Vintage Alphabet Party

Welcome to the Flower Press! We are so happy to join the Vintage Alphabet Party Alphabet hosted by Etsy Cottage Style and co-hosted by Melody (also our Master Designer)  at Brown Gingham Creations.
We had so much fun last month with the letter "B" and were amazed by all the different things everybody came up with from thier collections.
We're glad to see you came by again and for those who are new to our blog, 'Greetings'!
We hope you enjoy our Vintage Alphabet for 'C' and 'D'



'C' is for...........Candy and Cookie Containers

We love to do designs using vintage containers. Whether chosen by us on one of our vintage scavenger hunts for fresh or permenant botanical designs here in the shop or brought in by a client from thier own collection to create a custom design, vintage containers add charm, character, and a sense of nostalgia that a new container can't.

                   

      

These four candy and cookie tins are from our personal collection. They range in age from the 1900's to the 1960's 

                          

This cute little Bunny Candyholder is from the 1950's. We are surprised to find a whole groupings of these and snatch 'em up quick..it was just in time for Easter. It's perfect to hold a little posy of flowers to brighten someone's day.

This gold plastic candy container is also from the 60's. We thought this would be lovely with an anniversary design of fresh flowers or to hold a vignette of personal collectibles for a client

                                                       We knew this candy box was old, from about the 1930's we thought,  

 but you can believe our shock when, while watching 'Meet Me In St. Louis', Judy Garlands character received this candy box. Remember this movie was depicting the era of the 1904 World's Fair, so costumes and props used were from that era!

This next picture shows what we create with these vintage jewels.........

 

there's a surprise inside.......................

we filled the candy box with beautiful eye-candy. Roses, chrysanthemums, gypsophylia, and alstromeria in a pave' design accented by vintage haberdashery violets, of course, tendrils of boullion, and an exquisite jeweled dragonfly.


We do these in permenant botanicals too like the one below........

This wooden Hershey candy box is a collectible reproduction created in the 1980's. It's designed perfectly to sit on a shelf , atop a kitchen cabinet, or on a dining room buffet. If you look closely you'll see the 'chocolate' chickadee sitting on the corner, but......................... 

when you open the lid the design continues inside!

                                                

We enjoy doing floral designs using items from the past. Not only are containers vintage, but we bet you didin't realize that some fresh flower varieties are vintage also. The bulbs and seeds, like vegetables, can be 'Heirloom'. For example the true French Tulip and the Yellow Rose of Texas. Niether of these plants are allowed to be transported beyond thier respective countries borders....I know Texas isn't a country..sorry Texans, but you're not..... the Yellow Rose stays within it's borders of Texas.....so it stays in the US.  Some flower varieties grown in Holland are vintage. Some Olive Trees in the Medditaranian are very vintage. Some Rose and Chrysanthemum varieties of China are vintage. So all of this leads to our next letter.....'D'
D is for...is the Narcissus, or commonly known as the Daffodil. The sunny yellow Daffodil is a very  

old variety, symbolizing rebirth and new beginnings, the daffodil is synonymous with spring. Daffodils are sometimes called jonquils, which is the genus, but their botanical name is narcissus, which comes from Greek mythology about a handsome Greek youth, Narcissus, who was given his great good looks by the Gods. His beauty was permanent and he was immortal, as long as he never viewed his own reflection. Once, while Narcissus was hunting in the woods, a wood nymph named Echo saw him from afar. He was so handsome, she fell desperately in love, but Narcissus spurned her. She was devastated by his rejection and pined so for her love that soon all that was left of her was her voice. The Gods were not pleased. The goddess, Nemesis, heard about poor Echo, and lured Narcissus to a shimmering lake. He was unable to resist gazing at his own reflection, and fell in love with himself! As he gazed, the divine penalty took effect, and he simply faded away. In his place, beside the water's edge, sprang up the golden flower that bears his name today.

  In England, they’re known as the “Lent Lily”  because of their long association with Lent. In Wales, it’s said if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth, and Chinese legend has it that if a daffodil bulb is forced to bloom during the New Year, it will bring good luck to your home.

  The daffodil is not only the March birth flower it is also the 10th wedding anniversary flower. A gift of daffodils are said to ensure happiness. But always remember to present two or more daffodils  – the same legends that associate this cheerful flower with good fortune warn us that when given as a single bloom, a daffodil can foretell misfortune.

So, we come to the end our vintage alphabet for this month. We hope you've enjoyed our flowery examples of the letters 'C' and 'D'. We enjoy doing these posts, but we enjoy seeing the other posts even more. Come along with us over to Etsy Cottage Style  we're sure you'll be amazed by the collections.

Alma  @ A&J's Floral Boutique(R)