Thursday, May 29, 2014

Favorite Floral Gifts for Teachers



Last year we surprised our teachers with lush bouquets of peonies in crystal vases, but our usual tradition is to present a gift of flowers in a container that can be used long after the blossoms fade. Here are a few of my favorite ideas.






For months I collected creamware pitchers and teapots for these gifts of white. The posies looked so lovely clustered in my sitting room.





I love this shapely creamer and hope it is still used often.





One of my favorite springtime gifts is a structured tote with a vase of tulips tucked inside. I have done these for teachers and graduates over the years.






A monogrammed gift tag adds the finishing touch to this favor. This gift can also be customized for a bride or mother-to-be.





Cheery bouquets of hydrangeas offered a ray of sunshine paired with sliced lemons.




Purchasing acrylic pitchers at a discount store and taking them to a local engraver to be monogrammed was an easy, economical option for this vessel.






Rustic garden buckets made charming vases -- especially when accompanied by handmade cards featuring photos of the children taken during a trip to a local garden.






Glass canisters finished with chalkboard labels made clever containers for fresh-cut bouquets.






Whether used in the classroom or pantry, these should have a long shelf life.






Finally, for a peek at this year's gifts of periodicals tucked into magazine racks, see this post. If you have creative floral gift ideas, please share them in the comments!



"Teachers believe they have a gift for giving; it drives them with the same irrepressible drive that drives others to create a work of art or a market or a building." ~ A. Bartlett Giamatti


Thursday, May 22, 2014

Flowers for Teachers


"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." ~ Albert Einstein



At the conclusion of each school year, we like to honor our teachers with a gift of flowers presented in a vessel they can reuse. After carrying out this tradition over several years, thinking of a new container can be a challenge. I racked my brain for ideas until I realized the answer was right in front of me.






Inspiration struck when I spied a lovely weathered magazine rack at my local HomeGoods.







One of the perks of working at Hoffman Media is getting samples of all the magazines we produce. (It's like Christmas every day, I tell you!) I have a nice collection of periodicals to share, so I wrapped up a few of my favorites for each teacher.






A bulbous vase overflowing with white tulips fit Mrs. Lacey's gift perfectly.







I found magazine racks for Mary Ashley's teachers at Tuesday Morning. For this larger version, I tucked the magazines on one side and a few hydrangea stems on the other.







Mason jars fit snugly in the pocket, making easy vases for these showy blooms.








Whether our teachers take their gifts home to hold treasured volumes or keep them in their classrooms for extra storage, I hope they will remember our family fondly with each use.






Stop in again soon for a profusion of blossoms as we look back at past teacher-gift ideas.


Thinking of ordering a magazine subscription for yourself or a beloved teacher? Find a few of my favorites at the links below.


Friday, May 16, 2014

Ballet Dinner Tablescape



"In a dancer, there is a reverence for such forgotten things as the miracle of the small beautiful bones and their delicate strength." ~ Martha Graham




We celebrated Mary Ashley's recent performance at the Briarwood Ballet with dinner at our house before the show. The production was a retelling of the children's classic You Are Specialby Max Lucado. The tale centers around a village of wooden people, so a little art model from Hobby Lobby made an ideal cake topper -- especially with the addition of a tutu fashioned from a doily. I neglected to photograph our menu, but I hope you will enjoy this glimpse at our festive table.









(Cake from Publix.)




































Above, one of my favorite scenes. These girls were amazing!






Our sweet little Wemmick is in the center. Isn't she a cutie?


Coming up, fresh-picked teachers gifts. Have a lovely weekend!


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A Night at the Ballet



We were blessed over the weekend to watch Mary Ashley perform in You Are Special, the senior production of Birmingham's Briarwood Ballet. We were absolutely blown away by the skill of the dancers and beauty of the performance.






The show was a charming retelling of of the children's classic You Are Special by Max Lucado. I ordered the book to commemorate the event, and it is already a favorite bedtime story for Mary Ashley and Emma.




We celebrated the big event with dinner before the show. I will share more details of our festive family time in my next post, but in the meantime wanted to share a photo of us posing with our favorite little Wemmick. We think she is pretty special, indeed!


Remember, you are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes.

~ Max Lucado in You Are Special

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