My sister busted me about a former favorite of mine.
I had a plethora of faux greenery and flowers.
If you are old enough to remember the 90s, you have to remember faux greenery.
Everybody had it.
We had it draped everywhere.
Homemakers had it dripping over bookshelves, picture frames and over the top of the kitchen cabinets.
I had faux greenery draped, swathed and adorning almost every surface. It was a terrible idea.
Most of the time it was a dusty, greasy mess.
(Do you say greasy or greazy? Bill says greasy and I say greasy. )
It was even worse with plastic grapes woven in and out.
My sister pointed out that she doesn't "do" fake flowers or greens ever!
She makes do with pine cones, fresh fruit or flowers, antlers, sea shells and other items that are apropos to the season.
I started to wonder if it was possible to live and decorate without needing a Hobby Lobby floral department fix every now and again.
I can't say I've been 100 percent successful but I have made progress and I'm in fake floral rehab.
Here are a couple of ways I added the real and nixed the plastic without having a stark environment.
Lliriope or Monkey grass in a glass jar can be tucked in another container. It lasts about a month. I've got an abundance of this stuff in the yard. Ivy or clippings from shrubs would work as well.
My yard won't miss a thing.
Philodendron is by far the easiest house plant to grow.
Even I can't kill it.
I trim the vines and re-root them in a vase. I've been doing this groovy thing since the 70s.
I have even passed the technique onto my offspring.
The other way I have added color without the silk is with dried flowers. Status is wonderful. It is cheap and it lasts for months.
I ordered these hydrangeas last year from Oregon. I got a big box for $25.00. They still look great a year later.
I love baby's breath. It also lasts a while and is very inexpensive. I found some at Kroger for $3.99 a bunch.
Hobby Lobby and Michaels have a great dried section. I have even gotten feathers to add to arrangements.
Of course roses from the grocery store are wonderful too. I just turn them upside down to dry.
Once they are dry they can be used in different arrangements.
I do use faux fruit. I really don't want the family eating my displays all the time.
So what are my exceptions?
I do have a few bunches of fake flowers.
I like the ones that are made of velvet or velveteen.
Most of my fake ones are from a local wholesale company, Raz Imports.
I use them in small doses and only as they are blooming in nature. Pansies when they are blooming outside, etc.
My favorite artificial would have to be vintage milner flowers.
This one is off of one of my grandmother's flapper dresses.
Love!
If you go with the faux, there are some good quality fakes out there.
I still have a plethora of fake Christmas greens.
I went with more real last year than I ever have but it sheds so bad and I had to get new greens mid-month.
What about you? Faux or No?
Katie
