Blog - The Semi Organized Ant

July 24, 2020

Colorful Summer Home Decor with Faux Flowers (Simple and Easy to Make)

If there is ever a perfect time of year to decorate with a mix of bright colors…

It would have to be summer!

I love using different colors any time of the year, but the summertime puts me in the mood to kick things up a notch, if you know what I mean.

It’s the season that makes me want to pull out cherry red nail polish…

reminisce about those orange creamsicle ice creams I would have growing up (I may have also had one a few weeks ago 😊) …

and without a doubt, it’s the time of year that I MUST pull out my turquoise dangly earrings that I wear to the beach at least once before the summer ends.

So I decided to make a few colorful (and kind of mix-matched) arrangements to decorate around my home.

When I got started I didn’t really have much of a plan as for what I was going to do. I was working on another centerpiece for a separate blog post but really wanted to make something quick and simple to replace this Easter centerpiece that’s been sitting on our table for waaaay too long.

Then I just kept going (completely forgetting about that other centerpiece, please tell me you are also easily distracted 😉) and eventually put together the five little arrangements you will see down below.

ok guys here we go…

Colorful Summer Home Decor with Faux Flowers

First, pink and turquoise.

I recently went to the Dollar Tree and picked up these hot pink faux daisies along with a few more random flowers.

I took that whole bunch of pink daisies…

some turquoise ribbon that I’ve had for years but probably also came from the Dollar Tree…

an old pickle jar…

and ended up with this sweet little jar that’s now sitting in our living room.

Next up, blue and yellow.

This one consists of tulips and hydrangeas.

Now, I know tulips may not be a popular flower to use for summertime decor but I couldn’t resist grabbing these when I was at the Dollar Tree.

I figured how wrong can a bright yellow flower ever be in the summertime.

One bunch of yellow tulips…

one bunch of blue hydrangeas also from the Dollar Tree…

(yep, I ❤️ Dollar Tree)

a strand of turquoise ribbon again…

then I started putting everything together by dropping the hydrangeas in first followed by the tulips down the center and into a clear vase with a small opening.

And that’s it! Bye-bye Easter centerpiece, hello tulips and hydrangeas.

I should mention that I kept the bunch of tulips and hydrangeas together exactly as they came when I bought them but cut off one stem from each for the last arrangement you will see down below.

Now orange and white.

I grabbed a few old flowers I already had at home (and used here and here)

pulled out some old clear marbles and white sand…

dropped all of that into an old tomato sauce jar with some twine…

that I tied around the back…

and this little guy is done!

Red and blush pink are up next.

For this one I placed a few rocks into a bright red flower pot that I recently found at Home Depot…

(there’s that ribbon again)

Then I stuck two blush pink roses from Michaels into the rocks…

(stuck is a very technical DIY home decor term)

And this pretty little pot is ready to hang out on my kitchen table for the rest of summer!

Last one up, blue and yellow again.

This one was the easiest of the bunch but probably one of my favorites.

I started with a small milk jar…

then I took those two stems I cut from the bunch of tulips and hydrangeas I used earlier…

brought that all together and ended up with this perfect little arrangement, that decided to be photographed right on top of my daughters beach toys 😊

So there you have it!

Pretty in pink…

Classic blue and yellow…

White with a pop of orange…

A shade of red that must have been made just for summer…

and a happy little milk jar surrounded by summer love 💛

I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog!

Please don’t forget to pin and share with friends if you liked this post

June 25, 2020

12 of My Favorite Color Combinations For Emerald Green Beads

I found these gorgeous emerald green beads a few months ago.

I purchased them from amazon in a kit that brought a number of different sizes.

When I ordered them I didn’t realize just how beautiful they would truly be in person.

I had planned on making a few bracelets before they arrived but something happened when I finally had these precious little beads in my hands and started working with them…

I was completely stuck!

Aside from a few bracelets, I had no idea what else to do with them.

What colors would go with emerald beads?? And what would I wear with this dark green color when I was done?

What a dilemma 😊

So I decided it may be fun to write a post all about what colors (I think) would look great with emerald green beads as well as how you can mix these colors to create a few pieces of beaded jewelry.

I also added a few ideas on what you can wear with emerald beaded jewelry because maybe like me you are also wondering how to style this color (not that I’m a fashion expert at all but hey, one can always dream)

Before I get started I should mention that the only new beads I’m working with are the green beads. Everything else that you will see below came from beads I’ve owned for some time now and a few other beads (like the purple and gray) came from old pieces of jewelry that I didn’t want anymore and took apart.

The same goes for all of the clothing I photographed. I just went digging through my closest to give you a few ideas as for what I think goes with green beaded jewelry. Being that this is not a fashion blog I tried to keep things simple and focus on basic colors and patterns that anyone can easily find in their own closet. I will try to link to whatever I can but honestly, most of these pieces have been in my closet for years 😉

Ok Let’s Get Started…

White

There were a few colors that I considered to be the neutrals of the bunch. Colors that would go with anything.

This is one of those neutrals.

White can probably be paired with any color you can think of and this emerald green is no exemption.

I picked a few pearls for the bracelet below but you can also see how white seed beads pair with the green beads in the gold example below as well as the turquoise.

Gold

When I started working on this blog post I decided to do a quick search on Pinterest for emerald green beaded jewelry.

Gold was the color that seemed to be most used for pairing with emerald green.

I can see why. It goes beautifully together.

I can see myself wearing these two with gold accessories, a pair of white leggings, and any green top I can find in my closet…

Turquoise

As I was editing pictures I was having a hard time deciding whether or not the light blue beads below were actually blue or turquoise (those two look exactly alike to me) and then it hit me, both colors needed to be included!

The pictures below honestly are not showing just how beautiful this color combo really is. I’m still learning how to photograph beads so I had a hard time getting this one to photograph well but in person that brown against the turquoise and green is just amazing!

Yellow

I wasn’t sure how this one would turn out at first. Would it remind me of a bowl of lemons and limes?? Have I outgrown a yellow and green beaded bracelet at my (fabulous) age of 35 (plus, plus)?

But I LOVE yellow so I had to give it a try.

After pairing these two colors with a few crystal clear beads and wearing it against a dark gray outfit and a few silver accessories I realized just how much green and yellow can go together.

Gray

I was settled from the beginning on NOT including gray.

I was convinced before even giving it a chance that it wouldn’t work.

Then I saw a green and silver necklace on TV and a few days later the bracelet you see below was born.

I’ll probably wait for winter to wear this one so I can pair it with black velvet leggings (I love leggings) and a simple white tee.

Brown

How can I not include this one?

Brown and green were inspired by nature. Think trees full of green leaves and brown tree trunks. It’s a beautiful sight! (Unless you have allergies, then you may not find it so interesting)

This one is a match made in heaven!

Purple

My daughter loves the movie Frozen. She watches it almost every single afternoon. Elsa and Anna’s outfit in the beginning of the movie both have a deep purple as well as green in it.

That’s where this color combination came from. (You know you are a mommy when your inspiration comes from Disney movies)

Purple and emerald green are two rich colors that in my opinion complement each other perfectly. Mix them with gold seed beads and I don’t think it can get any better!

Mix gold, leopard, and black with this one and your outfit is complete.

Light Blue

Ok, I have to stop right here for a minute.

Gold and green may be pure perfection, yellow and green will just put a smile on your face, brown and green must be born from heaven but this light blue and emerald green…

If this doesn’t work then I don’t know what does!

It screams colors of tropical waters in the Caribbean.

It makes me want to head out to the beach.

Orange

At first, I battled with this one.

In my mind it was going to work but on a string, well, orange took some effort.

After pairing the orange and green with white beads I think it works great.

I probably wouldn’t wear orange and green together in an outfit but would I wear it as a pop of color in my accessories?

Any day of the week! (Maybe even for laundry day)

Try a light washed pair of blue jeans, a summery top and a few matching accessories to throw on with this bracelet.

Black

Black is one of those colors that can go with just about everything.

It’s another neutral just like the white.

This is another favorite of mine (ok they may all be my favorite 🙂

But just look at how pretty the black seed beads look with those emerald green beads.

This one is a winner for any date night in my book.

Crystal Clear

Technically clear may not really be a color but when it comes to beads, I think it’s okay to include this one.

This one is another neutral like the black and white.

It really lets the beautiful dark green stand out while adding just a little extra sparkle.

Different Shades of Green

When in doubt…

Use all the shades!

Mix together dark greens, bright greens, green greens and you’ll end up with a fun and happy little piece of hand made jewelry.

Well, that’s it!

12 of my favorite colors to combine with emerald green beads!

Now there’s only one problem…

I have 16 green bracelets but only seven days in the week to wear them all 😉

I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog!

Please don’t forget to pin and share with friends if you liked this post

No affiliated links were used.

April 3, 2020

Easy Topiary Style Easter Centerpiece

I buy them every year.

Those adorable Easter eggs that pop up everywhere as soon as spring comes around!

How can I resist!

I’m sure you know which eggs I’m talking about. The eggs that are perfect for filling up the kid’s Easter baskets, or those fun egg hunts, or even just for decorating around the house.

I found those beautiful sparkly eggs you see up top at my local dollar store just a couple of months ago.

Gotta love the dollar store!

These eggs are a little different from the eggs I normally buy. They are foam and came as a garland which you’ll see below but I decided to take them off of their string and use them in a vase with a pretty light yellow hydrangea that I found about a month ago at Michaels…

It took some brainstorming to figure out what to do with my flower and eggs as well as how to get the flower to stand straight up in the vase once I knew that was the look I wanted but eventually I got it.

Once I was done I ended up with what (I think) resembles a beautiful topiary tree!

ok here we go…

Easy Topiary Style Easter Centerpiece

Easy Topiary Style Easter Centerpiece - The Semi Organized Ant

Here’s what I used:

White foam eggs from the dollar store

One yellow hydrangea from Michaels

Vase, also from the dollar store

ok now here’s what I did:

First the eggs…

As you can see above, the eggs are attached to a string for hanging but I knew that wasn’t going to work for this centerpiece so I removed them from the string by using a scissor to cut each egg off one by one.

Now I moved on to filling my vase with the eggs and flower.

(FYI: My hydrangea had a super long stem when I first got it so I cut it down with a wire cutter to fit the vase)

So here’s where I was a little (really) frustrated with this centerpiece…

My hydrangea kept falling to the side after I placed it in the vase and filled it with my eggs. The eggs alone were not enough to hold the flower in place.

How dare those eggs…

So I needed to figure out a way to keep the hydrangea standing up straight in the vase.

I ended up fixing this by making a hole with the stem of my flower into another foam egg that thankfully I had from last year (because I couldn’t bring myself to ruining one of my beautiful new white eggs ☺️)

Then I stuck that egg into my flower…

And placed my flower with that egg into the vase to start filling it with the white eggs

Once I reached the top I gently placed (forced) a couple of eggs around the hydrangea to anchor it in place and give it some extra support. I really had to force the eggs because the opening of the vase is kind of narrow but it worked out great and really helped to hold everything in place.

and that’s it!

Now I have a beautiful Easter centerpiece…

that apparently….

likes to pose for my camera…

from every direction 😉

I hope you enjoyed this and thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog!

Please don’t forget to pin and share with friends if you liked this post

No affiliated links were used

March 25, 2020

Simple Spring Floral Decor with Items You May Already Have

With everything that’s been going on recently many of us have been spending more time at home.

I think it’s safe to say that aside from the necessary supermarket runs (to clear out their aisles) we really are not shopping very much outdoors right now. But maybe like me, you still want to spread some good vibes throughout your home and celebrate the fact that we are now in this beautiful season called spring.

I had planned on creating a centerpiece with a number of different items that I had purchased before all the craziness started but now I think it makes more sense to create a few pieces using items I already have so that hopefully it will be easier for you to try it out in your home too. Without having to step outside and buy anything.

Now, I love using faux flowers, so that’s mainly what I’ll be working with but I tried to keep it as simple as possible with the flowers I picked in case you don’t already own a good selection of faux flowers.

Ok here we go…

Simple Spring Floral Decor with Items You May Already Have

You can start by…

Turning an old can into a sweet and simple floral arrangement…

…by making use of a few pretty faux flowers. (I’m using a few sunflowers I had from my fall and thanksgiving centerpiece.)

Just remove the label from the can and wash it inside and out (be careful not to cut yourself around the edges like I did, lol)

Then grab a sheet of white printer paper, fold it in half and wrap it around the can securing it around the back with a small piece of tape.

Next, wrap some burlap around your can and finish off with pink curling ribbon over the burlap to tie a simple bow around everything.

If you don’t have burlap or a similar type of ribbon don’t worry just use what you have at home.

Stick to colors that remind you of spring or simply use white ribbon or even twine. Either one of those should work great.

You can then bring in the spring colors either with a different color paper or different flowers.

Whatever you have on hand will be beautiful!!

Next…

Transform an empty beer bottle (or wine bottle) into precious spring decor…

…by using pink or any pastel-colored ribbon to tie a bow off to the side and then fill with a single pretty flower like this peony that I cut off of a larger bunch I recently found at Michaels.

I think it’s worth mentioning that the flower I am working with has the two peonies connected on to one stem. This part is what is keeping the flowers standing so upright in the bottle. Another way to get this “effect” is to make use of the leaves that usually come on faux flowers, just move them up or down to hold your flower where you want it to stay.

ok here’s the next one…

Repurpose a small sugar bowl (an old mug or small pitcher may also work) into the perfect kitchen decor for any countertop or corner in need of some happy spring vibes.

Grab your sugar bowl or container of choice and a few flowers like these hydrangeas that I recently picked up at the dollar store and wrap a light green ribbon that you can secure with some tape on the back, I love some basic tape!

Last…

Use a small inexpensive vase with a small opening (like this one that I recently found at ikea)…

…to turn a few sprigs of flowers and a single leaf (that I removed from another flower and attached to a short stem) into another simple floral spring arrangement.

Finish off with a pop of color like that green ribbon tied to the side.

Here’s a look at the back with a few yellow flowers that I used for my summer, fall and Christmas centerpieces. Gotta love faux flowers! You can use them over and over again.