Extending life of flowers

Extending life of flowers

To make fresh flowers last, floral designer Saundra Parks suggests thoroughly cleaning vases with bleach before use.

Fill vase with lukewarm water for most flowers — bulb flowers require cooler water — and treat water with a floral conditioner.

Cut stems at an angle using a sharp knife so they can absorb the most water possible. Remove half the leaves from flowers with lots of leaves because they decrease the amount of water the actual flower receives.

Gently place flowers into the vase so as not to bruise the cut ends, which damages the vascular system.

Once in the vase, add more water until the level is near the top. Keep flowers in a cool place, away from direct sunlight. This can cause them to photosynthesize too fast.

Also, keep them away from anything that generates heat. Repeat the steps on the third day.

hHand-painted glassware designs

If you serve a guest in your home a glass of wine in a piece of Lolita’s hand-painted glassware, he or she will probably beg you to be able to keep it.

They are that adorable. The designs are painted on everything from pilsners to margarita glasses, party shots, sundae bowls — all featuring a recipe on or under the glass — and flasks (these come with a minimartini glass).

Other products include gel candles in the shape of martini, wine and champagne glasses; bottle stoppers; minipilsner Christmas tree ornaments; and paper products, such as cocktail napkins and bottle bags.

Coming in November: beach towels in her widely-collected designs and themes.

Cost for products starts at $11. Details: Thelolitastore.com.

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