Holiday Gifting the Natural Way

The holiday season is upon us, and there’s nothing we love more than adorning our gift packages with nature-inspired trimmings, and we don't even have to venture into the fields to find them. Throughout the year, a wealth of dried protea, foliage, and cones can be salvaged from bouquets, centerpieces and wreaths and re-used as embellishments. But it's certainly not too late for you to muster up some flowers and other botanical materials, your Thanksgiving decor can be re-purposed for Christmas gifting. Or, step outside. Decorations for the holiday are all around you.

For the materials, we incorporate fresh and dried proteas, cones and seed pods. Choosing some traditional holiday colors such as gold, green and silver but also some more non-traditional like pink and brown. Plus, using neutral looking wrapping paper and ribbon provide an added organic and hand-crafted feel.

This year… ‘think outside of the box’ and have fun with your own gift giving this season!

Flower News: November’s Stories of Interest from Around the World

5 Ways to Make Your Wedding Flowers More Sustainable

We’re pumped to see businesses and couples alike becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of weddings, and floristry is one area where this has become a real priority. And before you start picturing foraged posies and native-everything (not those things aren’t awesome) let us assure you that sustainable practices can still mean high end floral design.

Read more here.
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An Autumnal Boho Wedding with Rust Bridesmaids Dresses, Spicy Fall Florals, and Copper Details

There’s something about Fall color that is just truly magical. Burnished yellows, spicy rust tones, pumpkin orange and coffee really bring the warm and cozies to a wedding day! When Chels and Danté began planning their lavish Fall wedding at Giracci Vineyards, they knew they wanted every detail to represent them. Based on their vibrant and fun personalities, we’d say their color palette choices were spot on!! With the help of Weddings by Cortney Helaine, they planned a boho fête that was full of lush fall florals, macramé decor, copper details and the cutest rust bridesmaids dresses!

Read more here.
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How to Dry Protea

Dried flowers add long-lasting beauty to any decor and can be made into keepsakes for weddings, anniversaries or birthdays. Drying your own flowers at home saves money and allows you to preserve flowers from your garden that otherwise would wither and die. Protea is a large, exotic flower available in many vibrant shades, such as dark pink, blood red, bright yellow and caramel. Once dried, the colors will fade over time, leaving behind tan flowers which look gorgeous in wreaths or bouquets.

Read more here.
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Relieving Stress During the Holidays

While a wonderful season, the holidays can sometimes bring on as much stress as joy. From shopping, to organizing the guest lists, to putting up the decorations, our growing to-do list can add to our feelings of overwhelm and worry about how we are going to get everything done. According to a recent poll, 68 percent of people feel stress on a weekly basis, and 32 percent experience stress daily.

It’s important in these hectic times to step back, breathe, and take opportunities to have a moment of calm, so we can enjoy the holiday festivities, rather than stress over them.

Read more here.

Resendiz Brothers 2020 Calendar

For the last twenty years we’ve designed and created our own special Resendiz Brothers calendar, which we proudly share with all our friends and family. The time spent crafting the calendar has become very special to us as it gives us the opportunity to reflect on the past twelve months while rummaging through fabulous photos to select our top thirteen favorites. The cover is usually a photograph that received quite a bit of attention during the year or reminds us of an important occasion, and this year's choice - was no exception. The remaining twelve photographs are thoughtfully placed in the calendar to represent the months when the proteas pictured are typically in bloom. Scroll on down and have a sneak peek at a few of our picks… they are a combination of arrangements, bouquets and wreaths!

Sometimes good things come to an end, so that better and greater things can begin. Bring on 2020!

Protea Repens

The famed Sugarbush or Suikerbossie, Protea repens, was South Africa's national flower until 1976. It got its common name, Sugarbush, from the abundance of nectar that the blooms produce. So much in fact that early settlers in South Africa’s Cape Province, collected the nectar and made syrup called “bossiestroop”. Cape sugarbirds are also very fond of the sweet nectar and can often be seen chasing one another as they feast from one bush to the next.

Sugarbush or Suikerbossie (Afrikaans) is also a term of endearment that could be translated as "sweetie". The song Suikerbossie ek wil jou he (Sugarbush, I want you so) was composed on Lion's Head in Cape Town and shows how sweet the Sugarbush must be to inspire such romance. Suikerbossie ek wil jou he is a traditional South African Barn Dance Song and this English version of the song eventually became an international hit.

SUGARBUSH, I WANT YOU SO:

Sugarbush, I want you so
Sugarbush, I want you so
Sugarbush, I want you so
What will your mother want to say.
Then like that, we'll walk under the moon
Then like that, we'll walk under the moon
Then like that, we'll walk under the moon
Together, my sugarbush and I.

Sugarbush are harvested here in California from autumn through early winter - so now's the time to make these beautiful blooms a part of your next arrangement or bouquet!

Cornucopia: A Symbol of the Harvest

Chances are you’ve seen a cornucopia before—you know, one of these horn-shaped baskets that appears everywhere during the harvest season. It’s possible, as you read this, you might even be planning to create one for your Thanksgiving gathering. A lovely, eye-catching display using your favorite flowers, foliage, fruit, cones and pods for your friends and family to enjoy. After all, Thanksgiving and cornucopias go together like turkey and stuffing or mashed potatoes and gravy. They all pair perfectly.

Thanksgiving has always been epic to harvest time, and it's always taken place in the autumn… so it's natural that the holiday would include the cornucopia, which traditionally represents all of those things. Beyond that premise though, at what time the cornucopia made its way into our country's consciousness as a Thanksgiving symbol is difficult to say. But with its meaning of abundance, prosperity and good fortune, the horn of plenty now embodies Americans’ thoughts of thankfulness. Whether referred to as a cornucopia or horn of plenty… the meaning of this ancient symbol still resonates today.

The Day of the Dead

Just like witches, black cats and pumpkins are typical symbols of Halloween, skulls, orange marigolds and monarch butterflies are associated with Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. However, this annual fete, is not a Mexican version of Halloween. Though related, the holidays differ greatly in traditions and ambience. Whereas Halloween is a night of terror and tricks, Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days in a burst of color and life-sustaining joy. Sure, the theme is death, but the intention is to show love and respect for deceased family members.

Día de los Muertos originated in Mexico and Central America where native tribes had specific days when they honored their loved ones based on whether the deceased was an adult or a child. When the Spanish arrived, this ritual of memorializing the dead became two holidays: All Saints Day on November 1st and All Soul’s Day on the 2nd. Día de los Muertos is typically celebrated on the 1st as a day to remember children who have passed away, and the 2nd to honor adults.

These ancient tribes believed that death was part of the journey of life. Rather than death being the end of life, families view death as the beginning of the cycle of seasons and new life. This cycle is often associated with the cyclical nature of agriculture, like crops grown from the ground where the last crop lies buried.

The Day of the Dead is an occasion to remember and celebrate the lives of departed loved ones. It is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living families in homes, businesses and cemeteries. And as with many celebrations, the days are filled with music and dancing. The ofrenda, is the most recognized symbol. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them what they love while on their journey.

Simply Gourd-geous Centerpieces

Because they’re both born in the garden or on a farm, pumpkins and flowers pair perfectly in centerpieces and displays, especially when the pumpkin stands in for a traditional container. Plus, there’s a bounty of pumpkin varieties to choose from, white ones, green ones, speckled ones, tall ones and squat ones... hundreds of pumpkin varieties exist. Bright colors, interesting shapes and an array of textures make them ideal containers. And, they are watertight, at least for the duration of the vase life of most of the blooms you put in them.

Pairing pumpkins and flowers (especially protea) delivers a festive yet elegant take on fall decorating: they make perfect porch displays for Halloween, lovely Thanksgiving centerpieces or even wonderful gifts.

Here’s what you need to make your own:

• Fresh pumpkin 
• Knife 
• Clear plastic sheet or container 
• Floral foam (optional) 
• Flowers, foliage, berries, fruit 
• Clippers

Make it!

Carve your pumpkin so that you have a wide opening near the center of the pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds and pulp.

Line the inside of the pumpkin with a sheet of plastic or container.

If desired, cut a piece of floral foam with the knife to fit inside the pumpkin. Soak the foam in water while you prepare your flowers.

Choose flowers and foliage with strong straight stems (proteas are perfect)!

Insert the floral foam into the inside of the pumpkin and create your arrangement. Start with foliage, then add flowers, fruit, and other embellishments to create a full and interesting centerpiece.