Monday, November 30, 2009

Paperwhites!

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Have you planted paperwhites yet? Forcing paperwhites has become a yearly holiday tradition for me!

I love watching them grow! It's so amazing how fast they sprout up!

I plant mine in soil and I like to cover the soil with moss and a sprinkling of plastic snow! Plastic snow has really grown on me over the years. I used to think it looked really tacky but now I like it! The paperwhites below are just about ready to bloom...
I would like to thank everyone for the nice comments and emails about my health! I'm feeling a lot better but I still have some pain remaining. I think I must have pulled or strained something in my chest when I moved a very large planter in my patio when we had our new windows installed. I moved the planter on a Tuesday but I didn't feel the pain until Saturday! I'm still not sure if that's what did it. I'm always moving heavy things around so who knows what it was! At least I'm feeling better! In fact I was even able to decorate for Christmas over the weekend!

39 comments:

Patricia said...

Glad to hear your feeling better!! You just reminded me to start my paperwhites, they are so beautiful, quick and fragrant. Now I'm waiting to see your Christmas decorating. Don't lift anything heavy!!

Patricia

Arleen @ Seasons for All said...

Hi Cindy. So glad you're feeling better! I plant paperwhites every year, too, and love their blooms on Christmas Eve when my family gathers at my house! Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and I'm looking forward to seeing more as this holiday season unfolds. ~Arleen

GwendolynKay said...

Lovely paper whites, I am sure you will have a sweet aroma when they bloom. Love the big ribbon around them. Blessings!
Gwen

Elsie said...

~Cindy~I am glad your feeling better. With all these comment
prays how could you not get better.
LOL. Love your paper whites,they
come up in my yard every year and
in my mom's yard down the hill from me. Mom always liked those and
I would always pick them and get in
trouble...oooooh bad me...but because I am the baby of the family
I always got away with "but their
for you Mom." LoL.
I can't wait to see your decorations,I hope you decorate the dining room tree again.:O)

Susan said...

Dear Cindy...So very, very glad you are on the mend. The paperwhite photos were great. Love your photography! Looking forward to your Christmas decorations. I'm sure they will be stunning, as always. Take care. Sinderely, Susan from writingstraightfromtheheart.blogspot.com

chez sheri said...

So glad you're feeling better! What a beautiful way to display paperwhites! I love the "snow"!!!
sheri

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

I just love how you have displayed your paperwhites. The container, the moss, the sprinkle of snow, it's all divine!
I'm going out tomorrow and get me some bulbs.

Sheila said...

Cindy i am so glad to hear your better. My sister is named cindy so i feel like i am talking to my sissy. (smiles) I love your paperwhites. I have never grown any but from seeing yours i may have to give it a try. Your photos are alwaYs sooooooooooooo great.. Is it a secret? lol... What kind of camera do you have.. MIne is about shot and may ask Santa for a new one for christmas..

Caatje said...

First of all I love your blog; I took a trip to visit your house and it is a lovely house, very tastefull.
Your paperwhites are called Narcissen here in Holland and in Spring many gardens are full with these first signs of a new beginning.

Greetings (groetjes) from Carina

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Glad you are better. I am dealing with a pulled muscle right now. Sure wish it would get better - I have things to do.

momstheword said...

That's probably it as a muscle strain can usually take a few days to show up, I think. Glad you're feeling better.

I haven't had paperwhites in years, but they are lovely!

I have a question, if you don't mind. I notice in your header you have a lovely white hutch. Is the inside blue? Is it a pale blue or a country blue or do you remember it's color?

My hubby (finally, lol!) said I could paint my old hutch white. The inside looks like beadboard, and I was thinking of painting it white but then I saw your hutch, and I was thinking a blue might really be pretty.

Thanks for all your help!

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

I've never done the paperwhites, but they look fascinating.

So glad you're feeling better. Do take care.

Karin said...

So glad you are finally seeing improvement and feeling better. The muscle strain makes the most sense, especially if you've been lifting heavy items ~ be careful!
I haven't done paperwhites, but I've done the large red Christmas flower.

jennypilgrim said...

Your PaperWhites are beautiful. I love them!!!!!

Tammy said...

I love paperwhites as well! I can't wait to see yours in bloom! I love all the soft colors you use in your home! Glad your feeling a bit better!

Nice and Easy Antiques said...

I love paperwhites! It's one of my traditions as well.
Glad you are doing better!
XO

Linda's Blue Gate said...

Well that is good news.... I was very worried about you... and you are still in my prayers......

You have a way of making the simplest of things so elegant and WOW... what a a touch of class you have..
HUgs
Linda

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

Cindy....I am so glad you are feeling better! I have heard of people having pain in their sternum from some type of strain. I hear it is very painful as you well know. I have done the paperwhites too before....they always look so pretty! Can't wait to see your holiday decorating!~Patti

BellaRosa said...

How wonderful that you are feeling better, can't wait to see your Christmas decor pictures :)I thought about getting some paperwhites, are they hard to grow and take care of? I don't exactly have a green thumb :) Besos, Rose

Cindy said...

Your paper-whites are beautiful. I like the way you have them arranged, with the silver tray etc. Very pretty. I'm glad you are feeling better. Take good care of yourself. Cindy S.

Sammy Girl said...

Hi, Cindy!
Isn't it the truth that unless we are "underground" we are ALWAYS able to decorate .... especially for Christmas!
Hugs and lovin' the paperwhites! I posted a couple of days ago on a study about giving the bulbs a drink (literally!) to keep the stems a bit shorter and less flopping over of the blooms ... just thought you might be interested ...
hugs!
Betty :)
BTW (we forced them for a Thanksgiving engagement party last year ... they were fab! we then sent a container home with each household ...)

Southern Lady's Vintage said...

Those little Paper Whites do spurt on out there quickly don't they! I will have to read SammyGirl's tip! I usually grow Amaryllis this time of the year. And I think that I am late! But I did notice that my Christmas cactus is about to bloom! I'm excited about that because Christmas cactus is something that I don't do very well with. And I really do have quite the green thumb. So, I am thinking that I probably have been giving it too much attention. This year I neglected it and lo and behold I have blooms! It's only a two year old cactus but I am still quite thrilled!

Miss Rhea said...

Glad you are feeling better. :) Love the fake snow, us girls in the west have to get our snow fix too, right ? lol !! :)

Charlene said...

Soooooooooooo very glad to know you are feeling better! This is a terrible time of year to be under the weather.

LOVE the paperwhites. I have never done this. Is it too late to start now? The snow is a perfect touch. Hope you will come by to visit my post today...listing a few fun Blog Parties for the Christmas Season. Hugs~Charlene

French-Kissed said...

So relieved to see this post! I am like a mother hen and I have been so worried about you...thank goodness you are doing well! The delayed pain thing is very real, it happened to me after a skiing accident and the doctor even had a technical name for it--it escapes me at the moment. Your paper whites are beautiful and don't worry at all about the plastic snow--everything you do looks first class! Is there a way to control the bloom so you have some that are perfectly on time for Christmas Day?

<3 jermaine

Jen Beaudet said...

I love to watch these grow too. I worked at a preschool a few years back and we measured the plant everyday. It was so much fun to see the all of little one's in amazement!

Lynn said...

Cindy,
So glad you hear you are getting better and that you had a lovely non traditional Thanksgiving dinner. From what you showed of the outside, the inside and the buffet must have been stunning. Never had paperwhites, but yours are so pretty. Ahhhh.. everything you show is always arranged so beautifully. Keep getting better!
Lynn

thefirstlady said...

Aah,paperwhites. Now I'm inspired. Beautiful post.

Esther Sunday said...

What a relief that you are feeling better! Don't scare us like that! ;)

Blue Creek Home said...

Glad you are better!

I always have amarilis bulbs. I love paperwhites, but my husband doesn't like the smell. So thanks for letting me enjoy yours. Lovely.
Rhonda

Linda Q said...

Pretty paper whites! I like the touch of snow, nice touch. I have never forced them myself but this year bought some real ones already growning and they are starting to bloom. I love them, adds a nice real touch to all my fake greenery etc.
So glad you are feeling better!
Linda

Amber said...

I have never tried to force paperwhites before. How long does the total growing time until bloom usually take? I like the sprinkling of snow on top!

Sweet Bee Cottage said...

Glad you are feeling better. Hopefully a little more rest will cure it completely. It's amazing what YOU can do with, yes, "tacky" plastic snow. Suddenly it's a thing a beauty! Thank you so much for your inspiration!

Beverly@My Sew Sweet Studio said...

I love paperwhites, but have never tried to grow them. They will be beautiful for Christmas. I am so thankful you are feeling better and got your decorating done before you had to go back to work.

Heidi said...

I force paperwhites too, but I try to stagger their planting so that I have them throughout December. I found some almost blooming at Trader Joe's, and now they are in full bloom. So glad that you are feeling better!

Rita's Recipes said...

Cindy, your home looks beautiful! I'm using some of your ideas this year: I have a tree in my dining room with blue&white tea cups attached with blue ribbon. Most of my decor this year is blue,white,and silver. I remember seeing a "White Christmas" tag banner last year. I thought I saw it on another blog. I'm so glad you have it. Did you make it, and how did you do the lettering? I SO want to make one. I bought the tags (2- 3/4x1-11/16). Are yours larger?
Thanks for any help!
Rita

Irene said...

I love paperwhites. Thye have the perfume of the holidays of my childhood. Thank you for sharing.

Elizabeth Maxson said...

I have never planted paper whites, but I always loved them. Your photos are lovely and your home looks so inviting - thank you for sharing!

Elizabeth

Mrs Ambo said...

Hello Cindy, am from Singapore...
really love your blog!
You really loves decorating.
Am in love with white furnitures now!!