Why the delivery fee?

            Many moons ago, before I was a floral designer, I would have gasped at delivery and setup fees.  Now, I know why those fees are in place, especially with French Quarter weddings. 

Fitting all of those delicate yet lush arrangements into a delivery van becomes a task similar to that of building a three dimensional puzzle—every little stem has its place and if they are not in the correct place, snap goes the stem and you pray that you have enough extra flowers to compensate. Now imagine your van bursting at the seams with strategically placed flowers and carefully secured bungee cords, negotiating New Orleans potholes, the general lack of parking in the Quarter coupled with construction that never seems to end and let’s not forget the never ending parade of saucy sightseers—not exactly a walk in the park for a time sensitive setup. Let's not underestimate our wonderful Louisiana heat—cut flowers really like that, right?

          I think you get the picture—it’s not easy, especially when that loading zone you were assured is occupied and the usual French Quarter traffic has the added bonus of lights and sirens creating a complete halt in the crawl of traffic. What does a flower girl do? Park in the first spot she sees and hikes with the flowers to the destination piece by piece. (Note to self: remember to wear safe and sensible shoes).  Yes, just another Saturday spectacle.  

The moral of the story is that deliveries require ample planning, tons of patience and yes, a very skillful driver to park in those spacious parking spots.  All that is just getting to the destination on time.  Unloading and setting up –well, that’s the easy part.  Perhaps now when we see a delivery and setup fee, we might pause a moment just to contemplate the effort it takes to get the goods to the destination looking as if Cinderella’s fairy godmother simply waved her magic wand and they appeared.

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The Evolution of a Design

 

I recently had a request to create a floral piece to complement an artist’s work for her opening. What an honor!  Of course I was thrilled at the opportunity to stretch my creative wings, but of course it had to be just right.  In viewing her work, I saw that she loves color and whimsy.  Lots of color. 

Typically when I design, I prefer to use one to three colors.  Given the rainbow of colors in her work, this presented a new challenge for me.  I knew I wanted to use some tropical flowers to give structure and color, but not so many tropicals that it screamed “aloha y’all”!  I also know that for a last minute project that if I really wanted something, chances are, that it will not be available.  I visited my supplier with my wish list in hand and an open mind.  Good thing I had the later, because I needed it!

When it was all said and done, I had an interesting collection of blossoms (antherium, allium, kangaroo paw and sea holly, to name a few).  Color, texture and wow—it was all there.  Now it was the challenge of what to do with it all to complement this amazing artist’s work.   

After visiting the gallery and seeing the table it would adorn, my plan was to go horizontal.  I ripped a burlap liner out of a chicken wire type container and then turned it upside down.  That would work.  I could weave flowers in all sides to create an interesting horizontal piece.

After many, many insertions, the creation started to take shape.  Given the variety of colors, I had to be careful not to create a “salt and pepper” effect with the petite blossoms.  Doing this would lose the visual impact of the colors.  That said, I opted to create textural canvases of color by grouping individual blossoms.  Vivid in color, with bold mix of flowers, crowned with a touch of whimsy—this piece was ready to take flight.

 After studying Jacquie’s work, you can’t help but notice her playful use of dolls and other unique objects.  Feeling inspired, I decided to take a gamble (with my 4 year old daughter’s blessing) and top it with a small blue Pegasus.  That small detail made a huge statement.  I’m so glad my daughter was willing to donate her toy for the cause of art.

To see Jacquie’s work, follow the link below:

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=bcad0900bcdecbb0b98ee6b28&id=13ba8493cd

 

 

A Flower's Journey

Ever wonder why flowers can be so expensive?  I think it takes being a part of the industry to have a true appreciation of all that a flower experiences prior to be enjoyed by the end user.

Many of the flowers we see travel further to reach us than we travel in our lives.  This certainly gives us perspective, doesn’t it?  Most of the roses we buy here in the U.S. are grown in South American countries and orchids travel from Hawaii, Canada and as far as Thailand to grace our presence for a few days or possibly weeks. Many flowers will travel the world, going from their country of origin to the world’s largest floral auction in Aalsmeer (Netherlands), to then be sold and transported again to its final destination.

Flowers these days are bred for performance, and they must be cut, graded and packaged, not to mention transported, inspected and transported some more before arriving to area suppliers. When you think about how fragile they can be, it’s amazing that they reach us looking as lovely as they do.

When I receive flowers for your event, they are boxed, out of water.  I must remove them from their protective packaging, remove foliage and thorns, recut the stems and allow them to hydrate before I can think about creating your floral extravaganza.  So if your event entails hundreds and hundreds of stems, think about all the time to prepare those individual stems, not to mention all the design time it took to produce your masterpieces!  I will not even mention the time it takes to plan the design and redesign as a client modifies their plans.  Whew! I’m exhausted just writing about it.

So next time you gaze at some gorgeous blossoms, if your first instinct is to gasp at the price, think again about all it took for those flowers to reach you. Then you may think they didn’t charge enough!

Permanent Botanicals (AKA silk flowers) for Bridal Bouquets

You will quickly see that I have strong feelings about this subject. My intention is not to critique brides that go that route; it is simply to reflect on some of the reasons that brides give for wanting silks.

1.      Cost. You get what you pay for.  If you hope to have somewhat realistic silk flowers, you will pay for them and there’s a good chance you will pay more for them than what you would for the real thing.

If budget is a concern for you, that’s totally understandable.  The key for anyone on a budget is flexibility.  Speak to your floral designer about your budget and be open to suggestions.  Their business is creativity and if you are flexible with their ideas, you will probably end up with a fabulous creation, all within your budget. (But remember, you have to compromise!)

2.      The keepsake idea.  I’ve heard a few brides mention the idea of silk flowers as it relates to having a memento of their wedding to look back on.  As a gal that dried my bouquet, I can say that it’s in a plastic box in my closet.  I promise you, it would be no different with a silk arrangement.  I look at my wedding photos or gaze at my ring and reminisce about my magical day. I don’t need my dusty flowers to take me back to the day. 

If you need a memento of your special day, look no further than the ring on your finger.  Most of us probably hold on to our wedding dresses, freeze a piece of wedding cake, keep our something new and blue, in addition to keeping our wedding invitations, announcements and the list goes on and on.  Do we really need to have more mementos?  This question is coming from a sentimental fool that holds on to everything.

 

If you really want to preserve your bouquet, consider having a professional dry it or freeze dry it.

3.      Romance. We can agree that your wedding day is supposed to be the most romantic day of your life, right?

Question: how would you feel if your honey presented you with a bunch of silk flowers on Valentine’s Day, another romantic day?  It wouldn’t feel very romantic, would it?

Think back to the last time you received flowers, what’s the first thing you did when you received them (after reading the card)?  You plunged your nose into the bouquet to catch a whiff of the intoxicating scent, right?  You can’t really do that with silks, can you?

Conclusion: if it’s unromantic to receive silk flowers on Valentine’s Day, a romantic holiday, isn’t it even more unromantic to give them to yourself and others on the most romantic day of your life?

If you must have permanent botanicals, go for it!  This blog was simply based on my reflections after recently hearing a couple brides’ reasons for wanting silk.  I hope I’ve given you some food for thought!

By the way, I realize there are times when permanents seem to be a viable solution.  This is when a bride must have a particular flower and it’s either not available or able to withstand weather conditions.  I’ve read of instances where permanents have been used in magazine photo shoots simply because they couldn’t get the desired flower in flawless enough condition.  The flower in question—the white anemone!  This amazing little flower has so few petals; imagine how hard it is to find 50 or so flawless white stems for that perfect bouquet!

Sometimes Less is More

While bridal magazines inspire us with lush floral extravaganzas, sometimes that lush full look isn’t consistent with a bride’s personal style or budget.  When you see a lush, full floral display, remember, each stem is an investment, so it all adds up quickly.  Perhaps that lush garden look isn’t your style.  There are many of us out there that appreciate the simplicity of a single stem, whether it be the texture of ginger blossom or linear beauty of a few calla lilies swirled in a vase.  Why not enhance that one amazing stem and really make it a statement flower by submerging it in water?

One single large vase or grouping of vases with a few immaculate stems can really make an impact.  Couple the water’s magnification of the blossoms with the light reflected by surrounding candles and you have one memorable table.  

Now let’s go a step further.  How often do you see that submerged stem suspended in water without the use of rocks or floating candles to hold it in place?  It’s a very clean look and in this context is completed with a swirling grass accent.  (This photo was a trial run for a future project with dendrobium orchids; so remember, never wait to the last minute to test your concept).

Clean.  Simple.  Beautiful.  Just remember the glass cleaner as unsightly fingerprints will destroy this pristine look.

Fairy Berries

If you are a bride that’s researched wedding décor options, Fairy Berries may have caught your eye.  As a floral professional, I’m always interested in trying different products.  This one has been around for a while and a client provided them for use in her ceremony pieces.

Fairy Berries provide ambiance.  They are tiny spheres, about the size of a marble, that gently flicker.  They come in a variety of colors, so depending on your theme, the desired effect is up to you.  For this application, I suspended them from branches with clear thread and in the dim light, they provided an amber glow.

Okay, so that’s basically what you read on the box.  What you may not read is this: In order to turn them on, you must unscrew the two pieces of the sphere and pull the tab covering the battery (there is no on/off switch).  Fortunately, the battery life is good, so one can go through this hassle before the journey to the venue.  I never have the time to unscrew dozens of these pearls at the venue when there are so many other things to setup.  What makes it more difficult is that once you unscrew these tiny “berries,” some of them do not reassemble easily.  They are so poorly constructed, I actually had to use clear tape to hold many of them together.

So the moral of the story is this: Fairy Berries provide nice ambiance but are not user friendly.  There are many options for lighting and I encourage you to explore your options and read product reviews (if available).  If you opt to DIY, always plan on things being more time consuming than planned.  If you hire a professional, listen to their feedback—remember, you hire them for their expertise.

Freelance Floral Designer or Flower Shop?

Having worked and managed a floral boutique and now running my own freelance design business, today I share my unique perspective regarding this subject.

Being a perfectionist, I confess that I am constantly fixating over projects with the ultimate goal of surpassing a client’s expectations.  This can certainly be a challenge in a traditional flower shop environment.  So many things come up over the course of a day: processing incoming flowers and scrutinizing for accuracy and quality, producing the day’s orders for delivery and pickup, meeting with clients, handling staffing issues, developing  marketing ideas, and the list goes on and on.  During my time in a flower boutique, it was common on a Friday afternoon to be working on several funerals, several weddings and daily orders, all for Saturday delivery.  Of course, there were a few hands on deck for support, but that’s a lot of chaos.  This is the beauty and the challenge of a traditional shop.

As a client, you should never know about all that we juggle.  But you cannot appreciate the job your designer does, without understanding all that goes on behind the scenes.

Having participated in that side of the business, I decided to focus on what I enjoy most: working with individual clients on their special events.  The level of service I can provide doesn’t compare to what I was able to provide in my former life. I strive to reply to inquiries and provide estimates promptly.  I know you don’t want to wait, so I research and brainstorm and get back with you—in this lifetime.  By allowing myself dedicated time to focus solely on your project, the design is ultimately better and more creative than simply “taking your order” and providing an estimate.  The overall attention to detail is by far greater.  If you know exactly what you want, great; I am happy to help.  I might ask some questions and make some additional suggestions; given that you are hiring a professional to do the job, I owe that to you.

Secondly—I am honest with you.  I’m not saying that others fib, I’m simply saying that in their efforts to please you and earn your business, sometimes designers agree to things that aren’t the most realistic. I prefer to be as open and honest as possible; yes it’s a risk and I may not earn your business, but my goal is to EARN your business, and to do that, I must be honest.

Finally, as much as I enjoyed the “flower shop” environment, one major challenge I experienced working in a shop that produced a lot of wire service (or internet orders) was being put in a box to reproduce things that people select online.  For a creative designer, this can be extremely restrictive, given that so much of what is seen online is generic round arrangements.  Doing this type of work day after day can condition a person to default to this style and unfortunately, you, the client, lose.  We can do so much better for you if given the chance.

I want to reiterate that this is my experience; not all traditional flower shops and designers are like this and what I described is not a bad thing.  I am so very grateful for the opportunities given to me in the flower shop environment.  I learned so much and met so many wonderful people.  I started Joie de Vivre so that I could focus specifically on events and provide my clients the level of service and creativity I know that I am capable of providing.

The Importance of Planning and a Good Setup Crew

When many of us think about event flowers, we simply think about what we want the finished product to look like.  Of course we do, that is the bottom line.  We never really think about how that finished product will get to the venue in pristine condition, keeping in mind that we live in the land of the pothole.  That is the responsibility of the professional, yes, but credit should be passed on to that wonderful team that helps to make it happen.

I swear, loading a delivery van should never be underestimated when planning an event.  Often times, delivery and setup can be the most stressful part.  Always allow enough time to get it done (and keep the AC running).  Loading a van with numerous arrangements varying in size from huge to tiny is like building a puzzle; sometimes you have to shift and rearrange and try again.  They must be stable so when you hit that pothole you were trying to avoid, your flowers don't tumble down. When you have numerous table pieces, how will you unload them at the venue when you have only an hour to set up?  Yes a cart is a lifesaver, but it takes up precious cargo room.

Being a person that likes to do everything herself, this is a time when you must entrust a team of reliable workers.  Without a cohesive team that is quick on their feet, I’d be lost.  I am so lucky to have a few key people that I completely trust in getting a job done professionally and efficiently.  You know who you are, so thank you!

 

Finally having your own “bag of tricks” can be a lifesaver as well.  This weekend, Home Depot played a large role in my bag of tricks.  From plastic piping, to duct puddy, to self-amalgamating pipe tape to bug spray, oh let’s not forget river rocks and a garden spade, you never know what you will need when you get to a venue (yes, this was a wedding). That said, when planning, you try your best to think of everything.  So now I not only have my handy dandy hot pink tool bag, but I also have my trusty Homer bucket for all those extrasJ

 

 

Wedding at the Columns Hotel

For the bride: a hand tied bouquet featuring
blue hydrangea, green cymbidiums, white Oriental
lilies and white dahlias

Joie de Vivre Floral

My bride eloped Saturday at the Column’s Hotel in New Orleans.  What a romantic spot for that special day!  I was honored to be the one providing her flowers.  She told me that she wanted a strong contrast of bright blue and ivory with accents of green.  Of course, we utilized vibrant hydrangea for the blue and exotic cymbidiums for the green accent.  For the white tones, we added fragrant lilies (I checked—no allergies here), dahlias and ranunculas.  The result, a stunning combination.  I wish I could have stayed for the ceremony.  You plan these wedding flowers for so long-- you think about them, you dream about them, you stress about them.  Whether it’s large or small, when that magical day finally arrives, you just want to see your bride walk down that aisle and have her fairy tale moment!

For the groom: a boutonniere featuring a green cymbidium orchid,
blue hydrangea and lily grass accent


Louisiana Blooms

Joie de Vivre Floral

We’re finally settling in to our new life in Louisiana.  Of course we miss parts of our former life in North Bend.  We lived in a magical place—the river, the mountains, the snow, the wildflowers—thinking of it now is like a dream.  Of course I miss it at times, but then I think of all that wonderful vitamin d I get just about every day in this tropical paradise just a short drive from New Orleans.

Then, I look at the cool flowers and foliage can grow here.  Oh my goodness.  This girl could only dream of growing these successfully in the shadow of a mountain in the Pacific Northwest.  Here are a couple of my favorites.

Tigridia-a successful impulse bulb purchase

Gloriosa lily--my favorite!

Kew Gardens

Our final expedition on our family vacation proved to be the climax of the trip, in the floral department, that is.  While leisurely perusing a gardening magazine in Scotland, an ad for Kew Gardens grabbed my attention. This ad was the catalyst for changing our itinerary to spend a few days in London before returning home to Louisiana. The ad was titled An Explosion of Color: Ignite your senses at Kew’s Tropical Extravaganza. Discover amazing floral displays inspired by fire, air, water and earth.  Couple that text with a splashy tropical graphic and this fish was hooked.  This is one case where words simply aren’t enough to describe the beauty we experienced at Kew Gardens.  I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

London's Flower Market

I suppose our family vacation turned into a work vacation. Oops! Our walking tours always turned into flower shop tours when the opportunity presented itself. Upon touring a lovely London boutique, we learned about London's flower market--the place where shops purchase their flowers for resale. So of course, a trip to the market was added to our busy schedule.

What an educational experience it was. Unlike our markets where we purchase from one wholesaler, London's market is made up of numerous wholesalers all under one roof. As a buyer, it makes it so much easier to shop around for the best product at the best possible price.


The flowers--let's talk about the flowers. A lot of what we saw in London is what we see here. Most of the flowers come from the Dutch auction and man oh man--what amazing products. For brides wanting phalaenopsis orchids, Dutch is the way to go--the quality is outstanding. Here in the U.S., you might pay more for Dutch products, but I do believe in this case, you get what you pay for. I would have taken photos, but all of the delicate beauties were wrapped in plastic, water tubed and boxed. Curious as I was, I had to open the boxes for inspection. The blossoms were voluminous and flawless and also important, the stems were sturdy.

Another product worth mentioning were the amaryllis. Oh my goodness, I've never seen such a glorious collection. This is a flower I enjoyed seeing in designs throughout London and Scotland. For whatever reason, it seems that in the U.S. it's only used around the holiday season.  What a shame!

Valentine's Day--in Scotland

One advantage of being a freelance floral designer is that I bypass that craziness known to the public as Valentine's Day.  Believe me, having managed a floral boutique, I can say, been there, done that.  Analyzing previous sales, planning the massive floral purchase to cover all customer orders, organizing the staffing, processing the shipment (just think all those lovely roses you receive do not have thorns), those are just some of the things I faced leading up to that chaotic day.  Now the chaos, organized as it was, proved to be exciting, but let's just say planning and designing floral creations for events is better.

Today I had the pleasure of touring Edinburgh's Royal Botanical Gardens. You say February in Scotland can't be that exciting in a botanical garden; I say-- think again.  I can only imagine how lovely the garden will be in a few months; signs of spring were at every turn.  Whether it be the delicate snowdrops in bloom or the bulbs just emerging or perhaps the early blooming rhododendrons just starting to show color, if you take a close look, you know that spring is on her way. 

I must confess; however, the real showstoppers lived in the glass houses.  As we toured these vast collections, we observed plants from around the globe and what an experience it was.  I hope you enjoy a few of the highlights.

Bonjour Louisiana and Welcome to Joie de Vivre

Being from South Louisiana and having lived in the alluring city of New Orleans for many years, we recently decided that is was time to say goodbye to Seattle and venture home. So Covington is now the place we’re planting our flowers and I’m so happy to be here just a hop skip and jump from my beloved city.

A different approach to the floral business

I am serious about floral design and I am serious about taking care of you, the client. I choose the studio mode, because after working in a traditional shop for years, I knew that I was a floral entrepreneur at heart, but the retail format wasn’t for me. I wanted to focus on events and let’s face it, you don’t need a storefront to produce beautiful works of floral art; you need: a license, a cooler, supplies, dedicated space and let’s not forget the big one--talent.

It’s a smart idea, and given the economy, it’s a practical idea that is much less risky. The opportunity for longevity is by far greater with the studio model.

Most importantly, the client wins.

1. You really get the freshest possible product--purchased specifically for you (no shop surplus here).

2. More time for you--events-only business means we're not swamped with everyday orders, distracting us from your event.  We can focus on the most creative and appropriate one of a kind designs for you (no wire services here).

3. Savings--because we lack the overhead associated with traditional flower shops, we are able to transfer the savings to you.

Flower shops may sometimes scoff at us designers that opt-out of the traditional storefront mode of business. It’s probably because these Basement Betties (as many professionals refer to them) simply have no real floral education and flower shop experience.

About me

Just a little about me: floral design is my passion. In addition to having a degree from Loyola in communications, I studied at the Floral Design Institute in Seattle (now in Portland) and have taken classes in Vancouver and Seattle with famous designer, Hitomi Gilliam (in addition to managing a traditional flower shop for many years). Now that I am Louisiana, I’ve passed the LA Florist exam and have that wonderful license required by the state to legally sell cut flowers.

If you still aren’t sold, take a look at my gallery. You will see variety and creativity. It is my hope after perusing my work, you will be inclined to schedule a consultation. Whether you choose flowers to embellish your wedding, a special party or celebrate the life of a loved one, Joie de Vivre is blossoming here in Covington, Louisiana and we look forward to exceeding your expectations with flowers.

Au revoir Snoqualmie Valley (for now)

Our North Bend home's back yard

While I know that brevity is always appreciated, this is one entry that simply cannot be condensed.   After many years of talking about moving home to the New Orleans area, it finally became a reality.  We’ve talked about moving so much, it became a running joke in my mind and I finally accepted that this is home for now.  So I stepped out of my comfort zone and created Joie de Vivre, allowing me to share my passion for unique floral design with others.  Of course, once things are moving along peachy keen, the opportunity to move for a year presented itself.  That’s how life is, don’t you think?

So we’ve moved and Joie de Vivre will move as well—to an area where people can easily pronounce it and also appreciate its meaning.

Olallie Park, our daily hike

Leaving the valley was a bittersweet move.  Saying goodbye to friends is never an easy task and saying goodbye to the place we’ve called our home proved to be difficult as well.  But this blog is about flowers and the majesty of nature, so I will stay focused.

Over the past nine years, I have slowly been converted from city girl to outdoors girl.  The most expensive pair of shoes I own to date is a pair of hiking boots!  While happy hour is something this girl still enjoys, I have come to appreciate scuba and snowboarding and hiking, not to mention simply adoring the view in my own backyard.

Becoming a floral designer has opened my eyes in so many ways to the beauty of nature.  Part of me wants to say that this is God’s country, but you know, God’s country is everywhere.  You just have to adjust your perspective and open your eyes.

My budding flower girl

I’ve had the pleasure of walking two to seven miles a day with my puppies, husband and now my daughter.  It’s been fascinating to observe the rhythms of nature.  From getting soaked in the never-ending winter drizzle and gazing at the mountains trying to peak out of the dense clouds, to getting covered in snow, struggling to walk in snowshoes and hunting for Christmas trees in the forest (with a hot toddy of course), to observing the cherry blossoms of spring and hearing the birds chirping happily in the mornings, to the graduation to summer and the flood of vibrant foxgloves and daisies along the roads, to finally, the colorful leaves and berries of fall, there’s always something beautiful to behold. (My apologies for the never ending sentence.)  I am eternally grateful for this wonderful gift I’ve had to live in such an amazing place and the eyes to appreciate this myriad of gifts we enjoy on a daily basis.

Our first adventure in our new state

My blog is titled Ramblings of a Flower Girl for a reason, right?  Well, I am happy to say that my ramblings will indeed continue as I continue my journey with nature and exploration with flowers.  I hope that you will join me.

Just one more...

The project:
A farm style garden wedding
                                           

The advantage:

A bride that likes everything

    

                                                                                         

 The challenge:

a bride that likes everything

I knew this would prove to be a lovely wedding, but initially I didn’t realize how challenging it would be.  With dahlias being the bride’s signature flower, my curiosity regarded the color palate.  As we toured the Fall City dahlia garden, I quickly discovered that she liked all colors and flowers.  You name it; she loved it—from corally peach cactus dahlias to fiery red orange bi-colors to deep burgundy waterlily dahlias to giant sunflowers and everything in-between, this lady loved it all. With each row of gorgeous dahlias we walked, she continued to add another favorite (I like that and I like that and I like that).  My challenge: to harmonize the very wide variety she liked.

The solution—themes

Since she requested that each table be donned with two centerpieces, going with table themes allowed me to incorporate the many colors she liked without putting them so close that they would clash. To further create that farm style she was looking for, local apples, blackberries and grapes (from the bride’s yard) were gathered and creatively harmonized with similar dahlia colors.

The result—to quote a guest—a Garden of Eden experience.  I can’t think of a better complement.

Beauty in the shadow of Mt. Rainier

 

While floral design is my passion, there is no design without the flower.  That said, my blog is committed to beautiful flowers as well as beautiful design.  I can’t help but share photos from our amazing adventure.    I heard through the grapevine that Mt. Rainier was THE PLACE for wildflowers, so I put it on my bucket list.  As luck would have it, due to our long winter and nonexistent summer, the wildflowers were late!

This was the most awe inspiring hike I’ve ever that the opportunity to experience.  The sea of vivid wildflowers, beautiful lakes,  lingering snow,  intoxicating fragrance, the most amazing warm blue sky day, and let’s not forget the big guy in the distance—Mt. Rainier, simply put, took my breath away.

I am lucky to live in such an amazing area, I thought I saw amazing things and I certainly did, but this was on a whole new level.  Meadows, there were meadows covering entire hillsides that smiled with  lupines, columbine, lilies, asters and so many wonderful things I have yet to identify.

 I’m a Southern girl; there are no mountains or rolling hills where I’m from.  I’ve never seen a meadow.  I grew up with bayous and swamps and majestic oak trees---a different kind of beauty altogether.  As I experience the Pacific Northwest, I am happy to say that each of the wonderful places makes me appreciate the other even more.

Under the sea or through the woods?

When I gaze at this photo, it takes me down in the Puget Sound about 100 feet.  It’s reminiscent of an amazing invertebrate dancing in the water, dazzling me with its bioluminescence.  But the truth is that there was no SCUBA involved in capturing the essence of this beauty.

This mysterious life is indeed a flower emerging through the forest floor.  After scavenging books and google to discover its name, I learned this enigmatic flower is commonly known as Indian Pipe.  This fascinating botanical lacks chlorophyll, thus explaining its stark appearance.  This deep in the forest with such limited light, it’s amazing that any kind of flower can survive.  I'm so thrilled to have discovered it. 

Boeing Classic

We were so excited to earn the business of the Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge.  This year, the Seattle Seahawks requested flowers to deck their tents and we delivered.  The only guideline was small white vases and green flowers.  Being so tired of seeing blah round mounds of flowers in vases, we were determined to do something different.

Since there were so many pieces to do, why did they all need to be the same?  Keeping with the same collection of flowers, the style varied slightly.  When you’re working with ornithogalum, you have flexible stems—it would be crazy not to take full advantage of that cool trait. So some pieces let those crazy stems meander every which way, while others we manipulated to bend to our ways.  The result?  No round mounds here!

Wildflowers and Weeds

Most days, my daughter and I try to squeeze in a walk.  We live in such a scenic area of North Bend, it’s a sin not to take advantage of nature’s majesty.  So I devised a new challenge for myself.  Create a bouquet with nothing other than flowers and foliage found on our walk.  By the end of the walk, it looked as if I had a handful of weeds, but in the end, the creation wasn’t half bad. 

Yes it’s simple, but I realize that crazy out of the box design isn’t for everyone.  Some brides want to carry a simple bouquet down the aisle.  It doesn’t get more simple than a few wildflowers organized into a neat little bouquet.