Iris Meaning and Symbolism

The iris commonly symbolizes wisdom, hope, trust, and valor. It can be found in a variety of temperate zones around the world, and as such has been used symbolically in many cultures. During the 16th century BC, irises were introduced to Egypt from Syria, and stylized versions of these flowers began to decorate the scepters of pharaohs as representations of victory and power.

The iris is also represented in Greek mythology. Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and a messenger for Zeus and Hera, and many believe that the flower is named after her. She carried messages from heaven to earth on the arc of the rainbow, and was a companion to female souls on the way to heaven. To this day, Greeks plant purple irises on women’s graves so that Iris will guide them to their resting place in heaven. Today's top FTD Flowers coupon code: 20% Off Your Order. Get 33 FTD Flowers coupon codes and coupons for 2016.

Associating irises to the goddess of the rainbow is also fitting because there are over 200 species of irises that come in a wide variety of colors. Specific iris symbolism depends on the flower color:

• Purple irises symbolize royalty and wisdom.
• Yellow irises symbolize passion.
• Blue irises symbolize faith and hope.
• White irises symbolize purity.

The iris inspired the fleur-de-lis, a decorative symbol used by French royalty. It originated in the Middle Ages. During this time the fleur-de-lis became tied to the French Monarchy, and appeared on their coat of arms, coins, and shields. Some believe that the three petals represented the three social orders: nobility, clergy, and peasants.

Around the nineteenth century, especially in Italy, orris roots, the roots of germanica and pallida species, became an integral part of the perfume industry. These roots, when left out to dry, develop a violet-like scent, which improves over time. Because of its pleasant smell, orris roots were used in many cosmetics until people noticed that it caused allergic reactions. Today, the roots are often used in potpourris and sachets.

Orris roots were also used for medicinal purposes as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and for teeth and skin health.

The iris is the state flower of Tennessee, and is also the February birth flower and the 25th wedding anniversary flower. With its great diversity of colors and meanings, irises are great gifts for all types of people in your life. You can give purple irises to a parent or mentor, yellow irises to a significant other, and blue irises to someone who needs a little extra encouragement.

31 Easter Decorating Ideas That Will Impress Your Guests

Easter is all about new life. It’s about remembering the importance of fresh starts and cherishing the season. Around Easter, flowers start to bloom and the weather gets warmer. We’re surrounded by color, sunshine, family, and friends.

If you’re entertaining this Easter and want to dress up your home, there are many simple Easter crafts that will impress your guests. We’ve gathered 31 Easter decorating ideas that range from table settings to mantle decorations to garlands. One of our favorites Easter ideas is the bright tulip, peep, jelly bean centerpiece by GlamVolution!

1. Floral Tassel Garland

Complement your Easter decor with this floral tassel garland from Meethaha—it’s great to hang around your appetizer or dessert table to give it a little something extra! And all you need to make it is tissue paper and string.  Check out Ftd Flowers Coupon 50% OFF Coupon for your favorite products now!

2. Glitter Easter Eggs

Make your Easter decor sparkle with these glitter Easter eggs by Stef of Girl Inspired. To make them last even longer (and let you save them for next year), you can blow out the inside. They look great showcased in a decorative bowl or vase!

3. Moss Letters

Literally spell out the holiday with these spring moss Easter letters created by Kara’s Party Ideas. Add a few egg and flower accents to the letters with a hot glue gun to complete the look. If you want to be reminded of spring year-round, opt for a more universal word like “hello” or “welcome.”

4. Washi Tape Easter Eggs

If you don’t want to break out the dye this year, these washi tape Easter eggs by Lovely Indeed are a great no-mess alternative. Grab some patterned washi tape, and decorate your eggs with fun, geometric designs.

5. Macrame Succulent Easter Egg Decorations

Add a contemporary touch to your Easter decorations with these dip-dyed succulent eggs created by Lisa Tilse, and learn macrame skills too! Once complete, you can hang these mini planters on a blank wall or from the ceiling for a subtle seasonal touch.

6. Floral Wreath Crowned Easter Eggs

Give your eggs some personality with these floral wreath crowned Easter eggs from Flax and Twine. You can even make one to match everyone in your family and use them as place settings at the table!

7. Bunny Garland

Accent the room with this metallic bunny garland from Fellow Fellow. Make one strand of bunnies out of embossing paper, and add some color with a second strand made of beads and colorful paper.

8. Floral Painted Easter Eggs

Instead of dying Easter eggs, get crafty with acrylic paint! Victoria of A Creative Mint showcases how to use eggs as mini-canvases with these flower-inspired designs. Painting Easter eggs really allows you to show your artistic skills and create intricate designs.

9. Easter Bunny Banner

Welcome your guests by hanging this Easter bunny banner on your door, or use it as a wall decoration. Either way, this no-sew banner by Dream A Little Bigger will be a great addition to your Easter decorations.

10. Crepe Paper Carrots

Whether you’re wrapping gifts, creating Easter baskets, or setting the table, these little crepe paper carrots fromHomework are great accents! Just roll crepe paper, add a moss topper, and they’re ready to go.

11. Gold Leaf Succulent Easter Eggs

Take potted plants to the next level with these mini Easter egg succulents from Tabitha of Winston and Main. You can use them to decorate your table and create little place cards for each guest, or place them on the mantle to add some shine to your decor.

12. Easter Place Cards

These place cards that Janis of Pinecone Camp created for Poppytalk can be made in four easy folds, and are great for holding Easter treats—she added bunny cookies to them for each guest. Plus, you can easily customize the place cards with festive printed paper.

13. Easter Bunny Ear Napkin Rings

These no-sew bunny ear napkin rings from Landeelu are simple to make, and can be customized to fit your color scheme. Just choose the right fabric and interfacing, cut, iron, and tie around your napkins to add some Easter flare.

14. Chalkboard Printable

Hand lettering adds a nice, homey touch. If you aren’t skilled at lettering, don’t worry, Kristin of Yellow Bliss Road created a chalkboard-inspired Easter-themed printable. We love how she styled it on her mantle surrounded by bright spring flowers.

15. Peep and Jelly Bean Centerpiece

Use your vase to display more than just flowers. Take notes from GlamVolution and add jelly beans, Peeps, or any other colorful candy to complement your tulips and create a beautiful Easter centerpiece.

16. Jelly Bean Tree

Mix nature with your favorite Easter candies to create this jelly bean tree from Crafty Sisters. Simply hot glue jelly beans to branches from your yard and arrange them in a vase. Pro-tip: a hair dryer will melt all those little hot glue strings.

17. Honeycomb Easter Eggs

Get inspired by these honeycomb Easter eggs from Studio DIY. If you want a fun Easter photo prop, make large versions of these eggs. You can also make mini honeycomb eggs to top cupcakes and desserts.

18. Carrot Centerpiece

These carrot centerpieces by Love Grows Wild are sure to attract the Easter bunny. Add your favorite spring flowers and pair them with the rabbit ear napkin rings for a complete Easter-themed table.

19. Bird’s Nest Table Setting

This spring tablescape by Diane of An Extraordinary Day is centered around bird’s nest table settings. Create your own nests with vines and twigs (or purchase them at the craft store), then add some jelly bean eggs to complete the look.

20. Hanging Easter Decor

Grab your favorite scrapbooking paper, some scissors, and thread to make this Easter Decor from My Daily Bubble. The directions suggest using a sewing machine to bind the paper, but if you don’t have one, staples work too!

21. Bunny Napkins

If you use linen napkins, how could you resist folding them into a bunny shape? This tutorial from Our Best Bites gives you simple, step-by-step directions for creating origami bunny napkins that are sure to make your guests smile.

22. Faux Pallet Easter Canvas

Going for a natural look? The faux pallet Easter canvas from Saved by Love Creations uses large popsicle sticks to make a pallet-inspired canvas with a contrasting Easter bunny silhouette. For a subtler silhouette, try using pastel paint instead.

23. Peeps Bunny Bunting

Can’t get enough Peeps during Easter? Bring them to life and add a punch of color to your decor with this festive bunny bunting tutorial by Dana Made It. It’s sure to be a great addition to your dessert table!

24. Easter Egg Wall Hanging

Embrace pastels with this understated Easter wall hanging from Pretty Prudent. It’s a unique, modern way to display your Easter eggs and decorate your home, and you can make it as big or small as you want simply by changing the size of the dowel.

25. String Easter Eggs

These string Easter eggs from Craftwhack may be a little messy to make, but they only need three low-cost materials—embroidery thread, glue, and balloons. Plus, you can easily turn them into hanging ornaments!

26. Origami Bunnies

These adorable origami rabbits by Origami Spirit are perfect to showcase your Easter eggs or to hold your favorite candy. You can even fill them with Easter surprises and place them around your house for an ultra-unique Easter egg hunt.

27. Baby Jar Topiary and Felt Flower Tutorial

If you have extra baby food jars laying around, Sugar Tot Designs found a great way to upcycle them! Paint the lids, fill them with candy or other embelishments, and top them with a felt flower to create a mini topiary.

28. Faux Chalkboard Easter Egg Place Cards

These neutral place cards from Dwell Delightfully will go with any table setting. Clip the eggs to a clothespin to help them stand up on the table, and dress them up with a bow that matches your decor.

29. Bunny Wreath

This boxwood bunny wreath by Simplicity in the South is a great way to add a little greenery to your mantle. Use wire hangers to mold a bunny or another Easter shape, and cover the hangers in boxwood leaves to make them pop.

30. Easter Egg Candles

Add some ambiance to your dinner party and upcycle your egg shells with these Easter egg candles fromCreative Green Living. Just paint the outside, fill them with wax and a wick, and arrange on candleholders.

31. Swinging Easter Chick

This cute little chick by Handmade Charlotte will help you and your guests swing into the Easter season. He’s a great way to dress up your doorway or wall, and is sure to put a smile on your guests’ faces.

To help you to get started on your Easter decorations and find inspiration in the colors of the season, we created a mood board with 10 decorations from above that embrace pastels and natural tones, and will help you decorate your whole house—from dining room, to living room, to doorway.

FTD COUPONS & Product Highlight: Rainbow Tulips

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These blooming beauties open up with an array of colors on each petal.

From yellow to blue to pink, you never really know what you are going to get!

Better yet – no two tulips are exactly the same.

Mother’s Day Gifts from FTD's Blog: Not Just For Your Mom

Around every great mom is a cluster of strong, supportive women who watch her back. Celebrate Mother’s Day with the other women in your life besides your own mom.

Think of the grandma, aunt, and mother-in-law in your life on whom you still depend for wisdom and family traditions. Think of your busy sister, your crazy friend with the newborn, the coworker who just adopted or the neighbor who watches the kids when you have to run out. Show your appreciation for these moms and spread the spirit of the day beyond just your biological mom.

Grandma

If there’s anyone more important than your mom on Mother’s Day, it’s your grandma. She spoiled you as a child, sympathized with you as a teen and hosted countless family gatherings and holiday meals. This year, say thanks for all her yummy comfort food with a beautiful glazed casserole dish, personalized with the message “Grandma’s Secret Recipes.” Celebrate and honor the life of loved ones with Sympathy Flowers, Plants, and More and SAVE up to $15 OFF at FTD! Visit at http://coupon4share.com/store/ftd.com

Aunt

Remember that time you wanted to run away from home, but instead you ended up at Aunt Betty’s house eating cookies and watching movies past your bedtime? For all the times she babysat, comforted and advised you, she deserves a gift, too. Celebrate her sweet and important role in your life with a box of assorted Godiva chocolates.

Mother-in-Law

You might clash sometimes, but like it or not, your mother-in-law is the reason for the love in your life. Honor her with heartfelt appreciation by making a video of your husband and kids sharing favorite memories and saying thank you. Share the video by email or, if you live nearby, host a brunch for the whole family and show the video after the meal. For something special just from you, send her home with a flowering fuchsia plant.

Sister

The days of braiding each other’s hair might be over now that she has her own baby to play with, but you can still show her your appreciation for always being your confidant, friend, and willing guinea pig for homemade egg-yolk hair conditioners. In honor of your many at-home spa days as teenagers, give her a much-needed break from the kiddos with a relaxing mimosa spa gift basket.

Friend

Who says Mother’s Day is only for family? Your friends are often your best source for practical, non-judgemental parenting advice. Give your best friend the kind of Mother’s Day present she needs — genuine affirmation. Send her a gerbera daisy bouquet and a thoughtful card that lists all the ways she is a good mother. Be as specific as possible: say thanks for the birthday party inspiration, mention a time that she kept her cool during a stressful situation and note how well her potty-training advice worked for your own kids.

Coworker

Make a new mom in your office feel supported in her new job as a mother by sending her a Peanuts-themed baby welcome basket from her favorite cubicle companions. The cheerful yellow color is gender-neutral (in case you didn’t get that memo), and the basket includes indispensable baby items like a pacifier and cotton Onesies. The whimsical Beanie Babies will keep baby entertained with the Peanut’s theme song while mom unwinds from a long day.

Neighbor

Ever noticed the single mom juggling grocery bags and strollers in the apartment across from yours? Show her some solidarity by sending her a gourmet fruit and sweets gift basket. The chocolate sea salt caramelized cashews will give her a elegant break from the usual animal crackers. Bonus points if you include a note offering to babysit for a few hours so she can take an evening for herself.

Tulips Meaning and Symbolism

The most common meaning for tulips is perfect or deep love, though each color is also associated with a specific meaning. Tulips originated in Central Asia, and became very popular in Turkey. The tulip’s name comes from the Persian word for turban, because in full bloom tulips have a turban-like shape.

The meaning of perfect love is tied to a Turkish and Persian legends about the love between Farhad and Shirin. There are a few variations of this tale. According to one story, Farhad was a prince. He was in love with a beautiful girl named Shirin. Unfortunately, Shirin is murdered, and this tears Farhad apart. In desperation, Farhad rides his horse of a cliff, and a red tulip grows where his blood touches the ground — the symbol for perfect love.

In another version, Farhad is a stone cutter and Shirin is a princess. He tries to win her over and she rejects him, so he goes to the hills to play music to honor her. When she learns this, she falls in love with him. However, her father isn’t pleased that she’s fallen in love with a commoner, and tasks him with digging a giant canal to prove his love.

After years, Farhad nearly finishes the canal, so Shirin’s father sends a courtesan to convince Farhad that Shirin is dead. He is so distraught that he takes his life. When Shinrin learns of this, she goes to find him and takes her own life to be with him. Red tulips grow where their blood hits the ground as symbols that their love will last forever.

In the stories above, red tulips grow as signs of everlasting love, but what is the tulip symbolism for non-red blooms?

• Pink tulips symbolize happiness and confidence.
• Purple tulips symbolize royalty.
• Yellow tulips symbolize cheerful thoughts.

• White tulips symbolize forgiveness.

Turkey isn’t the only place where tulips have historic significance. In the late 16th century, tulips were introduced to the Netherlands from Turkey. Tulips were a novelty, and fairly expensive. Eventually they contracted the non-fatal mosaic virus, which made their petals more bright and interesting, so the price of tulips began to rise even more.

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As the value of tulips increased, people began trading their land and savings to acquire more bulbs. However, eventually many people were trying to sell the bulbs and not many were buying, causing prices to drop and the tulip market to crash during the 17th century. This crash left the Dutch very hesitant about investing for a long period of time.

Despite this, tulips have remained extremely popular in the Netherlands. Every year Amsterdam celebrates National Tulip Day in January. On this day Dutch tulip growers build a gigantic tulip garden on Dam Square, and people come and pick a free bouquet of flowers. This marks the beginning of tulip season.

Tulips are also the flower for eleven-year wedding anniversaries, as symbols of devotion and love.

 Image Sources

Top image: CC Image courtesy of David Doan on Flickr

Middle image: top left CC Image courtesy of François Philipp on Flickr; top right CC Image courtesy ofRichardBH on Flickr

Bottom image: top CC Image courtesy of Dennis Wong on Flickr

Easter Decorations That Will Impress Your Guests from FTD's Blog

19. Bird’s Nest Table Setting

This spring tablescape by Diane of An Extraordinary Day is centered around bird’s nest table settings. Create your own nests with vines and twigs (or purchase them at the craft store), then add some jelly bean eggs to complete the look.

20. Hanging Easter Decor

Grab your favorite scrapbooking paper, some scissors, and thread to make this Easter Decor from My Daily Bubble. The directions suggest using a sewing machine to bind the paper, but if you don’t have one, staples work too! Follow this link to save 25% OFF Select Flowers, Gifts, and Plants at FTD!

21. Bunny Napkins

If you use linen napkins, how could you resist folding them into a bunny shape? This tutorial from Our Best Bites gives you simple, step-by-step directions for creating origami bunny napkins that are sure to make your guests smile.

22. Faux Pallet Easter Canvas

Going for a natural look? The faux pallet Easter canvas from Saved by Love Creations uses large popsicle sticks to make a pallet-inspired canvas with a contrasting Easter bunny silhouette. For a subtler silhouette, try using pastel paint instead.

23. Peeps Bunny Bunting

Can’t get enough Peeps during Easter? Bring them to life and add a punch of color to your decor with this festive bunny bunting tutorial by Dana Made It. It’s sure to be a great addition to your dessert table!

24. Easter Egg Wall Hanging

Embrace pastels with this understated Easter wall hanging from Pretty Prudent. It’s a unique, modern way to display your Easter eggs and decorate your home, and you can make it as big or small as you want simply by changing the size of the dowel.

25. String Easter Eggs

These string Easter eggs from Craftwhack may be a little messy to make, but they only need three low-cost materials—embroidery thread, glue, and balloons. Plus, you can easily turn them into hanging ornaments!

26. Origami Bunnies

These adorable origami rabbits by Origami Spirit are perfect to showcase your Easter eggs or to hold your favorite candy. You can even fill them with Easter surprises and place them around your house for an ultra-unique Easter egg hunt.

27. Baby Jar Topiary and Felt Flower Tutorial

If you have extra baby food jars laying around, Sugar Tot Designs found a great way to upcycle them! Paint the lids, fill them with candy or other embelishments, and top them with a felt flower to create a mini topiary.

28. Faux Chalkboard Easter Egg Place Cards

These neutral place cards from Dwell Delightfully will go with any table setting. Clip the eggs to a clothespin to help them stand up on the table, and dress them up with a bow that matches your decor.

29. Bunny Wreath

This boxwood bunny wreath by Simplicity in the South is a great way to add a little greenery to your mantle. Use wire hangers to mold a bunny or another Easter shape, and cover the hangers in boxwood leaves to make them pop.

30. Easter Egg Candles

Add some ambiance to your dinner party and upcycle your egg shells with these Easter egg candles fromCreative Green Living. Just paint the outside, fill them with wax and a wick, and arrange on candleholders.