Irish Hillside Living St Patricks Table Centrepiece

 I have a complete love affair with table centre pieces!

For me, it's all about the enjoyment of creating one for an occasion or just because you want a special decor focal piece!

At the moment, I'm thoroughly loving putting living elements into the table centre pieces I make.

And this one, an idea for St Patrick's Day, is no exception!

What I adore about this is it is reminiscent of an Irish hillside.

Let's Talk About The Elements Used:

Plants: Clover with roots (dug up from my lawn), live moss, lichen, moss-covered bark.

Cloche:  I upcycled a clear glass lightshade.

Container:  A gold plastic plate that is recessed so it will hold moisture.

Florist Foam: 

Green for fresh flower arranging, which has been soaked until thoroughly wet.

Pot Of Gold: 

A small glass jar (I used an old moisturiser jar), gold ribbon, and gold-wrapped sweets (Hershey's Kisses).

A dollar store wood label pick.

A green coloured oil paint marker.

A gold permanent marker with a fine tip.

Other Things:

Wire cutters, thin wire.

Embellishments: 

A large, beautiful stone, a piece of interestingly shaped wood (for height), two sparkling natural crystal rocks, small pebbles, straw flowers, tiny glass bottles with cork stoppers (found on Temu). 

A gold plastic placemat.

Note: I decided not to use the brass dragonfly or the stone carved heart shown in the photograph of supplies.

How To Create A living St Patricks Day Table Centrepiece:

Prepare the sign by colouring it green, using the oil paint pen.

Set it aside to dry

Use up and down strokes of the oil paint pen to colour the jar.

It doesn't have to look perfect.

When the sign is dry, write your chosen words using the metallic gold pen.

Cut a piece of the wet florist foam to fit your plate, then place the wood at the back of the foam. Check the cloche fits over everything before adding anymore elements.

Use the end of a spoon to make a hole in the foam to plant the clover.

 

Push the offcuts around the roots.

Secure bits of bark to the foam using u shaped pieces of wire.

Attach the moss and lichen in the same way.

My wood piece had an opening at the base that looked like a cave, so I popped two golden strawflower heads into it for a 'cave of gold'.

I also added some small pebbles around the base of the foam.

Tie a ribbon with a bow onto the green painted jar.

Position it in your arrangement.

Fill the jar with gold foil-covered sweets.

Add embellishments, like these mini bottles.

Use vaseline to wipe over your rock to make it glossy and bring out the patterns and colours

Place in the arrangement, as well as the other rocks you choose to use.

Place your cloche over the top of the centrepiece.

Put the gold tablemat under it when you position it on your table.

You can adapt this project and use all artificial elements if you prefer!

But the living version is super special and worth the hour it took to create.

You'll find more St Patrick's Day ideas, including free printables, HERE.

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you can join for free HERE.

#stpatricksdaycrafts #stpatricksdaydecor

#stpatricksdaydiy #stpatricksdaytablecentrepiece

Two FREE St Patrick Day Printables

 St Patrick's Day is the next celebration on my list, so I've started thinking about table centre piece design and some new printables. 

 Today's printables are an arty abstract four-leaf clover and a fun Robin Williams doppelganger leprechaun. 

You can use these images for personal use:

*cards

*scrapbooking

*framed for St Patrick's Day decor

*stickers or labels for sweet bags

*screensavers

The True Meaning of St Pat's Day:

 St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17th, is widely recognised as a time for revelry and festivity, with parades, green attire, and plenty of Irish music. However, beyond the shamrocks and beer, there lies a deeper significance rooted in history, culture, and faith.

Historical Background:

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is credited with bringing Christianity to the island in the 5th century. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave, but he escaped, only to return years later as a missionary. His efforts in converting the Irish to Christianity were profound, and he used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity—an enduring symbol of his mission.

Symbolism of the Day:

The shamrock, symbolizing both faith and the Irish identity, is celebrated alongside St. Patrick’s legacy. March 17th, the day of his death, was initially recognized as a religious holiday, commemorating his life and contributions.

Leprechauns are part of this day because they have an iconic place in Irish folklore and mythology.

Cultural Significance

While the day has evolved into a celebration for many, it remains a cherished occasion for the Irish and those of Irish descent to honour their heritage. Parades and festivals across the globe highlight traditional Irish music, dance, and cuisine, bringing communities together, regardless of individual backgrounds.

Celebrations Today:

Today, cities worldwide celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with vibrant parades, green decorations, and cultural showcases. Many embrace this day as an opportunity to reflect on the themes of unity, community, and shared heritage, reminding us of the rich tapestry that makes up our diverse world.

You'll find more St Patricks Day Ideas HERE.

For updates about the latest blog posts,

you can join for free HERE.

#freestpatricksdayprintables 

Create A Simple Natural Elements Valentine Table Centrepiece.

Some of us are busy people with busy lives, and finding those extra moments for DIY and creativity is a little limited.

With Valentine's Day coming up, I wanted to create a special heart-themed table centrepiece.

One that I could put together in about 15 minutes.

One that is minimalistic.

One that included natural earth elements.

Rock.

Wood.

Metal.

Clay.

Live plants. 

(And of course, chocolates).

To Create A Natural Elements Valentine Table Centrepiece

The first step is to place a rectangle-shaped polished piece of wood or a flat wooden serving tray onto the work table.

Next, add a rectangle-shaped basket. One that is smaller than the board, has low sides, and is woven from natural fibre.

In a corner of the tray, place your potplant in a pottery/glazed pot.

Place two large carved stone hearts (my hubby and I carved these, but you could use crystal rock hearts instead) on the wood end outside of the basket.

You can buy large-sized crystal hearts online.

Pop a bag (or in a pottery bowl) of your favourite delicious chocolates onto the tray.

Gather some fresh rosemary, make a small bunch, and tie it together with twine rope.

Place this on top of another large heart, but this one is made of metal.

Also available online or at the dollar store.

Simple to put together, minimalistic and rustic.

And even though the rosemary is not contained in water, the aromatic oils in the leaves are released with the heat in the room!

The Pot Plant Details:

The plant I used for this project is called 'Pereromia Rosso'.

Some people call it the 'Emerald Ripple Radiator Plant'.

That's because the dark green leaves are rippled, with the underside leaves radiating a beautiful red colour. The stems are also red-tinged.

These plants are considered easy care, as they prefer to dry out between waterings.

They love bright indirect light (NO DIRECT SUN), enjoy warm temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Farenheight), and are a compact, slow-growing plant.

A soil tip for potting is to mimic their natural growing conditions, in which the soil is chunky. So add a little bark to the potting mix you use.

They like to be rootbound, so pot up small sizes at a time.

The spikes are the scentless flowers, which can produce small fruits.

Peperonia Rosso is non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Facts I didn't know about Peperonias are:

Some varieties are considered succulents.

Some are found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, with other varieties in higher, drier altitudes. 

They all have unique ways to survive season to season.

There are over 1000 different species in the Peperonia genus!

They are highly adaptable plants, with some varieties growing as lithophytes (on rocks and in crevices) and as epiphytes (on other plants).

You can read about AIR PLANT EPIPHYTES HERE.

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you can join for free HERE.

#easyvalentinetablecentrepiece #heartthemedcentrepiece #rosemaryhearts #crystalhearts