P.O.O.P.I.E.

The Nester is hosting a POOPIE party to showcase our fake/faux plants we have in our home. It's funny she's doing this because I too hear it on all the "TOP 25 DESIGN MISTAKES".... blah blah blah on HGTV and in various decorating articles that faux plants are a big faux-no.

Well, here's the thing. I enjoy topiaries. I enjoy them at the bargain price of $12.99 from Ross. I do not have, nor would I spend if I did have, like $100 for a real one from Smith & Hawken or something. They die in about a month anyways.

Also, I enjoy greenery and flowers (hydrangeas only, that I mix with real, dried ones) in my home without worrying about my 15 month old pulling the leaves off and getting toxic shock poisoning or something. I can't keep up with which plants are poisonous, anyways.

So, what to do? Yup. You guessed it. I am guilty as charged of having at least 4... okay 6 arrangements in my house that are faux, either in entirety or mixed with dried hydrangeas, real sticks, etc. I won't show you all of them tonight at this late hour. :-)


I will, however, show you the one that was driving me most crazy. Now keep in mind I got this wonderful vase as a wedding present 6 years ago from Crate & Barrel from a bridesmaid, so it's special. Also, those hydrangeas are like from 2 years of my Mom's bush and heinous drying attempts that went awry at least 5 times. But it's true... I did beef up the dried ones with a few strategically placed silk ones. So sue me.










*Disclosure: Those paint samples on my family room wall ARE NOT highlighter yellow. They are like french vanilla. Not sure why they show up so off color. I am not that color blind. Thanks for checking.

So, as much as I love this whole thing, the colors, in combo with my antique heavily distressed chest, and artwork, was just way too much. Yet the antique tray holding my glass collection was too sparse on it's own. It needed some softening, not the ginormous hydrangea explosion.

So, I did what any self-respecting woman would do. I put the kids to bed (my hubby was home with them) and went to Michaels. About 30 minutes and $20 later, I had what I needed.

• Greenish/brownish greenery that looks real or like it could have been real at one point: CHECK.




• Weird brown pom-pom balls that I never would have even looked at prior to "knowing" the Nester: CHECK




• Feathers (I love 'em so much I almost ringed my black magic rose bouquet with feathers for my wedding): CHECK




• 75% off clearance sticks: CHECK




• .49 cent faux succulent that has nothing to do with this post: CHECK
  

Here is the result. I think (I wish, I hope) the Nester would approve. I swear I never would have even paid any attention to half these items if it wasn't for her guidance via her site. It makes sense though; avoid shiny green things with white backs and look for texture and believability.

I hope you all (or y'all as Nester would say) approve. I think it's a huge improvement. I'm just not sure if I need a couple more of the green branchy things (they are faux "huckleberry". I like the sound of that.)

***EDITED TO ADD: I ADDED EVEN MORE STUFF TO THE ARRANGEMENT, AND SWITCHED OUT THE ARTWORK FOR A CLOCK. ANY FEEDBACK? And, I am finally adding more pics of my faux-no's in my home.... see below.....

One of the tricks of my faux kingdom is I keep the really fake stuff (read: plastic topiaries) up really high on top of cabinets or armoires so you can't get right up on 'em. That keeps you guessing and you can't smell the plastic. :-)

-Kari