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Friday 2 December 2011

A Challenge Is A Red Flag To Me

When Donna from Funky Junk Interiors posted about this challenge I really had to put my thinking cap on!



I've never been particularly fond of Poinsettias.  That's probably because any I had were sad, little grocery store things that started to drop their leaves before they made it through my front door.  

When I'm decorating client homes for Christmas, I steer away from something as common as red Poinsettias.  I'll use white ones in a pinch but usually opt for floral arrangements that use non-traditional flowers and greenery as an element of surprise.

Still, a challenge is a challenge and I love to rise to one!  Unfortunately, this is the year I'm trying to spend as little money as possible on decorating.  The answer presented itself at the floral shop in my local grocery store. I spotted this large, but forlorn, specimen marked down to half price. ~


It was lopsided, bedraggled, leggy and had an awful planter but $7.00 was a price I could handle.  Let's just pretend I didn't want any of the lush, healthy ones because it is so much more Christmasy to give this one a second chance.

To cover up the leaf blemishes, I dabbed on a bit of ModPodg and sprinkled on some glitter. ~ 


I discarded the pot and put the Poinsettia in a rusty bucket I made with the vinegar technique.  I figured this was all about celebrating the colour red.  A $2 roll of red sheer fabric from Dollarama was tied around the plant in a big bow to stabilize the leggy stems and fill in the bare lower section. Then I was on the hunt for more red!

I like to do some kind of toy display at the base of my Christmas tree. A vintage child's wagon, with red lettering was perfect!  A teddy from the Salvation Army ($1.99) got a red bow as well.



Add some candy canes in a vintage sealer jar ~


This is verry red!

I was still a little bothered by the skimpy side of the plant and decided to balance it with a couple of pieces of white birch. ~



I do like Poinsettias!  Who knew?  This makes me feel happy and warm and cozy!  When the tree is up, I'll roll the wagon underneath and feel like a little kid all over again.

By way of apology to all the fine Canadian Poinsettia growers out there, I urge you all to run out and buy yourself one this very day!


4 comments:

  1. Beautiful Maureen! I love the first photo best of this...it's like..frameable! You really took nothing and made it something special here! xo

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  2. Great rescue for the Poinsettia - love your photos.
    -Joy

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  3. Fantastic! I am so glad you came back to poinsettias!! Love what you did there :)

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  4. Beautiful job Maureen...I never knew you could put mod podge on a plant. Also, thanks so much for your kind comments on my site. I'm you new follower.

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