My Visit To The White House

I had an amazing day at the White House on Monday.  If you follow AphroChic on Pinterest, you’ll see  my photos from the day, which began with a tour of the White House holiday decorations.

The ombre tree above with handblown glass bulbs was a beautiful site to behold.  This is an idea you can easily apply at home by layering a variety of colorful balls on your tree.

Bo can be spotted throughout the White House during the holidays.  I love this oversized Bo, wrapped up in colorful Christmas tree lights.

You can even spot Bo in these Boflakes created by Simplesong Design.  Can you find him?

The highlight of my day was meeting Laura Dowling, Chief Floral Designer for the White House.  Laura is responsible for all of the beautiful holiday decorations you see throughout the White House during the holidays.  She has an incredible job, and her passion for floral design is inspiring.

I got to tour Laura’s office and workspace, and the most amazing flowers were everywhere!  I could have lived here.

Laura was kind enough to share with AphroChic readers how you can create your own special floral design for the holidays.  Check out her one-of-a-kind vases featuring natural elements like berries and flowers.  Below are directions for how you can create your own floral container just like those seen in the White House!  This is a fun activity to do with family members this weekend as you prepare for the holidays.

How To Make A Festive Holiday Container
Materials:
Plastic container or bucket
Masking tape
Natural materials (lemon leaves, magnolia leaves, berries, etc.)
Pen
Ruler of tape measure
Hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks

Instructions:
1.  Cover container with masking tape
2.  Draw patterns onto vase
3.  Using hot glue, attach leaves, berries, etc. following the lines of the pattern
4.  Experiment with folded leaves, floral spray paint, ribbons, etc. to create a unique holiday design.
5.  Fill the vase with a beautiful floral arrangement for the holidays

I would like to thank the White House, and my friends at Pinterest for putting together an incredible Holiday Social event.  It is a moment I will never forget.