Sending Smiles ~

Don't you love doing crafts during the fall? There are just so many fun materials to work with. Take pumpkins for example: Who says you have to leave them orange? We love spray painting them with fun colors like purple, gold, bronze and even silver. Add a little touch of silk berries, a silk leaf or 2 and a fresh touch of seeded eucalyptus and you have a fun accent for the dining room table or mantle. Another fun project is to stack one pumpkin on top of another, 3 or 4 high. This can easily be done by securing with long wooden picks. Put the largest at the bottom (don't forget to remove the stem), then go smaller, smaller and end with the smallest at the top. What a fun way to add some decor with height just outside your front door on the side of your driveway. Lastly, why not carve out a mini or medium size pumpkin and add some floral foam and design a colorful floral arrangement inside? Add some fall leaves, dried wheat, foliage and some long lasting flowers for a

Last Friday night we had the opportunity to drive over to the Mercer County Farmers Coop and what fun we had, so much in fact, we're going back tomorrow night. We were able to purchase fresh, local grown product such as these zinnias, sunflowers, cockscomb and even small pumpkins and Indian corn. We even purchased a case of fresh New Jersey peaches for our fruit and gourmet baskets! What made the night even more special was getting to meet the actual farmers who grew the products that we were purchasing. What nice people and are clearly devoted to their farms.It felt good to really put my money where my mouth is with regards to "buying local". Keep check back to see what comes into the shop all through the fall as I am told the mum plants are next!! Remember, shop local and support your local community. To see more of our local products become our fan at www.facebook.com/localflorist !!