Monday, October 24, 2016

On my Front Door and in a Vase, on a Monday...


With a stormy weekend on the way I gathered a favorite twig wreath...

Foraged leaves and berries while out on the last dry dog walk...

Pulled together some crafty papers and tools...

And set to work trying to be all warm and fuzzy about the season. Then the wind started howling, the trees were bending...and the power went out. That's why there aren't any process shots. It was still light enough outside I could see to work by the windows, but just barely. Certainly not light enough to take photos while I created.

Since Andrew was watching me work I handed him some paper, and scissors, and asked for bats — he did well.

I wanted to make black flowers for Halloween but I'm still not sure I did the right thing by putting them on this wreath. Maybe just a touch too crafty for me to be 100% comfortable with...

I do love the leaves and berries though.

What do you think? Would it be better with out the flowers?

Actually once you step back and see the bats the flowers do make more sense, the "Halloween theme" comes through...or am I just rationalizing?

Since the contents of last week's vase were looking rather sad, I went ahead and filled it up with freshly cut bits.

At the back a yellowed Tetrapanax leaf and toward the front colored-up Cotinus cuttings...

Mixed in is the rest of my purple basil, a couple of Darlingtonia californica that were smashed down by a falling branch, pieces of last week's Amsonia hubrichtii and some dried up fern fronds.

It positively reeks of autumn! (but actually smells really good because of the basil).

So, as you probably know by now, Rambling in the Garden is the place to go for links to all the bloggers with vase creations to share this Monday...

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. I think the black flowers are a great addition - they provide a color echo for Andrew's wonderful bats. I love what you did in revamping the vase too - those Darlingtonia add a bright but faintly sinister touch, perfect for the season. (Don't mind me - I find most bog plants fairly sinister.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kris, and I agree, there is something a little sinister about carnivorous plants.

      Delete
  2. The wreath looks brilliant - and the black flowers DO look really effective. As always, you add your own individual slant to IAVOM and I love to see your creations from week to week

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I like the revamped vase even better than the last one. I wonder with your black flowers if it's not that they're "crafty" but they are strong enough visually that they take away from the leaves etc. Not really a negative, just perhaps a different effect than what you envisioned when you began.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're probably right Linda, they are an artificial element which competes with the natural.

      Delete
  4. Brilliant and inspiring!
    I've never made paper flowers - yours are particularly interesting ! I like that it's clear they are paper/hand made (with love) flowers -
    Love the black -

    Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan, you should give paper flowers a try!

      Delete
  5. The black flowers work well with the bats but then I love everything you do. The arrangement is over the top grand! The inclusion of Darlingtonia californica makes it especially appropriate for halloween. (Because they're scary carniverous plants but also because they have a cobra or goblin-like appearance.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Once I added the Darlingtonia I wanted more, more, more! But didn't want to harm the plant. It was hard to stop with just the broken ones.

      Delete
  6. I think your wreath, bats and black flowers look terrific, Loree! In another week, you can revamp the wreath for a Thanksgiving look. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do appreciate how easy it is to roll Halloween decor into the next holiday. Not so easy for Christmas though...

      Delete
  7. Another thumbs up for the black flowers. Perhaps very dark brown instead of black for the flowers? Lots of bats are brown, too.

    The wreath colors look great with your house colors.

    I've got a blank vine-wreath, really need to add something or other to it--you've inspired me to at least think about doing that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I look forward to seeing what you come up with! (in other words I have confidence that you will act)

      Delete
  8. Holy spectacular wreath Batman.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Perfect addition of black flowers for National Bat Week - highlights what great pollinators they are. You could always try to craft a paper Tacca chantrieri. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. National Bat Week!? Who knew? I like your Tacca chantrieri suggestion. I was thinking I needed to tackle some fairly complex flower...

      Delete
  10. What a fabulous wreath! The black flowers are exquisite and they definitely add to the effect. The bats are just darling! And the colour of those cotinus leaves in the vase is gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That Cotinus, it's great in the spring and summer but wow, when autumn rolls around!

      Delete
  11. To be able to hand your hubby some black paper and get back...bats! Now that's what I consider a marriage of convenience. Great team effort. Everything else becomes background for the black flowers and bats. Soon enough to get back to nature once Halloween passes.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!