The Simple Beauty of Carnations

If your birthday comes in January, first, let me say "happy birthday to you!" and apologize for the lateness of this post. Now, let me tell you about your birth flower, the carnation.

Long ago in ancient Rome, carnations were known as "Jove's Flower"; a tribute to one of their beloved gods. Later, it became known as the national flower of Spain, the provincial flower of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands and the symbol of the Portuguese Carnation Revolution. In Korea, red and pink carnations came to be used for showing love and gratitude toward parents on Parents Day. Again, on Teacher's Day, the Korean people express admiration and respect for teachers with carnations as the flower carries for them the meanings of admiration, love and gratitude.

In Victorian times, the complex language of flowers known as floriography assigned different meanings to each of the most common carnation colors: pink for a woman's love, white for disdain, purple for capriciousness and whimsy, red for "my heart aches for you", yellow to say "you have disappointed me" and rejection, and striped carnations for refusal. Later still, in 1907 America, as Anna Jarvis founded our Mother's Day holiday, she chose the white carnation as its emblem—the color white to represent the purity of a mother's love, the flower itself because it was her own mother's favorite.

The state flower of Ohio is a scarlet carnation; a choice made to honor William McKinley, Ohio Governor and U.S. President, who was assassinated in 1901. He regularly wore a scarlet carnation on his lapel. And most of us are familiar with the iconic "white sport coat and a pink carnation" of 1950's music and fashion. (Extra credit if you know who sang that song)

The simply elegant carnation arrangements you see here were designed by lifestyle expert and favorite blogger Eddie Ross. Known in design and decor circles as the carnation's biggest champion, Eddie has managed to elevate the status of this humble flower through such creative endeavors as you can see here and here and here. If you are planning a wedding or any other special occasion and searching for big style on a not so big budget, consider using carnations. With guidance and inspiration from Eddie Ross.


While you're clicking around through Eddie's beautiful blog, you may notice a celebration taking place. Recently, Eddie was asked to represent Elle Decor magazine with the design of one of three rooms on view at Bloomingdale's. The 2010 Big Window Challenge was then judged over a two-week period by viewers who voted via text or online. Voting closed on the 28th and results were announced yesterday.


No surprise to those of us watching and voting, Eddie's window won! You can see two of my favorite vignettes below and read the whole story of how the window came to be here. Congratulations, Eddie!



Top image "Carnations" by Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell via sothebys.com. All other images via eddieross.com.

A Banner Day

I love party banners! What's not to love? Color and pattern and fun shapes—some of my favorite things! Fabric banners make great do-it-yourself decorations for a child's room. If you have a box of leftover fabric scraps like I do, and even the most basic sewing skills, you can whip up one of these yourself. Pretty flag banners are also fitting for many special occassions—baby and wedding showers, holidays and special days of all sorts— but are most commonly seen at birthday parties.


Once upon a time, Pottery Barn Kids had this one, above, for sale but I'm not sure it's still available. The colors and lower case letters make it very sweet and soft—perfect for a little girl or a baby's first. This banner is also stitched together from pretty patterned fabrics and the letters are embroidered.

This cute banner, above, for a little girl's birthday, was made using layered scrapbook papers and letter stickers strung onto a grassy green ribbon. (A brief aside: Isn't that the best, craziest mantelscape?! This looks like a FUN household!)

Here's another example, above, of the kind of fabric banner you could make yourself if you were so inclined. Applique the letters either by machine or with iron-on bonding. Don't possess the crafty/sewing gene or have the time to use it if you do have it? Click on the photo and buy this one!

This etsy crafter makes banners and all kinds of fun things. Click on the photo, above, to visit her shop and find out how to order a completely custom banner made just for you.

Owen and Mason's crafty mom made this cute banner, above, to go along with their pirate-themed second birthday. Strung up on the mantel with an assortment of ribbons, it's a party all by itself!

I've had this photo, above, from countryliving.com in my files for a while now. I don't remember what the occassion is—summer holiday or birthday or shower—but it looks like a lot of fun is about to happen! Imagine this photo without the banners. The space wouldn't look nearly as festive, would it?

The photo above was borrowed from an online company that makes wedding and party favors and this is a serve-yourself candy buffet. The flags are a perfect mix of sweet colors. This space is so pretty (not to mention full of candy) that I want one for myself right here in my own house. Excuse me while I go make room...

Five years ago, for my daughter's fourteenth birthday party, I put together a banner to hang in the house. There was another banner, larger and older (from her third birthday), outside—plus games and music and ping pong and a bouncy house of all things that these great big girls had so much fun with!—but this little banner was for the (relatively) quieter area where we sang and ate cake. I swagged it from a long valance rod.

The banner was crafted in a very quick, easy way. First, I chose five or six different colors and patterns of 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook papers. My finished banner required 18 flags, that's 9 whole sheets. All of the patterns are small and simple so the letters will stand out against them. I cut the papers in half so that the finished flag size was 8 1/2 x 5 1/2. Next, I cut 9 sheets of standard white copy paper in half. On each white sheet, I drew a single block letter, first in pencil to get it the way I liked it, then with a fat black magic marker.

I cut out each letter, around the outside of the marker line, and used a glue stick to attach it to a colored flag. The outlining helps the white letters pop against the colored paper. Finally, I punched holes in the top corners of each flag and strung them onto a long ribbon. (If you place a strip of scotch tape over the ribbon where it runs across the back of the flag, you can space the letters to your liking and know that they will stay put.) We have used my daughter's banner for every birthday of hers since her fourteenth and occasionally even for my husband and myself—with her name taken off the end, of course!

Today, my daughter turns nineteen. For the first time, she won't wake up here in my home on her big day. Will her roommates think to put up a banner and balloons while she's sleeping? And sing to her when she wakes? Will she miss any of it if they don't? Like all the well-intentioned, empty-nested, ever so slightly intrusive moms who came before me, I have taken matters into my own crafty hands. I made a new banner. And packaged it up with some balloons and birthday candles. I know she'll love it. And I hope she'll use this new one again and again too. To celebrate the birthdays of friends as much as her own. She's a very generous young woman. She likes to make things fun and nice for other people. She already bakes a better cake than I ever have! She's taken on a lot of responsibility at a very young age and is growing every day. She's creative and smart and thoughtful and curious. She wants to know everything. She wants to see everything. She's well on her way to becoming an even more remarkable, extraordinary person than she already is.

Happy Birthday, Katey! XO

Click on any of the photos above, except for my own three at the bottom, and you'll be taken to the source of the banner pictured. Try your hand at making your own banner. They're easy and fun and personal. Make one for your own birthday! Send one to a friend! Use another message or none at all. Hang one somewhere that only you will see. It will be like having your own private party every day!