How to Make an Evergreen Wreath

11/30/2016

The smell of fresh evergreens always reminds me of Christmas.  I make evergreen wreaths every year to decorate my home for the holidays.  A simple DIY project to do, with just a few supplies needed from the craft store and greens from your yard. Gather some friends to make wreaths with you, just like Jenny Cookies did for her Wreath Making Ladies Lunch held at her home in the Seattle area. Here are the supplies you will need to get started: wire clippers pruners/garden shears paddle wire, 22 gauge wire wreath frame evergreen clippings garden gloves (optional, helps keep the sap off your hands)   For the evergreens, I clipped an assortment from my yard.  Many of the “foundation” plants used in landscaping are evergreen bushes and trees, so you probably have some in your yard as well.  I chose: cedar, juniper, spruce, pine and holly. When clipping your evergreens, makeRead More

Color Inspiration – Pears

11/16/2016

This morning, I was making breakfast for my girls.  A common task, one that I can do without really thinking about it.  My mind was wandering and my eyes settled on two pears sitting in a bowl.  Their color struck me as being really beautiful, the blush that is developing as they ripen.  The thought struck me: “What a great color palette for a wedding!” I am inspired by nature all the time. Some of my best ideas come from observing elements in my garden: a flower bobbing in the breeze, how a branch is bending, etc. I bring these observations to my floral designs, creating weddings that are garden-inspired and romantic in their look and feel. This time, inspiration came from two little pears. Pears have a lovely shade of yellow-green as their base color, a color found many times in new leaf growth.  It also happens to be a shadeRead More

N & S Wedding at Maplehurst Farm

11/13/2016

Maplehurst Farm, just north of Seattle in Skagit Valley, is a favorite venue of mine to style for a wedding. From the moment I turn into the venue, I’m hooked. Huge maple trees not only line the driveway, they create a tunnel to drive under. Absolutely magical! When I met N & S, I knew this would be a super fun wedding to plan. Yes, most couples I meet are happy and smile a lot. But these two took it to a new level.  They literally radiated happiness and joy. So contagious! They wanted a classic wedding that was not too serious, filled with laughter, family and friends. Choosing coral, grey and white as their color palette matched their vision perfectly. Coral became the pops of laughter, while grey became the connection between all the components. Flowers were important to them, to highlight the beauty of the venue and gardens. WeRead More

Kiwi Harvest

11/07/2016

Visiting a garden in Seattle many years ago, I saw my first kiwi plant. It had climbed over the top of a pergola and made a lovely roof to sit under. The leaves were broad and vibrant green, very tropical looking to me. The vine was blooming and the smell was intoxicating.  I had to have one! Coming home with 4 plants that day, my adventure with fuzzy kiwi’s began. When people hear I grow kiwi’s, they can’t believe it.  First of all, they think they are tropical and couldn’t possibly grown in the Seattle area.  But they are originally from China and grow beautifully in our climate. Secondly, they know how they grow.  They look around my yard at my trees, thinking they grow like apples.  Nope, they grow on vines. And not just any vine, but vigorous monster vines that consume anything in their path.  I’ve had to move them twiceRead More

Ribbon Shopping In Paris – Part Two

10/28/2016

The shop across the street is Ultramod’s vintage hat supply store and is only opened upon request. I ask the clerk if I could look in that store as well. Across the street we go, the clerk bearing the key to the door. Turns out its not a key but a screw driver of sorts. She works on the latch for a bit and the door opens. Designers such as Givenchy, Lanvin and Jean Paul Gaultier have been known to shop at Ultramod over it’s 100+ year history.  Walking through the doors into the second shop, I can see why. It is even more magical and old-world looking than the first. There are shelves full of vintage pattern straw, grosgrain, furniture braids and fringe, tapestry ribbon, etc. You can tell these items are old, as some are faded from the sun shining through the windows. Story has it that one ofRead More