Presentation at the Garden Club

I had a fun morning. I was asked to present a program at the Ocean Drive Garden Club meeting. Their theme for the year is "going green" so I gave them some ideas for doing an edible centerpiece and an edible gift of fruit. The pictures above will give you an idea of the finished products.

When doing the centerpiece, I started with a piece of corrugated cardboard that can be bought on a big roll from your local paper supplier. I always have a roll hanging from the rafters in my garage and I use it for all sorts of things, from shelf liners in my kitchen to a valance over the window in my studio. I love the stuff...it's inexpensive and I like the way it looks. I've even made invitations out of it...and embellished gift wrap.

For this centerpiece, I took a small piece of cardboard and rounded the corners. I used fresh, colorful veggies and just arranged them on top and then added black beans around the outer edges under the vegetables for a finishing touch. This centerpiece cost about $14.

For the fruit arrangement, I cut a short strip of the corrugated cardboard to fit all around the bottom of a cardboard box that I'd cut. I scalloped one side and then glued that on to the box with hot glue. Unbleached parchment lined the box and then I just piled the fruit in. I like to add unexpected little snacks in unusual containers in with the fruit. I put peanuts in the shell into a tiny paper sack and tied the top with rafia. I added strawberries in a little wire basket, and cherries in a clay pot. Chocolates went into another paper sack. The entire fruit gift cost about $23.

The garden ladies were a fun and appreciative group. It was a great way to spend my morning and I enjoyed meeting some new people and seeing some friends I hadn't seen in awhile. I was also able to promote next fall's "Move Over, Martha!" our fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. They very graciously offered to help us sell tickets come November. I'll be taking them up on that offer!