Pretty Poinsettias

Last month, I traveled to a gorgeous area in North Carolina & had the opportunity to visit a greenhouse that grows poinsettias. As I was enjoying dinner among the beautiful sea of red poinsettias, I started looking at them in a different light. I began dreaming of how I could give the traditional flower a new look & incorporate it into our home. If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you already know that I created another one of my 5 minute centerpieces from just one plant. They’re bold, bright & beautiful & when paired with my soft neutrals, wintery perfection! While I think they would have fit gorgeously in the December issue of Southern Living, it’s me who was featured, sharing some of my entertaining tips with Tervis. Today’s entertaining tip is to make a statement, without a fuss!

I spent nearly 12 years planning weddings & events. One of the most difficult things I had to do was to try to make the most of a floral budget to make an impact because flowers are so costly! A tip I’ve been sharing for years {but let’s not look back at those photographs, alright} is to use plants versus fresh cut flowers. You’ll save at least 50% by cutting those blooms yourself. You never see fresh cut poinsettias though! Deconstructing them gives them an entirely different aesthetic & is quite stunning.

Here’s the recipe for a deconstructed poinsettia centerpiece:

1 poinsettia plant {usually around $5}

bud vases

scissors

Details:

1. Identify your best blooms – we’re hoping for 5+! I do this in-store.
2. Cut the stem at the base of the plant. Remove all green leaves, even when blended with the red. Did you know that poinsettias are naturally green & forced red?
3. Rinse your stems carefully, not to damage the red blooms. This will remove most of the white milky substance from cutting them.
4. Fill your “vases” with water. Cut your stems so that the blooms sit on top, straight up, but long enough it looks like the blooms are standing in the glassware.
5. Arrange them! Depending on how many guests you’re expecting, you may want to make a table runner or group them together. I mixed them in with tapers as well!

Another great tip is to mix & match drinkware if you don’t have enough. A blend of drinkware adds interest to the table! I used my new Entertaining Collection Tumblers by Tervis® & garnished the tumblers with miniature candy canes. I later filled them to the brim with hot cocoa, which my guests enjoyed all evening since the collection keeps drinks nice and hot (or cold).

Note: Did you know that poinsettias are not poisonous? Here is one of the many articles debunking the myth.

Pick up the December issue for more of my favorite entertaining ideas!

I’ve partnered with Southern Living magazine & Tervis to give one lucky reader two four-packs of Tervis Entertaining Collection Tumblers {like you see here} in the color of their choice! You can also visit SouthernLiving.com/gifts every day through 12/24 to enter the Great Big Christmas Giveaway for a chance to win great prizes, including a set of Entertaining Collection Tumblers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Julie