Centerpiece DIY - Finally!

I know I promised this centerpiece DIY ages ago, but what with a few major life changes, I just didn't get to it until this last weekend! Here it is, finally!

What we used:

-9 ceramic silver birch-bark vases

-newspaper

-9 blocks of floral foam

-box cutter

-28 manzanita branches

-silver wire

-wire cutters

-crystal garland (I think we used 3 or 4 of these)

-2 bags of reindeer moss

Directions:

1. First, I stuffed the bottom half of each vase with newspaper. since the floral foam blocks were only half as high as each vase, I had to take up the space with something! The paper was pretty firmly packed, which is important as later steps would compress it.

2. Next, I shaved the corners off of each floral foam block and shoved it inside the vases. I wanted a pretty tight fit, so they were left just a tiny bit too large and I shaved the last bits off when I shoved it down into the vase columns. This is messy, so make sure you're ready to vacuum and dust when you're done!

3. Starting to choose the branches. We ordered a sh#t-ton of manzanita branches, knowing that some would be unusable. I was looking for three that seemed to go together, in flow and feel, so there would be no bizarre gaps or openings. It was fun trying to choose the perfect branches, and we ended up having just enough!

4. Next: jamming the branches into the foam. This was probably the hardest step; most of the branches have blunt ends, and they didn't want to go in easily! For extra credit, you can saw the ends of each branch into pointed angles;)

5. I then wired the branches together really firmly, so there would be no shifting in the completed pieces. I stuffed reindeer moss around the branches and over the wire. It gave the pieces a nice pop of green!

6. Now for the fun part: stringing the crystal garlands! We used crystal graland curtains on jump-rings, which made it very easy to connect strands that needed to be longer, or disconnect sections to make it shorter. I draped around each centerpiece organically, draping some higher or lower, longer or shorter. Then, I wired each loop to the branch it was draped on, so nothing would come apart when the centerpieces are transported to the venue next week!

Ta-dah! It took most of the afternoon, but I finished all nine centerpieces! I think they look lovely, and I can't wait to post pictures of them in the venue space! Just 12 days to go!

And, at the Center . . .

It's official: the livingroom is now Centerpiece Central. Three boxes, one of them large enough to hold a body in, arrived on Monday, and they are now sitting about, mocking us with the space they take up.

The largest one holds not the result of a murderous rampage but instead 30 manzanita branches, those twisty, bleached, beautiful things that seem to remind me of so many things: coral, veins, lightning, you name it. We opened the box and stared inside at the interlocking, woven mass inside, and I immediately went for my camera. Soon, they will be taken apart and crafted into tall, gleaming, crystal-encrusted centerpieces, but for now they are this. There is a stark beauty in that box.

But, we definitely need to clear those boxes from the livingroom. Either that, or start charging them rent.

Coming Soon . . .

Look for a DIY Tutorial for my sister's centerpieces! We made one this weekend, and it was easy, fast, and looks fabulous;)

Stay tuned!

Wedding Style . . .

All photos courtesy Wedding Style Magazine

My sister recently picked up the latest issue of Grace Ormonde's Wedding Style Magazine, a book devoted to the grandest platinum weddings out there. Truly, the real weddings featured in the pages are probably in the 100K+ range, but that doesn't mean even a budget-conscious bride can't get ideas.

I love the idea of bright pavilions for outdoor weddings. A real DIY-er could get inexpensive collapsible frames and fabric in her colors, break out the sewing machine, and presto! An opulent personal tent for the bridal party.

Love, love, love. Monochromatic weddings in bright tones are so in right now, and the different sized and shaped lanterns are fabulous. They're pretty cheap too, especially from a place like Luna Bazaar.

My sister loves this idea, and a little while back I posted a DIY project to build centerpieces similar to these. Simplify them a little, and they're totally doable with sheet moss, manzanita branches, and silk flowers.


Again, lovely centerpieces, and the low benches are so zen and comfy-looking!

Everything on this table is DIY-possible, but it looks completely elegant. Martha has a similar project for paper flowers on branches here.

All right, this is a little much, but I can't get over the albino peacock! Slightly creepy, yes, but still fabulous! For a winter wedding, albino peacock feathers added to centerpieces and strategically around the decor can add a real touch of glamour. They can be more expensive and much harder to find; you can usually find natural ones that have been bleached more easily. I did find some from real white peacocks, however;)

That's my wedding burp for the day. Go forth and DIY your wedding;)