Picking The Perfect Office Plant

Keeping plants in your office (or home) has been shown to:

Reduce Stress

Increase Productivity

Helps you focus

Cleans the air

Contributes to well-being

Keeps you healthy

Reduces noise

Admire and save the honey bee

(NC)—"If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live,” said Albert Einstein.

Did the physicist predict all those years ago the precarious situation we are potentially facing in years to come? With the exception of butterflies (admired for their pretty wings), most of us simply shoo away bees and flies. But the truth is that these pollinators are the unsung heroes in native ecosystems and agricultural production, says Sheila Colla of the non-profit organization Pollinator Partnership Canada (PPC). “But in recent years, steep declines of these creatures in Canada is of concern since bees pollinate one-third of the food we eat.”

For those wondering what can be done before these declines impact our food supply, we can look to programs developed to preserve bee health. Last year, the “Wild for Bees” program—a partnership between natural personal care company Burt's Bees and PPC—raised more than $22,000 for bee conservation. Now in its second year, Wild for Bees has once again enlisted Canadian designer Jenny Bird to create a limited-edition jewelry collection.

Available starting May 2013, the “Wild for Bees” jewelry ($24.99 each) will be sold in stores including The Bay and online at www.jennybird.shopify.com and www.burtsbees.ca, with all of the proceeds going to PPC. This year, the collection consists of a bee-charm friendship bracelet and bee stud earrings. Bird used black and gold (a classic combination for the designer) and for the bracelet, she incorporated cobalt blue by braiding it into the gold-plated chain.

“We plan to surpass last year both in terms of funds raised and awareness,” says Sarah Au of Burt's Bees of the “Wild for Bees” program. “Bees aren't just part of our name, they're a part of the company's history, culture and all of our futures, too, and together with Bird, we hope to spark some change.” That change she refers to includes growing PPC's nationwide at-risk pollinator recovery initiatives with Wildlife Preservation Canada, and increasing public awareness to the plight of pollinators. “Also, the money raised will go directly to help save bees, such as the fuzzy Rusty-patched Bumblebee, from extinction,” says Colla.

And the time to act is now. "The decline we're experiencing in pollinators has already had an impact on all of our lives: Have a look the next time you're at the grocery store and you may notice that the price of honey has risen. In addition, the price for growers to rent honey bees to pollinate food crops has also risen,” says Colla.

Furthermore, “many wildflowers in nature have been found to be pollen-limited,” she says. “This means they have not received enough pollen to produce enough seeds to ensure the next generation.” A study published in journalTK in yearTK has found that spring wildflowers in particular are at risk—they're showing decreasing in pollination over time.

What you can do to help the honey bee

Grow flowers in your outdoor space, whether it's in your garden or in containers on a balcony.

Start a vegetable garden. You help the honey bee while also benefiting from fresh produce for yourself.

Limit your pesticide use. The excessive use of chemicals is one of the factors contributing to the decline in bee populations.

Support organic agriculture. Shop at farmers markets to support local growers.

Embrace bees and give them a “home.” Keen and have some outdoor space? Consider putting up a bee condo or other nesting material for these pollinators.

Spread the word about the plight of the bee. Wear your limited-edition Jenny Bird “Wild for Bees” jewelry and help raise awareness about bees and the crucial role they play in our lives. Stacked onto your wrist with the rest of your arm party, perhaps the jewelry can act as a reminder to not fear the next bee you see collecting pollen from a summer blossom. “Instead, remember that without them life as we know it would be very different,” says Sheila Colla of Pollinator Partnership Canada.

I am the Editor of the 'Embassy of Ideas'. Please visit it here: http://www.pattifridayphotography.blogspot.com

Handmade Heirloom: Anvil Wrought Iron Furniture

I met a new friend, Vitania, today via Facebook. The blogging, social media world continues to surprise and delight me. One moment uninspired with nothing left to say; the next - passionate, exhilarated and over-flowing with new words for new ideas and people. Vitania has an incredible story about her family business, Anvil Wrought Iron Furniture - a Canadian company that works with Designers and Retailers around the globe. When the company her father was working for started to fall apart, he led a group of men, all co-workers, to pool their resources and keep their business alive. (isn't that amazing!) With her father at the helm, they formed a company called Anvil Fireside Accessories Ltd. that supplied hearth products to pretty much everyone. Tool sets, wood holders, spark guards, andirons….you name it they made it! That was 30 years ago. Today, Anvil is completely family owned and operated, and Vitania, of course, has the pleasure of working and learning, with and from, her father. Over the last 3o years, the line has expanded dramatically to include beautifully crafted Iron Furnishings, as well as a fabulous collection of Outdoor furniture. They operate under the name Anvil Wrought Iron Furniture to include this expanded product offering. To die for people! To die for! All hand made! Located in Mississauga, Ontario, (just outside of Toronto) a small but talented team of people come together to make some of the most beautiful iron furniture today. Made using traditional methods, steel is cut, forged, hammered, shaped, polished and painted. As a custom manufacturer Anvil offers their clients the choice to design exactly what they want. Their products are designed to last a lifetime. The kitchen table and chairs you will sit at, eat, laugh and cry over. A bed your children will crawl into in the middle of the night, and you will long for when you are away from home. Pieces that are meant to be passed from one generation to another. Please take some time over the weekend to tour their website (and catalogue). You will be longing to purchase several of their pieces....either for yourself or a client(s)....or both!

Antique Bird Cage & Garden-Inspired Accessories

I am selling this lovely 'story' - grouping of items. Glistening Green Paperweight, White Lacquer Ceramic Peacocks, Speckled Dish Garden Container (perfect for succulents!), Large Green Beer Bottle (looks fabulous in the sunlight on a porch) and Antique Bird Cage (with old and odd little fake bird and original brass food and water dishes). Let me know if you are interested and what you would like to offer. LP xo

UPDATE: March 23, 2010 - Birdcage is SOLD

(the rest is still available)

True: This Is The 'Real' Alice From Wonderland

Her name is Alice Pleasance Liddell and Lewis Carroll based the character after her. Isn't she darling! Lewis Carroll took both photographs, in fact - did you know he did a lot of portrait work? I am loving the juxtaposition of that frail little fern sitting beside her. She looks innocent yet mischievous all at once. Lovely.

Marc Chagall's Granddaughter

So there is now evidence that you don't have to worry about your creative genes going to waste in generations to come. VASE in point: Fleurs Bella. Owned by the great artist's Granddaughter. Born in Paris and raised in Switzerland, Bella Meyer grew up immersed in art. As the granddaughter of Marc Chagall ("the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century"), Bella’s imagination and artistic expression were always valued at home, grooming her for a life of creativity. On the academic side of life, Bella attained a Ph.D. in Medieval Art History at the Sorbonne in Paris, continuing all the while to paint and draw. After moving to New York in her twenties, she found her bliss designing and building fantastical worlds of costumes, masks, and puppets for theatre, opera, and dance. Flowers have always been close to Bella’s heart. Their unique ability to inspire people to smile, or to bring a moment’s peace, has always been a source of fascination for her. Over the years, Bella added flowers to her palette, focusing her talents on creating arrangements much in the way an artist paints. Working with each flower’s innate beauty, Bella highlights and juxtaposes their natural shape and color, blending texture with tone, the individual flower with the entire arrangement, creating works nothing short of wonder. Along with her enthusiastic and talented team, Bella creates every installation with the closest attention to the client’s desires for their occasion. The Fleurs Bella unending quest for original expression enables an individual and seamless integration of flowers, fruits, seeds, greenery, and props to achieve the design goal of the moment. In this way, each creation becomes a unique, evolving dialogue between designer and client. Blooming cool.

Photo Credit: Ángel Franco/The New York Times

Escape To Another Place

Like a terrarium. Into a miniature oasis of lushness and green and clean oxygen. So small, so fascinating. It's like escaping to another place.

Winter Park Mission Style

This makes me happy on a snowy February night. Florida, Mission, Oak, Spanish Moss, Cobblestone, Canals, Palms and Fountains. Yes. Happy.

Fall In Love With Carnations Again

Flower snobs. Yes, they do exist. They discriminate against less expensive blooms and 'poo-poo' anyone who may consider setting a full and over-flowing bouquet in a splendid vase on any table. 'Floristry Snobbery' is not new. It has been around for years, but not as long as you think. Carnations fell out of favor in the late 80's and early 90's when the boomers' only thoughts were spend, spend, spend and when their once beloved 'country style of decorating' faded. Today, carnations are making a comeback in a big, glorious, design-savvy way. They are affordable, adorable and last for weeks on end. They are the new chic flower to take home every Friday. Designers online, in mags, on TV are touting the beauty of carnations. Oh Eddie (Ross), how I love thee. I am partial to the creamy vanilla ice cream 'white' carnations. I love the icy-blue-green-meets-apple-lime stems and leaves. They have a dusty miller colouring to them, which I am so drawn to. Carnations are a big trend with longevity and come in all different colours to suit any decorating diva's space. (good price to send to friends) Don't you just love their ruffled little edges. (ruffles are 'in' you know) Fall in love with carnations again. LPxo

"Your carnations may arrive with closed buds but will open over the next few days after conditioning. Start with a very clean vase. Hold each carnation next to your vase to gauge how much stem you'll need to trim; you might also want to remove some of the leaves. Using a sharp knife or pruners, cut stems at a 45-degree angle. This prevents them from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase and allows for better water absorption. When conditioning carnations, be sure to cut above one of the nodes that run up the flower's stalk; this will allow the stem to more easily draw the water it needs. Add the included cut-flower food to the vase; use the extra pack with your first change of water. Carnations should be reconditioned every two or three days: Recut the stems, change the water, and add nourishment. To nourish the flowers after the flower food is used up, refill your vase with a solution of one teaspoon of sugar and two drops liquid bleach per gallon of fresh, cool water. Carnations are especially sensitive to ethylene, a gas that causes flowers to deteriorate rapidly. Keep the blooms away from possible sources of this gas, which include wilting plants and ripening fruits and vegetables. Keep the flowers away from drafts, direct sun, and excessive heat." - Martha Stewart

Try this St. Patrick's Day Arrangement!