Today I am happy to share a few ways to use a vintage floral frog. These vintage items are a unique accessory to have in your home and have more versatility than meets the eye.
3 Ways to Use Vintage Floral Frogs
When I first picked up this collection of vintage floral frogs from a local antiques market I was visiting, I posted a photo to my Instagram and asked folks to guess what they were. The answers were pretty funny but so many people guessed it right.
The flower frogs reached their popularity in the mid-twenties to thirties, which is rather apparent by their sturdy nature and craftsmanship but they date back to as early as the 16th century. The frogs are used to make floral arrangements more productive, by stabbing the flower stems into place with the spikes below, also allowing for separation and thoughtful placement of the sprigs.
They are generally made of a heavyweight metal, though you can find varieties in glass, ceramic and porcelain too. Ball ® has also made these floral cages pretty popular over the years too. They come in all shapes + sizes with the most common being the rounds, but you’ll also see rectangular and even these sweet caged frogs that I just love.
Now that you know, you’ll definitely begin seeing these at vintage and antique shops (or you can shop from our Vintage Goods collection here) so I thought I’d share a few ways in which you can get creative and use them in your own home.
3 CREATIVE WAYS TO USE VINTAGE FLORAL FROGS
1. SPONGE HOLDER
The little metal spikes and solid base provide the perfect rack to set next to your kitchen sink for drying a sponge. You may way to set two next to each other for a maximum area, but this would even work for setting a bar of soap atop the spikes
2. PHOTO DISPLAY
Again the little spikes are so utilitarian and the frogs make a beautiful way to display single photographs on a bookshelf, desk or hallway table. They’re especially great where space is limited as they’re much more compact than your average picture frame and I of course love them for displaying beautiful black-and-white vintage photos – the perfect pairing. They’re fun to stack too so you can play with the scale and height easily if you have quite a collection of them.
3. RECIPE CARD HOLDER
Along the same lines, the floral frogs are super helpful in the kitchen as a recipe card holder, keeping those family recipe cards a bit less splattered. Simply insert the card into the spikes and you’ll have the flexibility of being able to view both the front and backside of the card while cooking or baking those family favorites. If that’s not for you, you can shop our Wooden Recipe Card Holders instead.
All in all, these sweet little floral frogs are so beautiful for display in a collection on a bookshelf or coffee table and make great conversation pieces. If you have a potting table or craft room, they make the perfect presentation. Or of course you can use them just as they were intended, for putting together beautiful floral arrangements for your home.
Love to know any other ways you can think of to use or display these vintage treasures. #HEIRLOOMED
heirloomed is a lifestyle brand with a mission of “keeping heirlooms around for another generation.” Our blog features stories about family recipes, creating traditions with your family, interior design and entertaining by mixing new and vintage pieces, classic style, and small town + historic travel. Our shop features a collection of “goods inspired by the past, for generations to enjoy” with an array of products and meaningful gifts including linen aprons, tabletop linens, art, ceramics and beyond. Learn more at www.heirloomedcollection.com.
