Blooms & Company

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Snowberries Are HERE!

The changing of the seasons brings so many new flowers to design with.
I am loving the fresh energy that comes from a change of seasonal flowers.
Snowberries are one of my very favorites to work with.. and they are finally here.

Today I picked up rose hip and fall leaves
I cant wait to get my hands on them!

This Just in: BABY GIFTS

Adorable vintage highchair with handmade baby blankets
So many darling patterns and fabrics

One of my all time favorite items is the Piggy Bank
What a great gift for an expecting Mom!

THESE ARE THE BEST!
Flat Iron Covers
Great for packing a hot flat iron or curling iron.
I LOVE MINE!
also, new designs coming soon

Organize and Spruce Up Your Space with Tanika Ray

While working fast and furiously on two weddings, the shop was chaotic and messy and not much more could be said for the state of my appearance, three stylish ladies walked into the shop. They were full of energy, chattering quickly and swirling around the shop. I could barely keep up. As they were ordering flowers I started to realize these ladies were special, they were from HGTV. I felt the pressure immediately and was suddenly very aware of the HUGE mess in my work space. I also realized the flowers they were ordering would be used for the reveal of a few houses for their show. It was such a fun experience to work with them and to get a small peek into their world.

Tanika Ray the host of the show was so darling and showed my little shop so much love. She visited again for jewelry and bags and then asked if she could feature the show in a segment she was doing for the Daily Dish. I was ecstatic! She also included Carmen Miranda's Antiques and Retro Rose which are great little stores right down the street from me. I love my new downtown community, so many fun places to discover. Many thanks to Tanika for featuring the shop!

Here is the link to the segment in case you missed it!

Organize and Spruce Up Your Space with Tanika Ray

Fun Features

This past month brought a few fun surprises to the shop. I had the opportunity to be on Studio 5 to share some ideas on decorating with ribbon. It was a little nerve racking, exciting and fun to see the "behind the scenes" in live television. Brooke Walker could not have been more darling to work with, she is a doll! It was such a fun project to work on. I loved LOVED the chandelier and I cant wait to hang it in the shop.(I just finished one with sparkles and spiders for Halloween) Here is the link to the show and the project descriptions.

Alter Piece

The backdrop for your ceremony can be one of the most important elements of your wedding decor. There are many ways to make this beautiful and dramatic without spending a lot of money. Here I used an aspen tree trunk and stapled (or nailed) strands of cream colored ribbon into the back on the trunk, spacing the ribbon evenly. I kept the color palette neutral here but you can use any color or combination of colors. I also used these amazing wooden flowers so that I could attach them a few days before hand to save some time on the wedding day. It also looks fabulous with fresh flowers attached to the main tree trunk. This can create a great backdrop for the ceremony, pictures or to hide part of a venue that doesn't fit your overall wedding aesthetic. It would also make a great impact behind a food or cake table for a shower or party.
Rose Belt
I love the texture on this rose belt. It's the perfect way to accessorize your bridesmaids or flower girls. All it requires is a wired ribbon and a bit of hand stitching. Pull the wire on one side of the ribbon and gather as you pull it. Roll the gathered ribbon to create these little roses. Hand stitch the back to secure. Attach to a piece of felt cut or a wide ribbon in the desired shape and size. You can attach a small piece of Velcro in the back if you're using felt to fast the belt around your waist. If its on a ribbon you can simply tie it in the back.
Aspen Shepherd Hooks

I am so excited about this organic twist to traditional shepherd hooks. I used small aspen trees and secured them into pots with Plaster of Paris. They look great with different sizes and colors of ribbon hanging from the top. I attached the ribbon and kept it in place by placing a nail near the top of the branch, which can also keep other decor in place that you want to hang from the stick. They can add a great pop of color to your party or reception. They also provide a way to hang decor like lanterns, candles and picture frames.
Twine and Ribbon Wrapped Vases

Everyone loves the romance and warmth candles can add to your wedding or party. I am always looking for new ways to incorporate candles into my design. Combining ribbon and candles is a great way to get a new fresh, personalized look. Tall vases wrapped with ribbon or twine (or both) can be a fabulous centerpiece alternative to flowers. Mixing textures like twine and satin ribbon adds that extra element that makes the design rich and multi- dimensional. Sparkle ribbon and twine are a fun combo as well. On this grouping I wrapped each vase with varying widths of ribbon and twine, securing with a dab of hot glue. I also added the same wooden blooms that I used on the alter piece.
Bridesmaid Shoe Clips

Ribbon can even add to the small details of your wedding. This shoe clip is a fabulous way to add an element of matching bridesmaid attire without being too "match-y". Everyone could wear their own shoes and just add these clips. They are also great for everyday wear.
These clips were made with Dupioni silk ribbon. I took six 2" pieces of ribbon and stacked them on top of each other. With scissors I clipped from each end towards the center into ¼"strips without clipping all the way to the center. I then wrapped them tightly with thread in the center and secured the thread with a needle. This makes a little bundle. I stacked two bundles on top of each other in an "X" so that there would not be a break in the design. At this point press and fan the ribbon out so that the strips are evenly distributed into a circular design. A pretty jeweled earring with the clip-on back removed was glued onto the ribbon. This can be attached to a clip or to a piece of ribbon wrapped around the toe of a shoe and secured with a needle and thread. Attach to any shoe of your choice.
Ribbon Chandelier

So elegant and so simple. These simple chandeliers can take on so many different looks, from elegant and romantic to whimsical and playful. I was inspired by a wire wreath frame that I had in the shop. I started hanging different widths of ribbon from the frame until it was packed full of ribbon. Then I gather the ribbon part way down, tied it with fishing line and pulled it up inside to create the draping effect. I embellished with sparkly berries and silver sparkly fern branches. To hide the metal frame I attached a satin ribbon around the top with hot glue. Get creative and add any little extras you would like to create your desired look. You can hang as is or hang a light inside for a little something extra. These chandeliers are great to hang from trees for an outdoor wedding, over food or cake tables or in your home where you would like to add a fun detail.

WHATS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO DECORATE WITH RIBBON???

ID LOVE TO KNOW!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Inspired

“Every artist was first an amateur.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What a wonderful thought. We all have to start somewhere and we cant compare our early abilities at our art to a masters work.

WHATS HOLDING YOU BACK???

Get creative, start creating
dont hold yourself back

be inspired

inspire others

do art
for art's sake

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Brooke's Bouquet

I forgot to include some pics of Brooke's Bridal Bouquet and a few of the wedding in the last post. Here are a few until I get the real pictures in

Large Arrangement for the Bar

Maidenhair fern, garden roses, jasmine, callas, billy balls, hydrandea, star of bethlehem, ranunculus and veronica
with grey satin ribbon and pearls to personalize the bouquet.
Brooke's signature accessory - Pearls.

Centerpiece in place at Millcreek Inn

Me and my darling intern Hannah hang the aspen branch, ribbons and fresh flowers for the ring ceremony
Hannah was a HUGE help that day. I don't know how I would have managed without her.

Store Happenings

The last week or two have brought hustling and bustling around the shop. I have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful brides (including my cute sister) Congrats to Brooke, Molly and Anna. I cant wait to share photos soon. While the shop was a mess of flowers and leaves and broken stems on the floor a few designers from HGTV come into the shop to order flowers for a segment on their show. I hope they let me know when it will air! I was excited that they somehow found their way to my little shop in the city, even if they did see us mid-hot mess-wedding-production.

Anna had a bouquet of lush greens and whites and small buds to represent the new start of marriage

ferns, veronica, ranunculus, hypericum berry and rosemary

As the summer season is coming to an end I am loving adding fall elements to the daily designs in the shop

These photos don't do this fabulous local made jewelry justice!

I am so thrilled to have jewelry by Michelle Frampton in the store. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't walk past a pair of earrings or an asymmetrical necklace and think I NEED THOSE FOR MYSELF!