I have a fabulous find to share with you today!  I love sending flowers to friends and family;  I think it’s a great way to say Happy Birthday, Congratulations or Get Well if you can’t do it in person, and I especially like the idea for a hostess gift! When it’s your turn to be the guest be gracious.  A wonderful and surprising way to express gratitude to your host is by sending flowers the day before a party.  In the midst of preparations, it is a treat to receive a beautiful arrangement that says, “we’re excited and grateful to be with you tomorrow”.

My pick, for doing just that, this summer is the Berry Beautiful Bouquet by 1-800-Flowers. Money is tight for everyone these days and this arrangement is not only beautiful, it’s two gifts in one!  The roses, daisy poms, carnations and asters in this bright and beautiful bouquet are delivered in a reusable ceramic berry bowl. It’s decorated with a delicate strawberry pattern and has holes so that you can rinse and serve delicious berries in the same bowl.  The arrangement comes in Large $69.99, Medium $59.99 and Small $49.99.

I have been using 1-800-Flowers.com for years. It takes the risk out of sending flowers, because the arrangements are true to the quality and color represented on the site. There is also such a wide variety of styles, colors and price points to pick from and the designer lines are very special.

As a special gift to Partybluprints’ Blog Readers 1-800-Flowers.com gave me a $40 Savings Pass to give away.  To be eligible to win, leave a comment here and let me know the name of your favorite 1-800-Flowers arrangement.  Share your picks and discover those from others!  Winner will be selected randomly and announced August 20th.

Disclosure: I was not paid for reviewing this product.  These are my opinions and the post represents my personal pick for a great gift idea.

Here are 3 of my favorite decorating ideas from the fabulous 15 you can find at GoodHousekeeping.com this month!  Party like a patriot and get the red, white and blue pumping through your guests’ veins.   With these special touches, everyone will feel the spirit of the holiday and you can be FREE to enjoy your day too, because they’re easy to do!

For safer-than-sparklers favors, fill a pail full with red, white and blue pinwheels.  Try making  cheery DIY scrapbook-paper pinwheels mounted on slim wooden dowels yourself ( the how-to instructions. ) or if it’s sweat equity not money you want to save buy a bunch at the local party store.

Let the Fourth of July party spirit blossom with all-white flowers like hydrangeas in a vase that evokes the stars and stripes.  For instructions go>

I am crazy about this decorating idea which uses red and white striped dish towels and a zip lock bag full of blue hydrangeas.  For the simple to make but oh so special look go>

I love this idea for glamming up your next party!  Tissue Paper Pom Poms are hot right now and for good reason, they add a festive feel for people on a tight budget, yet are special enough for those that are not.  With just a few you can add a pretty punch of color to any room or outdoor space.   Go all out and hang a bunch and you can create a very dramatic feel by transforming your party space.  Tissue Paper Pom Poms are available in several stores online and off, Martha Stewart even sells a kit and has instructions on how to DIY!   I love, Pom Love on Esty, the site rocks poms in every color as well as selling them on stems or ones you can hang.

images from Martha Stewart Weddings HostessWithTheMostess Blog and PomLove Esty Shop and TheTomKatStudio.com

The “IT” color for flowers this year.

The Society of American Florists threw a Twitter Party last week, hosted by Jeanne Benedict, Kelli Ellis and Christine Arylo.   The tips were great and you can see the show in its entirety at  The Flower Factor .  During the show, I asked Jeanne what color she thought was hot right now.  See her special video message …

And see why yellow has always been a hot color for Elizabeth in her 2 part post:

• Let the Sun Shine Part I: Brighten Up your Outdoor Space with Yellow Flowers>
• Let the Sun Shine In Part II – How to brighten up your inside space from the outside in>

Jeanne Benedict, one of my favorite entertaining experts, tells us that yellow is the new IT color, especially with flowers.  She anticipates seeing yellow in everything from wedding bouquets to Thanksgiving centerpieces. The Indian summer color palette will dominate many floral arrangements for months to come.  To learn more from Jeanne visit her blog at JeanneBenedict.com.  Also, be sure to check out Flowerpossibilites.com,  this site has easy DIY RECIPES for creating your own floral arrangements!

Flowers are a must for mom.  Learn how to create the perfect Mother’s Day tea party centerpiece below.

Here are our video tips for a Mother’s Day Tablescape for The Clorox Company,  see more at SimpleandSurprising.com>

• Be selective when purchasing your flowers.  Choose flowers that are meaningful for the occasion and make sure they are fresh.

• Carnations are traditionally associated with Mother’s Day.  Purchase two dozen carnations (not mini) all in the same color.  Arrange this monochromatic multitude of flowers en masse to make a great impression.

• Prepare your flowers before creating the arrangement by cutting 1” off the bottom of the stems and removing all leaves and blossoms that will fall below the water line of your arrangement.  Submerge the ends of the stems in water until you are ready to arrange.

• Choose a vase appropriate for your arrangement.  As the centerpiece on your Mother’s Day table, keep it low.  An arrangement that hinders conversation will quickly be removed.  Our favorite arrangement for carnations is in a low glass cube vase – an eye-catching modern look with widespread appeal.  Tightly gather carnations and cut the stems short so the bottom of the flowers skims the top of the vase.

• As a special touch for a clear glass vase: cut a large green leaf width-wise to fit the height of vase and use it to “line” the interior of your glass vase.  If you are using a tall vase, use a few leaves to line your vase.

• Fill your vase with water. If you want your flowers to look their best and last longer, add 1/4 teaspoon Clorox® Regular-Bleach to the vase for each quart of water. The bleach inhibits the growth of bacteria, which can make flowers wilt prematurely and also helps keep the water from developing a nasty odor.

• Arrange tightly gathered carnations in the vase.

Global color authority Pantone has declared 2010 as the year of turquoise, referencing its color no. 15-5519. This green shade of turquoise combines “the serene aspects of blue” with “the invigorating aspects of green,” according to the company.   It’s the reason this color is the perfect pick for a spring table and what better time to turn your table turquoise than Easter.   Dye your Easter eggs turquoise and place 1 in nests made from a white peony ( use a footed ice cream dish as your vase).  Create bunnies to sit on each place setting with crisp white napkins.   Add turquoise to your table with a bowl, salad plate or go all out with a new set of dishes!

Above is an inspiration board for you full of ideas for achieving this look in your home.  Below are the “where to buy” and “how to” source links.   If you try it, let us see it and send in your pictures – we’ll post them here.

Peonies Nest Centerpieces from Better Homes and Gardens

Simply Fine Lenox® Chirp 4-pc Place Setting

Hanging Easter Egg by Paula Egan

Fiesta Dinnerware from Kohl’s

How to fold a Bunny Napkin

Turquoise Table Runner

Autumn is here in NJ and the leaves are already starting to change color.  If you live in a part of the world where the seasons change, by all means bring some of the beauty of fall into your home. The decor is free and literally falling from the sky -  compliments of Mother Nature! So don’t let a tight budget stop you from decorating for the season.

Below is the a very clever idea for a DIY Fall Centerpiece.  I found it via iDIY.com who found it via haha.nu.  The original post is in Russian, I believe,  and has complete instructions in pictures.  You can view it here .

If this looks too complicated, go the simple route and gather up a few branches with different colored leaves.  Keep it simple and special, just pop them in a vase and you are done!  This type of arrangement can work in any room.  If you don’t have fall foliage in your area, grab some apples, pumpkins and faux leaves and create your own display. It shouldn’t cost much but the atmosphere you will create in your home is worth a lot!

Images : The Crafty Crow Asoftplacetoland.com

Fourth of July is a holiday that calls for some fanfare. Be festive and frugal at the same time with these tips for adding some red, white and blue to your table.  Color is what gives a table its vibe.  For the Fourth of July go Americana and pick patriotic colors.  Apart from the obvious choices of going red and/or blue with your tablecloth and napkins add a few touches that will show guests you put some thought and effort into creating a table to share time together.   

Berries are in season and are the perfect color for the Forth of July.   Use them as centerpieces and when all your guests have arrived, put out dip and let guests dig in! This is a fabulous way to stretch your dollar.   Bowls of strawberries or cherries add a great punch of red to your table.  If yours is rectangular, line 3 or 4 bowls down the center.  For round tables, one large bowl in the center looks pretty.    If you don’t want to go monochromatic use mixed berries, the red and blue tones are very patriotic.  

Flowers always make a table feel special, so take care to choose them in the holiday colors.  Daisies, tulips, hydrangea and carnations are all either in season or inexpensive year round.  When using a flower like these, pick one and go monochromatic. Daisies and Carnations don’t look as rich in a mixed arrangement as they do in a bunch.  Create an arrangement with daisies by filling a big patriotic bucket or pitcher.  A great way to use carnations is to create several small arrangements and put them out in groupings, this has a bigger impact.    If you love mixed arrangements and want to create one with red, white and blue flowers, make up several and keep them small. Add greens to these arrangements, it keeps them looking natural.    Another really simple way to add a festive feel to your party is to stick flags in potted red geraniums.  A couple of these in your yard will really stand out and you can enjoy the flowers all summer.

Whether you do it on a large or small scale, take some time and add the red, white and blue to your celebration.  It will signal to your guest that you are treating the holiday and them to something special!