Anything but Common

Queen Anne's Lace ~ Summer in the Queen City area would not be the same without it!  At first glance, Queen Anne's Lace looks to be a sturdy bloom, but look a little closer  and you can see the delicate tiny flowers that make up this Yellow Canary favorite!  It adds a delicate and earthy dimension to arrangements and bouquets. 


My Grandfather Stewart's favorite flower, I spent plenty of time as a child reaping this wild flower to present to him and in turn, he taught me about the workings of plants and flowers by allowing me to use food coloring in the bouquets' water and having me watch closely as the snowy white Queen Ann's Lace turned blue, green and yellow as it drew in water. Year after year, I never ceased to be amazed by this trick!  (VG)

The Story of Queen Anne's Lace   

Queen Anne was tatting white lace.  (Tatting is the all-but-lost art of making lace by hand.)  The beautiful white lace she was tatting became the white lacy flowers of thewild carrot plant.  She pricked her finger and one drop of blood oozed out.  This became the central dark red or purple sterile floret that is present on some, but not all, Queen Anne's Lace flowers. Legends disagree as to which Queen Anne was tatting such lovely lace.  Some say it was Anne (1574 - 1619), the first Stuart Queen Anne, who was brought over from Denmark at fourteen years of age to be a Queen to King James of Scotland.  Others argue  it was Anne (1665 - 1714), the daughter of William and Mary, and the last monarch in the Stuart line.

Two Unique Place Card Ideas

There are many ways to guide your guests to their chairs at your event.  Many people opt to have a laissez-faier attitude about seating at their event; let the guests choose their tablemates.  This is a good option for a small event in which most everyone is acquainted or for a buffet style dinner party.

For larger affairs, or ones in which many of the guests aren't acquainted, seating charts are the best way to ensure well matched guests or to alleviate any awkward searching for a place to sit!

The "Love Songs Birdcage" place card holders to the left really appeal to us at Yellow Canary- wonder why?

  At a recent Yellow Canary wedding, the couple used this hombre hydrangea platform to hold the seating cards with a beautiful outcome.

July's Birth Flowers for the Last Day of July

The July birth flower is both the larkspur and water lily. 

The larkspur, with its simple form, feelings of open heart and ardent attachment are attributed to it. Each color variation of larkspur has a different meaning: pink means fickleness, white conveys a happy nature, and purple normally represents a first love. Generally, larkspur indicates strong bonds of love. 

The water lily,signifies purity and majesty and contrary to what  you way think, the water lily can be used in arrangements and bouquets.

More Local Beauty: Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

A recent trip to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden had me in awe!  Not only are their trees and plants beautiful, they also create an experience that rivals the animals in the zoo!  The annuals and perennials are all chosen with care and thought so that each turn and path is a wonder of greenery and color.  Below are just a few shots of the foliage that greets visitors.  Love the bold contrasts!

T

Sumptuous Color Palate for Fall 2013

The gang at The Perfect Palette collected sumptuous examples of the color palette that Pantone deemed to be the "it" colors for Fall 2013 (read the article here).  These shardes will make for rich and bold Fall!

Life Moves Pretty Fast...

I was stuck in traffic on Race Street downtown, and thoroughly annoyed.  This was not the way I had planned my day to be!  I began to work myself into a bit of a tizzy, when I rolled my eyes up to the heavens, I noticed that looming just above my head was the most magnificent facade!  Instantly, my annoyance was turned to glee as I was able to safely shoot a snapshot without fear of bodily harm.  I have lived most of my life in the Cincinnati area and never once noticed this architectural gem!

I was suddenly transported to Saint Marks Square in Venice.  "Traffic jam, what traffic jam?"  I'm on a gondola!  After a little investigating I found that the Lyric Piano Company building has been surprising and delighting Cincinnatians since 1919 and is even on the Queen City Tour.  Well, color me surprised.  I definitely learned a lesson in that traffic jam.  Sometimes all you need to do is to slow down and take a look around.  You could be missing out on so much around you for want of pausing for just a moment to stop and look around you!  

Don't want a Veil? Try a Floral Headpiece

A Yellow Canary Creation

Cincinnati Wedding- "Secret Garden"

For the bride wanting to stand out from the pack, a floral headpiece is a fresh and one-of-a-kind option.  The floral headpiece is very versatile, it can be worn with veiling or in lieu of the more traditional veil.  As suggested from "That Way Hat's Blog", when choosing your bridal accessories, you should take into account the shape and scope of the gown when choosing your headpiece.  For a fuller dress, a fuller headpiece will keep your shape in balance.

  Brides can choose from any design or shape to fit their personality, theme or decor.  That is the beauty of the floral headpiece- the sky is the limit when designing and dreaming.  Brides can choose a "flower child" daisy chain for a beach or park wedding or an elegant orchid or lily to complement a simple, sleek wedding style.