First of all, the foliage and flowers currently available are a far cry from the plastic arrangements that my mom was forced to choose from. The choices today are almost endless, and most of them are quite realistic.
They look good in everything from a vintage milk glass vase...
... to a distressed French bucket.
Unfortunately, my budget doesn't allow for vases of fresh flowers around my house on a weekly basis.
Faux is also great if you want a little something in a place that doesn't get natural light...
... like this vintage tin wastebasket down on the floor (strategically placed to hide the ugly electric outlet and cords behind it!). A real plant would never survive in this sunless spot.
Or maybe, like me, you don't have a green thumb.
I've had these paper roses for at least 10 years, and they look almost as good as the day I bought them.
The top of the TV hutch in the living room does not make for easy watering, so faux is the perfect choice.
These faux roses, ...
... a peachy-pink with violet edges, are my favorites.
...right down to the crackled vase filled with buttons that anchors the stems.
Pete the Parakeet certainly enjoys perching in a bit of faux ivy at the bottom of his cage.
And a small sprig of faux white lilacs peek out of the vintage kitty planter in my windowless kitchen (it's definitely a challenge to grow live plants without a window for light).
This family room window is one of Baby's favorite places to hang out.
She can knock this over without me worrying about water spillage.
Now these, I have to admit, are a bit tacky. They're a throwback to the 60's and 70's, but I couldn't resist them at a church thrift fair last year.
Two matching copper pots, overflowing with faux ivy. They're perfect on either side of yet another of my bird cages.
This old brass/copper/whatever vessel holds faux flowers in front of the family room slider.
The planter is cracked and would never hold water. Court bought it for me at a neighbor's yard sale when she was very young, so it is a prized possesion.
Tons of faux (lavender, ivy, grass, and boxwood) on top of the bookcases. Again, an impossible place to water real plants.
Faux ivy is the perfect hair style for Patience, ...
.. the former garden planter who now lives indoors.
An old, dented tin vase that I've had for at least 30 years...
...is filled with some old, dried flowers.
There's no chance of these being poisonous to Baby...
...who, as you can see, followed me around while I photographed all of our faux flowers this morning!
So due to any combination of the following: 1) cost, 2) lack of sunlight, 3) hard to reach spots, 4) my brown thumb, and 5) possibly poisonous to animals, real flowers and foliage aren't always practical for me. Therefore, faux will always have a place in our little cottage, with no apologies!
I'm linking up to Cindy's (My Romantic Home) Show & Tell Friday. Be sure to stop by!
And before I forget, Happy St. Patrick's day, everyone!
Donna
