Spring Woodland Nest

Spiral Eucalyptus, False Indigo, Feathers, Twigs, and Birds Nests - Heaven in my book! A visionary I am not. It's a rare occurrence that I can put together a design without multiple trips back to the store, but this time the blue moon was full. In our home, this design hangs against a dark green wall keeping with the color palette, and its upright and tilted florals in the basket lends itself perfectly to frame one side of our sliding glass door.  Happy Spring!

Country Brush Wreath

An idea sparked the moment I saw them - the beautiful branches from a downed tree on my in-laws' property.  We burned brush and cut firewood most of the day, then headed home with a healthy bundle of branches I managed to save from the fire.  The wreath was easily assembled with a Mitchell wreath ring and wreath machine.  It was the perfect Christmas gift for my sister-in-law this year!

A Bird's Life - Repurposed Window

Jean's Antiques in Shell Lake, WI is practically a required stop when we make the trip up North to Mom & Dad's.  During this visit, two windows caught my eye.  After a good cleaning, I replaced the window panes with mirror panels from the hardware store (Lowes sells 6 packs of 12" by 12" panes, and will cut to any size for free!), held in place with glazing points.  All was going according to plan when the last pane shattered, and for the next month the window sat neglected in my garage.  When inspiration struck, this design was born.  Supplies include: Poppy pods, False Indigo, Birch twigs, silk foliage, Kiwi vine, speckled feathers, and an occupied bird's nest.

Corsage Outside the Box

A corsage should reflect the personality of its wearer, so why do we continually go back to carnations and baby's breath?  One of the greatest compliments a florist can receive is the trust of a customer saying, "Do whatever you want!"  Try it the next time you're in a floral shop and watch their eyes light up!  This corsage I made for my favorite professor Donna Theimer, AIFD for our college's spring gala.  Birch bark, bullion and 24ga wire, pearl-head pins, green lycopodium and hypericum berries, a black and white speckled feather, and corsage magnets.

Embracing Color Once Again

This winter, during a very difficult time in my marriage and living with depression, much introspection lead me to discover the importance of color in my life.  There has never been a time until now, that I can remember or have been able to realize, when the state of my happiness and wellbeing has been measured in shades, tints, and tones.  Gray was a comfort - a color I had never warmed up to until then.  Black became my shelter - a dark place to hide and withdraw.  The litmus test and proof of my recovery has been color.  Which colors draw me in at this very minute?  Why that color or intensity of that color?  I am thankful for that season of depression and wouldn't trade it for the world, but I am also glad to release it and embrace bright, vibrant colors.  Amazing that a seemingly insignificant thing such as color could have such a profound impact on one's wellbeing and happiness.

Spring Cloche Design

Cloche designs were the big hit at a recent spring design show hosted by Van's Floral Products in Alsip, Illinois.  Dried honeysuckle vine created a base on which to build your design, and mine included poppy pods, feathers, leaves, grape hyacinth, and a nest with two small blue eggs.  So cute and so simple!

Great Lakes Floral Expo 2011

The 2011 Great Lakes Floral Expo was held this weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I was fortunate enough to attend, participate in a hands-on class with Loann Burke AIFD, and compete in the student design contest.  As always there was a wealth of information shared - tips Loann shared will go back with me to the classroom for next fall, and winning second in the design contest was the icing on the cake.  Looking forward to next year's Expo!  Highlights from the Professional and Student design contests...

Thanksgiving Arrangement

Mums and Sunflowers need not be the only flowers we use in Thanksgiving arrangements.  This design incorporates turkey feathers and wheat with baby blue eucalyptus, dahlia, and spray roses, making it a fresh approach to a classic holiday design.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Chic Antique

The best client is one who gives the florist free creative reign - thank you Sue!  There is nothing better than walking into the wholesaler's cooler without limitations.  Being an old soul, I lean towards vintage combinations of pink, ivory, and green, and can't resist the opportunity to abstract sunflowers, include artichokes, and add setaria and pepperberry.  Much love to you Sue!

Harvest Scene

Two weekends ago my sweet husband brought me a surprize - 3 bails of straw!  I love him!!  With our new scarecrow form and our garden about to burst, the straw made the perfect foundation for a harvest scene during our Autumn get-together.  The pumpkins, indian corn, and corn stalks were harvested directly from our garden that same day, and the "Rusty Gold" came from our trip down to hubby's family farm. 

 

Early Autumn Wreath

The Autumnal Equinox this year falls on September 23 - not soon enough in my book! For me, Autumn encompasses all things warm: plaid jackets, knit sweaters, apple cider, pumpkin pie, and the roar of the fire on a chilly night. Thank goodness the unofficial start of Fall begins this weekend! Chocolate Zucchini bread and casserole recipes are already out on the counter, oak leaf garlands are strung, and I just finished designing our Early Autumn wreath. Tomorrow will be spent at a fall festival where ideas from over 300 craft booths will become my obsession for this coming season. Here's to the celebration of Autumn!

Summer Wedding Unity Candle

Yesterday, our Weddings & Events class came together to create H’s wedding flowers. Each of us worked on a different set of arrangements, and after I finished teaching my morning Floral Design III: Silks & Drieds class I arranged her unity candle design. This design included Roses, Germini’s, Wax Flower, Stock, Spray Mums, Statis, Hosta, Leather Leaf, English Ivy, and Veronica.

Big Southern Garden Wedding

This past week I had the privilege of helping Beth Hohensee AIFD, owner of Studio Flora Diva, and 8 others with a HUGE wedding in Lexington, NC.  It was an incredible learning experience!

"L" Wedding

If you happended to be at the Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Expo this past March, you would recognize the inspiration for this bridal bouquet.  Sorry to say, I didn't have the designer's full name in my photo so I can't give them credit here - really wish I could though!  What a great idea! 

"L's" wedding this weekend is a small, family affair so simplicity was their request!  A bridal bouquet, boutonniere, and two centerpieces for the poolside wedding.

Two Lakes Wreath

Two Lakes Campground in Drummond, WI was a second home to my family in the summers.  As a child, my dad spent countless hours in Boy Scouts walking the shoreline of Lake Owen, and years later it's where I spent hours watching waves come in.  My great-grandparents settled there after immigrating from Norway, in part, because the towering forests reminded them of home - a deep feeling I share with them more than 100 years later.

Everything about this design reminds me of Two Lakes and the connection I have to the Drummond area; the birch, pine, and driftwood, the mosses, and delicate forest flowers.  In an instant, it brings me back to the shoreline of Lake Owen.

A Passion for Gardening

Recently, I discovered my passion for gardening.  My husband and I have been doing more than we ever had in the gardens this year; transplanting, container gardening, tilling, weeding, putting in a retaining wall, sod, and a vegetable garden, not to mention replanting the pond area.  Every day has been the same: go to work, hurry back and change into gardening clothes, and hurry outside to get one more project finished.  This spring has hands down been the best I can remember!  There's something about digging in the garden that gives us such a sense of accomplishment. 
If you share this obsession, you know, as I discovered this year, that the gardening center is among one of the most dangerous places around - next to the antique and thrift shops, of course.  Today was no exception, although I had good reason for spending almost $200!  A client of mine requested "something different" for centerpieces, and loved the photos of vibrant flowers and plants in galvanized pails.  She's not the only ones who loved to be next to the pretty pots!

 

Pretty in Pink

Soft pinks and whites have been my colors of choice during this semester's European Floral Design class, and our last assignment was no exception!  Create a bouquet in an Oasis holder with a collar made from tulle wrapped foam core.  Pay no attention to the crumpled flowers - I dropped it just as I was leaving the classroom, and the lily bud that had a mind of its own and didn't want to follow the line formed by the tulips, grass, and Lisianthus buds.... we'll just blame that on the fall!

Copper Comfort Wreath

This wreath has been on my front door since December, and if I had my way, it would be up all year long!  Copper is my comfort color, and birch, twigs, and frosted pine cones are a just a few of my favorite things!

Vibrant Gloriosa

This week's project included three design principles: Framing - fan tail willow, Formal Linear - yellow dahlia, and Bailing - birch twigs.  Basing - green mums, roses, eryngium, and Mirroring - Gloriosa Lily were also used (goodness sakes, plenty of techniques don't you think?!).  The colors are absolutely beautiful - perfect for a sunny spring day!

Great Lakes Floral Expo 2010

Michigan Floral Association's Great Lakes Floral Expo 2010 was held this past weekend in Grand Rapids, MI. I was privileged to attend, take workshops with designers Kevin Ylvisaker, AIFD, PFCI, and Howard Silver, AIFD - both amazing designers, and take part in MFA's Student Design Competition. The competition challenge was titled "Around the World in 80 Daisies", for which designers had to represent a country of their choosing in the design. I designed for what I thought represented Greenland. The Inuit of Greenland, over 80% of the country's population, believe the Northern Lights are their ancestors dancing in the second life. I was honored to place 1st in the Student Competition! Big thank you to my instructor, Donna Theimer, AIFD, and the kind folks who make up the Michigan Floral Association.

The Northern Lights of Greenland