Our Hopeful Home: silk artichokes

June 26, 2014

I have to be honest right off the bat and say that I've never even eaten an artichoke.

Not to mention the fact that I think the word artichoke is one pretty weird word.

That being said, I DO like how artichokes look when used for home décor and entertaining.

So much so that I recently created a Pinterest board dedicated to artichoke decorating! But rather than make you go over there to see my pins (although you're always welcome!) I thought I'd share a few of them right here.

This one is a classic example of fresh artichokes used in place of flowers for a table centerpiece.

{I'm not sure how long they last in water, though. Anyone have any experience with this?}

Midwest Living

I've wanted to get one of these drink dispensers for a long time.

Z Gallerie

I think the artichoke is a fabulous table decoration, especially in the fall. I've always wanted to use them on Thanksgiving. Here they're used in a simple, but pretty, table setting.

Shelterness

Below is one more example of a way to use artichokes at each place setting. You could even stick a place card into each one for a more personal touch. I also think they'd look fabulous running all the way down the center of the table, each one filled with flowers! Or maybe tea lights. Hhmm, I think I'm onto something.....it appears that the possibilities are endless! artichoke as vase

Lana Austin's European Vintage

The idea for this post came about after I scored a white porcelain pitcher from
Goodwill for $2.99. Here she is.

Isn't she lovely?

Here she is up close. Just a few small worn spots. But that's how I like them, chippy and loved!

It says "Made in Italy" on the bottom, which I think just adds to its value.

In addition to the pitcher I already had some silk artichokes displayed in my repurposed and French-i-fied tool box. You can see how I added the French graphics to the toolbox here.

I really think the artichokes are perfect for it.

Here they are together.

You can find out all about my gilded chalkboard here.
And here are some of those lovely blooms.

You knew I couldn't help myself from talking about my hydrangeas, didn't you?

I can't believe how early they're blooming this year.

Not to mention how plentiful the blooms are.

Cue angelic chorus here.

Yes, I'm excited at the prospect of a summer full of hydrangeas.

What gets you excited about summer?

Do you use artichokes

in your décor

or

for entertaining?

Let me know, I'd love to hear!

I hope you enjoyed reading about Decorating With Artichokes.

And thanks so much for spending time with me today!

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Don’t miss another thrifty,

DIY home décor post!

September 15, 2012

I'm a farmhouse kind of girl. Do I have one? Nope. Do I want one? Yep. Will I get one? Probably not. Odds are slim that it'll ever happen, but I can still decorate my home with things that create a farmhouse feel. Enter the wire cloche.

Farmhouse Wares

I'm so enamored with them that I've started my own Pinterest board dedicated to them. So it stands to reason that I'd own a few of my own, right? Right.

For me, it all started with two of these.

Chicken wire cloches on a pedestal. L.O.V.E. them. I got them at JoAnn's for around $8.00 each with my coupon. But I just wasn't sure what to display in them. Whatever it was had to be tall, and not cost a lot of money. So they sat. And they sat. And after sitting some more they finally called out to me with the answer.

Topiaries. I picked this one up at Goodwill for $1.99. I knew from just looking at it that it would be perfect. So cute, and the porcelain pot is white, my current favorite color. Yet it still left me with another cloche to fill.

Recently on another trip to Goodwill I spied this.

What's that you say? It's a Christmas topiary? Look again, people.

All it took was a firm resolve on my part to yank off the Christmas decorations and then saw (yes, saw) some of the really thick wooden dowel off to make it all short enough to fit within the cloche. That was by far the hardest part. But once I sawed it down to size, I stuck it in some floral foam and placed the whole thing in a vintage green milk glass egg cup I had in my china cabinet. Not bad for $2.99.

Then I experimented with a few vignettes.

Here they're displayed with the tool box I revamped twice (once with a paint job here and once with a French graphic transfer here) and filled with silk artichokes I got on clearance at Target.