When I was 17, I worked 2 jobs.  In the evenings I slung flowers for a local florist for a few hours. This job had me washing massive piles of buckets, soaking floral foam, executing seasonal displays in the front window, watering plants/arrangements and last but not least – interacting with customer’s visions of their ideas of a creative, lovely and fragrant gift for the special people in their lives.  Moms seem to be individuals that we KNOW deserve flowers, and honestly flowers are appropriate at anytime for mom – winter holidays included.

Considering that fact, the flower industry has taken note. Your money goes a much shorter distance over the course of the mother’s day holiday. Ironically enough – this occurs during SPRING – where in the US , flowers are most abundant. How is this fair? Well, we all gotta make a living right? So, this mother’s day I encourage you to send Mom flowers, but I also encourage you to get resourceful and crafty (naturally)

 

-Consider getting her some silks. Your dollar store should have a few stems of decent items to include and for $5 dollars you can pick up your smallish filler flowers – Daises, Alstromeria , Carnations or green fill such as Ivy, Bamboo or misc seasonal foliages. Heck, you might even find your vase there too, sometimes they even have marbles or pebbles you could include in the bottom of your arrangement.  Take a ride over to your local craft store and spend $15 bucks for a few really nice coordinating power stems – Roses, Poppy, Iris, Peony, Spider Mum or Eucalyptus' (for fragrance).

-Feel free to forgo the container, once you've found the flowers you want to use, the trick is to arrange them in a cascade. Put your tallest and most impressionable silks - in the center, and put your smaller, and also your foliage surrounding the outside - moving outward to the shortest cuts. Once you've arranged them as you wish - tie them with various ribbons or satins, wrapping the stems and creating a lovely piece that can me stuck in a vase or laid onto a linen chest.

-Wrap your silks in brown paper or tissue before shipping, just as the florist would wrap fresh flowers - add some potpourri to the box or drop some of your favorite scented oil onto the ribbon or petals to create an aromatic effect that will remind Mom of your scent.

 Any thing you create for Mom, whether macaroni necklace or silk bouquet - she's sure to love.

Some inspiring images of Classy Non-Granny Silk Arrangements courtesty of Google Images:

 

 Here are some additional online resources aimed to guide you with silk arranging:

http://www.silk-flower-smart.com/silk-flower-arranging.html

 

http://www.bhg.com/crafts/weddings/flowers/hand-tied-silk-flower-bridal-bouquet/

 

I hope that you've been inspired to give mom a bouquet from your creative self that will last much longer then cut flowers!

 Floral Love,

BethKaya

What do I love about spring that doesn’t give me allergies?

The urge for the world to clean, organize and rework spaces to their optimal potential.

As a HUGE fan of organization in general – this time of year has me finally putting to use all of the paint cans, sauce jars, water jugs and tea tins that I’ve been saving all year long and jazzing them up or incorporating them into my organizational needs.

Every hoarder has them!

Here are some images courtesy of Google Images (my FAV) to inspire you to use recycled materials for all of your organizational needs!

 Love,

BethKaya

 

 

Listening to: Bob Marley - Confrontation 

Spring has Sprung!

It’s true. Spring marks the rebirth of all things, including the renewal of my own creative juices. This spring I’ve been quite busy with new projects including, Painting China and Ceramics, Making Custom Stamped Jewelry and Cooking new Whole Foods!

We’re getting the garden beds ready for our veggies and turning the house into a haven once again for the summer. I hope this spring finds you enjoying your creative wealth and energy!

 In the coming months I will be sharing projects, recipes and excursions with you as I embark on them.

This week I would like you to meet my new friend Spaghetti Squash! I like to make it in place of real pasta, in soup, with meatballs, and plain with a dash of S&P! Enjoy!

 Love,

BethKaya

 

Learn All About Spaghetti Squash!

 

Listening to : Prometheus - Corridor of Mirrors

BethKaya is a brand and designer handle that I established in 2000. I began with a non-profit organization called My Own Two Hands. The program's focus was reconnecting people with their own artistic and creative abilities and honing that prowess. Today, my focus is on generating a brand that encompasses my own talents, designs, and concepts. My design style varies from project to project however, I carry the same principals to each creation. I value unique and quality designs, coupled with new and recycled materials as well as ideas.

 In the coming months, my goal is to establish a blanket label where all of my endeavors represent this brand. I think you will find these principals present in all of my work and within the work of the artists and designers that I promote. Please feel free to contact me regarding any of the items you see on my site, or if you may have or ideas concepts you yourself wish to see come to fruition.  Thank you for visiting my digital home and please visit again.

Warmest Regards,

Bethany S. Goldstein

aka BethKaya