Bottles & Blooms- Beautiful Dahlias on the Table

Can you believe it has been 1 week since my new book went out into the world? French Country Cottage In Bloom is officially 1 week old today and so, I thought why not celebrate with a flower topped cake and another Behind the Book story.

Beautiful Dahlias

I worked on In Bloom over a couple of years and one year, the farmers market had the most glorious dahlias every weekend. I would go early and grab several bunches and I think I must have styled them a dozen or two different ways over the summer months when they were plentiful. I am more than a little obsessed with their pop of pretty color and the delightful shape these dahlias have.

This table setting came about with at least 2 inspirations for it. One – the dahlias and their color. And two- those brown bottles.

I found several boxes of brown bottles at the thrift store one week. I sorted through one box and brought home about a dozen of them. I figured they would be perfect on a table but also had a couple other ideas for them. As you can see, they paired very well with those corals, pinks and oranges in the dahlias and they became a simple centerpiece.

Creating a centerpiece with bottles and blooms

The key to creating a centerpiece like this one is repeat, repeat, repeat. Just gather up the bottles and place them down the length of the table to repeat the look. Fill each bottle with some water and a single bloom for simplicity or you can use a couple flowers in each if prefer.

I scattered some dried oranges and flower petals underneath- of course you can leave it simple and bare or use a runner. With this particular table, I just adore the patina that the wood has and so I tend to leave it bare and enjoy the charm it brings.

Let them Eat a Dahlias Topped Cake

I mean, what could be better than a stack of layers of chocolate cake and frosting than layers of chocolate cake and frosting topped with dahlias? As pretty as it is delicious! The tip for any cake with flowers as always – when using flowers on food is to make sure they are food safe and not toxic or use faux like faux flowers or sugar flowers. I would suggest to consult a professional bakery if you are not sure if is safe and of course, always use a barrier, wrap the flower stems, etc. Between you and me, I like to use a piece of barrier underneath the flowers regardless of what type of real or faux flower I am using- I just don’t like things touching anything I am eating or serving unless it is part of the food and will be enjoyed. The sugar flowers are okay to place directly on the frosting since they are edible.

Something fun- you might remember that I sourced a lovely little ball dahlia just like these but in pink. They are available in limited supply in the market in sets of 4 stems right now. You can shop those HERE As well, we have restocked several of our bouquets but only have a handful of each that are ready to ship this week.

And if you haven’t ordered your copy of my new flower book – you can grab a copy here and stay tuned for another fun giveaway to celebrate In Bloom coming your way on Thursday!

Happy Tuesday everyone!