sweetwater.

The rustic, Nordic theme in the living room needed to change once the holidays were over.

Somehow….I never got a picture of the living room decorated for the holidays….go figure.

This is the best shot I could find….but note the red plaid pillow and the Swedish hanging over the couch.

Anyway….the lumbar pillows on the two accent chairs needed to lose the red and beige linen stripe.

When I went to put the old turquoise covers back on the pillows….I realized that they looked pretty shabby!

Goody…a chance to go to the pillow aisle at HomeGoods!

source

There were literally hundreds of pillows to choose from….
There were literally hundreds of pillows that I DID NOT LIKE!

AND THEN……

 I spied this lovely nubby blue and white checked throw.

The price was right at 16.99

The fringe along both sides looked like those fancy fringed pillows that I like so much.

HMMMMMM!!!   This throw could easily become the new pillow covers!

The process was pretty darn simple.

I put the insert on top of the throw to determine the width of the pillow.

It turned out that the throw was exactly twice the width….so by cutting it in half lengthwise I could make both pillows.

I wrapped the throw around with an overlap and cut that to length.
I was able to have the fringe be the bottom of the wrap.
Then I turned it wrong side out and stitched the sides.

Normally with an envelope pillow the lap is on the back.
Because I wanted the fringe to be an accent, the overlap is on the front.

Here is a tutorial for making an envelope pillow.  Home Stories A to Z Pillow Tutorial
This is a technique that is worth learning!!!!

And now for the reveal!!!

Wow….2 pillow covers for $16.99 and I still have enough of the throw left to make something else.
Any suggestions???

Have A Great Day!

Decor Items to Transition from Christmas to Winter!

Date: December 29, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, holiday, idea exchange, thrifty
source

 I thought this survey was pretty interesting because I always struggle with when to take down “Christmas”!

I love all the glitz and sheen and red and green.
But as soon as the big day is over…..it starts to feel cluttered.

When we entertain between Christmas and New Year’s Day it is easy to make the case for leaving things looking festive.
Since we have no parties planned this week.  I am starting to get twitchy about taking things down and getting it packed away.

One strategy to use when “undecorating” is to ease out of full on holiday into a comfy cozy winter look.

You can actually leave a lot of the holiday decor items out and achieve that look just by tweaking things a bit.

Here is a list of the “stuff” NOT to put away.

 Pine Cones

The natural look of pine cones make them perfect for your woodsy, cozy theme. Tuck them into a big basket.  Tuck in some realistic looking artificial pine branches and a few white or silver orbs to complete the look.

 
 

Branches
The birch in the porch pots look nice all winter. Why not replicate that indoors?  Chunky birch sections can be placed on a bookshelf or mantle.  Skinny birch looks great in a vase with some greenery and flowers.

All those branches and twigs that looked so wonderful in you holiday arrangements can be turned into minimalist natural decor.  Curly willow, red dogwood, skinny birch all work this time of year.  Think of them as “no care” plants.

 Airy Greenery

Put away all that greenery that screams “Christmas Tree”.  The greens that look feathery and airy give a fresh look to winter decor.  I especially like these Lemon Cypress trees.  I am giving myself big pats on the back for keeping them from drying out….they need lots of hydration.  White Pine is another type that looks more wintery than Christmas!

Antlers

Search Yarn wrapped antler on Pinterest

If you have access to antlers, they make a great accent in baskets or on a shelf. Mixed with pine cones and greenery.  This is my next craft project!  Yarn wrapped antlers just make me smile!

Cozy Throws

Layering throws on sofas and chairs is an inexpensive way to add color. Those throws also invite you to curl up and enjoy some down time after the flurry of activity of the holidays.

Candles and Twinkle Lights

I will bet that most of your candles are white or off white.  Put away the obvious holiday themed items and find a way to use your neutral candles in a new way. 
Those battery powered twinkle lights can continue to add sparkle around your house.  This time of year it is dark when I get up and dark by 4:30 in the afternoon.  A little twinkling can be mood changer.

 Holiday Plants
Those Pointsettias can still work as lovely accents if they are off white or if red is a color that works in your decor.  Take them out of the holiday foil and get rid of the cute little ribbons.  Find a ceramic pot or even bunch them together with some other plants.  They will last as long as you remember to keep them watered.  (Note to self: keep them watered.)

 

Holiday Themed Family Photos
Take a minute to have some of those amazing holiday snapshots printed.  The deals for photo prints make this a particularly good bargain this time of year.  Frame them in simple frames or display on a chalkboard.  Seeing those reminders of the holidays is a great way to extend the season without leaving the tree up until February.

Winter Birds

There is something so cheery about a cardinal.  If you have any redbirds that are part of your christmas stash, they can make a nice wintery vignette.  Look for these when you are shopping the after Christmas sales.  This lovely glass friend was a find at a “before” Christmas mark-down sale. The cardinals inside are almost as fun as the ones on the bird feeder outside the front door.  

 And a few other holdovers!

Hey, if the Amaryllis bulbs are still blooming for real, then this Amaryllis tea towel can still “hang” around for a few weeks.

This “permanent botanical” seeded Eucalyptus I scored at the thrift store looks nice and wintery with some glass winterberries which were another thrift store find.

This year I am gradually “undecorating” instead of big marathon undertaking.  That means a big mess in the storage area while I gather and put away.  My goal is to do a lot(or little) weeding out as I go.  It always seems so hard to part with holiday decor even if I don’t use it all each year. 

In the meantime…..remember when you take your tree down:

source

Have A Great Day!

Holiday Decor Series: Bows Bows and More Bows!

Date: November 29, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: 10 min. project, decorating, holiday, thrifty

I have been on a pretty long blogging break.
Yikes….I haven’t posted since Halloween and now we are deep into the Holiday Season!
I don’t have any real good excuse for this….I am sort of rethinking and want to revamp the blog.
I guess that will be my project for the new year.
In the meantime…..

wikipedia.com

I will share some of my old favorite Holiday Decor on a Budget posts from years past.
So with a nod to Charles Dickens I present for you…
NOT the of GHOSTS of Christmas Past…..These are POSTS of Christmas Past!

Let’s start with those BOWS…because it really is all about those BOWS!

I pretty much put a bow on EVERYTHING….and knowing the tricks to making these lovelies will save you money and add a bit of “class” to your decor.

Tooo funny….I was looking for pictures of pretty bows to add to this post and I found this site:
christmastreewreaths
You can buy a pre-made bow like this for a mere $6.75….or go wild and buy 12 for $72.00!

It always amazes me that people really buy stuff like that….go figure!

Here is mine using the Costco ribbon!

Now….you do the math!
$8.00 for 50 yards of ribbon…..2 yards per bow…..hmmmmmm!

I love Costco for lots of things….but I REALLY love their wire edged ribbon!

cochaser.com

 $7.99 for 50 yards of beautiful wired ribbon!
Beautiful ribbons….and with 50 yards there are no worries about running out.

It takes a long time to use up 50 yards of ribbon so my “stash” is growing.

We use these ribbons for our annual Boughs, Bows and Beverages events here at Sweetwater….so it is really a good investment (says the woman trying to rationalize her ribbon fetish)!

Read about Boughs, Bows and Beverages here.

There are lots of places to get ribbon…..and lots of sales this time of year.

It is also a great idea to save your bows from year to year.

It is now time to get your BOW on!
There are some links to bow making tutorials at the end of the post….written by actual posters who excel at writing tutorials.

Here is my poor attempt to show you how I make a pretty….professional looking bow.
Warning:  holding the ribbon, the wire, and taking pictures…..now THAT was a trick!

Start by cutting a piece of florist wire about 12 inches long….

If you don’t have any paddle wire like this…GET SOME!  NOW!  You will use it and use it and use it!

Leave the ribbon attached to the spool and pull out about a yard…..

If you cut now…you might not have enough for a pretty bow….and besides…if you mess up…
just let go and start again!

Make a loop that is half the size of the bow you want….

pinch it tight….

flip over and make a loop on the other side that is the same size

pinch that tight

Keep going back and forth….
loop, pinch, loop, pinch

This bow has 5 loops on one side and 6 loops on the other…..

I read somewhere that you should always have an odd number of loops….but who’s counting? Oh…ME!

Now take the piece of wire and wrap it around the center….whew!  You can let go of the loops now and hold on to the wire.

Twist the ribbon…NOT the wire….around about 3 times to get an nice tight center.

NOW….you can cut the bow away from the spool!

Then start pulling the loops up and twisting them into a pretty shaped bow.

The wire in the center lets you have at it without worrying that the bow will come apart.

The wire edge of the ribbon lets you shape the loops.


There you have it! 

 Here are the other links I found with much more professional tutorials….take a look!

Better Homes and Gardens Video Tutorial
Directions for lots of fancy bows
Michael’s Tutorial

Good Luck!

Have a Wonderful Day!