Easy Topiary Idea

Last Sunday, I decorated a home & yard for a Christening Party for two darling babies - twins. One boy, one girl - so the decor scheme had to be several things: Colorful, but gender-neutral; happy; simple - so kids attending couldn't break anything, and so adults attending didn't feel like they were at the house of precious; easily set up & removed; and very inexpensive. So above, you see the outdoor area with crisp clean white and a bit of soft green & lavender splashed in. A close-up of the centerpieces: topiary form with ivy, potted white hydrangeas wrapped in white damask paper & soft green ribbons, and some paper letters (two 'J's) and crosses dangle from thin ribbons to add movement.This one is on the dining room table - shows up a bit better.
This is the entry table - I flipped one of the topiary forms upside down, made it a 'vase', and created a big 'ball' of silk hydrangeas that sits in the middle of it. Ribbons & more initials flutter from the top edge. Around the arrangement and in a white basket under the table are all of the gifts for the babies.

Now..... do you want to see how I kept this really inexpensive & disposable OR resuseable? Here are those topiary forms, before I bent & twisted them & painted them silver:Yep.....tomato cages. Cost me 50 cents each at the local liquidators. Two sizes. One can of chromatic silver spray paint. Ivy cut from my own yard. I invested a grand total of five dollars and one hour inall five of them. And if the client wants to use these again, they'll stack for storage. If not, it's not a huge waste of money or time. She had no idea they were tomato cages until I told her, either.

These 'fixtures' work excellently as ornament displays for the holidays, and for jewelry displays (esp. earrings) any time of year. You can paint them any color, wrap them with ribbons or tinsel or even lights, sit them or hang them. And they are 'Cheap, Fast, & Easy'TM - just my style!