Autumn has become my most favorite time of year. The weather isn’t yet unbearably cold, Halloween is on its way, evening hot cocoa outside seems right, and the Flower Mart is brimming with amazing gourds, branches, and gorgeous Fall blooms. When it comes to flower selection, it doesn’t get any better in my opinion. Brides who choose Fall for their wedding have so many magical options.
Floral Wonderland
One of the things I most enjoy about floral design is coming up with unexpected arrangements. I have always had a little love affair with the baby artichoke as used in floral design but only recently decided that it is perfectly married to the hydrangea. Combining the two in a striking blue and white Chinese vase and popping in some blue berries and meadow grass made the whole thing feel kind of otherworldly to me. Something I would have on my own mantel or dressing table. I don’t tend to veer toward arrangements that are too soft or feminine. I like them to be weird. That’s really my number one criteria. If it’s pretty and weird, I’m sure to love it.
All the Little Things
As usual we’ve been up to loads of creative things – finishing gardens, furniture restoration, art projects, preparing for Miranda’s 16th birthday, attending the Lady Gaga concert, curating for the shop – I have to say, it looks and smells beautiful in our design studio!
Floral Soapbox and Fabulous Finds
Made my weekly pilgrimage to the SF Flower Mart to pick up some fresh blooms for the shop. Each week I am looking for something new, something interesting, and something that inspires me. I absolutely love flowers and I love creating arrangements, but I am nearly obsessed with creating arrangements that no one else would create. I won’t mix roses and baby’s breath for instance.
Table Decorations! Samaritan House Fundraiser
It was a busy weekend for us with the fundraiser, the flea market and Alameda. I kept telling myself that if I could get through my overlapping activities everything would be unicorns and roses once again. It was so humbling to be a part of the Samaritan House’s chosen designers. In fact, I had a self-esteem meltdown pretty soon after I saw what the other participants were putting together. I’m not a table decorator by trade nor do I really know how many spoons, knives and strange ladles have to go on which side of the plate. I just like pretty things. It’s as simple as that.
We’re in the Local Papers!
We are so excited about the table design we’re doing for the upcoming Samaritan House fundraiser. The theme of our table is “Nature in Bloom”. I’ve changed my china pattern and my mind too many times to count but I do know that I’m covering my table in blanket moss and there will be a big tree coming from the center of it. We’re hoping our table inspires people to come visit our wonderful, eclectic little mad science lab.
Best,
Melisa
Love and Fleurs
Beautiful cream and brown ceramic pitcher featuring spring flowers
Pink hyacinth in a vintage creamer
White hydrangea in a 1960’s ceramic vase
1960’s teal ceramic handled urn vase – my favorite!
Just wanted to share!
Melisa
Springtime Bouquets
I love this time of year for making flower arrangements. Heaps of crazy, curly jasmine scents the air of my shop. This, mixed with bundles of wonderful sweet pea in every imaginable color are stuffed into mugs, vases and containers of all kinds makes me happy. I believe in having fresh cut flowers in just about every room in your home. It lifts your spirits, brightens your space and brings the nature indoors. It is so easy to step outside and gather just about any blooming thing and create a great arrangement.
Little Romantic Things
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.
I Heart Twigs
With 2009 neatly tucked in behind us, it’s time to get started on the path ahead – financially, emotionally, physically – it’s another chance to start fresh. Along with renewed hope for the future, I find that I am newly inspired to examine, create, and share. If you have never been artistically or decoratively inclined, there is never a better time to start than now. While I’m not saying I want you to rip out the fireplace and re-tile the shower, I am saying that every single person I know has some creativity buried somewhere inside.