Every Rose...

How amazingly beautiful is this bouquet!?!? I don't typically care for gerber daisies (I think those are gerber daisies in there), but the combination of the deep red with the soft apricot looks gorgeous paired with the dusky sage eucalyptus. Plus, the whole photograph is really done well - what a stylish bride!

Sunny Days Ahead

I just bought a bunch of vibrant yellow daffodils at the store to brighten up my place. It is always such an exciting time of the year when cheerful spring blooms pop up. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny, and I can't wait to spend some time outside!

Back In The Swing

I worked a day at Botanicals (the event design firm that I worked at for many years) again this week. It was so great to be around fresh flowers again!


This particular picture of these amazing hand-tied bouquets caught my eye. I LOVE garden roses, and these pink and peach ones are incredible! I also love them in combination with the whimsical yellow billy balls and wispy jasmine vines. I am a sucker for gobs of texture and sobet-ish color palates - so this is right up my alley. Yummy.

Flower-less

I am a flower girl through and through...but I started broadening my horizons when I saw this beaut. This elegant and glamorous bouquet of feathers is by Emplume. I especially love the rich camel and cinnamon tones of this particular textural collection against the soft ivory dress. They custom make each order and will ship it to you! I think this is a perfect solution if you want a bouquet that you can save for years to come (please I am begging you - don't try and preserve fresh flowers - there are very few that actually work).

Plain And Tall

This stunning photo of 'Sarah Bernhardt' peonies by Keri Herer is a spot on portrail of how I always feel this time of the year when my favorite spring-time blooms start popping up in the flower markets. They may look as beautiful and lush as you always remember - but then like the black background seen here - there is that black cloud of winter looming over you. At least the fresh fleurs give us hope for sunny days ahead!

Valentine Weekend

Happy Valentine Weekend! I will be working all weekend (even though it is my 30th [eek] birthday on Sunday), but I hope all of you have a romantic filled few days!


{photo via Style Me Pretty}

Anenomes

How beautiful is this arrangement of anenomes?!? They have always been one of my favorite flowers, and this is one of the best uses I have seen. They have such an unusual antique aura to them with their soft colors and black center. Plus, don't they look great against the snowy dusty miller foliage and in that white birch bark wrapped vase?

Just What I Needed

It has gotten absolutely FRIGID outside, but seeing this tablescape on Style Me Pretty is just what the doctor ordered to get me up and moving today. I mean, it is UNbelievable! It is quite possibly one of my favorite settings that I have ever seen.


Chandeliers hanging from a trellis of grapevine (!) - are you kidding me! Plus the long wood tables, the cornflower blue runner, and the pop of contrasting color in the petite flower arrangements. Perfection really.

Elegant Centerpiece

I wanted to feature this picture not only because of how sweet the shared look between the bride and her father is, but because of the beautiful centerpieces. They are so simple (tall crisp white gladiolas casually bursting from a glass cylinder vase), yet are unexpectedly impact-ful. Gladiolas are extremely inexpensive - and many time thought of and old fashion funeral flowers. This use of them though shines a whole new light on this summer bloom. They come in a ton of different colors, and they (apparently) allow you to create a tall elevated arrangement without the high price tag! Plus I particularly love them against the gorgeous sky blue ballroom walls!

Things Are Looking Up

I am not sure where this is from (probably Martha...), but I love love love it - every single one of these.

Vibrant and cheerful fresh citrus dotted with petite and fragrant stephenotis blossoms (plus a few glossy green leaves) has always been one of my favorite combinations for centerpieces - like the top right picture. As for flowers - I am huge into gobs of texture (like the bottom right photo) - this is such a fresh take on an otherwise traditional arrangement.

The bold yet soft orange is so crisp against the clean white backgrounds, vessels, and cakes in these set ups. This is definitely leaves me feeling inspired!

Little Bit of Sunshine

Ugh. The snow is all starting to melt with the slightly warmer temperature today, leaving nasty puddles of dark gray slush everywhere. This gorgeous picture of daffodils and kumquats made me smile, so hopefully it will do the same to those of you trapped in a cold and wet climate today.

Daffodils

It's daffodil season! I love this bright and cheerful flower so much - mainly because the are one of the first signs of spring. There are a few finally blooming down the street from me, and I am starting to actually believe that warmer weather is going to show its face at some point!

Daffodils are a bulb flower (like tulips). They all consist of a central trumpet that is surrounded by six petals - such a unique shape! You can get great deals on bunches of cut daffodils right now. Look for them in all the different variations of white, yellow, orange, and peach!

Ranunculus

One of my absolute favorite flowers in the world are ranunculus. They are delightful bulb flowers that are made up of tons of layers of tissue paper thin petals. They come in colors ranging from soft white and peach to vibrant hues including deep plum purple. Though not the most cost effective flower, they are great to detail an intricate arrangement/bouquet.

I currently have a little tussy mussy on my coffee table made up exclusively of bright citrus orange ones including some of their adorable closed buds! Doesn't that center arrangement look more like a painting from the Renaissance than an actual photograph? I love that picture so much I can't even express it.

These are typically easiest to get as a spring flower in the beginning of the year - though they are becoming more readily available throughout the year to enjoy!

Toast, Taste, and Tour I

These are the first of some images that I wanted to share from an event I worked on this past weekend. I designed the following with the wonderful Kara Superfine of Botanicals, a branch of HM Designs for the Toast, Taste, and Tour bridal event put on by the adorable Kara Underwood of Magnificent Milestones.

It was a progressive event that took brides on a trolley led tour through four of Chicago's best venues. Our designs were featured in the historic Cafe Brauer in Lincoln Park Zoo. The event had a great turn out for a cold Sunday morning, and they were all happy to warm up while enjoying the delicious treats from The Entertaining Company (the white hot chocolate finished with a chocolate dipped marshmallow detailed with a bit of edible gold leaf was my personal favorite!).

These are some of the bouquets we made for the event. Each one was designed in a different style and color palette - to appeal to every taste! This first one of various tones of white, ivory, silver, and taupe was so elegant. Silver brunia berries and dusty miller foliage perfectly accented the open garden roses. The stems were gathered and bound in luxurious taupe velvet.
















This one is a vivid combination of rich raspberry and bold orange tones. Cattleya orchid blossoms and ruffly spray roses were combined with gloriosa lilies, ranunculus, and fresh kumquots (!). The bouquet was detailed with glossy green coffee foliage and coordinating satin ribbons.
















I loved every one of these bouquets - from the open peach amaryllis; to the fluffy white peonies; to the cascading and unusual anthurium; to the highly textural green collection of succulants, maidenhair fern, lotus pods, and cymbidium orchids!
















More to come on this fun afternoon!
Photos by Erica Baracca.

Flowers: Pink Peonies

Ah! These fluffy bubblegum pink blossoms are so big and dense and beautiful that I just want to eat them! Peonies represent the epitome of summer, and this classic color looks gorgeous whether as a single stem plopped into a bud vase, or as a huge ruffly mass designed in a fancy urn. They work great in bouquets, and they grow locally - so if you catch them at the right time of year, they are surprisingly a cost effective option because of their sheer individual volume! Plus, I LOVE the scent of these seasonal blooms. I just worked with some this weekend, and I kept burying my face in them to fully take in their sweet scent.

Flowers: Anemones

Designing the look of parties, I have grown to have a deep love for flowers and the different varieties. Fresh floral arrangements can put a smile on any face, and can add the perfect finishing touch to any event. Depending on the type, they have the ability to turn a tabletop or bouquet from uber modern to feminine and gardeny. Below is a collection of images of one of my absolute favorite favorite flower varieties!


Anenomes have soft delicate petals and a rich black center, giving them a perfectly beautiful vintage feel - and are typically grown in Holland. They come in these rich jewel tones as you see above as well as crisp white. You can also look for them in dusky pale pinks and lavenders!