Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Green In the Family Room (Confession of a Plant Killer)

Our house is the place where plants come to die. It's not easy being green around here. I have a black thumb and a tendency to forget little, insignificant details like watering the plants. Yet that period of time between taking all the beautiful holiday decorations down and those first joyful outdoor daffodil blooms can seem sort of bleak. What's a black-thumbed girl to do?
Faux Mini Boxwood from IKEA, via Serenity Now


When the girls and I went on our little IKEA inspiration trip a few weeks ago, I spotted an end-cap overflowing with lovely little boxwood and ivy plants. How cute, I thought. As we neared the display, I realized that the plants were actually fake and they were listed at $0.49. 

For $0.49 they could be made out of garbage bags and I'd still want one, I told myself. One is coming home with me!

Natalie and Michaela Byrd helped me scout out a cute, inexpensive planter on the other side of IKEA's "garden" showroom. The one we liked best was a bit too tall for our plant, but that was easily remedied:
Making a Fake Plant from IKEA Look Cute, from Serenity Now

Yep, I wadded up a Target bag, stuffed it in the bottom of the planter, and proudly plopped my $0.49 faux boxwood inside.

Her name is Lavinia, which sounds very Downton Abbey to me. Maybe if she has a name, I'll take good care of her. You can't kill a faux boxwood, can you?
Using a Faux Plant in Home Decor, Serenity Now blog

At any rate, a little bit of green is a cheery sight in our family room. When I vacuum fold laundry watch Revenge on my DVR, I can see Lavinia sitting on one of my thrift store end tables. She looks happy enough; and she ought to be, because those tables are super cute and I love the easel frame (Target) because I can switch it up to landscape instead of portrait.
IKEA Planter and Mini Faux Boxwood, Serenity Now blog

So, only time will tell how Lavinia fares in the T home. Maybe suffocate it with dust, but at least I don't have to water it!

Do you have any plants in your home?

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14 comments:

  1. you are definitely not alone on this Amanda!! I am a plant killer too - but luckily, my hubby ain't, so I do have a couple that are real, but I have a lot of faux too!
    Have a nice day!

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  2. Oh, I am all about the faux greenery - mostly because the cat will eat the real thing, then go puke on my carpet. I love these little boxwoods at IKEA and looks like they are priced right, too!

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  3. Those plants from Ikea look soo real! And that pot is super cute. For 49 cents you should've bought more!

    I love plants and had no trouble keeping them alive. Although I would really like to have an ivy plant, but the past three I've had have died. I thought they were supposed to be hearty? Oh well, maybe I'll get a faux one. ; )

    ~ Catie

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  4. Unfortunately I feel your pain on this one!!!I thought about adding a plant or two for air quality but I know I'd kill it, oh well. The white planter is adorable!

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  5. I love live plants, so I have a particular affinity for the pothos. Honestly, I don't think you can kill one of those things. They droop when they need to be watered, so then you water them and all is well. But I really like your faux boxwood as well! Seriously, was it just 49 cents??

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  6. We should start the black thumb society! The only plant that seems to survive my neglect is air plants. I never water them, so I'm thinking they are getting enough moisture from the air. Or maybe they've just dried nicely and I'm too dumb to realize it! Oh, well, they still look good. I love your white planter, will have to see if I can find those next time I go to Ikea.

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  7. We have cats that eat plants. But I did put a faux plant on my mantel last week. Hoping to have a post about that! And I got a couple of that same little planter last week! I think it'll make a good base for some Valentines decor...or some storage....hmmm. Happy Wednesday!!

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  8. You're so funny! I do have three real plants that I've managed to keep alive but I think that's only because they're especially hardy. Certainly not through any efforts of mine. I do have a couple Ikea fakes, too, and I was surprised at the quality. I mean, they don't look near as "plasticy" as other fake plants I've seen. I put mine in clay pots which somehow seems to make them look slightly less "faux."

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  9. Oh that's cute! I don't know which is more frustrating... not having a green thumb, or having one but having kids turned it brown ;) There's just not enough hours in the day. I'm normally not a fan of fake ones... but that one is an exception! I think that it's small really makes it perfect!

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  10. Hi, Amanda

    Great idea for us plant killer. I am so sad with plants. LOL,

    Vanessa

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  11. I think your subconscious named Lavinia since she shares a name with a dead character on Downton Abbey!

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  12. This is so adorable, from one plant killer to another, rock on! I hope it lives a long, long, and even longer life on those beautiful tables!

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  13. Lavinia looks great..... Fake or not. ;)

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  14. I am in the black thumb club with you! I can seriously kill any plant! I have somehow managed to keep some fake wheat grass in my living room alive for the past couple of year though:)

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