Fleur Encore Keepsake Bauble

A great way to preserve your special event flowers and create something new is a keepsake bauble. The advantage is you can store both your dried flowers and a sentimental card, program, or invitation all together!

Mise En Place:

• Clear ornament of any shape

• Dried flowers

• Invitation, card, or program

• Scissors

• Pencil, pen, paintbrush or knitting needle

• Pipe cleaner (optional)

Step 1:

Stuff an empty ornament with dried flowers.

Step 2

If your ornament gets any dirt or dried petals stuck to the sides, use a pipe cleaner to wipe it clean

Steps 3 & 4

Cut your program/card/invite into tiny strips hi-lighting the good stuff.

Next curl the strips around a small object such as a knitting needle, paintbrush or pen

Enjoy!

If the card or program has a tassel, use it to hang the bauble. Enjoy!

Fleur Encore - DIY Recycled Candle

Have you ever wondered what to do with extra candles leftover after a special event or party? If you are like me, you probably have a hard time throwing them away, and yet can never find a use for them either.

Here is a solution. Melt them down, add a few petals from a special event, and create a new decorative keepsake candle. Here’s what you will need to do it.

Candle wax (Any kind will do, but I’m using leftover 3” floating candles)

An old pot for melting the wax

A clear glass vessel to pour the “new” candle into

Wicks

Tacky glue or adhesive spray

Flower petals

Chicken wire or some kind of grid to keep the candle wicks upright while your candle is drying.

Step 1: Use tacky glue or adhesive spray to attach dried petals and leaves to the inside of your vase. This will make sure you can see the petals through the wax. Let dry.

Step 2: Affix a wick to the bottom of the vessel with glue. If you do not secure them, they will float up. Let dry.

Step 3: Cut the wax into smaller bits so that it will melt easily.

Step 4: Using an old pot, add the wax in a little at a time. Let it melt down and then adding more.

Step 5: Mix additional dried flower petals into the wax. The more the better, medium to small petals work best.

Step 6: Carefully pour the wax and flowers into your decorated vessel.

Step 7: Create a grid to keep your candle wick in place using chicken wire or tape.

Step 8: Enjoy your Candle!

Fleur Encore recycled floral candle

What is Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)?

Forest Bathing is the act of seeking out nature, particularly, forests and trees, and just spending time in their presence. Recently, I read the book “Forest Bathing” by Dr. Qing Li and thought the time was right to share this information with you.

Trees work to produce oxygen, cleanse air and even help to purify water. They also release something called phytoncides. Phytoncides are part of the tree’s natural defense system, protecting them from bacteria, insects and fungi, they are also how trees communicate with one another. It has been shown that when humans breathe phytoncides they receive some of these benefits, as well as a hit of natural anti-depressant. Microbes that are released from the soil also contribute to these effects, which is why you might feel noticeably better after spending some time outside digging in a garden.

Multiple studies have been conducted to show that being in nature works to combat “technostress,” reduce blood pressure, improve energy, lift depression, boost the immune system, improve concentration, aide in sleep and increase anti-cancer producing cells.

The “Forest Therapy Study Group” in particular found that Shinrin-Yoku lowered the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and worked to suppress the sympathetic “fight or flight” system while enhancing the parasympathetic “rest and recovery” system.

If you can’t get outside, studies have shown that having plants and flowers in the home, office or hospital room can make a difference in recovery time and improve mental attitude. It has even been shown that people who have hospital rooms with views looking out to nature, as opposed to other buildings, recover faster.

According to NASA research, the Peace Lily, Golden Pothos, English Ivy, Gerber Daisy, Spider Plant and Mother-in-law-Tounge are among some of the best houseplants to help filter air and boost oxygen.

During this time of uncertainty, I think we can all use nature as one way to heal ourselves and learn to move forward. No better time to start than now - while still making sure you are following all social distancing and current health guidelines.

For further reading, Dr. Qing Li suggests the following:

www.childrenandnature.org: Richard Louv’s organization “to fuel the worldwide grassroots movements to reconnect children with nature.”

www.fo-society.jp: Forest Medicine Therapy Society in Japan

www.forest-medicine.com: The Society for Forest Medicine in Japan

www.greenexercise.org: the home of green exercise research at the University of Essex, UK

www.hphpcentral.com: the Healthy Parks Healthy People organization in the United States, which aims to bring “the latest international research, innovations and programs that focus on the health benefits of human contact with the natural world.”

www.infom.org: International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine

www.natureandforesttherapy.org : an American-based organization whose mission is “to mobilize healthcare networks to connect people with nature,” offering guide training, workshops and retreats.

www.onesquareinch.org: a project in the Hoh Rainforest of the Olympic National Park, US

Fleur Encore Potpourri Recipe

Ever wondered what to do with your flower when they begin to wilt? Make Potpourri of course!

Step 1: Dry you flowers. There are few ways to dry your flowers once they begin to fade. The first is the old fashion way, simply tie they together and hang them up side down in a warm dry place. Winter is actually an ideal time for this because the air has less humidity in it and we have our heaters going.

The second option is to cut off the flower heads and place them on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and into the oven at 200 degrees for about 30 minuets to 1 hour or until the petals seem dry. If you leave them in the oven too long they will burn, so be sure to set a timer!

Last if you are really in a hurry and just want the rose petals, pull them off the rose and place them on a single layer of paper towel. Next place them in the microwave with one paper towel on top. Set the microwave for 2 minuets and viola, dried rose petals!

Step 2: Add some scent. Most commercial flowers are lacking in fragrance, so you might want to add a few spritzes of essential oils to the dried blooms. If you do, just make sure that you let them dry completely before moving onto step 3.

Step 3: Sachet or Bowl. Choose a decorative sachet that is a transparent or loose weave fabric and place your completely dry flowers inside. The loose weave will allow the scent to escape and add fragrance to a drawer or closet.

Secret Tip: Moth Away. If you ever have problem with moths, you can add dried cloves and dried mint leave to your sachet, they are natural moth deterrents and will help keep them away from your wools and sweaters.

Last secret tip: Summer Jasmine. Jasmine blooms are one of the sweetest and most fragrant flowers in the world and are abundant during the summer month. If you pick a handful of these tiny blossoms, let them dry, and add they to your sachet, they will smell divine!

Last last secret tip: Variety. If you are making your potpourri to be decorative and go in a bowl, try adding some fun elements like pine cones, dried citrus slices, acorns, or any other naturally decorative element.