You may recall that I went browsing a few weeks ago and that I started out in a retail store before the “voices in my head” made me leave and high tail it to Goodwill.
Well, before I got out of dodge (a.k.a. Kirklands) , I did manage to make a purchase. I felt justified since it was only $7.99, and I really liked it…as in I couldn’t imagine leaving the store without it.
What is it? Well, let me show you. Let’s play a game of “parts to whole”, and please don’t cheat by looking at the title of this post. 😉 To play the game, you carefully observe all of the pictures below to piece together what the object is. Ready? Here we go.
If you guessed vintage style vase, then you get an A! Now, I have no idea what era a vase like this would have come from, but I do love its vintage design.
There’s just something so rewarding about having fresh cut flowers from your own yard.
The leaves and flowers are starting to wilt, but there are a few buds left. I did make a d.i.y. preservative for the water which is very cost effective since it is made from ingredients that we all have on hand.
I don’t know if it really extended the life of the roses or not, since I winged it with the ingredients and the measurements. When the picture was taken, a full week had passed since placing the rose clippings in the vase. They didn’t start to wilt til about day 4 or 5.
Next time, I’m going to use one of these recipes:
Cut Flower Preservative Recipe #1
- 2 cups lemon-lime carbonated beverage (e.g., Sprite™ or 7-Up™)
- 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach
- 2 cups warm water
Cut Flower Preservative Recipe #2
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach
- 1 quart warm water
Cut Flower Preservative Recipe #3
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach
- 1 quart warm water
The source of these recipes also has some great tips for keeping your cut flowers fresh. I think I would have gotten more life out of my flowers if I had changed the water regularly and followed a more precise recipe for the preservative. Lesson learned.
Do you have any tips to share for keeping flowers fresh?
Until next time,
Sharon
I’m sharing this post at these fun parties:
Country Homemaker Hop @ My Simple Country Living
Cowgirl Up @ 1 party at 4 blogs: Cedar Hill Ranch, The Farmhouse Porch, The Ivy Cottage, and Craft Texas Girls
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Knick of Time Tuesdays @ Knick of Time Interiors
Tutorial Tuesdays @ The Kurtz Korner
Tutorials and Tips Link Party @ Home Stories A to Z
livingrichonless said:
Thanks for the flower preservative recipes. I’m gonna try them!
Sharon ت said:
Hi Susan! I want to hear all about Blissdom.
Let me know how the preservatives work out for you.
Pam said:
That vase is so cute. I may have to actually drag myself out of the thrift stores and go to Kirkland’s someday.
Sharon ت said:
I don’t go often, but i usually find something that I like and they have a good clearance section too.
Heidi- WWSF & My Simple Country Living blogs said:
Hello Sharon,
What a LOVELY vase. It’s amazing. What a deal. Thanks for sharing the cut flower preservation recipes too. I have had good success myself by adding a few drops of bleach and a tbsp of 7up into the vase, after cutting the stems. I also change out the water every 5-7 days and re-cut the stems each time. My Valentine’s Day bouquet lasted for more than 2 weeks. Have a great week.
Anita said:
Thanks for the recipes; I need to keep those for later, since I love fresh flowers. Thanks for linking to cowgirl up.
Sharon ت said:
So glad to join in the fun!