Spring Flower Arrangements

My goal in gardening has been to create a landscape with more than one function. This helps your landscape create visual interest as it transitions throughout the seasons. For example, using a burning bush shrub creates greenery in the late spring and summer, fiery bursts of red in the fall, and an architectural form for snow in the winter.

So when I add flowers to my garden, I like to add ones that I can also use for cuttings. I love having fresh cut flowers in my home and office, and having your own from your garden creates a huge amount of self-satisfaction.

That said, I'm not always one to plant bulbs for spring blossoms, much as I love the happy nods of daffodils and the fresh scent of hyacinths, mostly because our springs in Ohio tend to be too wet to want to walk around for cuttings.

Previous owners of my home had a fondness for spring bulbs, and I chose to keep them wherever they were planted. Admittedly, the bulbs around my house have a very ad hoc look, but I'm not bothered by it.

This year, the tulips were amazing.

So for this year's first arrangement, I cut several tulips, found some daffodils and a couple lone hyacinths. While I love fresh flowers in my home, my sister is actually the florist in the family. But I was rather satisfied with the final look:

You'll notice the greenery in the back. These are actually my newly found pussy willows. I like the look of structure and architecture they bring to the arrangement. And I'm hopeful they will root so I can start a smaller bush for another area of the yard.

How does your garden grow?

Coming soon.....lilacs!

...May Flowers!

Yes, indeed....April Showers bring May Flowers!

D'Lites by Dorene is pleased to offer two customer favorites as fragrance(s) of the month for May!

Lily of the Valley fragrance tart

Coming to you first is Lily of the Valley.  Read what satisfied customers say about this lightly floral fragrance:

"Nice pleasant scent."

"LOVE this candle! The Lily of the Valley fragrance is dead-on as well as being strong (it's not a faint, vaguely-lily scent) and it is great quality. My mother loves it!!!!"


In addition, we're offering customer favorite Orange Blossom as a special this month.  Orange Blossom is a custom blended fragrance I created nearly two years ago. Here's how satisfied customers feel abut this scent:

Orange Blossom 12 oz candle

"Just got my orange blossom body lotion and it smells scrumptious!! "

"This scent is so comforting! And yet, not too overwhelming."

"Smells like heaven..."

"I love the scent of these tarts! I live in FL and that is the exact smell of the orange blossoms that floats in the air from the orange trees, certain times of the year. You captured it perfectly! Fast Shipping! Also thanks for the free bee!"

"Smells delish! Love it!"

"The smell is just intoxicating....love it...."

Both scents are available in 12 and 7 oz candles, wickless candles, votives, tea lights, fragrance tarts, fragrance sprays and diffuser oils.

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Did you notice? We recently introduced two new products:

7 oz cube jar

This 7 oz cube jar is an architectural look for the contemporary home. Wrapped in plastic and topped with a bow, this jar is ready for gift giving!

Orange Blossom breakaway melts

We also introduced breakaway melts. Smaller in size than fragrance tarts, these melts are packaged in clamshells and work perfectly in Scentsy and other candle warmers.

Please check out my Fragrance of the Month section for more information on specific products.

Click here to subscribe to my newsletter for more information on candles, decorating, and sales and specials!

Etsy shop review, Yael Berger and The Joy of Color

Every other Sunday I like to feature an artist from Etsy and his/her shop. Today I'm pleased to introduce you to Yael Berger of The Joy of Color.  Please take a few minutes to learn more about her and her beautiful work! 

My Name is Yael Berger I live in Givataim, small town near Tel Aviv. My greatest passion is for color and Pattern. This is the origin of my Etsy shop name: TheJoyofColor. My favorite medium is watercolor and I also enjoy painting with Acrylic on paper or Canvas. Natures, every day objects and folk art inspire me and make me happy. My all time favorite and inspiring artist is Henri Matisse. As a minimalist at heart I try to keep the shapes as simple as possible and let the color talk. I hope my optimism, and the joy I feel when creating is reflected in my paintings.

Tulip Field

I really love the deer watercolor.  Till 2 years ago I painted mostly floral, landscapes and fruits this was one of my first attempts to paint an animal and I was happy to discover. It became one of the favorite prints in my shop.

Deer Art Print

I am a textile designer (BA Shenkar College). I worked in the fashion and home textile industry for more then 20 years. I had my own design studio and sold funky printed T's. Then I worked (16 years) for a leading company of socks and underwear called Delta Galil LTD, as a senior sock designer and stylist. It was and interesting and challenging job as I designed for mass, mid market and for brands like Nike, Hugo Boss, Mexx.... I traveled a lot to Europe and the USA, met some very nice people, got a lot of experience in design, styling, marketing...

Succulents in Black Planter

In 2007 I made a big change in my life I quit my day job as a Textile designer for a major textile company in Israel, in pursue of more artistic and relaxed path. Now days I combine painting and running my Etsy shop with design projects for few Israeli companies. I design mainly prints for a wide range of products, from socks to schoolbags, housewares and more. I like that I can combine my love to design and the artistic path, in more relaxed ways than in did in the past. 

Koi Pond

I hope my optimism, and the joy I feel when creating is reflected in my paintings and Prints.. Natures, every day objects and folk art inspire me and make me happy . As a minimalist at heart I try to keep the shapes as simple as possible and let the color speak. I do hope that my work will bring you joy and happiness.

A Stack of Bowls

Follow Yael and her work here:

http://www.facebook.com/yael.berger.75

https://twitter.com/thejoyofcolor

http://pinterest.com/thejoyofcolor/

Are you an Etsy shop owner and interested in being featured? Do you write fabulous content and would you like to write a guest article? Email me so I can send you my sample interview questions and blog guidelines!