Sunday, September 5, 2010

All work, no play.....no way!

I started off my Labor Day weekend, laboring!labor 014

First: by roasting a mixture of Sun Gold tomatoes and the red Early Girls, from the garden, with some olive oil and springs of rosemary.  Having that on pasta tonight!

labor 016Bought a couple pounds of green beans at a local farm stand so, I prepared and froze few bags.  I'll get some more next week, it is just so easy to do them in small batches, at least, for me it seems easier.

Since "all work and no play, would make Jan, at the very least, a bored girl".....I played with flowers.

I know silk flowers are very popular, and with good reason, most of them a quite realistic and they could last for a generation, or two....they are so durable.

But, dried flowers still have a place in my heart.  I just wanted to talk about how easy it is to dry flowers you may already have growing in your yard, or a friend's or neighbor's yard.  Here are some examples..........

flowers 001  These are onion seed heads!

Now if you are a really good girl and harvest all of your onions when you are suppose to, you have never seen these before, but if you are like me.........!  These were left over from last year!

I cut them off, hung them upside down to dry.  Upside down drying, allows them to hold their nice round shape and allows some of the million little black seeds, that these globes hold, to fall on the ground or floor.  Shake out the rest of the seeds (or most of them) and spray with clear varnish. 

The stems will be brittle and if they break, like mine, cut them in half and slide the small end of the stem into the larger end....voila'..a new sturdy stem.  A note here: cut the stems on all of the flowers much longer than you think you will need.  You can always make them shorter, much harder to make them longer...but you knew that!

flowers 008Next, I cut the faded flowers from my Liatris.  Let them sit for a few days to dry a bit.  Then pulled off all of the dried leaves and sprayed them with varnish. 

flowers 009 

Same day, I picked a few of the round thistle-like heads from my Ecinops (Globe Thistle).  Same process.....let dry for a few days, then I could remove the actual dried little flower petals, removed the leaves and spray varnish.

labor 023 End Result!

A free bouquet!  I did add some feathery "blooms" from a tall Karl Forester grass, I have growing in my yard.  You could, also, add wheat, or other grain or grass heads.  Then, at the last minute, I added two hydrangea mop heads.  The hydrangea will slowly dry in the vase and I thought they added weight to the bottom of the arrangement and the added color really livened up the dark pink liatris. labor 017 labor 022I am not a great flower arranger, I'm a "throw them in a vase and see where they land" kind of an arranger.  I can see in the photos that I need some of the grass spikes in the center, I'll change it, I promise!

Any way, there you go......start looking around and you will be surprised by the number and types of flowers that will dry well.  It's fun, easy and cheap, cheap, cheap!

The only sad thing is....dried flowers and Labor Day pretty much shout the end of summer and I am NOT ready for summer to end!  I do plan on playing some more this weekend with a family bar-b-que and a hike. 

Hope yours has been a wonderful and fun holiday weekend.

Please join me as I visit and link to the following blog parties:

Blue Monday

Metamorphasis Monday

Tabletop Tuesday

Bloomin Tuesday

Rednesday

Outdoor Wednesday

Tuesday Garden Party

59 comments:

Karen The Graphics Fairy said...

How lovely!! Those Onion seed stems are so beautiful! I wish I had some!

Melissa Miller said...

Your flowers and fruits are beautiful!

I enjoyed my first visit here. Thank you for visiting my blog as well. You are always welcome sweet friend.

Happy labor day blessings to you.
~Melissa :)

gena said...

Those are just lovely ! Wish I had the patience to try this....

So glad you stopped by Lavender Hill and left such a sweet comment !
thanks for sharing,
gena
www.thehouseonlavenderhill.blogspot.com

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Very pretty! The hydrangia was the perfect addition!

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

"That is SO pretty" It's SO nice to make your own flowers!!!
Happy Labor Day to you,
Hugs, Donna

Baba said...

Hi Jan, you are so talented to put together this great looking arrangement..I love the colors and the shape of it..Have a good Labor Day with your family and friends.Hugs, Baba

Purnima@a creative project said...

It looks beautiful..Even though they are dried they look so fresh and awesome!!

Pie said...

It's worth it. The results are excellent. :)

My Blue Monday.

Rebecca said...

Your dried flowers look beautiful. I'll have to check my yard to see what I can find!

Rebecca said...

Your arrangement looks beautiful. I'll have to check my yard to see what I can find!

Wifey10 said...

Wow you are so creative, you made a simple things look more attractive..Enjoy your Labour Day! :)

SmilingSally said...

I see a hint of blue in that lovely floral arrangement.

Happy Blue Monday, Jan! Check out my book giveaway.

Lynn said...

I'm lovin' your flower arrangement, it's beautiful!

Atticmag said...

Oh yes, dried. Those bouquets look great.

Please stop by if you have time. We'll have a great teen bedroom giveaway starting Friday.

Shy said...

Interesting post. The roasted tomatoes made me curious as i have lots of tomatoes and it probably go bad soon, The green beans was a smart idea and the drying of flowers is amazing. You are good.

http://www.jnjmilestones.com/2010/09/blue-monday-snuggie.html

Ann said...

That is so beautiful. You have a natural touch to create just a lovely piece. Happy Labor Day.
Ann

Shirley said...

i love your arrangement! You are very talented!

Anonymous said...

I love dried flowers and your arrangement is so pretty. I know you aren't ever supposed to see the onions bloom, but I alway thought they were so lovely ;o)

D. Jean Quarles said...

Oh dinner sounds wonderful. Those tomatoes look perfect.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous! Your dried flowers are so beautiful! And what a lovely arrangement they make!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Su-sieee! Mac said...

How fortunate for me to stumble across your blog today, via Blue Monday! I was wondering (and wandering) around the mama's garden an hour ago and saw her onions in pretty bloom. Now, I have a recipe for drying them. Thank you!
Su-sieee! Mac
This and That. Here and There. Now, Sometimes Then.

Elaine said...

The meal sounds yummy and I love dried flowers ..I often bring some in and hang to dry.
Happy Monday of Blue

Entertaining Women said...

What a great idea! Thank you for sharing the steps to dry flowers. Cherry Kay

Susan Freeman said...

What a beautiful assortment! I wish that I had something so lovely to use from my garden.

Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

Nanette said...

Your flower arrangenent turned out just beautiful! Happy Blue Monday.
Valerie

Debra said...

Such a beautiful arrangement! I,too,love scavenging for natural materials and pressing and drying flowers can be so much fun.

Carol said...

Beautiful arrangement! and roasted sun golds are such a treat!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Your arrangement and vignette are just gorgeous. I love the dried flowers and to have some out of the yard would be fabulous. Gorgeous. Thanks so much for linking to TTT. Hugs, Marty

Sue said...

I love the onion blooms! I usually get my flowers from the neighbors or the SIL's who take pity on me and my brown thumb- I am not a gardener!! I dry them upside down, as well, but I've never preserved them by spraying them with varnish. Good tip! Thanks.
~ Sue

Racquel said...

Good idea on the beans, I'll have to do that since my own didn't fare so well this summer. What a pretty little dried arrangement. :)

Darla said...

I also like to dry flowers--and seed heads like those of the poppies are just way cool.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Your flowers are beautiful. It's been so hot and dry here, we've had no flowers this year. Even my neighbor who normally has a spectacular garden, has had no luck at all. Your veggies and flowers show what a little rain and normal temperatures can produce. Lovely photos, sweet post.

Diana LaMarre said...

Your dried bouquet is just beautiful!

Those roasted tomatoes are making my mouth water. I bet dinner is going to be so good.

Karen said...

This is my first visit and I enjoyed myself immensely. What a great post and flower arrangement, so very informative and pretty. Thanks for the tip on what to do with broken flower stems, I wouldn't have thought of that on my own. You have alot of talent, thank you for sharing it with us!

Melinda said...

What a beautiful bouquet! My mom would call it "hidden art" or "found treasure"!

J. Smith said...

Great bouquet! I had no idea onions had such interesting blooms. Thanks for the info! Jean

Blondie's Journal said...

Your floral arrangement is beautiful, Jan, I love dried flowers! And your roasted {or sauteed} tomatoes look delicious.!! :-)

xoxo
Janie

Susan said...

Productive weekend! Your flower arrangement is just beautiful!

thyme2garden said...

What a beautiful dried flower arrangement. I love it that you're using common flowers (and vegetable flowers!) from your garden. Nice to discover your blog today through Tuesday Garden Party!

Manzanita said...

Jan,
Thanks for becoming a follower. I followed you back and found your blog enchanting with natures gifts. I'd call it a "toofer" with the yummy looking spaghetti sauce and the dried flower arrangement. I also admire your photography.

You are one creative gal and I'll return to see what you "cook up" next.
Nice to be your friend
Manzanita
wanna buy a duck

Romeo said...

Oh my whiskers! Your dried flowers are beautiful! "She" doesn't have flowers as nice as yours to dry. Maybe next year. Of course I'm not complaining, the catnip did just fine and dried up quite nicely, not that I noticed.....too much catnip makes my vision fuzzy.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting! AND leaving such a nice commment :) We really appreciated that!

Purrs! I hope you have a grand day!

Romeo and "her"

Cherry Chick said...

Jan...you are so clever. I have dried flowers before but it never occurred to me to spray them with a coat of varnish. Brilliant idea. You have such interesting flowers to dry, too. Thanks so much for the great idea.
´*•.¸(´*•.¸♥¸.•*´)¸.•*´
♥•.*.Thank you.*.•♥
♥•.*.from Vicki.*.•♥
¸.•*´(¸.•*´♥´*•.¸)´*•.¸

Anonymous said...

Very inspiring. I have one onion that did not get planted and it has the little head on it. I have some drying stuff, I may pull it out tomorrow and try drying it!

Sweet Bee Cottage said...

The sauce looks divine! But what you did with the flowers is fantastic. The arrangement is so beautiful.

shannon i olson said...

just beautiful, I have always wondered about the onion blooms. I think they are so pretty. Now I know what to do with them!

Light and Voices said...

Your blog is so cozy. Lovely, simply lovely post.
Joyce M

craftyles said...

The roasted tomatoes look so yummy. I think you did an awesome job on the floral arrangement. Really pretty.

Boom said...

Love the dried flowers. I always dry my hydrangeas and collect a few dried lilly stems to make a wreath. I worked out in the windy Saturday and now all I can do is sit here and sneeze. I think the ragweed is 14 trillion on the meter. Alas, it is going to rain. Bye for now.

Boom said...

Love the dried flower arrangement. I always cut my hydrangeas and a few dried lillie stems to make a wreath. I worked out in the windy day on Saturday and now I just look out and sneeze. The ragweed is 14 trillion on the meter. Alas, it is going to rain! Bye for now.

Carolina Mountains said...

You have been busy - really like your flower arrangement.

Sally Annie Magundy said...

Hi Jan,
I have some tomatoes also today - two great minds as they say. :)
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful dried flowers with us. Your arrangements are lovely, so pretty! You've got me all inspired.

Happy Rednesday,
Sally

Anonymous said...

Very pretty -makes me want to go pick flowers right now!
vickie

Olive said...

beautiful...when I dry hydragenas in a vase they seem to look awful...all of yours are wonderful...hugs♥olive

Unknown said...

Hi Jan! Just a stunning bouquet. Bet you didn't know you just created a 'Colonial' bouquet. They were very popular in the 60's, but were originally done in colonial days of the late 1700's early 1800's they were a spin-off from the French Mille-Fleur( means million of flowers)created after the French Revolution. Jefferson liked the design so much he brought the design trend back to Am. with him.
Sorry the floral designers came out in me ;)

bj said...

I LOVE dried flowers, too. Yours looks fantastic.

Linda said...

What a beautiful arrangement...I love the onion heads. I could do that with the chive flowers...they are pretty too!

Ormolulu said...

Gee, Jan . . . 54 comments! You are a popular girl!! Love the dried arrangements, nice job. Thanks for the compliment on my craft project, but it's honestly not my greatest talent. I'm a very impatient person--more results oriented than process. But I'm working on that, cuz I think it's the key to peace and happiness!

Jami @ An Oregon Cottage said...

Lovely- thanks for linking to the TGP! (I'm not ready for summer's end, either- not much of a summer for us here in the NW...)

Self Sagacity said...

I have to say what you did with the flowers are awesome! Secondly, you freezing the green beans really made me think. We love green beans.