Freytag’s Florist Blog

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! Don’t count on finding a clover to build your luck up this year, get your green strategies going today…

What will you wear???

With SXSW in full swing here in Austin I expect to see some of these crazy hot green shoes on some super cool band members!

If crowds and hipsters aren’t your thing there is a more tradition steeped St. Patrick’s Day Festival benefiting

The Celtic Cultural Center

Shamrocks  aren’t supposed to be hunted but are only considered lucky if stumbled upon. That shouldn’t keep you from adding four leaves to your life… the more green the better and sometimes you just have to make your own luck!

To eat Irish there is of course corned beef and cabbage with potatoes. While you rarely see a quick recipe from Martha Stewart, you can start this recipe today in time for tomorrow’s feasting!

AND of course the tradition of green beer…

Now I prefer a pot of gold to most of these traditions… still waiting for that to appear!

All photos are taken by me at Freytag’s Florist or sourced on our TUMBLR blog.

Spring is in the air! With my windows opened and the warm Austin breezes floating through the house I finally started my spring cleaning this weekend.

Starting with the floor working my way up, I know I have a week of organizing drawers and cabinets ahead of me!  Clearing off horizontal spaces and putting out fresh spring linens is like stretching a clean white canvas. For a moment my house might resemble those shots of perfection in magazines (at least in my mind)!

Tables and dressers beckon for branches and blooms.

Dusting off and polishing up spring vases for beautiful spring flower arrangements inside.

Clear out old garden beds and turn the compost piles for spring bulbs popping up outside.

… do the flowers know it’s daylight savings time? More so than my sleepy head knew it this morning! The simple pleasures of spring rains and wildflowers popping up along the commute makes every day feel fresh and exciting, full of possibilities. Daylight savings means I get to wake up with the sun again too.

On the other side of these spring work days is time for afternoon tennis and evenings on the porch…

…cleaning and preparing the ceramic pots of last year’s transplants, putting up new supports for vines and checking on feeders and bird houses for guests.

With March showers in abundance the stepping stones and pathways get adjusted around the yard this time of year and cleaned up too. New flower beds get “designed” with favorite rocks, statues and blooms but have to be cleverly protected from those beloved dogs and deer!

Time to spring into action all around. Enjoy the buzz and hum of activity before it gets too hot!

All photos that were not taken by me are sourced on our TUMBLR BLOG

What’s her favorite color?

Knowing your loved one’s favorite color can be a great testament to your affection and how well you are paying attention. With all the fresh cut flowers available from Freytag’s our monochromatic arrangements get their style from the designer’s blend of textures and scale. Personalizing arrangements can be intimidating because you can’t see the final product on a web site but trusting talented, experienced designers do the work for you always results in stunning arrangements.

Of course the classic deep red is traditionally associated with romance.

See our web site link for more colorful meanings:

http://www.freytagsflorist.com/meaningRoses.cfm

image pulled from our TUMBLR blog here:

 http://austinflowerblog.com/

So, you can’t afford a BOAT LOAD of flowers?

Freytag’s is offering free Valentine’s deliveries on Monday the 13th for the smart early birds. Why fret all day over when your flowers will get there? Why not let them enjoy your gift all day long???

Like one of our customer’s today said:

“It’s just more special when it’s delivered!”

As always, your in store purchases that you take with you, of plants or loose stems will be half off…

There’s something for everyone here and if you’ve waited this long you might just want our designer’s help too!

Blooming and green plants have been designed in decorative combinations to serve a wide array of loved ones! Bears, chocolates and local, hand dipped, gigantic chocolate covered strawberries are also available through our shop, either in store or as a delivery. We try to make it easy on you by providing top notch products that can be combined to reflect your budget!

 With all the pressure to impress that special someone getting experts on your side is not a bad option.

With Freytag’s Florist you have 30 years experience!

Greet guests with a stunning display of spring right on your door! Perfect for a shower or luncheon…

Even a simple arrangement of tulips reminds us spring is

around the corner!

Tulips bring a great pop of color

and life to “serious” decor…

and a little

sophistication to

Shabby Chic!

 

 

 

 

A few hand wrapped tulips can spark the romance any day!

…a pound or two of tulips could really get you out of trouble

or better yet, get you noticed this

Valentine’s Day!

These spicy chili pops are probably the craziest Tulips I found on Tumblr…

And this unique umbrella arrangement is voted the cutest!

All tulips featured were found on Tumblr…

Follow our photo blog here for sources, links and to add a little pretty to your day:

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/freytags

or if your “over” Tumblr check us out on Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/freytagsflorist/

Thanks for staying social!

 

 

 

What are your resolutions for the New Year?

Will you add to your workouts? Restrict your diet? Call your Grandma more? Get more organized… Around here we are in full on cleaning mode clearing shelves, reorganizing the shop and zhushing the storefront.

Of course that has translated at home into cleaning out cabinets and drawers! Now I have lots of little spice & sauce jars forsingle stems in the bathroom, on night stands or end tables…

I’ve been inspired by so many photos like this on TUMBLR that I’ve been buying products based on their jar’s beauty?*! The glass jars and bottles are kept out of landfills when we reuse them. This maybe turning into a REUSE resolution for 2012?

 

 

Mason jars are a favorite of mine as well and TUMBLR bloggers are in love with them too! They are so versatile that we have a range of sizes at home and use them for serving drinks, storing home made dressings and sauces, and for perfect little counter top arrangements!

How about a wall garden… this is brilliant and certainly could be done with reused materials.

Check us out on TUMBLR for more great ideas, our feed is full of amazing photos!

http://austinflowerblog.com/?b2494228

 

 

 

 

Decorating your windows and doors with festive wreaths can be a great way to celebrate the season. Our delivery counter FULL of beatiful wreaths heading out to customers:

 

 

 

Check out this house quite literally

wrapped in wreaths! The simplicity of the fresh green

 wreaths with wide red ribbon is an elegant clasic!

No blinky lights needed here…

 

 

 

 

If you Think hanging these looks like work

can you imagine getting these windows decked out?

Now THAT won’t be on the “honey do” list!

 

 

The smell of a fresh mixed evergreen wreath fills the air

as guests arrive at your home, making even a Texas door

remind visitors of forrests blanketed in snow.

Pretty sure this snow piled wreath isn’t from Austin?!*

 

 

 

These colorful yarn wrapped wreaths still host fragrant

branches of greens and can be made to match

this year’s fashionable colors.

Be warned, it takes FOREVER to wrap those wreath forms

and a whoooooole lotta yarn. I do so love the

sweet little birds nestled in, looking comfy cozy!

 

 

These ornament wreaths also take a year and a day to make,

but really bring the glamour. I did a few one year in greens and

the key is to mix in matt with glossy finishes.

A good sturdy box is important for storage if you are using

real glass ornaments! Mine were flattened boxes of glasss

shards the next year…

apparently the cat took a liking to the most delicate pile?!*

 

Wreaths are of course about the season,

not just Christmas!

This Hanukkah wreath is gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

 

Still feeling crafty?

How about button wreath ornaments for the tree?

This actually is a simple string of buttons,

a much faster, kid friendly project!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year I will be taking the easy approach

with my wreaths…

 

 

 

 

Bringing home three fresh 20″ wreaths tonight that will host birds and owls from last years aviary themed tree. Yellow is my porch color this year so to hang them I have selected a nice wide spool of ribbon, totally baffling the cashier with my choice of yellow for Christmas Decor (not to mention the bumble bees that are going on the purple tree- but thats a post for another day)

 

 

 

 

Easiest yet is to swing buy and purchase an already styled wreath, fresh or artificial. Treat yourself tosome holiday cheer every time you arrive back home!

Sometimes, it seems like the holiday magic has just disappeared.  They just don’t seem to sparkle anymore.  There’s the cold weather, and the hassle of buying gifts, and the travel plans or out-of-town guests to host, and the dinner to cook, and so much more.  Suddenly, the holiday season is just plain stressful!  If you’re feeling this way, it’s time to slow down and do what you can to bring the magic back.

Go outside with your kids (or nieces/nephews, friends’ kids, etc.) and have a snowball fight!  Help them build a snowman, create a snow fort, and make snow angels.  Kids always seem full of the holiday cheer, and it can be infectious.  Just be sure to bundle up!

Enjoy the holiday food.  Gingerbread, eggnog, candy canes, and other treats are often hard to find outside of the holiday season.  Spoil yourself a bit and have a snack or two while they’re here.

Go ice skating.  Many cities set up ice skating rinks for the holiday season.  Other areas may have permanent rinks that host special holiday events.

Snuggle by the fire.  If you have a wood-burning fireplace, there’s no time like the holiday season to get it going!  You can even roast marshmallows or make S’mores.  If you don’t have a fireplace, that’s OK—curl up on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate or cuddle with your sweetheart while you watch a movie.

Speaking of movies, watching some of the classic holiday movies is sure to help get you in the spirit.  Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Charlie Brown Christmas episode, It’s a Wonderful Life…the list of great holiday movies goes on and on.  Pick your favorite and enjoy!

If movies don’t do it for you, see a live performance.  Many local theater and dance companies have holiday shows.  The Nutcracker ballet is often performed at Christmas; live performances of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol are also usually pretty easy to find.

Christmas Flowers in Austin, Texas.

So you lucked out and got multiple invites for Turkey this year?

Grateful for no brining, baking, or stuffing …

Greet your hosts at the door with something that goes well with everything (even with Tofurky… I promise!)

Flowers are a great way to say thank you right at the door (just in case you fall asleep during the game and don’t get to those dishes)!

Do your hosts have a green thumb? Blooming and green plants of all sizes will remind the chef this time next year what a generous guest you were! You’ll never have to cook again…

Have you done any decorating for the big Thanksgiving meal?  If you’re hosting the dinner, you might want to add a bit of Thanksgiving flair to your home.  Here are some simple ways of adding a big of holiday cheer to your home.

Get a Thanksgiving centerpiece.  The meal is the center of the holiday, after all, so you want your table to look great.  A centerpiece for Thanksgiving can come in many forms.  Pumpkins, gourds, candles, fall flowers, a ceramic turkey, pilgrims…there are many options out there.  Find something that fits nicely on your table.  If your table is small, go with something simple so you’ll have plenty of room for food.

Don’t forget the Thanksgiving linens:  a tablecloth and napkins are a must-have for a nice meal, so you might as well make them decorative.  You can go with a solid fall color (orange, red, brown) or pick something with turkeys or other Thanksgiving images.  Napkin rings are another nice accessory that can add to your décor.

The real treat at Thanksgiving is the meal, of course, so add a bit of decoration to your dishes.  Use decorative platters and bowls or ones that match your tablecloth.  Even dishes with a fall color pattern on them can help accent the meal and bring a cohesion to your overall décor.

These are just a few simple things to make Thanksgiving decorating quick and easy.  There’s a lot more you can do, of course.  You can pick up some small turkey and pilgrim figures, add a fall wreath to your front door, or find some other fall items to place around your home.  How much you do is all up to you.  Get creative, and make your Thanksgiving decorations something special for your guests to enjoy.

Thanksgiving Flowers in Austin Texas

 

 I adore the simplicity of these hand stenciled bottles full of wheat stalks because it incorporates reuse, and adds warmth with texture and color to the room.

 

Even if you bake your desserts from scratch these vintage looking  cans make perfect containers for simple DIY arrangements. Multiple containers of the same size creates a nice focal point for all your guests at a long, narrow table.  

 

 

I am in love with all the DIY ideas out there but tend to gravitate towards wedding designs, probably because I see so many beautiful photos showcasing weddings every day. I find it leaves my decorating options open and I always throw a little tribute in to celebrate that particular holiday. The bright, cheerful palette from this wedding translates for any festive event and the grass runner is just brilliant.

 

 At Freytag’s we love to see you in our shop! If you select individual blooms that you arrange yourself we give you 1/2 off, really boosting that DIY budget! Something as easy as these mixed goblets with blooms and candles can dress a buffet, dessert or even dining table up for any occasion.

 

…a truly INSPIRED idea from One Fine Day Events in Lake Tahoe:

For Thanksgiving I would try oranges or tangerine under the glass, maybe even apples or pomegranates. I have the perfect desk with a glass top that already doubles as a serving station…

Use risers not the fruit to support the glass to avoid a disaster!