Candy Canes and Roses
Hello. My name is Lianne Lopes, and I’m an addict. I knew the dangers, but I signed up anyway. Then I pinned my first pin. And my second. Before long I wasn’t satisfied with the boards provided, so I started my own boards. I’m up to 52 boards and over 7,000 pins, and I can’t seem to stop.
If you’re a fellow pinner, then you know what I’m talking about. I first found Pinterest about 3½ years ago while I was searching for some home décor ideas. I looked into it and found it interesting, except for the warning notices that went something like this: “Sign up at your own risk. You WILL become addicted, and you will spend ALOT of time on Pinterest.” But it was a free service, an offer I couldn’t refuse. I also figured that, since going back to work I’ve reduced my time on Facebook dramatically, Pinterest wouldn’t be a problem. Ha! The site is as addicting and time consuming as the warnings said it would be. But at least this is one addiction that gives back. I’ve gotten some great ideas on Pinterest, and I have no regrets.
A few weeks ago my husband asked for help in making centerpieces for a luncheon he was in charge of organizing for the chaplains at the hospital system where he is one of the directors. Color scheme red and white for Christmas. We discussed a few things, but nothing felt right. So what did I do? I went to Pinterest! (Of course I did!) I was browsing through my Christmas pins, and then I saw it. A lovely arrangement of roses encircled by candy canes. So pretty. I texted the picture to my husband, and he approved. Piece of cake, I figured. No trouble at all to glue some canes to the outside of a glass container, and arrange the roses inside. Simple. Elegant. No problem. And with hot glue, taking it off afterward would be easy.
Too easy. (But I'm getting ahead of myself.)
I made up one arrangement early to make sure it would work. We used live roses, of course, so since we had a few days until the luncheon, we put the arrangement in the fridge to prolong the life of the roses. Thus I discovered a GREAT way to get glue off of glass. You've probably guessed what happened. When I took the arrangement out of the fridge, a few of the candy canes had loosened because the cold had hardened the glue to brittle. Furthermore, as the glass started to sweat, the whole thing came right off. One neat little row of candy canes, glued nicely together, but NOT sticking to the glass. I left it alone until it dried, did the other four, and redid the first one. I still had a little trouble with the odd candy cane coming loose, and I learned one more thing. When doing a centerpiece like this, it’s probably better to use a vase with flat sides (our vases were squared and slightly curved from top to bottom).
Or then...lightbulb!...just follow the actual directions. The inspiration centerpiece had double sided tape and a rubber band to hold the canes in place. Seems like it would have been a lot more practical…and less painful…than hot gluing all those canes that didn’t really want to stay on. (No, I didn’t burn my fingers much, but squeezing the trigger on the glue gun made the tip of my pointer finger swell like crazy!) Live and learn. Next time I try something like this, I WILL follow the directions.
Well, maybe. If they’re more practical and cost effective than what I have in mind. It all turned out nicely in the end, and the guests were pleased with what we did. And I am wiser.
Here are a few pictures of what we did.
If you’re a fellow pinner, then you know what I’m talking about. I first found Pinterest about 3½ years ago while I was searching for some home décor ideas. I looked into it and found it interesting, except for the warning notices that went something like this: “Sign up at your own risk. You WILL become addicted, and you will spend ALOT of time on Pinterest.” But it was a free service, an offer I couldn’t refuse. I also figured that, since going back to work I’ve reduced my time on Facebook dramatically, Pinterest wouldn’t be a problem. Ha! The site is as addicting and time consuming as the warnings said it would be. But at least this is one addiction that gives back. I’ve gotten some great ideas on Pinterest, and I have no regrets.
A few weeks ago my husband asked for help in making centerpieces for a luncheon he was in charge of organizing for the chaplains at the hospital system where he is one of the directors. Color scheme red and white for Christmas. We discussed a few things, but nothing felt right. So what did I do? I went to Pinterest! (Of course I did!) I was browsing through my Christmas pins, and then I saw it. A lovely arrangement of roses encircled by candy canes. So pretty. I texted the picture to my husband, and he approved. Piece of cake, I figured. No trouble at all to glue some canes to the outside of a glass container, and arrange the roses inside. Simple. Elegant. No problem. And with hot glue, taking it off afterward would be easy.
Too easy. (But I'm getting ahead of myself.)
I made up one arrangement early to make sure it would work. We used live roses, of course, so since we had a few days until the luncheon, we put the arrangement in the fridge to prolong the life of the roses. Thus I discovered a GREAT way to get glue off of glass. You've probably guessed what happened. When I took the arrangement out of the fridge, a few of the candy canes had loosened because the cold had hardened the glue to brittle. Furthermore, as the glass started to sweat, the whole thing came right off. One neat little row of candy canes, glued nicely together, but NOT sticking to the glass. I left it alone until it dried, did the other four, and redid the first one. I still had a little trouble with the odd candy cane coming loose, and I learned one more thing. When doing a centerpiece like this, it’s probably better to use a vase with flat sides (our vases were squared and slightly curved from top to bottom).
Or then...lightbulb!...just follow the actual directions. The inspiration centerpiece had double sided tape and a rubber band to hold the canes in place. Seems like it would have been a lot more practical…and less painful…than hot gluing all those canes that didn’t really want to stay on. (No, I didn’t burn my fingers much, but squeezing the trigger on the glue gun made the tip of my pointer finger swell like crazy!) Live and learn. Next time I try something like this, I WILL follow the directions.
Well, maybe. If they’re more practical and cost effective than what I have in mind. It all turned out nicely in the end, and the guests were pleased with what we did. And I am wiser.
Here are a few pictures of what we did.
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| A work in progress |
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| Finished product. (Sorry the picture is fuzzy.) |
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| Tables at the luncheon |
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| Table at the luncheon |
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