Valentine’s Day was lovely here at Apartment 46. While we did a lot of beautiful bouquets, we were also happily surprised to see so many people get creative with their gift-giving! I feel the same way most people do about the “Enforced Day of Love” (why is there just one prescribed day?), but if you’re going to participate, then taking a little extra time to do something out of the ordinary makes it much more worthwhile for everyone involved.We had a gentleman choose three items for the woman he loves because each had symbolic significance in their relationship. Miranda and I had the “AWWWW!” feeling for an hour after he left. We had a man and his daughter choose a few special things that reminded them of their special lady. It was completely sweet. We never ever get tired of being a source of inspiration for people and we are proud to be a part of a loving exchange. Our very good friend (and amazing chef) Axel challenged us to create a small bouquet that could be “given” by the stuffed bear she had bought her partner. We thought it was such a cute idea!
Now that our mandatory day of love is over, it’s a perfect time to let the people you care for know exactly how you feel. Gestures of affection don’t have to be expensive. In fact, a handwritten love note tucked inside a beautiful box says a lot more about your heart than a bank-breaking floral arrangement. One of the most romantic things I have ever received from a boy was a poorly drawn picture of a bouquet that said, “Flowers for you because I can’t afford them right now.” I have saved that scrap of paper for 20 years. It still makes me smile.
I was reading Essentially French, a gorgeous book about French style and I saw a picture of a haphazard bunch of field flowers in a bottle. The caption said it was a “Lover’s bouquet” and I was captivated. Gathering a handful of meadow flowers and wild clover and wrapping it with a simple bit of ribbon or twine is crazy-romantic to me. I’m pretty much putty in your hands if you pick me a garden rose. My clients often come by with bits from their gardens and I am always so touched. There is something way more magical to me about having that spontaneous thought, “Oh! I should pick so and so some flowers.” Thus, I was inspired to create a few lover’s bouquets of my own using wildflowers and some amazing wild greens gathered from Lara and Ian McCullough’s soon to be landscaped garden (more on that makeover to come!)
I waded through the strange things that have taken over my vegetable beds to find interesting bits for my small vintage bottles:
Even the tiniest containers can hold a lot of love. I use sterling silver antique salt shakers for vases and sprinkle them around the house:
The next time you step outside, look around to see what sort of plants and flowers you have at your disposal. It doesn’t need to be fancy to be beautiful. Adding a fresh-picked bunch of garden greens can warm up a room in a huge way. I’d love to see (and post!) photos of what you come up with.
All my best,
Melisa
