Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Recession-Style Flowers #2, and a Few Cute Dogs Thrown in for Good Measure.

Hi Everyone.  Happy Thursday. 

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Here are some important members of our family.  (L-R):  Hazel, Clover, and Riley.  Hazel actually lives two blocks over from us, and often comes over for play dates—but she and Clover are sisters.  The girls gang up on Riley—he’s low guy in the pack.    

 100_1101 Riley in his role as Vanna White Dog.  Here he shows off two bunches of grocery store flowers.  These lasted well over a week. 

                            100_1203 Our neighborhood florist sells medium-stem roses for a dollar each, every day.  I’ve found a lot of inspiration from other bloggers to find small ways to add beauty and interest to our lives and home, and these dollar roses make a big difference.  I now have flowers in the house mostly all the time.  It seems even more meaningful during this recession.     

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Dollar roses in the kitchen.  Aren’t the colors fab?

  

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Easter flowers.  Five bunches from the grocery store. 

You must understand, grocery store flowers are not my first choice.  But if it means I can have flowers all the time, I’m going to keep an open mind.  And I’ve been surprised at how well some of them last. 

Do you have favorite ways to enjoy flowers economically? 

 100_1129 Clover says, “Good bye, and 

Take time to smell the roses today.” 

you might also like this post on recession-style flowers.

Note:  I have an update to readers posted below.  Please read if you’re interested. 

22 comments:

Pyzahn said...

Too cute. Why do doggie faces cheer me up so much! I love the name Clover. And I will heed her advice.

Zuzana said...

Ah, cute, cute, cute dogs.;) My sisters family has this breed and they are just so cute.;)
I too love to have fresh cut flowers in the house, I buy mine every Friday. Sometimes in the summer and late spring I use roses that grow in my garden.
Beautiful pictures.;)

Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP said...

Awww so cute! Belette will love this westie inspired post!

Jane said...

I buy a small bunch of beautiful flowers form my local florist and pad them out with eucalyptus from our garden.

Penney said...

The pups are just adorable!!! So sweet! I'm a dog woman also..
I have been buying great flowers in "Trader Joe's", here in Boston. Affordable and lasting.. I separate them into tiny vases, and put them in different places..Adds so much cheer to every room..
Have a great day!
xo,
Penney

Duchesse said...

What delightful dogs!

Dollar roses, fantastic! I'm so picky about flowers, can;t stand a cheap bouquet padded with crap flowers. Prefer one exquisite rose in a bud vase. My fave low cost bloom is a cyclamen in fuschia or serene white.

Unknown said...

so cute!

I on occasion will buy myself a bunch of flowers at the store. flowers just liven up the house!

The Clever Pup said...

Of course Hazel is the cutest of three, but then again I'm biased. And Clover - that's funny because my son wanted to call Jersey Clover.

They are adorable doggies.

Lucky for me we have a green grocers/flower shop on every corner where I live. The gerberas were great this spring and they also have some antique looking roses but for 9.99 that's more of an investment.

See ya

Hazel

ceecee said...

The 'Vanna White' pose cracked me up! Your flowers are beautiful. Those roses for 1.00 each?!!! If I buy roses at my grocery store they never open. You've written so many posts while I was busy this weekend that I will have to take some time to catch up. As I was browsing I was fascinated by the children's fears and the way they chose to create the fonts. And not shopping for two months is nothing for me....You know, I broke my arm this winter so I have been a total recluse - rarely going out - living in pajamas. Honestly I haven't bought an article of clothing since November!!! It is completely freeing. Let me know if you need a sponsor!!!
Catherine

Lucy said...

Of course I love flowers- no matter where they come from! But- I have to tell you- I simply Adore the pups!!

I love these kind of posts, they're my favourite:)

Jennifer said...

I am so glad that you wrote this about "recession" flowers. While spending money certaily does not equal happiness, it sure has been depressing at times to feel that one can't. I've been avoiding the luxuries, like flowers, even foregoing flowers at Easter. But, you have shown me that you can still bring some brightness into life on a budget.

Unknown said...

I love cheap flowers, I love expensive flowers. I'm not partial to either. I'll take any I can get :D

Your Westies are so cute. And I know they make great friends, my Aunt has one.

drollgirl said...

love those DOGGIES!!! and i snip flowers from the backyard from time to time, or buy some cheapies at the farmers market. i got some hyacinth today for $5 and it is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!

La Belette Rouge said...

LOVE-LOVE-LOVE any post involving Westies. But three Westies, you have made my night.
I loved you for your writing but when I found out you were a Westie woman I really LOVED you!!!!
There was something else in this post beside Westies but I just couldn't take my eyes off of your gorgeous pups. Please give Clover, Riley and Hazel my love. Lily sends love too.

sallymandy said...

Droll: (I'm sorry, but when I"m typing that my hands have a tendency to spell "Drool.") I bet those hyacinths smell fabulous. They're the best for fragrance. Hard to beat little doggy faces, isn't it?

Belette: You have such a wonderful heart. Lily's some kind of cosmic cousin to Clover and Riley and Hazel. I think like attracts like, n'est-ce pas?

Woman in a Window said...

Beautiful arrangements.

The only flowers I have inside are in a tiny 1950's glass jar and they are little violets my kids keep collecting as soon as their faces open.

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

You always have the most wonderful creative posts!! Those pups are so precious and I love the Vanna White impersonation, lol. Clover's nose saying goodbye is priceless :)
I too love fresh flowers and grow many. I also buy cut flowers from my supermarket when they mark them down. Fresh flowers bring such joy and cheer to the home, no?

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Kat Mortensen said...

I would love to have flowers in the house, but with 4 cats it's too risky. Cats, unlike dogs, love to chew on luscious petals, rending them to shreds and intaking toxins as they go. Bad scene all around.
No. I must enjoy my flowers in the garden, or vicariously through lovely photos such as yours.

Your Westies(?) are a-dor-a-ble!

Kat

Tessa said...

Those little Westies are utterly adorable! I also love to have flowers in the house - they add so much to a room, don't they. I find that here in England during the depths of winter, a lovely bowl of flowers is an immediate lift and adds much needed sparkle to a dreary grey day.

My tip is to mix a few really good silk flowers with a store bought bunch to make it all look more voluptious. I defy anyone to spot the difference....unless you actually feel each bloom!

Gal Friday said...

Such adorable dogs and such w=onderful photos you took of them and the bouquets!

I have a friend who has a buff colored Cairn Terrier named Riley-I think it is a great name for a dog.Hazel and Clover are good names, as well.

I agree that you need flowers in the house and it doesn't have to be a huge expense. I often buy "supermarket flowers" and can make them last for two weeks(water changes, trimming the stems). Last week, I bought a bunch of daisies and also a bunch of yellow-orange ranunculas (each 4.00) and have them in two different spots in the living/dining area. I also like to take single stems of the flowers and put them in smaller glass vases and put them around the house(bathroom, too).
Pretty soon, I'll be able to bring in cut flowers from my own beds, too.

sallymandy said...

Woman in a Window: that sounds like a delightful flower display.

Reggie Girl, thanks. Riley's having a good time with all the praise this week. I wish I was a better gardener, because I'd love to have my own cutting garden. When I tried a few years ago, it came in so small and stunted that my hubby called it the Bonsai Cutting Garden.

Kat: oh, good point about the kitties. It was that way for me growing up. I've become a dog person in spite of my feline background.

Tessa: that's a really good idea, and one I hadn't thought of. Thanks!

Gal: Your flowers sound beautiful. I adore ranunculus. We hardly ever see them around here, and I don't know why. Will we get to see some pix of your garden flowers?

English Muse said...

oh cuties!