Apparently, chrysanthemums don't have anything to do with Christmas

Nope. There is no connection whatsoever between these two similar sounding words, as much as I tried to find one to make this post more "seasonally appropriate". The word chrysanthemum was created by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus when the flower was first brought to Europe in the 17th century. He simply combined the Greek words chrysous, "golden" (the colour of the original flowers), and -anthemon, meaning "flower". Nothing to do with Christmas at all. But that's okay, because it is still November after all. For a few more hours anyway. And if you were born in the month of November, your birth flower is the chrysanthemum. Which is why we're talking about them in the first place. . .

Blooming in late summer and fall, these flowers, also commonly referred to as "mums", are native to Asia and Europe. Chrysanthemums were important to the ancient civilizations of both China and Japan and many of the attributes and symbolism attached to them remain with us today.

Confucius suggested they be used as an object of meditation, perhaps because of the perfect arrangement and repetition of their many petals. The Chinese also felt that the chrysanthemum promoted longevity and made wines and medicine from infusions of its leaves and petals. The dew collected from mums was supposed to be particularly effective in increasing the lifespan of those who ingested it. Additionally, the chrysanthemum flower is actually a powerful antiseptic and antibiotic and is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat high blood pressure and angina. As a result of these medicinal applications, the mum was also considered one of the four noble plants in China along with bamboo, plum, and orchid.

The Japanese were first introduced to the chrysanthemum in 400 A.D. by Zen Buddhist monks. It became a symbol of the Mikado and was displayed as a sixteen petaled mum made to look like the Rising Sun. To this day, the Japanese consider the orderly unfolding of a chrysanthemum's petals to represent perfection.

It is the national flower of Japan and symbolizes the Japanese Emperor. In many parts of Asia, the flower's petals are boiled in order to make a sweet drink known as chrysanthemum tea. It is believed that this tea has many medicinal uses including curing influenza.

In many European countries, Italy among them, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of death and is used for funerals or on graves. However, because the chrysanthemum resembles its close cousin the mugwort weed, which is often called the wild chrysanthemum, many florists do not like to use the flower in arrangements. The opposite seems to be true in America where the chrysanthemum is seen more often as positive and cheerful. They certainly are abundant in florist shops and garden centers this time of year, and undoubtedly graced many a Thanksgiving table and made appearances as innumerable hostess gifts on that day.

Traditional books about the language of flowers include the following meanings for the mum: cheerfulness, you're a wonderful friend, rest; loveliness, abundance, wealth and longevity. At celebrations, according to the website teleflora.com, a single petal of this November birth flower placed at the bottom of a wine glass will encourage a long and healthy life.

Now, back to the Christmas connection I tried so hard to find. A wreath! One lonely wreath decorated with sprigs of berries and dried chrysanthemum blossoms and tied up with a chartreuse satin ribbon. A rare find and an unconventional combination of colors and materials that finds November's birth flower on a symbol of a December holiday more commonly covered in poinsettias and pine cones. What do you think? Is a chrysanthemum wreath for you?

Image sources top to bottom: chinese brush art painting at Rene Moase Art, painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir, photo by keylimepie, painting by Marianne North at kew.org, photo by Joe Sala, painting by Vincent VanGogh, wreath photo at goodhousekeeping.com

Veterans Day, Collected Images

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as "the Great War."*

Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938.*

In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars.*

In the United States, an official wreath-laying ceremony is held each Veterans Day at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery, while parades and other celebrations are held in states around the country.*

Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.*

In 2008, the number of military veterans in the United States was 23.2 million. 9.2 million of them were 65 and older and, at the other end of the age spectrum, 1.9 million were younger than 35.*

Take a moment today to think about all the men and women who have served to protect our country and ensure its continued strengths and freedoms, whether during peacetime or wars, from its inception to the present day. The numbers are almost unimaginable. We should all do something, anything, to honor them. Fly your American flag. Shake a hand. Buy a poppy. Send a letter to a soldier. Thank personally any friends or family members who served or are serving now. Donate to a veteran support organization. At the very least, sit with your family and talk about all of the things we may take for granted that are ours as a result of the sacrifices of our nation's veterans. There are so many to remember, and none should be forgotten.

Images are vintage official photos of various military units and posts, most dating from the mid-20th century, from my husband's collection. They hang in his office and remind us every day to be grateful.

*Veterans Day history and facts found at http://www.history.com/

Marigolds and Oranges

OCTOBER'S BIRTH FLOWER IS THE MARIGOLD

Their rich, autumn-colored hues make marigolds very appropriate for this time of year. As with most flowers, meanings ascribed to them vary among cultures and time periods. Early Christians called marigolds Mary’s Gold, and placed them by statues of the Virgin Mary. The Welsh believed that if marigolds were not open early in the morning, a storm was on the way. In the complex Victorian language of flowers, marigolds were appointed the flowers of grief and despair. Once considered the most sacred of flowers in India, garlands of marigolds were placed around the necks of holy statues.

Other sources say the marigold, also called calendula, signifies affection and grace. And some have called it "summer bride" or "husbandman's dial" because its flower head follows the sun as it moves across the sky. Also appropriate for the season, the marigold appears to have healing, even magical, powers. Fresh petals can be used to relieve the pain of a bee sting and a thrifty skin cleanser can be made from dried petals mixed with almond oil and fragrant rose or orange blossom water. Some cultures have used marigolds as love charms and a water made from marigolds was believed to induce visions of fairies when rubbed on the eyelids. Others thought that marigold flowers added to the stuffing of a pillow would encourage prophetic or psychic dreams.

Meaningful and magical as these late-harvest flowers can be, we don't often think of marigolds when building a bouquet—though this one, above, is actually quite charming. Equally charming is the effect the warm, orange color of the marigold can have on our interiors. And while the color orange may not suit every taste, used in small doses or large, it does add a spark, a warmth, and an element of surprise that suits many styles.

If you do love orange,

and your dining room walls happen to already be painted that color,

it isn't difficult to imagine that you might also enjoy decorating for one of our most fun-filled fall celebrations. The following images were borrowed from Decor Village.

HAVE A HAPPY

HALLOWEEN !!!

Jane's Apron... I mean Plate... Inspires a Room

Peeking into the fun world of Jane's Apron the other day, I found her post titled "fall of a different color". There we're shown a vintage square Johnson Brothers plate. Jane (whose real name is Julie but, for the sake of simplicity, let's just call her Jane) says it is her "new muse". She likes the colors of the flowers—deep purple, pale blue and bright yellow—and the green and dark brown of the leaves and vines. She thinks they might make a nice alternative to the traditional fall colors we see all around us these days. She calls them "the kind of colors that you could design a whole room around".

Seeing Jane's plate and reading her words, I was reminded of this chair I used in a recent post about fall, asters and the color purple. Meet Dahlia.

Deep purple velvet on the front and patterned velvet on the back. The colors of Jane's leaves and flowers well represented. Ivory-finished wood with a dark brown undercoat revealed by wear and distress. Curvy arms and back like the scalloped edge of Jane's plate.

As Jane wondered, so did I. Can a warm, fall-appropriate room be designed around these non-traditional colors? Let's see. . . from a plate, to a chair, to a room. . .

jane's plate by Comfort&Luxury on Polyvore.com

In this make-believe room full of unconventional fall color, a pair of Dahlias are joined by a mouse brown sofa with clean lines and a straight back. Flanking the sofa are tables with distressed ivory bases and dark stained tops. An antique bench brings more curves and a deeper version of yellow in its golden caramel, tufted leather upholstery. Underfoot is a green-gold area rug and across the room, to balance the weight of the large, dark sofa, is a large, dark sideboard. Two more tables, one dark and curvy, the other bright and sleek, round out my furniture choices. Accessories are a mix of contemporary—abstract art, light blue glass and golden ceramic table lamps, simple silk pillows—and traditional—French reproduction clock, blue Tiffany glass bowl, embroidered gold on blue lumbar pillow. I've imagined, and I'll ask you too as well, dark wood floors under everything and walls painted a pale straw gold. Arrangements of fall flowers and branches, like the one I show, will help carry the fall theme throughout.

But what about that big, blank surface in the middle of the room? What can I add to the brass and glass coffee table to suit the season? I like these dark turned candlesticks, below, and I'll use them as-is with ivory pillars. Of couse, they'll be joined by the requisite stack of art and design books and probably a very small arrangement of flowers or greenery.

To complete the vignette, and keeping our fall theme in mind, which of the four items below would you use? Clockwise from upper left: a trio of white glazed terracotta gourds, a rustic trug full of faux artichokes, antique hand-painted opaline glass vase, or the wooden duomo sculpture (but not the staircase as it's too tall and narrow like the candlesticks).

This room was designed without a client or budget in mind. It's a true mood board. . . a collection of ideals and suggestions put together to form a look, a direction, a "mood". Tell me where you think I've hit or missed. I appreciate your feedback.

And please remember to visit Jane's Apron. (written by Julie Thompson, not "Jane"). Lots of pretty, creative craftiness to see there.

Click on the mood board and go to my Polyvore page for items and sources used there. Dahlia chair from Horchow. Candlesticks are from Pottery Barn. Tabletop accessories are from, clockwise: Horchow, Pottery Barn, Horchow and Horchow.

***

OH NO!! I almost forgot to go to the party!! FLEA MARKET STYLE is hosting a McLinky party today—"I'm a Flea Marketeer"—and party-goers have been asked to show off their favorite flea market finds. I may be late, but my link is there—#102. Go to their post to see what my favorite find is and, while you're there, have a look at the others.

Lots of fun stuff to see!

Warm Your Welcome

One of the best ways, and my favorite way, to make a home welcoming and ready for the fall holidays and visitors, is to add a seasonal wreath to the front door. The warmth and cozy comfort it conveys is worth the effort and, quite often, costs next to nothing at all if you take the time to use things you already have or natural elements from your own yard.

The wreath you see above on the gorgeous red door was created by crafter, editor, blogger, designer and proprietress of vintage goods Heather Bullard. She blogged about the serendipitous way this beautiful wreath came to be last fall, not on her own site but on HomeGoods' Openhouse blog. As she tells it, Heather purchased two garlands to hang on her fireplace mantel but decided they were too much for that space. So she devised a new way to use them. Wired together, the garland of berries and another of pine cones and fall leaves became a lovely wreath. A few strands of raffia complement the loose natural look and a pretty bow adds the finishing touch. Of all the images I collected for this post, I like this one best, and may just try it myself. On purpose, thanks to Heather's happy accident. You can read her HomeGoods post by clicking on the wreath. To learn more about her great vintage style, click here to go to her blog.

Following, are a dozen more ideas. I hope there's at least one here that will work for you!



Another pretty berry wreath, above, is fashioned from branches gathered on the homeowner's property. You may have something similar growing in or around your own yard. Go take a look. Gather some vines and branches, twist them into a circle, secure with twine or wire and voila!—your new fall wreath.


If you have twigs and berries, it's entirely possible that you might also have dried flowers or seed pods and rose hips on hand. If not, they're easy to find at craft stores and florist suppliers. Wire your finds in bunches to a grapevine wreath. When designing or choosing a wreath to purchase, you should also consider where it will hang. Don't these fiery fall colors look great against a jade green door?

And on a sunny yellow door, pheasant feathers and chocolate brown satin ribbon add warmth and depth and beautiful textures.


A very traditional wreath of leaves and wheat and berries even has tiny pumpkins wired to it. Gourds or small ears of Indian corn would have the same effect. Against the creamy white door, the fall colors really stand out.


I love this fat little wreath, above, stuffed full with leaves and dried florals and wheat. The twigs sticking out all around soften the look and add a bit of whimsy to an otherwise very traditional look.

A very rustic wreath hung on an equally rustic gate is crafted from seed pods glued to a styrofoam base. Berries and vines are tucked in all around to add color and even more crunchy texture.

This simple yet stunning wreath, above, is made from a single element—leafy twigs full of turning leaves snipped from neighborhood trees.


Square wreaths make a more contemporary statement than the usual round. Modern in shape but made with traditional materials, this example, above, offers the best of both worlds. And I'm not entirely sure, but it looks like the brown leaves could be metal. Rusty metal garlands can be found in country decor stores.


If fall at your house feels more like summer, you may want a lighter, brighter look like the wreath above. Frothy with dried summer flowers, vibrant green leaves and just a few fall berries, it bridges the seasons beautifully.


Another wreath suited for both late summer and fall is this square wreath of dried herbs available at Williams-Sonoma. Perfect for cooks and foodies, it would also look great in your kitchen.


Choose a wreath like this one, above, and you can enjoy it during the fall and and on into winter. The graying, cool shades of oak leaves look especially beautiful against this stripped and faded wooden door.


Another fall to winter wreath features evergreen branches and citrus fruits. The striped wired ribbon adds a crisp finish.

One last wreath caught my eye and I just had to include it. Does your college-age son resist your attempts to decorate his apartment? Does the "man cave" in your own home lack holiday charm? Is Oktoberfest the number one holiday in your man's life? Craft a wreath with dude appeal using pub coasters! Go on, I dare you!

Beginning after Heather's wreath: #1, #2 and #12 found at bhg.com, #4 at 1-800-flowers.com, #5 at driedfloralshop.com, #6 at southernliving.com, #7 at sunset.com, # 9 and #11 at countryliving.com, and #10 at williams-sonoma.com. #3 and #8 sources are unknown. And I wish I could give its clever creator credit, but the colorful pub coaster wreath (love that blue door!) is an image I've had in my file for some time now. Please don't ask me why.