30 + Club "Oklahoma-Themed" Centerpieces

For those of you that were with us this time last year, you will remember that our bank hosts a dinner to honor all of the customers who have been loyal to our business for thirty years or more.  The theme of this year's dinner is Oklahoma (imagine that!) and Shara and Holliann were very excited to design the table centerpieces.  Each centerpiece is unique, and will be given away as a gift to one customer at each table at the end of the evening.

We decided to use cowboy boots and cowboy hats as the vessels for fall flower arrangements.  Each autumn bouquet contains some of the following:

Sunflowers
Chrysanthemums
Twigs
Cattails
Fall Leaves
Green Moss

And of course, wheat!  (O-o-o-o-ok-lahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.  Where the waving WHEAT can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain!)

The boots were purchased at local thrift and antique stores for around $14 a pair.  One pair of boots was donated by a coworker. They were stuffed with shredded newspaper to maintain their shape and flower foam was used to secure the flowers and grasses in place.  The moss was used to cover any gaps and to conceal the flower foam.



We all agree - this dark red ropper boot is our favorite!




Shara designed this boot with Pam in mind - she loves sunflowers!

  

The hats were purchased online from the Oriental Trading Company - $21 for a dozen in four colors.  Flower foam was hot-glued into the bottom center of the hats and moss was used to fill.  Pumpkins and other gourds were used in addition to the fall flowers as the hats had more space that needed to be covered.





The teal color of this hat really brings out the bright fall colors of the flowers and gourds!

 All centerpieces will be showcased on black tablecloths with a colored bandanna.

Pam the Visionary

Behind this door, the meeting of two great minds leads to extraordinary creations...  In all seriousness, as you may have guessed by the "Employees Only" sign, this is the door to the Credit Department where Shara and I spend our days... locked up... with only occasional visits from Pam...

Truthfully, we are very fortunate to work for a business that encourages us to use our talents and provides us with the opportunity to showcase our creativity around the bank.  No one is more supportive of us than our boss, Pam.  She throws around ideas with us on all of our projects and is always ready and willing to help if we need her.

This beautiful fall door hanger is a case-in-point.  Shara purchased all the supplies at a local country store, but wasn't really committed as to how to put everything together.  Pam offered up several suggestions, and ended up creating what you see from a fall leaf garland, sunflowers, black beading, and burlap ribbon.

Purchased by Shara - Perfected by Pam :)

Allie Cat Helps Make Paper Bag Pumpkins

Our Bookkeeping Department asked if we would mind making them some fall decorations for the downstairs area.  (Obviously, they were insanely jealous :) )  Shara took one for the team and put together more paper bag pumpkins during her vacation.  While the following pictures DO showcase Shara's mad pumpkin-making skills, it is her helper that really brings the cuteness to this post :)  Meet Allie, Shara's feline protege.  (She is one spoiled girl!)  I must say, I am impressed.  My house would be sporting five pairs of orange/green/purple paw prints!

What You Missed... Because Holliann Never Updates

So has it really been almost a year???  Sadly, yes.  But don't despair!  Just because the blogger took a hiatus, doesn't mean the craftiness stopped!  So here is a quick post to catch you up on all the painting, gluing, decorating, and diapering (yes, we use diapers as a medium!) that took place over the past eleven months or so.

We Brought Frosty Back to Life

For Christmas 2011, we chose to go with a snowman theme in the bank lobbies.  Following, you will see the snowman ornaments we made out of clear glass Christmas balls, paper shred, and T-shirt paint.  Special thanks to our boss, Pam, who gave us the idea after making the ornaments herself with her husband and granddaughter!

We Committed to a

Year-Round Christmas Tree

After four years of working together, Holliann and Shara have acquired quite a bit of "stuff".  They co-own a mini-fridge, a fan (christened Osceola), and, last Christmas, achieved their dream of bringing "home" a five-foot PURPLE Christmas tree.  After spending their first Christmas with the most awesome purple-and-lime-green-decorated tree in the state of Oklahoma, the Credit girls decided it was just too hard to part with their new friend, and the concept of a year-round tree was born.  Following are just a few of the "outfits" the newest member of the Credit Department has worn throughout the year.



The Original - in purple and lime green for Christmas!



Valentine's Day

Halloween - complete with hand-made ornaments by Shara.  Witches' hats are made from ice cream cones, construction paper, and ribbon.  Garland is hand-strung.  Thanks to Pam for the ideas!

 In Which Diapers Are Made Into

Treats and Transportation

We also enjoyed creating various diaper masterpieces for the expectant mothers in our midst!

This Diaper Cake was for our sweet coworker, Ashley.  We didn't know if she was having a boy or a girl, so we decorated for both!

Pam commissioned us to make a Diaper Perambulator for her daughter-in-law's Baby Shower.  This is the result!  The theme was owls and the colors were blues, browns, and greens. 



Side View



Well, that catches us up somewhat!  Look for fall fun in the next few posts!  We will try to be more diligent about updating...