The Perfect Photo

Adjusting your favorite subject is tricky when trying to get the perfect photo. I first add my favorites to the back ground I want to photograph.

 At first, my favorite subjects will have a mind of their own on how they want to be photographed.

Sometimes one of my favorite subjects will try to be the main focal point.

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A slight but assertive adjustment from the older subject helps to hurry along the process

Here we are!! Perfection!!  The Perfect Photograph!!

At least to me!!

Poinsettia Re-Design

YES you can cut the stems off of your Poinsettia plant, and YES you can put them in a vase for a very pretty display. Lets get started. Here is a sad looking plant, that just doesn't look good left alone in its pot.

I will cut the stems from this plant to make my design. The milky sap coming from the cut end of the stem, needs to be sealed, so the stem will thrive in a vase. We seal the end of the stem by holding it over the candle flame. The fire seals the end. This process does not stop the stem from drinking up the water. I do not know why, but it just doesn't!!  You don't have to worry about the sap coming from the sides of the stem where leaves have been removed, it will not affect the stem, so don't burn seal those.  Place the cut and sealed stem of the Poinsettia into a holding vase of water. I cut a few more of the stems from the potted plant. Sealed them all with the candle flame. They look so much better now in the vase then they did in the pot, where the plant was looking a bit spindly. 

I could leave them just like this and it would make a pretty display, but I want to use a larger vase and add in some greens and a few more flowers. 

First add to the vase the greens that you want to use.  I collected pine branches, boxwood and cedar. 

I added spray roses, green spider mums and green & white button mums. I wired up a few pine cones and added them into my vase.

So here we have a complete redesign of the Poinsettia. 

The cut stems of the Poinsettia plant will last more then a week in a vase. Another fact about Poinsettias is they are not Toxic as presumed. Copy this link to read more about this popular Christmas Plant.

      http://www.safnow.org/sites/saf/files/MarketingMaterials/SAF_Poinsettia_Flier.pdf 

Tis the Season

I have been reminded by a 4 year old what Christmas is all about. It's funny how a little ones point of view changes your own out look on what is really important this time of year. The conversation began while decorating the Christmas tree. Adelynn Grace informed me that it would be so cool to make cookies and deliver them to the neighbors. I asked her which neighbors she wanted to give cookies to and she replied very enthusiastically, every one on the street!! I played along with her discussing the details, really trying NOT to encourage her on this endeavor she had concocted. I came up with many excuses, telling her it would be difficult, time consuming, I even tried to change the subject a few times, but she was relentless, she even threw the love word in there. So I thought about it. She wanted to give something for the holiday season. She had the Christmas spirit and here I was trying to dissuade her. It was only cookies, they are not that difficult to make. We could wrap them up in pretty boxes or bags! I was getting excited now. We could set a limit to the amount of neighbors on the street that her little legs could walk to. So there it was, our plan now!! We would make the cookies!! They will be wrapped up with pretty ribbons and bows!! We will hand  deliver them personally!! So if you live on my street you will be seeing us soon,  and we will have a gift for you. It will be a sweet treat, but the sweetness will be coming from one very special little girl in my life, who I am so very proud of and who wants to share her Christmas spirit with you.
Merry Christmas!!