The Centerpiece -Keeping It Simple

Whether you are hosting family and friends, or will be someone’s guest this Friday for Passover, or Sunday for Easter, we have a couple of simple ideas for arrangements for your table or to take as a hostess gift.  Centerpiece arrangements don’t have to be elaborate, in fact sometimes simple is better.  So here are two very simple ideas of ways to adorn your table, dining or serving table, or to express a cheery statement of thanks to your hostess.

The first one involves hollowing out a hole in the top of a head of cabbage and filling that hole with flowers.  While you can use any number of flowers either alone or in combination with other flowers and greens,  (roses or tulips work nicely), we like carnations for several reasons:

• They are very hardy
• They are generally inexpensive
• They are easy to work with
• They are long lasting
• They are available in a wide range of beautiful colors

People tend to shy away from using carnations because they think of the carnations as a flower used in “cheap” bouquets, or sometimes, they are associated with funerals.  But, we have learned that both Martha Stewart herself, AND the French culture, have a great appreciation for carnations and use them lavishly.

They are best when bunched tightly and are monochromatic in color, or at least used with only colors that are similar and blend well.  We chose to use all bright pink here, to offset the pale green of the cabbage.  A few sprigs of bright green fresh mint also help to give a pop of color.

You can either add a small piece of water soaked floral foam, or add a very small jar or cup of water to the hole in the cabbage to keep the flowers hydrated.  You can add water to the opening each day for a few days after your celebration and this arrangement will last for 5-7 days.

Another option is to fill a pretty dish or bowl with fresh lemons and a few sprigs of mint, and if you are celebrating Easter, tuck in a few colored eggs as well.  The bright fresh color and fragrance of the lemons makes an easy and refreshingly simple arrangement.  Be sure and wash the lemons in some cool water and dry them with paper towel before arranging to wash off any dirt and make the surface bright and clean.

If you don’t have a pretty piece like this one to display the lemons in, don’t worry.  A clear glass compote dish works very well too.  Or have a look at your local thrift store for something that could work.  It is often easy to find something that has been donated that will work really well and that is very inexpensive.

Whatever you choose to decorate your table with remember, the very best and most important part of any celebration is the love and joy you show to your family and guests.  Those qualities are the best decoration to any day there is!