For Love of Neighbor

This past week, I had the chance to step away and create flowers—not for a wedding or event— but for what I can only describe as transcendent and other-worldly purposes. A break in my rhythm, a pause in my heart and a gathering of souls gave space for revitalization in my mind and body. I remembered that the motivation of my work is both loving people and caring for earth’s creatures whether big or small. This recalibration towards the center of why I do flowers is a practice I want to set in motion as I go forth from this experience.

Arriving back home to a world so weary, I could only help but wonder what I am doing in my own tiny sphere to truly live out love. As my heart breaks for what is happening to my fellow human beings in Afghanistan amidst grieving the continued impact of COVID, it’s easy to feel some mix of hopeless and helpless. I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling as it is in our nature to cry-out when death persists. Sure we don’t always feel it, but even if our hearts have shut off the pain, our minds know it’s tragedy.

We know what suffering looks like and we can spot it from miles away and most of us are miles away from what we see on the news. If there is a theme that keeps coming up for me this week it is whatever I do, do it in love. Love is an ambiguous word but I do know it is patient, kind, not self-seeking or boastful. There is a lot I can’t do with the weight of the world bearing down, but I CAN love my neighbors and the people around me even if it costs me my own ego, time or comfort.

The flowers that you see here are created with my neighbors in mind. A beloved one is fighting cancer, another desperate for healing from an autoimmune disease that has plagued her for 10 years now. Another just went through a big move; and my neighbor who lives just a stone’s throw away is about to send her first child off to kindergarten. Selecting each stem—a prayer—and placing it delicately in their chosen vessels, was a plead for healing, freedom from anxiety and rest in the daily decisions that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

My family moved to Philadelphia in June 2020 from a Brooklyn community we felt sad to leave since we were deeply invested in our friendships there. Yet, from the second we pulled up to our new home, these neighbors extended a life-source to us, unloading our boxes and befriending strangers. During a year that could have completely depleted me, I have felt full, loved, seen and cared for by these sweet women and their families. Each of them deserves their own blog entry and I certainly could write at least double the amount I have shared here. While there are no perfect communities and we certainly do not shy away from vulnerability and accountability, there are imperfect people who are struggling together, holding each other and garnishing hope for each other when it is difficult to do for ourselves.

Aimee Beloved-One, Stacey, Rachel and Monica these are for you.

Thank you Kelly Perry for creating space to encounter the wonder of both glory and grace.

July 9th Gathering

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Our first summer gathering in over a year was a celebration of the earth and friendship!

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Connect your children with the seasonal nature around them by preparing their rooms for spring. Read the following Flower Clvb tips, then hear advice from baby registry expert and founder of Poppylist, Sarah Hollingsworth.

Spring Nursery Tips

Bring something from outside, inside. Whether a blooming branch or bunch of daffodils from your garden, incorporating nature into your baby’s room will add a fresh feel to their space.
Go through your books and pick out any ones related to growth, birth and of course, spring to have available and accessible for reading. Place non-seasonal books away for later.
Notice what is blooming outside. Sprinkle a few bud vases around the room and place either real or faux flowers in them to mirror what is growing around your neighborhood.
Plant a few seedlings and allow them to bud along the windowsill of your baby’s room.
Find ways to incorporate spring colors in your baby’s space. While yellow can be a tricky color to design with, it is one of the first colors we see during spring. Pull out any blankets or sheets with spring colors and put away the blankets or sheets that might resemble fall colors.
Find a local artist that you can support and invest in one new piece of artwork whether an image or sculpture. This will help your child visually connect with the season and encourage them to take note of the growing life around them. If you are unable to buy a piece of art, take some water colors and create a painting based on an observation from the nearest garden. In my ideal world, I would have one frame in the baby’s room that changes imagery based on the season.
When you can, open the windows and allow your children to hear the chirping of the birds and to receive the fresh air as much as possible.
Select an oil such as as lavender or rose and dust the dresser, counter and book-shelf tops.
Consider the way light enters into your child’s room during certain times of the day and identify ways to . elevate it. Whether shifting the reading nook ever so slightly, or the play rug where the baby does tummy time, find a way to take comfort in the natural light.
Dangle some faux blooms or dried flowers. Having something dangle, will lift the eye in the room and will be an interesting, contrasting and evocative element for your baby to focus their attention.

*FULL DISCLOSURE: These are my suggestions that admittedly, I do not follow to the letter, as my life circumstances do not permit. Currently my kiddos are sharing a small room and all they do in there is sleep. Do what you can/want but do not fret if baby’s room is simply a crib and blank walls. Your love is all they need.

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This week I am highlighting fellow mompreneur, Sarah Hollingsworth, Founder of Poppylist.

Poppylist provides you with a curated baby registry list matched to your lifestyle and needs, without all the added stuff. Our product recommendations are sourced directly from a network of parents, with additional input from over 350 moms and dads.

Sarah Hollingsworth.png — My Interview with Founder of Poppylist, Sarah Hollingsworth

**Why did you decide to start Poppylist?**
When I was purchasing items for Amelia, I accidentally bought a mini crib. I didn't even know such a thing existed! It was in that moment, after having already spent over 20 hours researching items, that I knew this experience for all future parents needed to be better. To be simpler. And it was in my own overwhelming experience building my baby registry that Poppylist was born.
**What is the most rewarding part of being a mom and running a business at the same time?**
The most rewarding part right now is having the flexibility to adjust my schedule to support my family without having to request time off from work or get approval from a boss. It's rewarding and liberating wrapped into one. In the future, when Amelia can truly understand what it means to have a parent running their own business, then I think it'll become so much more rewarding in a different way. And I can't wait to share this part of my life with her!

…Continued

**What about the poppy flower made you decide that "Poppylist" was the perfect name for your company?**
When I first found out I was pregnant, I downloaded an app that tells you the size of your baby. Amelia was the size of a poppy seed. And since I'm from California (it's our state flower), I've always loved poppies. And so Poppylist just felt like a natural fit from the beginning.
**What do you think is the most important item to have in a baby's nursery?**
A comfortable chair or daybed with a side table. Hands down. A place to rest, cuddle, nap, nurse, read, etc. And you want a side table next to that space for your water, snacks, phone, books, etc. Create a corner where you, the mother, will feel at peace. It'll be a corner where both of you grow together.
**If you could give any advice to new mothers, what would it be?**
To have an open mind, no expectations, and listen to your gut. No one mother's experience is the same, so it's important to go in with an open mind about everything from your birth plan to feeding, and just accept that whatever is best for the mother and the baby, then that's perfect. Since there's so much information out there, sometimes we second guess what we truly know to be true as mothers. And I would tell every mother to pay attention to their intuition and do what feels right to her.

I am offering 15% off of silk flower poppy bunches with discount code, “POPPYLIST” at checkout. I hope these blooms make your baby’s room feel a little more vibrant this spring!

2020: A Year in Review

As I reflect on this past year, I am tempted to deny the pandemic its defining place in 2020 but to do so would trivialize the reality of loss that was experienced over the past 10 months. It would also trivialize the still and quiet beauty that was able to creep through the cracks. It feels weird not to make my weekly deliveries to Flannel or be able to frequent the flower district with such regularity. At the same time, I have found a deep meaning and purpose in spending more time at home with my kids, cooking dinner or simply walking outside. The gift of going outside, wow, it is healing.

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When I think about the first two months prior to March, I think of Sarah Gregory. Not only is she a dear friend but the best sort of flower teammate one could hope for. We hustled Valentine’s Day flowers, dreamed up our Flower Clvb goals for the next year, designed a child’s birthday party and hosted our winter/spring flower gathering. Then the big shut down in mid-March came and it would be months before we would see each other again face to face or mask to mask.

Realizing that gatherings might not happen again for a long time, my husband and I put our creative skills together and made a flower tutorial video. He composed the music and edited the video and I designed the flowers. Much to our surprise, we found we worked pretty well as a team. More videos to come in the future. You can watch HERE!

As weddings were getting postponed, I decided to put all my energy into Mother’s Day. As a mother myself, I felt particularly passionate about getting flowers in the arms of both the mothers caring for their children 24/7 and the essential workers caring for the patients day after day with the same love and dedication of a mother. In many ways we all became mothers to someone or something during those first few months, whether it was caring for a sick loved one, making masks or delivering food to a neighbor. For mother’s day, I partnered with my downstairs neighbor Liz Sargent who is both an award winning filmmaker and wizard mask maker, as well as my favorite Brooklyn chocolatier, Fine & Raw to create gifts for moms, essential workers and anyone who needed some blooms of cheer.

Throughout the spring, I would take my three year old son on “industrial walks,” walks where we strolled along the sidewalks of warehouses so as to avoid running into many people. Even among buildings we did not fail to notice the budding trees and signs of life springing up in the small patches that adorn urban life. As it got warmer outside we eventually began playing ball in the park again. I grew increasingly thankful that walking outside was something we were able to do. Every night at 7, we would poke our head out of our back windows, clap, cheer and sometimes I would even cry. It was a daily release, a physical way to unload.

Like so many New Yorkers, the move that is always in the back of our minds became a real consideration the longer the pandemic lasted. June 1st we moved to Philadelphia, a relocation we had mulled over for some time, even before COVID. This was also the time of George Floyd’s horrific death. Months of deep reflection and listening ensued. I found myself doing a lot of gardening and digging deep into the earth. The racial injustice in our country cannot be glossed over. Commitment to showing up, educating myself and uprooting the bigotry and hate that have gone on too long in this country will be a task I continually dedicate myself to. Here is a link to a book I am currently reading called Just Mercy which is a good starting point for talking to friends and family about the racial inequalities in our system.

Considering the inequality in our country and world made me think of how my business was operating. Was I making room for the people of color around me to thrive? Especially having moved to a new neighborhood, I wanted to enter with both humility and intention. One of the first things I did upon my move here was connect with other local florists. Meeting the other florists in my neighborhood felt more important than trying to establish my business right away. To employ the practice of listening even in my business allowed for genuine friendships to begin. By connecting with a local farmer-florist just down the street from my home, I was able to both source flowers hyper-locally and assist her in some of the remaining weddings she had in the fall.

When our family moved to Philly, we moved down the street from my sister-in-law, Stacey McDonald who is an incredible wedding photographer. Stacey and I began to collaborate. I would create arrangements and she would photograph them. My particular Dutch Master style paired with her ability to capture light in dark spaces made for the start of a creative journey that I look forward to continuing as the spring brings forth new life.

The fall weather allowed me the opportunity to design for a few “micro-weddings,”intimate gatherings involving a small number of family members and friends. These back-yard weddings proved to be some of the sweetest weddings I have encountered. Rather than working alongside wedding planners and caterers, I was working among aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters preparing the yard for the grand celebration of their loved ones. Weddings once meant for Brooklyn brides were relocated to Long Island, Boston and here in Philadelphia. Feeling so welcomed by families not my own, gave me a small taste of the sweetness that is awaiting once we all reunite again.

Speaking of reuniting, it felt so good to re-connect with my favorite flower advocate, Kelly Perry and her whole crew through the Team Flower Podcast. We talked about the role flowers play in bringing hope to the sidewalks and to a suffering world. You can find the podcast episode, Flowers Over Fear on the Team Flower podcast in your phone’s application. It was such an honor to be featured on a podcast that I have enjoyed listening to ever since my flower journey began!

One of the last projects of 2020 was a community wide installation of flowers alongside mailboxes called United by Blooms. The goal was to encourage people to vote, to feel safe voting by mail and to get everyone to make a plan. Without knowing what would ensue weeks later, the sincere effort of florists all over Philadelphia turned into a true sign of banning together on behalf of hope for the days to come. The neighbors I met during my installation, I pass frequently during my neighborhood strolls. The United by Blooms community is one that continues to work together on projects that I look forward to coming alongside in future months.

Something I will forever attribute to COVID is learning how to cook. When we lived in Brooklyn, I was never that interested in cooking because we were always on the go, we did not have a kitchen table and our kitchen was so small that cleaning was always a dread. When we moved to Philadelphia, we had our first official table and we placed it in the center of our home. Quite literally it is the focal point of our new living space but the table has also served to ground our family each day. As a mother, I rarely sit and it is something that has caused us to all sit TOGETHER. I quickly became more interested in making creative meals for our family to share. Having a kitchen table is also motivation to adorn it with a few blooms. Little did I know that come November, my husband would be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that required severe diet restrictions and changes. As weddings slowed down towards the end of fall so did I as I began putting more energy into cooking healing meals.

As I look forward to the year ahead, I am praying and speaking words of abundance over the year. Perhaps abundance will come in a form we do not expect but that is my hope for 2021 and I am believing it for every person, animal and speck of earth.

Reflect upon your present blessings -- of which every man has many -- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.- Charles Dickens

North Fork Flower Farm

Taking care to know the land where flowers are grown is important not only to my brides but also to the philosophy that guides my floral design. When a bride touches a bouquet, puts her face down into a collection of blooms accompanying her on her most prized day, it’s only appropriate that her flowers breathe back life into her. The journey of an imported flower, doused in chemicals, made to survive days of transport is in many ways depriving the blooms of their true nature. Wedding flowers should feel like they are not just playing into a production but rather reflecting the space and even time when a wedding occurs. An anniversary is only made more sweet when walking down the sidewalk and seeing the same wedding flowers celebrating you year after year.

When booking a wedding, one of my first priorities is identifying a local farm. While I do not buy every bloom from a flower farm, the flowers that steal the show are ALWAYS local. My hope in writing this article is to elevate flower farmers and to get more local blooms in your bouquets. As floral designers, we have the potential to shift the industry towards uplifting the flower farmers and the blooms they grow so that our customers receive the freshest and most excellent of blooms.

On the Northern, most Eastern tip of New York, sits North Fork Flower Farm, a small two acre flower farm where a gaggle of color grows in between the bay and the sound. Monarchs and bumblebees hop from flower to flower filling up on the pollen of blossoms so fragrant you can taste them. Quite literally, the farm is home to an assortment of edible flowers where one farmer makes syrups and potions you can eat.

Drianne, one of North Fork Flower Farm’s Partners and Founders—along with her rescue Shepherd— walk me through fields of Dahlias, Cosmos, Gomphrena, Madam Butterfly Snapdragons, Ageratum, Lisianthus and so much more. She describes the color palette she gravitates towards, as one on the spectrum of purples, pinks and blush. Though, there are colors of all kinds popping up and catching my attention. After observing her fields, we go inside to see where the flowers are housed after they are clipped. The cooler found inside the barn serves as a temporary home for flowers, bringing them life and sustenance through cooling hydration. In this space she shows me the deliberate and delicate way she places each flower together to prepare the blooms for her flower share. As she selects varieties for each bouquet, it is as if she is picking colors and kinds that will most enjoy living next to each other in a vase.

Drianne and her farm partner, Charles, met years ago and were impressed to learn that they shared the same dream of starting a flower farm. Charles, having followed the slow flowers movement for years, maintained his own garden on a horse farm during his life as an NYC attorney. In 2015 he was ready for a change of scenery and a more intimate life with the land and soil he had spent so many years cultivating. He planned to go out west to start his dream of pursuing a flower farm but California was experiencing a drought and without water, flowers cannot grow. So, tucked just beyond wine country in the North Fork of Long Island, Charles decided to plant roots.

FIve years ago, Peoninc Land Trust was taking applications from farmers seeking land to use for agricultural purposes. The goal was to save land from the kind of development that would deprive the North Fork community of its quaint magic. Talking to Drianne and Charles, it is clear to me that they don’t just grow flowers to sell them, they grow flowers because they love the earth and its pollinators. Drianne adores the bee creatures who visit her garden, welcoming them as kings and queens of little flower kingdoms. When thinking about what she wants for her farm, so much of it is about attracting these pollinators, growing Dahlias, and bringing scented flowers back into bouquets.

Many people might not know about this little farm. They do not advertise and don’t need to. People searching for flowers, find it. On the drive up to the flower farm, we pass so much land full of growth and that Iowa Field of Dreams feeling. If flowers are to Drianne what baseball is to Ray Kinsella, I can hear the voice of Constance Spry saying, “if you plant it, they will come.” There was once a time when Long Island was full of flower farms but when the industry started outsourcing in the 1960s *(Stewart, Amy; Flower Confidential) , roses and carnations were imported and inexpensive, making them the only flowers people ever really purchased. Fast forward to 2020, people are hungry for the kind of fresh, unique and native flowers that North Fork provides.

The land is located next to a farm to table chef who grows heirloom plants for Shelter Island and the surrounding areas. When Drianne told me about her neighbor, I immediately offered my idea, “ what a wonderful place to have a collaborative dinner where you can invite people to show off your farm.” But then I realized that this farm is slow in more ways than just growing flowers. It is listening— listening to the land, listening to their own inner voice, as well as each other. The farm does not need the praise of others to persist in its purpose and offering of beauty. There is an evident solace that comes from the soil’s position to the neighboring sea surrounding it. Most people visit the North Fork for the ocean but spending my time among the fields, I left the farm feeling all the pleasures of a day out at the waves.

The wonder of this place is not just in the flowers themselves, but rather it is in the farmer’s souls and the hands that till the ground. The difference between a farm and a meadow is that one is cultivated by a living and breathing human soul and the other grows wild. Both are beautiful in their own way but this farm reminds me of our responsibility to the small and the slow. To see every precious life from the flower to the Sapien and offer them care, gratitude, and grace is what I want my life to exude as a florist, as a mother, as a friend.

*Stewart, Amy; Flower Confidential, pg 139. 2007

The Earth is Growing a Party and We are all Invited

Sometimes a small tweak or two can go a long way. With weddings postponed, I have had a few moments to contemplate the ways I want my work to edify and elevate both the earth and each person who engages with Flower Clvb. Connection is a recurring theme in the business ethos. Connecting and caring for the earth, connecting with friends and strangers through gatherings and connecting with each couple getting married in an authentic and genuine way is why I love floral design.

Though I have not hosted any in-person gatherings since March, I have grown more acquainted with the nature around me and felt inspired by the details and intricate elements that each swaying tree and pregnant plot of soil brings. It is a reminder that our world is capable of grace even among bruised reeds. The beauty of the earth will never justify the wounds and pains we experience here, but it might just uplift us even for a moment.

Camilla Akins Design

Part of what offering kindness to our planet looks like practically speaking is re-investing back into the earth community—-this includes environmental organizations as well as organizations fighting for the justice and health of human beings. When a couple books with Flower Clvb, a small percent of their wedding profit goes toward supporting the living creatures that inhabit the earth. This, by no means is a solution to the environmental crisis, rather it is an attempt to act in the direction of care rather than depletion (you can read more about stewardship here).But Flower Clvb has been doing this from the beginning, this is not the tweak.

While both the logo and tagline have been tweaked, I am here to say that i will always be tweaking toward loving my neighbors and seeking how that plays out in action. It will look different as Flower Clvb grows but the commitment here is that whether employee, freelancer or client, the goal will always be care, kindness and flourishing.

The idea that the earth is growing a party that we are all invited to is one I want to disseminate as we care for both our planet and each other. Since we can’t party like we used to for now, we can at the very least, surround ourselves with bright colored flowers to partake in a communion that speaks life into us and that discriminates against no one.

Gathering in a Time of Global Pandemic

If our winter gathering had been a week later, I would have cancelled it. As the numbers of COVID-19 infections rise in NYC, I keep wondering when/if a mandatory quarantine will be instituted. Making flower deliveries, I bleach the vases and place arrangements while wearing latex gloves. Every sneeze is suspect and every embrace, a threat. We are living in a time when the most dangerous of actions are not violent or ill-intentioned but rather caused by gathering together or offering a loving touch.

As I walked through the communion line on Sunday morning, I almost started tearing up as the shared cup was traded for individual plastic receptacles and wafers were given in lieu of breaking off pieces from the larger body of bread. Why was I so emotional? Perhaps communion is a symbol of the larger consequence of the whole pandemic which is a breaking from the body. Those already experiencing isolation are now even more cut off from the world. I am reading accounts of those living in Italy and China who, as a result of the isolation, are actually spending more time with their families. BUT. What about those who do not have a family to hunker down and quarantine with, those already battling mental health struggles who feel alone? How can we manifest gathering when it is unsafe to meet physically?

Last Saturday Flower Clvb held its winter gathering. We got together and planted seeds in dirt pods and talked about how to keep them alive. Everyone walked home with a container of dirt and a sprig of hope. It’s only been five days and things have already begun to sprout. With all the Coronavirus talk, it’s easy to forget that this is the time to plant seeds, bask in the joy of the blooming Apple Blossoms and take pause to appreciate the Daffodils peaking out of the ground. Even amidst a city shutting down, we can still practice the physical act of caring by touching the earth, even when we cannot touch each other.

Perhaps when you go to the hardware store to pick up cleaning supplies, you could grab some seeds too. I wonder if the seedlings might connect us in some way as we care and nurture them communally. I am such an advocate for urban gardening and getting creative about space. For the past two years I’ve kept a spring/summer fire escape garden and in the process learned so much about flower growing in the Northeast. July’s Zinnias, Cosmos and Celosia melt my heart. In at attempt to gather without physically meeting up, I decided to create a Facebook Group called Garden Clvb where we can share and discuss the things we are growing. Feel free to join HERE.

Often I will think about a friend or family member or remember a sweet time we had together and the thought will flow in and flow out without expressing it to that person. More than ever, when we think of someone lovingly, let’s take the time to express it whether through a phone call, text, letter, Marco Polo or Voxer. It seems small but it could brighten someone’s day in a real way. The Coronavirus is a reminder of how connected we all really are and how even the smallest of actions have major impacts on vulnerable populations. I wonder if this awareness will prompt us to extend kindness to the environment or strangers we meet. Imagine living in a world, where we are not just seeing those close to us as our own but also, everything from the dirt to the neighbors around us.

Xo,

Grace

2019: Year in Review

Since having my second child in October, life has been a flurry. This past year, aside from the incredible weddings and events I designed for, I also survived a labor related trauma that almost took my life. To acknowledge the hard stuff is to say sometimes life does not go as planned. The unpredictabilities of each new day are enough to make one both curious and humble. I look back on this year to reflect and remember that life is precious. Below I’ve highlighted a few events or experiences from each month that shaped my year, mostly through pictures and slightly through words.

JANUARY:

My 2019 began with a winter wedding, moody and romantic, the kind that had me jumping from my studio, to church to the hotel, to the venue! I would do it all over again in a heart beat. Working with such astounding photographers (A Sea of Love Photography) made the memory of the day feel as special as it was. Choosing the right photographers for a wedding is critical to achieving an aesthetic vision that can be remembered beyond the actual event. It was my first wedding at the Box House Hotel, a stunning venue even for a winter setting. The staff at the Box Hotel runs like a well coached football team for which all people participating in the event want to play.

FEBRUARY:

Mid February was the first gathering of the year. Friends and strangers gathered to make flowers in cups or BYOC containers. These gatherings have always happened with the intention of making flowers something people value and feel is accessible. Rather than going to the flower district, I picked up some flowers from Whole Foods so that participants could see the potential and beauty in a grocery store flower.

MARCH:

A few weeks later, I was off to the Team Flower conference where I helped plan a special evening dinner for conference attendees in Waco, TX, home of both the Magnolia Silos and the flower shop where my flower journey all began. While the evening did not go as planned and we ended up eating bbq in a conference hall rather than on the beautiful suspension bridge and river lawn, I gained perspective and inspiration that has taken my business to the next level. Conferences can often feel fluffy to me but at the Team Flower conference, I made friendships that are foundational to me as a florist.

When I got home from the Team Flower conference my friend Danielle was about to receive her third round of chemo. In a small attempt to make the day less grim, I made her a crown of chamomile. The journey of cancer is never an easy one but Danielle is a fighter and is now in remission and recovering. These brief words fail to convey the heroism in her battle. Danielle you are so strong and I love you.

APRIL:

I’m not prone to take a gals trip in this season of life as a mother of young children but I’m so glad I did. This trip was fuel for my soul and I say this with such sincere conviction. We call our little montage “clvb.” It was a clvb reunion where we spent time by the ocean, put on face masks and had conversations deep into the night…well I was in my first trimester so sometimes I’d be the early to bed, early to rise conversationalist. Despite being pregnant, we almost got matching tattoos ( yes, I’m in my 30s). We opted for solid fake ones. Tam, Rebecka (O.G. Flower Clvb member) and Caroline are my sisters though we don’t all live in the same place, we keep up and not just up, like we really uplift each other. I can’t wait for our clvb rendezvous this year! #clvb2020

MAY:

This past May marked 6 months since we lost my aunt Karen. Her life and memory are carried on by her three daughters. Her eldest was married this month and walked down the aisle with a silk bouquet her mother had made before she passed. The centerpieces I made for the reception were only to compliment those my aunt had created. We will remember her and celebrate her life always.

The Flower Clvb Spring gathering brought together mothers, daughters, friends and coworkers to create flower crowns. Thank you Tam for sharing your home and opening the door to strangers who soon became friends.

JUNE:

June was the month of rain in NYC. Though dreary, it seemed to make for a blooming fall. This was also the month I began making florals for Flannel, an Australian based clothing company that does not sell flannels. Rather, Flannel sells clothes that make you feel like you are walking through a sea of wild flowers. This weekly account has allowed me to experiment and get super versatile in my flower choices.

JULY:

By July I was well into my second trimester and anticipating the life to come. During this time, I visited a friend in Youngstown, OH and dug my hands into some soil alongside her on the flower farm where she works. There is nothing like going to the factory where the media I build with everyday is made. I love that it comes from the ground. We had many conversations as we planted seeds and plucked blooms about the earth and the core values behind it. What world are we going to leave behind for the next generation and how can we cultivate kindness and a love for the earth? If we can see land beyond its dollar value, plant flowers to attract bees, and create arrangements with the end of celebration, I wonder what that would to do for those of us that work with flowers.

AUGUST:

The first week of August I hired my non-pregnant friend to help my pregnant self make one of my favorite arrangements ever! A baby’s breath arch!

SEPTEMBER:

The third flower Clvb gathering was bright and full with seasonal flowers. I wish I could buy flowers at the Union Square market year round and for every wedding. There is nothing more satisfying than working with flowers from local farmers. The flowers are so fresh, pure and guilt free. Supporting slow flowers feels just as good as supporting slow fashion.

OCTOBER:

I welcomed my second child and first daughter into the world during the first week of October. Laboring without medicine to bring forth this little full headed flower, was worth every painful contraction. Within a couple hours of leaving the hospital after giving birth, I was rushed and I mean RUSHED back to the hospital. The blood in my uterus was clotting and I was hemorrhaging. I almost lost my life on the second day of my sweet girl’s life. I thought I wasn’t going to see my kids grow up and as I write this holding sweet Lucy as she sleeps against my chest all I can say is thank you Lord for each moment I get.

NOVEMBER:

seven weeks postpartum, I did the florals for another amazing Box House wedding. With the help of an amazing team including my mother in law who held my daughter in between feeds, it was as seamless of a process as I could have imagined.

The week after was the final gathering for the year. For the fourth gathering, we made holiday wreaths and ate chocolate. It was the perfect start to a holiday season.

DECEMBER:

Flower Clvb served as one of the floral vendors for an expo called The Big Fake Wedding. This unique concept for a bridal show gave opportunity for vendors of all kinds to come together and produce a fake wedding with engaged couples as the wedding guests. I absolutely loved creating the bouquets and table centerpieces, working alongside my stylist friend, Julie Rose. This experience allowed me to get a little vision for the collaborative styling opportunities to come.

while I could not include every formative moment or event in this post, it was such an important mental exercise to both recall and share the things that happened this year. I’m so grateful for each opportunity and simply for the breath of life. As I look to 2020, I hope to share with you some of the goals I am setting in addition to getting more sleep (newborn life is not for the faint of heart). Until then, farewell and thanks to those of you who have made it a meaningful year.

The origin story

Rebecka and Grace after biking to the beach, Spring 2015

Back in the day when we were younger and more single, my dear friend Rebecka and I would bike to the beach, go on epic camping trips and get together to make flowers. We called our floral gatherings Flower Clvb and would wake up early in the morning, travel to the flower district, grab some blooms, then meet back up after work to make! Years prior to my NYC move, I worked for a florist in Waco, TX (Rose Tree) preparing flowers and sweeping floors, all while taking careful note of the ways each designer would place and put together pieces of various shapes and sizes. So when Rebecka and I began creating arrangements, my experience gave us the foundation we needed to jump into filling water buckets and de-thorninng roses. At the time when our flower clvb gatherings began, she was cutting hair and I was working at Patagonia.

Given that our NYC hustles did not provide unlimited funds for our flower arranging hobby, we gave ourselves a $25 budget and choose flowers simply based on whatever fit into our $50 spending pot. Clearly, this wasn’t something we could do on a weekly basis but when we did, the 6 A.M. vigor of florists and vendors scurrying about the flower district, made flowers seem like an adventure. Eventually, Rebecka and I started making arrangements for church events and friends, growing more in love with the idea of working alongside nature.

Left arm = Rebecka’s arm. Right arm = my arm. Obviously Rebecka’s arm is way more cool!

When I think about the origin of Flower Clvb, I often think about my time with Rebecka, wildly pursuing nature and a life chasing the sun. Though not my favorite flower to use in arrangements, of all blooms, I would consider myself a Sun Flower as they go where the sun goes. Rebecka is a birch tree, deeply rooted in the forest and mountains, where she moved the summer of 2016. Although we lived in different cities, the time we had together made way for each of our next chapters. It was the fall of 2016, that I began dreaming about the steps it would take to start my own floral business. I started taking classes and workshops from some of my favorite designers and then with a few weddings under my belt, I launched.

Me, with a sunflower I grew from my fire escape garden

Rebecka & Mark celebrating their next chapter! Flowers made by Rebecka!

Having worked at Patagonia and learned the business practices of Yvon Chouinard’s environmentally progressive company, I acquired the groundwork for how I wanted to run my own business. Not only do certain profits go towards supporting environmental organizations, but the materials and working conditions used to create supply are done ethically and responsibly. After my time at Patagonia, I ran various arts education programs at libraries and public schools, developing a deep love for how children and adults alike acquire aesthetic preferences and learn to see and value the world. Each of my working experiences has defined what Flower Clvb is beyond just a floral design business.

While to me, making sculptural art pieces using nature as my medium of choice is what floral design is all about, it is also about celebrating the people who receive each arrangement and loving the earth by which each blossom came. It is a profound mystery that the ground is able to produce such an array of color, shape and texture. By spending time with organisms as intricate as blossoming plants through Flower Clvb’s gatherings and educational workshops, participants come together in awe, fellowship and affirmation that there is something bigger than ourselves at work in the world.

Preserving the earth and taking care of each flower as a living and created thing changes the perspective of how we interact with our encountered environments. Choosing materials that cause as little harm to the earth as possible such as chicken wire over floral foam, and composting refuse are small ways that Flower Clvb is making sure it has as little impact on the planet as possible. By donating to organizations seeking to preserve life and creating just conditions for living, Flower Clvb operates as a small business motivated by care for the earth.

Reflecting on life moments and experiences shared with friends like Rebecka convince me that the work we choose is inspired by something. For me, money is not the primary motivation behind my business but rather my work with flowers is inspired by a love for nature that has cultivated and grown through my relationships with people. I love the perspective of my dear friend Sarah Gregory who often reminds me that people are one of nature’s greatest gifts. So whenever I want to escape to the ocean and am stuck inside a studio processing flowers, I look into each flowerhead, think about the people receiving them and am transported to to a place equivalent to the beach on a clear day.

picture taken back in the day when over-saturated pics were a thing

Defining Your Aesthetic: 9 Tips for Brides

Having come into floral design by way of an arts and philosophy background, I often question how our human tastes are shaped. How do we come to like what we like? Are we as free as we think in choosing our own style? What part of our upbringing and cultural moment influences our various taste decisions? A bride is in a similar position to ask herself these questions.

The thing I hear most often from brides is, “I want our wedding to be timeless.” I resonate with these words as I said the same thing to my florist when I got married. What do we really mean when we say timeless? Perhaps we are actually saying, I want to look back on my wedding photos in 40 years and think that I made good choices.

The amount of choices brides are presented with is daunting and even more-so with the added pressure of having to anticipate what the standards of beauty will be 40 years from now. Looking back at my parents wedding in the early 80’s, I don’t find their taste or style tacky. Is it because they mulled over style, perceiving what their future selves might find impressive? LOL, yeah right! Weddings back then involved little more than church ceremonies with receptions in Sunday school classrooms where cheese cubes and cake were served. While weddings have progressed in their grandeur over time, there was a lot less stress involved back then. My parent’s wedding was beautiful and even timeless because of who they were in the moment and time that they got married.

The most important thing that you as a bride can do as you plan your wedding is to nurture and let shine the voice that says, ”I can make good decisions.” This may sound like strange advice but for me, I had such anxiety making decisions during my wedding and it was all rooted in a false narrative that I told myself which was fueled by self doubt. The belief that my natural inclinations and tendencies were wrong was something I struggled with in my childhood and that often prohibited me from making decisions. I always trusted others more than myself to make choices for me. The moment of saying, “ I do “ meant so much to me because it meant that I had made a decision and believed it was a good one.

In this blog post, I want to help take the pressure off the decision making by guiding you through a few questions that will help you determine a style that represents you and that you will look back on when you are old and say, I’m glad I made that decision.

Start with your dress and go from there:
Let your dress determine the style you are going for in your wedding. Think about how you want to feel in addition to how you want to look on that day. I wanted a dress that I could dance in and that was more whimsical than elegant. So I went with a flowy rather than a form fitting gown. Let your dress inform the words you might choose to describe your style and even the kinds of pictures you begin looking at. Once you find your dress, it will spark your imagination toward styles that correspond with that look. Write down three words you would use to describe your dress. Thinking about these words will help you hone in the look and feel of your style and serve as a starting point for your style choices.
Consider themes and aesthetic tastes that both you and your fiance share: Are there places in nature, colors, music, art, literature or even movies that speak to who the both of you are? Do you love the taste and smell of whiskey? Do you hike together? Do you both love the Brothers Karamazov? Find words to describe your shared aesthetic. If there are particular flowers, plants, art pieces or objects that resonate with your partnership, write those down as well.
Begin a mood board (Different than your Pinterest board): Making a mood board might sound like too much effort but in an age where everything is digital, having a physical reference can help cast vision. This board is a physical board that includes magazine clippings, images of you and your partner in your favorite place, paint cards from the hardware store. Take into consideration the time of year you are getting married, the colors of the foliage and the various attributes of your venue. Is it in a barn or in the middle of an urban environment? Don’t just look at wedding pictures for inspiration (though those are helpful), think about art, leaves, interesting menus from your favorite restaurant, match box packaging, wine labels or book covers. Once you have created your mood board find the repeating tones, textures, themes, and colors that resonate with the words you have used to both describe your style and your dress. This board is also something special that you and your partner can save.
Together with your fiance, identify colors you like. Pop into Home Depot and grab a few paint cards. Colors whether muted, bright, moody or spunky can all be classic and beautiful. There are so many good ideas out there but often colors trend much like gaucho pants. Many brides fear that incorporating bold colors will make their wedding fail the 40 year test. On the contrary, bold colors are not the enemy. The deal breaker for color is picking ones that don’t look good together. If you have had a basic art class, you remember the color wheel and those that are complimentary and monochromatic.If your florist has a basic understanding of the color wheel and principles of design, than you can select your color palette with confidence. Also, your florists are here to help with color questions so don’t be afraid to ask!
Reach out to vendors who have a similar aesthetic to your choices: Whether you are picking the florist or the DJ, all of your vendors need to resonate with the aesthetic you are trying to achieve. While many photographers are versatile, a photographer who is used to shooting beach scenes off the west coast might not make the transition to an East Coast dark and moody vibe as easily. If you are looking for an english garden style flowy bouquet, do not go to a florist who tends to make tight arrangements. However, there are plenty of photographers and florists who are versatile and have experience with a wide array of styles and tastes. They are great picks too!
Together with your florist, determine scale: As you begin to comprehend your style, color and theme, talk over with your florist the weight you want the florals to have. Do you want the flowers to do the talking or the season’s foliage? Both are good choices but you don’t want them to compete. Having a really full arbor in front of an already dynamic autumn backdrop might distract. If your florist is doing it right, he/she will take the time to either go visit the venue or do the research to help you to make some of these scale decisions. Another factor for determining scale is budget. If you are trying to cut down on budget do so when it comes to table centerpieces. While important, table centerpieces are the least memorable part of your wedding and they should be. Everyone is focused on eating and dancing. Put more emphasis on the blooms that people will remember such as an arbor and bouquets.
Focus your aesthetic choices on your ceremony over your reception: Don’t spend too much time on reception details. Of course, a long garland overlaying a wooden farm table is gorgeous but this is not the deal breaker when it comes to determining the mood or vibe of your wedding. The choices you make at your ceremony are a lot more memorable. I recently did flowers for a winter wedding at an old church in the middle of Brooklyn. The bride had chosen a dark and moody theme which was a nice compliment to the mustier tones of the church. Having aisle arrangements and placing large pieces at the entrance and side alters made a big impact.
Start a Pinterest board to give your vendors a point of reference: After I got married, I never wanted to look at Pinterest again. Something about browsing endlessly through photos made me feel dead inside. Looking back, I think I had used it at the wrong point in my process. I was using Pinterest for inspiration and letting its suggestions guide my style selections. No wonder it felt disingenuous. Pinterest is a helpful tool for helping your florist, photographer, wedding planner and even your venue get on the same page about your aesthetic.
Make a decision and make it the right decision: Set yourself free to make decisions and don’t take yourself too seriously because if you do, you will constantly be questioning your choices. My pale pink and dusty green color palette did not fit perfectly with the autumn scenery but it didn’t matter. The most important thing to me that day was making a commitment to the person I loved and enjoying the people who were celebrating alongside us. Have fun and let go.

Photography by: Jen Trahan
Flowers by: Fetching Flora