I always ask myself “How can I elevate this _____ with flowers?” The blank can be anything: a place setting, a coffee table, the powder room, the front door, a cake, or a serving tray. This past weekend I elevated ice cubes with mini pansy blossoms for a pink champagne toast for my mom’s 90th birthday. They had to be pretty and special…and with all that we needed to accomplish, it had to be easy to make!

We started with a tray of blooming mini pansies (my sister and I were counting flowers on each plant at our local nursery), plucked off the blooms, and washed each one. Then Sur La Table silicone square ice cube trays were filled with spring water, and a single flower was added to each square. (The flowers are too light to sink, and will stay on top.) The trays needed to be in the freezer for a few hours until completely frozen.

As we passed around the drinks, I think it was a sweet little surprise for everyone! Remember: It’s all in the details.

Happy entertaining!

Love, Nora

8 Comments

  1. Shirley Graham on April 19, 2018 at 11:46 am

    Sweet! So spring. Love pansies – Found a Martha Washington geranium at the grocery yesterday. Love it!

  2. Nan, Odessa, DE on April 19, 2018 at 1:10 pm

    Happy belated birthday to your MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    They are also beautiful on the edge of a salad plate. My special this spring – is in a thrift store silver salt shaker. I pick these up whenever I find them. Small flowers are beautiful displayed in them! Even picked wild mustard, Lilly of the Valley, etc. Since giving our main bathroom an uplift this winter, for spring I have a canvas hanging of pansies, deep purple towels and a silver salt shaker on the edge of the basin of fresh cut pansies. The bathroom is all white bead board. This bathroom changes with the seasons and is a dream come true for us.

    Thanks for sharing, yet another,use of pansies!

    PS I can’t wait for your book to be available because I need the book BUT, BUT, BUT I also need more posting from Nora Murphy!

  3. Audrey Johnson on April 19, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    Adorable. Would have never thought of it myself. Thanks for sharing .

  4. Kathy Bunge on April 19, 2018 at 6:46 pm

    Just a bit of caution: only organically grown flowers should be used! Usually the ones purchased at nursery centers are not organically grown. I have used flowers in ice cubes, cookies, cakes, salads, etc. but only use those that I know are pesticide free.

  5. Linda on April 19, 2018 at 8:39 pm

    What a precious touch for a most special lady of honor.

  6. Diane Ruebel on April 19, 2018 at 9:28 pm

    Happy birthday to your mom. A ninetieth deserves the extraordinary celebration you and your sister created. Diney on Camano Island

  7. Chris Wells on April 26, 2018 at 5:46 am

    Happy Birthday to your mom. I know it was a lovely celebration! We just celebrated my mom’s 95th and she is still going strong! ❤️ Here’s to good health and vitality for our moms.

    • Nora on April 26, 2018 at 7:35 am

      Thanks very much Chris! Happy Birthday to your mom! God bless these strong women!! Love, Nora

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.