Flower Power

During my college years as a Chi Omega, we always envied the fact that the other sororities had cooler symbols. Now, owls are the hippest thing in jewelry and home décor. Same with the skull & crossbone that is part of our crest.

We admired the other girls’ colors (ours were red and yellow). That my friends, will never be in fashion (unless you work at McDonald’s).

Our flower is the carnation and we all wished it was something a little more grand, like a rose, or fun, like a daisy. But tradition states that a carnation is the only flower whose petals come together when it dies. All other flowers’ petals fall off. Creepy, right?

Last week I mentioned that balloons are making a comeback in party décor and it looks like the recession is popularizing the carnation.

At first, I was a little skepitical that a carnation could look elegant. But after seeing these photos, I’m convinced that with the right design and, carnations can look stunning. Here are some ways to use carnations at your next shin dig…

* Bunch, bunch, bunch the carnations together. I love the way that Real Simple created this easy, colorful bouquet (right).

* Group colors together. I love the orange and yellow carnations in the square vases above from Martha Stewart. Use different size vases to mix things up.

* Shape matters. Carnations work well when you keep them in a clean shape like a ball or square.

* Use bright, bold colors. Carnations come in over 10,000 colors. Take advantage of that and match the stems to your event or if you are decorating for a game watch, match your favorite team.

* Make a floral ball. Using carnations in these topiaries from PB Bloom create a dramatic centerpiece.

If you are into the hidden meaning of flowers, then you will love a carnation. According to Martha Stewart, a carnation means “Pure Love.” Oh and give your man a pink carnation on your next anniversary. That color means “Woman’s Love.”

(Sources: PDBloom.com, MarthaStewart.com, RealSimple.com , InStyle.com)