A Mother's Day Bouquet

It's finally starting to look and feel like spring around here at the Chateau!  Actually, today is more like summer, with temps in the 80's. So it seems as if we've skipped from a chilly spring right into summer, but I'm not complaining!

Today I thought I'd share with you one of my latest creations, a floral arrangement that I made for my Mom for Mother's Day.  It's hard to believe that it's this weekend already, isn't it?

Anyway, I usually get Mom a bunch of flowering plants that she can enjoy outside.  I thought this year I'd do something a bit different, that was low maintenance, that she could enjoy year round, and that wouldn't need watering!

So, I made her a silk floral centerpiece, that is nestled inside of a pretty and large ceramic white basket.

 I just realized that I should have taken a shot of the basket before I added the flowers!  I filled it so full of flowers, that it's hard to see the actual basket in my photos!

 So you know how I love to spray paint just about everything that doesn't move, right? Well, that is just what I did with this floral arrangement!  You may have seen my silk flower wreath some time ago that I gave a spray paint treatment to. Well,  I purchased a very large silk bouquet at Hobby Lobby, on clearance last winter.  It began life in autumnal colors of gold, orange, rust and yellow. I knew when I spotted it that it would be perfect to tuck away for a project just like this!

I took the entire bouquet outside and spray painted the heck out of it with Heirloom White spray paint, my favorite creamy color!  It took quite a bit of paint, as the flowers seemed to suck it all up!  I really was happy with the end result, how the colors still show thru, but in a more muted and softer faded over time look.

 To the inside of the basket, I place blocks of floral foam, also from Hobby Lobby.  I then cut each wire stem of each flower, and randomly stuck them into the foam, in a pleasing manner.

I also added a few of my paper roses made from vintage sheet music. They each have a tiny little rhinestone in their centers, for a bit of bling!

 My favorite part of the arrangement is this cute little bird's nest and eggs!  I fashioned the nest out of Spanish moss and other mosses.  Nestled inside are three sweet little eggs that I made from pink Sculpy clay.  I added little brown speckles to make them look realistic.

(though I don't know how realistic pink eggs are, hahaha!) 

My Mom loves pink, so I think she will be excited!

To top it all off, I tied a ribbon of crinkly cream seam binding around the handle of the basket.

 I must say that I'm really happy with how it turned out!  It was a fun project, and I think my Mom will really enjoy it!

 Wishing you a very Happy Mother's Day!